F-Zero X |
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F-Zero X |
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Yep, the sequel to the groundbreaking original is back. After playing for almost a week non-stop and being a true master of the original, it is time to see how the sequel stacks up. First I would like to mention that I am writing this as a true FZ master from the SNES and effectively analysing the differences whilst still acknowledging the game in its own right. From this context, I hope to substantiate my relatively low score.
Other than the graphical and obvious track upgrade, the first major difference is in the tracks and cars. There are now 4 leagues with 6 tracks each, plus eventually the X-Cup random track generator. To win a league, you must finish with most points a la MarioKart. In the original, you simply had to finish 1,2 or 3 in each race to progress to the next race. There was no points tally at the end. Both games offer lives in case of death and you are forced to re-run the race. Races are 3 laps, not 5, and turbo boosts are unlimited though using them does reduce your own energy bar. A nice innovation compared to the one boost per lap of FZ. Lastly, this game places you at the back of the grid depending on the previous race finish (same with the CPU cars - first equals last) and is essentially a race to catch the front-markers, whereas the original was more a race of holding off the pack. You were always on the front row of the grid. But since your main rivals are generally at the back with you in FZX, you are still in effect racing them directly, albeit this time through a field of 30.
Unlike the original where the Fire Stingray was miles quicker than the Golden Fox, all of them have effectively the same speed with armour, boost and grip separating the various craft. There are 30 of them (eventually), but within this lot you will still see 2 or 3 with the same attributes, so they are not all unique. In fact, their are, in essence, three main types: the heavy, grippy cars; the light high-boost ones; and the in-betweeners. Just like the original, the heavy types (like the Fire Stingray) are the choice vehicles, but in versus, since you can change cars, it is more horses for courses. Nintendo were wise here as in the original you were really forced to use the Stingray to complete the Expert and Master levels. Now, you can realistically win with any of them.
It ranges from the extremely easy on Novice and Standard in the early leagues to really hard on the later levels, but personally, not hard enough, or more specifically, not hard enough in the right areas. The difficulty flaw lies not in the AI (they are incredibly fast and aggressive - I'm yet to crack Master), but in the tracks themselves and control of the craft. The original FZ required you to learn a new skill which had to be mastered. Then there was the high difficulty on some of the tracks that needed to be mastered too, followed by the actual racing. Much like the classic WaveRace - still the greatest racer on the N64 - the original FZ required 3 elements to be mastered for success: controlling the craft; mastering the tracks; and finally, racing the opposition. Though drift and minor attack elements have been worked in, there is no real new skill to learn for veteran FZ racers. While I can cope with that, the skill demanded to navigate the tracks is not as great as the original despite the fact that there is a greater assortment of track variety in this game. This time, it is more boost-control and leaning that suffices. The limitations of the SNES obviously forced extreme variety and difficulty in the 2D tracks, whereas the injection of the 3D realm has seemingly been sufficient for FZX to cover all bases. Now, I am not saying the current tracks are bad - they are bloody brilliant! But I would certainly prefer at least one real technical track in the later leagues at least.
Remember Fire Field? What about White Land II and Silence? These final tracks of each relevant league where real killers with shortcuts through mines, dangerous hairpins, ice and other obstacles. There is nothing this time that requires the sort of skill demanded to navigate those tracks. The "bounce" technique that had to be mastered to nail those hairpins; the jumps that had to be hit and landed properly; along with the unremitting opponents, provided some of the most satisfying racing experiences ever. Only WaveRace has re-created these feelings. The bounce technique I mentioned involves deliberately hitting the sides and using the bounce as a slingshot to get around the tight corners. The above three courses mentioned all required you to do this in order to win the higher difficulty levels.
White Land II had a hairpin into a right-angled corner into another hairpin, followed by a fast sweeping corner where you used your boost just as you jumped over a gap onto the final straight! Nailing these series of corners provided the second best feeling you could have and evoked such superlatives like "superstar" and "master" from your drooling friends. In FZX, there seems no need to do any of it at all; the "hard technical" tracks are not testing enough. Granted Fire Field and its ilk were hard and maybe not as fun as the others, but boy were they satisfying.
On another note, what happened to things like magnet strips from Port Town and wind from Death Wind? Thankfully Nintendo have been able to re-created the magic of Port Town II in a number of tracks and incorporate new features like tubes, spirals and lavish jumps in the sequel which really provide a dimension of racing that you could never have imagined in your wildest hallucinations. But really, FZX needs a real killer, frustrating, technical and difficult track or three to make it complete.
Now we all know how Nintendo are low on customisation options, but again, this would have greatly enhanced FZX. I hate the way Nintendo force you to play a game their way. Their way is genrally right, but we should be allowed to make alterations. Things like adjusting number of laps, lives, or length of energy bars can give you a different objective to win: like clean racing, survival, or just hammering for a lap or two.
We go back to WaveRace again. Set your buoys to a couple and the laps to five, and you are in for the challenge of your life. Conversely, no buoys and one lap for lightning death or glory races. FZX is set to 3 lap races and it is over all too quick (average 2 minutes). While accepting that 3 laps is the optimum, it would be nice to be able to race 5 laps to prolong the adrenalin rush. Surely Nintendo realised from the MarioKart debacle how a lack of options can crucify a game. Imagine MK with no bombs or weapons? At present, the multi-player sucks if you want a true test of skill. What about no lives in the Cups, or a super Championship involving all 16 tracks with weapons off or on? They introduced the wiggle-turbo yet made it completely redundant by making the game so weapon reliant. Only if we could remove the weapons; and the bombs from versus.
In the PC world, customisation is huge and adds tremendously to lastability. While much of it is new levels and skins, the ability to change the challenge and objective of a game is something that all companies must consider. Things like lap and live settings should be the bare minimum. I am not at all criticising the current structure - it is excellent, and probably the best - but the lack of rudimentary options does disappoint. There just should be alternatives, that is all. Thankfully, the lack of these options does not crucify FZX like it did with MarioKart.
Look at the Championship structure - it too could have alternatives. How about a "Classic" Championship where the points tally is removed, and you simply must finish in the first 3 to progress to the next race. Fail, and you lose a life, just like the original. Then, how about the brilliant WaveRace version with its accrued race ranking system where you get eliminated if behind the required tally at the end of a race. If you lose or get disqualified from a race, you still go on provided you have gained enough points from the previous races. This would be a great alternative for FZX. At present, you keep racing regardless of how bad you are going.
Also, and something which again marred MarioKart, is the ability to restart a race if it looks like you won't get good points is also allowed in FZX. Since you can legitimately die in FZX, the problem is really not that great, but if you have 4 lives come the last race, you can repeatedly quit until it looks like you can win the race. This does reduce the challenge somewhat considering the original would take a life if you failed to finish in the top 3.
Now the Versus mode. It's tons of fun, and one of the best on the system, but the lack of a GP in Versus mode is criminal. With the low polygon count in craft, surely 10 or so craft could have been added. Also, the speedo can't be removed and though it is not really a hindrance in Versus mode, you should still be able to remove it.
Another minor thing is that in GP mode, or even in Versus for that matter, your race times don't get saved as permanent race records. It is not like you have an advantage in GP mode! In the original, there was nothing better than posting a hot time whilst racing the race of your life. Again, WaveRace has this, why not FZX! This is just slack.
In a word, scintillating. The control is sublime, the racing extreme and pulsating, the victories so ever sweet. The side and spin attacks are great for removing your closest rival from the points. Diving your craft off jumps thus increasing speed is sheer genius. Initially it all seems rather pedestrian, especially for the skilled gamer, but like with most Nintendo games, it is the harder difficulty settings and courses where the sheer genius of the game shines through. Like WaveRace, MarioKart TT and 1080, and unlike MarioKart GP when a lucky weapon was enough, it is when the game forces you to master the controls and become intimate with the intricacies of the game, that the true brilliance of the game becomes apparent. FZX is no different. Prepare for the ride of your life. Though non-racing fans may take it or leave it, the basic mechanics of the gameplay is flawless and must be appreciated.
Rumble Pak-wise, this game has one of the best implementations of the device yet. The vibrations range from subtle to violent, but are always appropriate. Though I would not suggest a purchase just for this game, if you already have one, or plan on getting one, then here is another great game along with Goldeneye and Starfox to use it with.
Many people have expressed how simple they are and lack detail, but to me, while not wowing like the original did, are great. Remembering that the premise of FZ, just like the orginal, is of racing high above the cities - the graphics convey this effect beautifully. The marginal fogging and bland backgrounds are simply realistic, if realism can come into FZ! The game is fast and smooth, even in 4-player. No slowdown ever.
Rock and Roll - that sums it up. The fact that there is a remake of Big Blue from the original is what makes the soundtrack so good in my book. Some may prefer the techno of Wipeout, and maybe it would serve FZ just as well, but FZX is a reworking of the original and they have done a great job recreating the feel of the original. The effects are well done too. Other than the fact the soundtrack is mono, no real complaints.
Though some may think it's not that critical an issue, it is really the slightly misplaced difficulty, potential, and the absence of some crucial options that prevents a score of 10 out of 10. In fact it is more a smack on Nintendo's backside for this annoying trend of virtually no customisation options. Thankfully the current setup of the game is good anyway and does not detract from the game at all, unlike MarioKart. Incidentally for those curious, the other games I mentioned in this review would get the following markings: WaveRace, 10; 1080, 8; and MarioKart, 6. In isolation, FZX is a masterful achievement delivering a first class, exhilarating, adrenalin-rushing, but most of all fun racing experience. I love the game. Been playing it almost everyday since I got it, and it gets better and better everyday. A must own, especially considering how cheap it is (AUS $60), whether you are a racing fan or not.
Well the gameplay is still brilliant, and versus mode heaps of fun too. But you know what? I have completed the "Master Class" without too much difficulty. Expert taxes you a little, but once you beat expert, your skills are good enough to go all the way. You just have to not be silly and not waste boosts and take out the right opponents. Though, I will say it is conditional on using a heavy grippy car like the Big Fang or Baba's Tiger Car (my fav) and pumping up the speed to within 2 notches of full. Jack took a few goes, King only 2 attempts and Queen only 1 (after I'd done the others).
Going back to Expert level I now win every race, and that is wrong, I'm sorry. Expert should be just that and Master should be near impossible. Admittedly I am a really experienced gamer. All my friends who have not been gaming for 10 years are struggling to complete even Expert. Getting used to the control and being more aggressive, and general inexperience is their problem. But after playing heaps of Nintendo racing games, the controls had no learning curve for me whatsoever so Nintendo must address the mature gamers when programming difficulty level into the games now.
I have already touched on the ease of control, non-technical tracks and ways the gamer could have made it more difficult by changing conditions, and by incorporating extra championships. But forgetting that, the main error is with the current championship and the lack of cheating involved. Now I am not talking about MarioKart cheating when the other Karts go faster than you, but results cheating. On Master at least, there should be one main opponent who always wins if you don't, or finishes second if you win. Since there is no minimum placing for forcing a re-race (MarioKart you had to finish 4th to progress), this cheating would essentially force you to win most races (which would be quite hard), and finish really high up in the ones you don't. What is worse, if you do have real shockers of races, your closest rivals seem to lose too. This keeps the championship close when really, they should be streeting away at the head of the table and effectively ending your championship aspirations.
If the Championship is close, taking your nearest rival out at some stage will almost see a certain championship victory for yourself. Really, they, and others, should be trying to take you out. With your heavy, grippy vehicle, it is all too easy . There should be months of frustration to beat Master, not a few nights.
What else? Oh, there should be a cockpit view. Not only would this make it far more thrilling and seemingly faster, but more importantly, harder too. The adrenalin rush would be magnified 10-fold if there was a cockpit view. Playing it on its lowest view at the moment gives you a taste of it. And playing Wipeout or Extreme G in this mode gives an even better taste of it. It really would be brilliant and is sadly missing.
Although it is relatively easy to beat Master, does that mean you have completed the game? Well, technically no. Nintendo's recent trend of having voluntary challenges in other games like getting all the medals in Starfox, or all the Stars in Mario, is in this game too. The game records all the cups won with the various craft and I suppose it is up to the gamer to try and win all Cups with ALL craft. A nice touch, and it is very much harder with the lighter, less grippy craft, but this does not compensate for the lack of compulsory difficulty. Really, they should have forced you to win with, say, ALL six of the top row off cars (they represent the gamut of craft attributes) to progress to the next leagues and difficulty levels. Again, this is the sort of a simply implemented structure to the Championship that would have prevented me, and others, to feel short changed at yet another "easy" Nintendo game.
After all I have just said, there is indeed an insanely difficult feature in FZX - the Staff Ghosts in the Time Trials. Unlike the MarioKart ones, these are near impossible to beat, especially on the easier tracks. That's right, a track like Silence, which essentially has no corners, the Staff Ghost kicks your arse. They do have to be unlocked by gaining a respectable TT time, and do indeed make for a fierce race, but ultimately, it still does not sufficiently compensate for the lack of a difficult Championship mode. Other than the Staff Ghosts, the game will permanently save one of your own ghosts for you, and also "remembers" your four previous races for that track at the time so you can race against four versions of yourself. Or even better, get your friends to alternate TT races all with different craft or colours (hit "R" during customisation) and race each other consecutively to see who really is best at a track. Believe me, this can get even more fun than the versus mode, and you have the benefit of a full screen too. Another outstanding Nintendo innovation, but again, is not sufficient compensation for the single-player Championship.
I am not going to lower the mark as I believe the basis for all games is the gameplay, and it is a marvel. Also, I can use other cars or lower the top speed of my favourites to give myself a challenge, which I do anyway. It really is so much fun to play. But Nintendo, and all gaming companies really, must consider "impossible" difficulty settings for veteran gamers like myself, or redefine what they believe is "expert".
Sonic Booms:
Immaculate control
Brilliant, fast and ingenious gameplay
Variety and outstanding design of tracks
One of the best multi-player experiences on the system
Atmospheric and appropriate graphics
Excellent Rumble Pak support
A re-mix of the Big Blue theme!
Mute Cities:
Needs one or two real technical & difficult tracks
Lacking game customising options
Lack of a GP Versus mode
No cockpit mode
Too easy for experienced racers
No race records are kept!