F-Zero: Maximum Velocity
Reviewed by Psycho Penguin
F-Zero is one of the best racing games ever created,
and it still provides hours of fun nowadays. So, it
was pretty much a no brainer for Nintendo to
re-release the game on Game Boy Advance, since they
were going to port over several old SNES games.
However, just like their rather stinky port of Super
Mario Advance, F-Zero: Maximum Velocity is just not
that good. It's better than the awful Super Mario
Advance, but that is really not saying much. Maximum
Velocity is a Maximum Disappointment, and there is
absolutely no excuse for the poor job Nintendo
did with the ports of these games.
I want my money back. This game cheated me out of
several hours which could have been spent playing a
much better game. The race course designs are
average, but there's a major flaw here. This is not F
Zero. The race courses do not allow for high speeds,
since you need to turn so much. Therefore, if
you try to go at a high speed, you will end up
crashing into the wall, since you can't really break
as quickly as you would like to. Since you have a
power meter, you will soon end up burning out.
What was the reason for this? Did Nintendo really
think that F Zero needed all these sharp turns? Yes,
it does require the game player to develop more of a
strategy if they want to complete the race in a
decent time. However, F Zero has never really been
about strategy, it's always been about fast speeds
and hyperactive vehicles. You don't really get any
cool vehicles, as the vehicle select screen you get
when you start up the game indicates. F Zero had some
of the coolest vehicles in the history of racing, but
Maximum Velocity has some cheap ripoffs that still go
mighty fast, but as I already mentioned, going fast
isn't going to get you anywhere.
Even though the game encourages you to use a certain
amount of strategy, it still goes mighty fast. If you
take your eyes off the action for one second, chances
are you will crash, and lose valuable seconds. The
opponents start to get tougher as you advance in
stages, but some of them are just a little too tough.
We're talking 'severe gravity law defying" good
here. Regardless, the game did go mighty fast, and
that was good, but it didn't mesh too well with the
shoddy course designs, so F Zero completely strikes out here.
Graphically, Maximum Velocity looks a lot like the
original, but it has some improvements, like nicer
details in the course designs. Sadly, the game goes
so fast you might miss on some of the finer details.
For instance, there is ice on the road, which looks
really awesome, but chances are you won't ever notice
exactly how awesome it looks. The game uses the same
Mode 7 graphical design like the original did, and
the result is one of the better looking racing games
out there. Also, the fact that the graphics are
pretty bright is definitely a good thing, considering
some of the games on GBA are really dark, like Castlevania.
Some of the music in F Zero: MV is really good, but
some of it is really stinky, as well. It's definitely
hit and miss here. For instance, the first stage has
some really good music that fits the feeling
perfectly, but the second course has awful music that
really made me want to turn the volume off. The sound
effects are solid, you get all the typical racing
game fare, like engines, explosions, crashes, etc.
Most of the sound effects sound really good, and
there is no real reason to complain here.
Due to the high amount of unlockable secrets, like
new vehicles and areas, etc., the game has a little
bit more replay value than the average game. However,
it is quite un-fun for the most part, which takes
away a lot of the momentum that the secrets gave the
replay value. So, there is a decent amount of replay
value if you can get over how bad the game really is.
However, some people will just not be able to see
past the awful course design, and say "forget the
secrets, I got GT3 to play!" Oh well.
For all the things that F Zero MV fails to do, it
definitely is a decent challenge. The earlier race
courses alone will give you some difficulty, as it
will take you some time to master the various twists
and turns that the course provides. Due to the power
meter, not only will you have to worry about
outracing your opponents, you also need to worry
about crashing and burning too many times. Therefore,
the game becomes quite a challenge, especially when
your opponents suddenly decide to go after you.
F Zero: Maximum Velocity is the definition of a game
that tries to be too innovative for its own good.
Rather than keep the classic formula that made F Zero
such a classic, they decided to tweak the format and
add a new racing style. The problem is they left in
the fast paced frenetic style of F Zero, so the two
formats really don't clash well at all. The game has
good points, but the main flaw will keep it from
eliteness in the long wrong. F Zero MV is an average
game, which makes it an extreme disappointment. It's
a rental at best.
Good Points
-The graphics are extremely impressive.
-Control in the game is slick and solid.
-Some of the race courses are designed very nicely.
-Lots of secrets definitely increases the replay value.
Not So Good Points
-The combination of strategic race course designs and
fast paced action, to be blunt, crashes and burns.
-It may be a little too challenging at times.
-The vehicles are not cool at all.
-Some of the music is awful.
The Bottom Line
F Zero: MV is a barely average game, which makes it
simply unbearable for F Zero fans like me. Combine
this hack job with the awful Super Mario Advance, and
the first two SNES ports on GBA need to be forgotten
about quickly, since they stink so bad.
Storyline - Not Available
Graphics - 8.7/10
Music - 4.2/10
Sound Effects - 5.6/10
Control - 7.2/10
Gameplay - 4.8/10
Replay Value - Average
Challenge - Average
Is This Game Worth A Purchase? - Maybe a rental.
Overall - 5.1/10