Before the console war between Xbox and PlayStation, we had Sega vs Nintendo. “Genesis does what Nintendon’t” is a SEGA slogan that will forever be etched into my memory. While the marketing campaign for the Genesis was highly successful, SEGA didn’t quite beat Nintendo’s SNES. The sadder thing is that after the Dreamcast flopped, SEGA shifted from console maker to third-party publisher.
But there’s a bright side to it. This transition brought us excellent games from SEGA on Nintendo consoles — Sonic Advance, ChuChu Rocket, and Super Monkey Ball. The most impressive one for me, though, was F-Zero GX for the GameCube. This game was an instant hit and is widely regarded as one of the best arcade racing games of all time. Here’s a look back at why it made such a splash in 2003.
An Unusual Collaboration
The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo was so intense and public that the idea of them collaborating on a game was almost unthinkable. This alliance was a major surprise, and for Nintendo, it was a massive risk. This wasn’t just any game, either; it was F-Zero, one of Nintendo’s most beloved and technically demanding IPs.
The task of developing F-Zero GX was given to Amusement Vision, led by Toshihiro Nagoshi. Responsible for other games, which were unserious and wacky, like Super Monkey Ball, this team did not seem fit for what it was tasked with. Especially considering F-Zero’s legacy with games like F-Zero and F-Zero X, titles that pushed Nintendo consoles to their limits.
When the game was officially released in 2003 for the GameCube, it knocked everyone’s socks off and proved every critic wrong. The collaboration proved to be a gem, showcasing a perfect blend of both companies’ strengths. It had the sense of speed and technical precision shown in Nintendo’s earlier F-Zero games, but with arcade-perfect visuals and an aggressive style that was SEGA’s trademark. It was like a cocktail of different styles, containing Nintendo’s character design and SEGA’s classic gameplay.
Fast, Blistering Action
Aside from the unexpected collaboration, F-Zero GX is known for its action-packed gameplay. It isn’t a racing game for everyone, but for those who truly want to experience speed and precision. The development team clearly poured countless hours into perfecting every detail, ensuring an experience that is as intense as it is rewarding
An important part of having good gameplay is making sure the game runs smoothly so players can enjoy it properly. SEGA made sure this was the case with F-Zero GX, running at 60 FPS while having 30 cars on the screen. This was a huge feat back in 2003, revolutionizing how games would be played in the future.
The game’s controls are easy enough to learn, but rewardingly hard to master. The races are unapologetically high in difficulty, as some tracks might be curved and some have no barriers, all while driving at a speed of 1000 km/h (or more!). In this game, every wrong action has a consequence and makes the decisions very complex. For example, you might want to boost to gain speed, but this, in turn, drains the car’s power, making you choose between speed and survival.
To take out your opponent, you can take out rivals using aggressive attacks like the Spin Attack and Side Ram, which are not just for show but an essential part of your strategy.. If you still think the game doesn’t truly challenge your skill, you can always opt for the Master difficulty setting, which really tests your dedication. Some may find the overall difficulty unnecessarily brutal, but the thrill of a hard-fought win is what makes this game so rewarding in the first place.
Why It Became A Cult Classic
It has been more than 20 years since the release of F-Zero GX, and to this day, no other game has quite managed to match its legacy. It has become the gold standard for high-speed futuristic racing. But it wasn’t the massive commercial hit that you think of it as. It sold a respectable 1.5 million copies, but this wasn’t enough to crack into the top 15 best-selling games on the console (games like Metroid Prime, Star Fox Adventures, and Pikmin).
Another reason why it has such a loyal following is that it is the last game of the F-Zero series. While other F-Zero games would follow on handhelds, none would come close to replicating the scale and intensity of GX. This makes the game a bittersweet, yet perfect, send-off for the series.
To this day, it remains a benchmark for many new racing games as it has one of the best visuals for a game released in the early 2000s, and it peaked in technical performance. Due to the potential it had, it remains a question in every fan’s heart about what could have been if it weren’t the final chapter of the series. It also proved what’s possible when rivals choose to cooperate instead of only competing for market share.
