F-Zero: Maximum Velocity

F-Zero: Maximum Velocity is a science fiction racing game. Part of the F-Zero series, this introduced the franchise to portable gaming. It is similar to the original for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, with a number of futuristic racing vehicles zipping along a track at several hundred kilometers per hour, though it features different themes.

According to the website maintained by publisher Nintendo it was released on June 22nd, 2001 for the Game Boy Advance. Later it was also made available for the Nintendo Switch, via the Nintendo Switch Online service.

Tropes used in F-Zero: Maximum Velocity include:
  • Car Fu: F-Zero machines can collide with each other.
  • Chess Motifs: The Grand Prix series includes Pawn, Knight, and Bishop options.
  • Collision Damage: A key game mechanic, and an incentive not to run into walls beyond loosing speed. It is also possible to ram other racers.
  • Cool Car: The machines Hot Violet and Fireball bot look like a cross between race cars and fighter jets, complete with bright paint jobs and decals.
  • Competitive Multiplayer: Possible via Multipak link or Single-Pak link.
  • Every Car Is a Pinto: Loosing all power will cause your F-Zero machine to explode, with the camera then focusing on the flaming debris.
  • Fragile Speedster: The Wind Walker F-Zero machine has relatively low durability, but high boost speed and turn performance.
  • Green Hill Zone: Stark Farm features a green vista, with the occasional water feature and large vine like plants dotting the skyline.
  • Jack of All Stats: The F-Zero machines Hot Violet and Fire Ball have relatively even stats compared to the Wind Walker and J.B. Crystal which favor extremes.
  • Level Map Display: A map of the course is shown in the bottom left of the display.
  • Life Meter: Represented by the POW bar in the upper right hand side of the display.
  • Mega City: Bianca City and Tenth Zone East both show massive urban sprawls surrounding and immediately below the race track.
  • Scenery Porn: Falls apart while at rest, and held back by technical limitations, but it’s among the more convincing 3D games for the Game Boy Advance. When the player character is moving at several hundred kilometers per hour the game sells a picture of an advanced industrial cityscape.
  • Skybox: A manipulated background image is used to simulate a skybox, adding verticality to the map backgrounds.
This article is issued from All The Tropes. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.