F-Zero: Maximum Velocity

"Let's party like t's 1991!"

Let's party like it's 1991!

Few racing game fans dare to consider themselves as such without owning an F-Zero game. Strategy, track memorization, and breakneck speed are the three main staples that encapsulate Nintendo's famed franchise, and those who like it, like it a lot. Due to the limited processing power of the GBA in comparison to the N64, Maximum Velocity is based around the engine that started it all; our old friend Mode 7. On the other side of the coin, due to the superiority of the GBA's power in comparison to the SNES, Maximum Velocity takes the old engine and, as the saying goes, “pimps the ride.”

GAMEPLAY

Much has changed from the first F-Zero to Maximum Velocity, but the overall gist of the engine remains the same: 2D track with jump panels, dash arrows, and one boost per lap made. The modifications, however, change all the questions to which the engine gave the answers. New to the 2D F-Zero world are sequence breaks, where a machine can skip over sections of track via jump panels and strategic boosting. Boosting too has been revamped, with each machine's boosting power ranging in speed and length. For instance, the Sly Joker has a blistering 593km/h boost, but it only lasts for a paltry 3 seconds. The Stingray (No, not "that" Stingray) has a stingy boost of only 525 km/h, but it lasts for 12 seconds (!). Some machines fare better than the rest on other tracks, so how well you do really depends on the machine you chose for the tracks. If that wasn't enough, now you don't have to wait for that silly little hovering thing to lower down and recharge your power when you go over a pit strip- it just starts recharging your power automatically like in F-Zero X and GX. As well, some of the machines can fly farther than the rest, giving more of an opportunity to make longer sequence breaks. Also, you can take practice laps on all the tracks you've raced on. There are four different sets of tracks, with five tracks apiece. And yes, just like the oldskool F-Zero, they are, in fact, five laps to the finish. Other than that, it's the old engine we knew from yesteryear, complete with Practice, and GP modes. There's also a new mode called Championship, but that only consists of one Time Attack track that's only about moderate difficulty. Pretty asinine if you ask me. And to cap it all off, there are four difficulty modes available: Beginner, Standard, Expert, and everybody's favourite enemy of blood pressure, Master. Beginner is patheticall easy. Expert will give you a challenge. Master will make you cry. But your efforts on Master will be rewarded should you complete it- you'll be given a graphic of your pilot (including the ones that weren't pictured in the manual- Fighting Comet's pilot, Kumiko “The Bullet” is hot, baby!), and a shiny chess piece of the cup you just beat next to the machine you beat it with in Grand Prix mode. Like Pokemon, gotta' catch ‘em all!

GRAPHICS

Basically, it's the graphics from the old SNES game on steroids. Instead of the cartoony sprite-rendered machines used in the first F-Zero, we're now presented with much more realistic machines that appear to be made from polygons perhaps? Whatever the case, they look much sharper in comparison to the machines in the SNES game. And the backgrounds and tracks are something to behold too, even if they do look a little grainy. And just to show off how powerful the GBA's graphics engine is, at the Grand Prix mode machine selection screen, you'll see your machines beautifully rendered slowly rotating for you to soak in.

CONTROLS

Again, like the old engine, Maximum Velocity remains quite similar in control scheme. The D-Pad turns your machine left and right, the shoulder buttons bank your machine to the side, A is accelerate, B is brake (A feature you will hardly if ever use), and since those are the only two face buttons, pressing both L and R together will initiate your boost. These of course can be rearranged in the options menu. It works surprisingly well unless you want to quickly negate your drifting.

SOUND

Some of the themes sound a little fuzzy, but ah well. Listening through headphones can also alter the background music; for instance Tenth Zone East's theme suddenly becomes more techno than rock through headphones. Some of the track music is quite catchy, but the rest, meh. Nothing special.

REPLAY

Pretty much infinite. Even if Master class no longer gives you trouble, you can still whip around the tracks and shave off a few milliseconds of your Time Attack runs.

OVERALL: 9/10

Well what haven't I said that needs restating here in 800 words? Well worth your money.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/09/06