F-Zero

About

F-Zero is a futuristic racing video game series developed and published by Nintendo. The video game series is known for its high-speed racing that requires quick reflexes and diverse roster of vehicles with unique stats and pilots.

History

An original launch title for Nintendo's Super Nintendo console (SNES), F-Zero was released on November 21st, 1990. The game showcased the graphical capabilities that the SNES was able to utilize, specifically the Mode 7 graphics mode, that rotated a background layer to become a texture-mapped plane, giving off the impression of three dimensional depth.

The game's sequels, F-Zero Grand Prix and F-Zero Grand Prix 2 were released in 1996 and 1997, respectively, exclusively in Japan via the Satellaview add-on for the Super Famicom.

On July 14th, 1998, the video game F-Zero X was released in Japan for the Nintendo 64 entertainment console. In the 2000s, F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, F-Zero Climax and F-Zero: GP Legend were released for the GameBoy Advance. Additionally, F-Zero GX was released in 2003 for the Nintendo GameCube.^[1]

Reception

On August 22nd, 2003, an IGN reviewer said, "F-Zero GX is still my favorite racer this generation, by far."^[2]

The game's graphical capabilities allowing for complex tracks to be made for the game, coupled with the high speeds the vehicles were able to reach, created a fast-paced racing game that would be lauded by critics over time, and go on to influence future racing games, including Mario Kart and WipeOut.

Despite the series being on hiatus, F-Zero is still recognized by Nintendo in their games. These inclusions range from series mascot, Captain Falcon, appearing as a playable character in Super Smash Bros., F-Zero related courses and vehicles in Mario Kart Wii and Mario Kart 8, and a minigame in Nintendo Land, known as "Captain Falcon's Twister Race."

Fandom

Despite the last release in the franchise, that being F-Zero: Climax, which released exclusively in Japan on October 21st, 2004, F-Zero is still held on to by its passionate fan base. In 2002, F-Zero Central,^[3] a fan site dedicated to the fan and competitive community of the F-Zero games, notably F-Zero GX's speed-running community, launched.

On November 27th, 2007, a dedicated Wiki for F-Zero was created.^[4]

Four years later, on June 10th, 2011, a F-Zero subreddit was created by Redditor^[5] Spirit-Fox.

On May 2nd, 2017, Redditor^[6] TheWayItIs212 posted an image of a "_Splatoon_:/memes/subcultures/splatoon character in an F-Zero car on a Legend of Zelda track in a Mario game in the /r/gaming subreddit. The image (shown below) received more than 20,000 points (86% upvoted) and 770 comments in 10 months.

Related Memes

Captain Falcon

F-Zero's mascot of the franchise, Captain Falcon is a bounty hunter that is one of the best racers in the F-Zero Grand Prix. His inclusion in the Super Smash Bros. line of games since the first installment has amassed him quite a following, thanks to his move set, such as the infamous "Falcon Punch" and quotable phrases, such as "Show Me Ya Moves."

Falcon Punch

Falcon Punch is a move originally given to Captain Falcon in the Smash Bros. series, being his standard special move, where he winds up and unleashes a fiery, falcon-shaped punch at his opponent for massive damage. The over the top nature of the move cemented itself as an iconic piece of Captain Falcon's repertoire of moves in Smash Bros.

Despite its prominence in Smash Bros., Falcon Punch would end up being shown in the F-Zero anime "F-Zero: GP Legend," wherein the final episode, Falcon uses his famous move on his arch nemesis, Black Shadow, to defeat him, sacrificing his life in the process.

Big Blue MADs

Big Blue MADs are a series of video remixes featuring the track "Decide in the Eyes," the theme for Big Blue courses, commonly made by Japanese internet users, notably consisting of scenes from the adult video series "A Midsummer Night's Lewd Dream."

External References