Retro Lookback: F-Zero X

Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms and Release Dates (US): Nintendo 64 (October 26, 1998), Wii Virtual Console (June 25, 2007)
Genre: Racing

F-Zero X is the sequel to the SNES game F-Zero, and it continues the high speed and intensity action.

The Gameplay remains basically the same, you race 3 laps (instead of 5) around each track in a cup of 6 tracks and attempt to get 1st place overall. You earn points depending on placement, with 1st place giving 100 points. You have an energy meter, which serves 2 purposes, it acts as how much damage you can take until you Retire and how much boost you can use. You can refill the energy bar by driving over pink pit areas. The boost will not be available on the 1st lap, but is available on the 2nd and 3rd laps. There are 4 difficulties, Beginner, Standard, Expert, and Master, with Master bring unlockable. You also start with a certain amount of Spare Ships (similar to Retries if you want to restart the race or if you Retire), with less available on higher difficulties. You can also use a Spin and Side attack to Retire the other 29 racers as well, and you can earn Spare Ships for doing so and earn a better placement. There are 5 cups, Jack, Queen, King, Joker, and X, with the first 3 being available from the start. The first 4 cups have 6 tracks each, and the X cup is a Random Track Generator, which makes a different track each race. Along with the Grand Prix mode, there is Time Trial, which tasks you with getting the fastest time with the option of racing the Staff Ghost or your best. The Death Race is a special straight course where you have to destroy all 29 opponents in the fastest time possible. The Practice mode lets you practice on any track on any difficulty against 29 opponents. The Vs Race allows 2-4 players to race on tracks, with CPU racers being able to fill vacant spots if you so choose. There is also a Vs Slots, where Players that Retire can spin slots, if they match 3 in a row, they affect the other racers in adverse ways.

The soundtrack is good, the graphics and textures are of lower quality so all the action can continue at 60 fps.

There was also an expansion called the F-Zero X Expansion Kit for the N64 DD, which added new tracks, a track editor, capacity to race up to 3 ghosts in Time Trials, and a Rock Remix of the Mario Kart 64 Rainbow Road theme for use on the Rainbow Road track.

Bottom Line: F-Zero X is fun and fast racing, it is exciting traveling at speeds over 1500 km/hr. This game is worth a Play.