Editing F-Zero (universe)

{{Title|''F-Zero'' (universe)}}

{{ArticleIcons|allgames=y}}

|caption          = [[File:FZeroSymbol.svg|50px|class=invert-dark]]

|developer        = [[Nintendo]]<br>Amusement Vision/[[Sega]]<br>Nd Cube<br>Suzak<br>Nintendo Software Technology

|latestinstallment = ''{{s|fzerowiki|F-Zero 99}}'' (2023)

After the Japan-only release of ''F-Zero Climax'' in 2004, the series went on a hiatus and was largely dormant for almost 20 years, only receiving primary representation in the ''Smash Bros.'' series, two courses and a kart in the ''{{s|mariowiki|Mario Kart}}'' series, and a minigame in ''Nintendo Land'' since ''Climax''{{'}}s release outside of amiibo functionality. The series suddenly returned in September 2023 with the release of ''F-Zero 99'' as a Nintendo Switch Online game.

The original ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero}}'' had a very privileged position in [[Nintendo]]'s release timeline. Developed simultaneously with ''{{iw|mariowiki|Super Mario World}}'' and {{uv|Pilotwings}}, this seminal entry was a launch title for Super Famicom and its western equivalent, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and was the technical showpiece for the console's innovative "Mode 7" graphics-rendering technique. This form of texture mapping available on the SNES allowed a raster graphical plane to be rotated and scaled freely, and its usage in ''F-Zero'' to partially simulate three-dimensional environments without processing polygons was lauded for providing ''F-Zero'' the most convincing racetracks that had yet been seen on a home console. ''F-Zero'' was widely praised and financially successful both for its technical achievements and for delivering responsive gameplay supplemented by a wide track variety and a steady increase in challenge, and is credited both for reinvigorating the racing genre and for establishing a sub-genre of racing games that featured a futuristic aesthetic.

Considering the success of the first game, Nintendo notably did not jump into developing a sequel for several years, and what was technically the second installment of the franchise, ''{{iw|fzerowiki|BS F-Zero Grand Prix}}'', was released in two separate incarnations as downloadable titles for the Satellaview, a Japan-exclusive attachment for the Super Famicom, in the mid-1990s. The sequel would eventually release in 1998 for [[Nintendo 64]] as ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero X}}''. Continuing the tradition of being a technical showcase for the console, ''F-Zero X'' was able to create large, complex tracks with high speeds and many cars on screen at once all while maintaining an unbroken 60 frames per second. The game was received positively for its impressive technical elements, refined gameplay, hard rock soundtrack, and abundance of content, some reviewers pointed out that the framerate came at a cost of visual detail. A subsequent Japanese-only release for the short-lived Nintendo 64DD add-on, the ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero X Expansion Kit}}'', was the first 64DD disk exclusively designed as an add-on to work in conjunction with a Nintendo 64 cartridge inserted into the base console; it primarily added both a vehicle-creation feature and a track-creation tool that was virtually the same tool used during the development of the game itself.  

The series once again mirrored its roots as a technical showcase for a newly launched Nintendo system with the Game Boy Advance launch title ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero: Maximum Velocity}}'', which transplanted the Mode 7 presentation style of the original into a handheld system. Then, the series made its most technically advanced appearance yet in ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero GX}}'' for the [[Nintendo GameCube]] in 2003. This is the first entry in the series not developed in-house, and was instead outsourced to [[Sega]] as the first official collaboration between the two since their pulling out of the console market. This game was lauded for being the best racing game for the GameCube; critically acclaimed elements include its visuals, high sense of speed and intensity, track design, challenge, and fleshed-out single-player modes, with some criticism leveled against a very sharp difficulty slant. An arcade counterpart to this title named ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero AX}}'' was published by Sega for the Triforce arcade system board (a system that was conceived from a business alliance between Sega, Nintendo, and [[Namco]]), and it featured special connectivity with the GameCube title in which a player that inserted a Nintendo GameCube memory card into the ''F-Zero AX'' system could instantly unlock content in ''F-Zero GX'' that would normally require successful playthroughs on high difficulties to access.

Following this, Nintendo attempted an alternate-universe take on the franchise with a 51-episode anime series, ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero: GP Legend}}'', which began airing in October 2003 to September 2004. Only 15 of these episodes were dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment outside of Japan, though voice actors claim that all episodes were dubbed before being canceled.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EVjQUawvxQ This F-Zero Anime Dub Will Never See the Light of Day (4Kids, 2004)]</ref>. Two companion games for the anime, both on Game Boy Advance: the first is a game of the same name, and the second titled ''F-Zero Climax''. Both were released in Japan near the end of 2003 and 2004, respectively, though ''F-Zero Climax'' never released outside Japan due to the cancellation of the anime dub. Despite ''F-Zero'' having been consistently featured as one of the contending Nintendo franchises in every installment of the ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' series since that series' inception, the ''F-Zero'' franchise itself remained dormant for almost 20 years ever since the release of ''F-Zero Climax'', and only some series elements made intermittent and minor appearances outside of ''Smash Bros.'' since then. On September 14th, 2023, the ''F-Zero'' series suddenly returned with the announcement and release of ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero 99}}'' as a free Nintendo Switch Online game. The game is a spin on the classic ''F-Zero'' formula with 99 concurrent players in a single race and a greater emphasis on car combat and sabotaging opponents. It was the first game in the series to be developed by a Western studio, as {{iw|nintendowiki|Nintendo Software Technology}} worked on it. A year later, both ''F-Zero: GP Legend'' and ''F-Zero Climax'' were released onto the Nintendo Switch Online service's Game Boy Advance collection, marking the first time the latter was released internationally.

''F-Zero'' is one of the "bonus franchises" in the original ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'', as it contributes one unlockable character, one victory theme, and absolutely nothing else - no stages and no items based on ''F-Zero'' appear in the game. Before being unlocked, Captain Falcon makes his appearance in [[Planet Zebes|Samus' stage]] (both Samus and Captain Falcon are known to be bounty hunters, in addition to both having originated from science fiction franchises). ''Super Smash Bros.'' also marked the only time an ''F-Zero'' newcomer was introduced.

*[[File:CaptainFalconIcon(SSB).png|50px|right|link=Captain Falcon (SSB)]]'''{{SSB|Captain Falcon}}''' ([[Unlockable character|Unlockable]]): Captain Falcon appears as an unlockable character in the original ''Super Smash Bros.'' His design is based off his appearance from ''F-Zero X'', and his moveset is original to the game. His [[neutral special]] is the famous [[Falcon Punch]], which has a considerable amount of startup lag, with extremely high [[knockback]] and damage output to compensate. His attacks are very fast, and overall can [[combo]] into each other well. Captain Falcon currently lies in the A tier of the current ''SSB'' [[tier list]], in 3rd place.

*[[File:CaptainFalconIcon(SSBM).png|50px|right|link=Captain Falcon (SSBM)]]'''{{SSBM|Captain Falcon}}''' ([[Starter character|Starter]]): Captain Falcon is still the only playable ''F-Zero'' character in the game, but with a new Raptor Boost dash-uppercut attack as his new side special move. His appearance is still based off ''F-Zero X''. He remains a high-tier character for his fighting specifications. Falcon's evil DNA clone rival in the games, [[Blood Falcon]], is playable as an alternative costume in the game.{{clr}}

On the final character select screen (after all characters are unlocked), Captain Falcon joins the {{uv|Star Fox}} characters in the sixth column. All these characters fly spaceships (hence having a choice of fighting only up to two of these in {{SSBB|Classic Mode}}).

There has been little to no ''F-Zero'' releases since ''Brawl'' barring cameos in the ''Mario Kart'' series and ''Nintendo Land''. Nevertheless, the series continues to be represented, arguably more closely linked to ''Smash Bros.'' than its own releases in the minds of those who know little to nothing about ''F-Zero''.

The ''F-Zero'' universe returns in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''.

*11. [[File:CaptainFalconIcon(SSBU).png|50px|right|link=Captain Falcon (SSBU)]]'''{{SSBU|Captain Falcon}}''' ([[Unlockable character|Unlockable]]): The intergalactic bounty hunter returns as an unlockable fighter after being a starter in ''Smash 4''. Captain Falcon has received a mix of buffs and nerfs in the transition to Ultimate. Many aspects of his playstyle have been adjusted through the transition, which has resulted in notable changes to the way he operates and an increase in his learning curve.

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}[[File:PortTownAeroDiveIconSSBU.png|75px|right|link=Port Town Aero Dive]]'''[[Port Town Aero Dive]]''' ([[Starter stage|Starter]]): The track returns as a retro stage.{{clr}}

*{{GameIcon|SSBB}}'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Fire Field (Remix)|Fire Field}}''': An intense remix of the Fire Field theme from ''F-Zero''. Returns from Brawl.

 

===''{{s|fzerowiki|F-Zero}}''===

*Playable characters:

**{{GameIcon|SSB}} Captain Falcon's green costume is based on the Wild Goose.

**{{GameIcon|SSB}} Captain Falcon's blue costume is based on his appearance in this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}} [[Mute City]] debuts as a track in this game.

*Stage elements:

*Assist Trophy:

*Trophies:

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}} Captain Falcon, Blue Falcon, Falcon Flyer, Samurai Goroh, [[Dr. Stewart]], Golden Fox, Fire Stingray and Mute City appear as trophies

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} Captain Falcon, Blue Falcon, Samurai Goroh, Dr. Stewart, Golden Fox, Pico, and Wild Goose appear as trophies.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} Blue Falcon, Golden Fox, Wild Goose, Fire Stingray and Mute City appear as trophies.

*Stickers:

*Spirits:

*Music:

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Mute City (Original)}}'''": This track uses the original ''SNES'' Mute City music from ''F-Zero''. It is used on the same stage of the same name in the 3DS version and on Port Town Aero Dive in the Wii U version.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Mute City (Melee)}}'''": A remix of the rock music heard on the first track in F-Zero X. Later Renamed to “Mute City (Melee).”

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Mute City (Brawl)}}'''": A slightly more subdued remix of the series standby track theme that calls parallels to its remix in F-Zero GX. Later renamed to “Mute City Ver. 2” and again renamed to “Mute City (Brawl).”

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Mute City (for 3DS / Wii U)}}'''": This track is a remastered version of the original ''SNES'' Mute City music. It is used on the new Mute City stage in the 3DS version and on Port Town Aero Dive in the Wii U version. Later renamed to “Mute City (for 3DS / Wii U).”

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Big Blue (Original)}}'''": The original track, sourced from the game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Big Blue (Melee)}}'''": A similar remix of the rock music heard on tracks in F-Zero X that take place on the planet Big Blue. Later renamed to “Big Blue (Melee).”

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Big Blue (Remix)}}'''": A new, trance-inspired remix of the [[Big Blue]] theme from ''{{iw|fzerowiki|F-Zero|game}}''.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Sand Ocean (Original)}}'''": The original track, sourced from the game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Sand Ocean (Remix)}}'''": A remix of the Sand Ocean theme from ''F-Zero''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Death Wind}}'''": Taken directly from F-Zero, where it plays on the Death Wind course.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|F-ZERO Medley}}'''": A medley of various themes from ''F-Zero'' featuring vocal backing; it consists of the "Life Lost" jingle, "{{iw|fzerowiki|Death Wind}}", "{{iw|fzerowiki|White Land}}", "{{iw|fzerowiki|Fire Field}}", "[[Mute City]]", "{{iw|fzerowiki|Red Canyon}}", and "{{iw|fzerowiki|Port Town}}".

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Silence}}'''": The {{iw|fzerowiki|Silence}} theme, sourced from ''F-Zero''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Red Canyon}}'''": The Red Canyon theme, sourced from ''F-Zero''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|White Land (Original)}}'''": The White Land I theme, sourced from ''F-Zero''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|White Land (Remix)}}'''": This was the track that played on all of the White Land tracks.

**{{GameIcon|SSBU}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|White Land II}}'''": The White Land theme, sourced from ''F-Zero''.

===''{{s|fzerowiki|F-Zero X}}''===

*Playable characters:

**{{GameIcon|SSB}} Captain Falcon’s design is largely inspired by this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSB}} Captain Falcon's black costume is based on his appearance from the Japanese commercial of this game.

**{{GameIcon|SSB}} Blood Falcon, who debuted in this game, appears as an alternate costume for Captain Falcon.

**{{GameIcon|SSB}} Jody Summer, who debuted in this game, appears as an alternate costume for Captain Falcon.

*Stages:

*Stage elements:

*Trophies:

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}} F-Zero racers and Jody Summer appear as trophies.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} Jody Summer, White Cat, Mr. EAD, Great Star, The Skull, Sonic Phantom, Blood Falcon, Blood Hawk, Black Shadow, Black Bull, and Zoda and Death Anchor appear as trophies.

**{{GameIcon|SSB4}} Jody Summer, White Cat, Mr. EAD, Great Star, James McCloud, Little Wyvern, Zoda, Death Anchor, The Skull, Sonic Phantom, Blood Falcon, Blood Hawk, Black Shadow, and Black Bull appear as trophies.

*Stickers:

*Spirits:

*Music:

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Car Select}}'''": Taken directly from the menu track from F-Zero X.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Mute City (Melee)}}'''": A remix of the rock music heard on the first track in F-Zero X for N64, Mute City. It is heard in {{SSBM|Mute City}}.

**{{GameIcon|SSB}} "'''[[Victory theme#F-Zero Victory Theme|Victory! Captain Falcon]]'''": The victory fanfare of [[Captain Falcon]], both used in ''64'' and ''Melee'', is a techno rock remix of the end-of-race track heard in ''F-Zero X''.

**{{GameIcon|SSBM}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Big Blue (Melee)}}'''": A similar remix of the rock music heard on tracks in F-Zero X that take place on the planet Big Blue. It is heard in [[Big Blue]] as the primary track.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Dream Chaser}}'''": The track that played on all of the Silence tracks in F-Zero X.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Devil's Call in Your Heart}}'''": The music track that played on all of the Devil's Forest racetracks, it is taken directly from F-Zero X.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Climb Up! And Get the Last Chance!}}'''": Taken directly from F-Zero X, this one played on the game's White Land races.

 

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''[[Victory theme#F-Zero Victory Theme|Victory! Captain Falcon]]'''": The theme played whenever the player successfully completed a race in ''F-Zero AX'' and ''F-Zero GX''. It is used in every title after ''Brawl''

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Planet Colors}}'''": This was the track that played in F-Zero AX and F-Zero GX on all of the Green Plant racetracks.

===''{{s|fzerowiki|F-Zero GX}}''===

*Stages:

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} [[Port Town Aero Dive]] debuts as a track in this game.

*Trophies:

*Stickers:

*Spirits:

*Music:

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Brain Cleaner}}'''": The track that played in F-Zero GX while viewing race replays, it is taken directly from said game.

**{{GameIcon|SSBB}} "'''{{SSBUMusicLink|F-Zero|Shotgun Kiss}}'''": This track played on all of the Casino Palace tracks in F-Zero GX and happens to be taken directly from it.

*''F-Zero'' is one of four series not to have a home stage for a fighter in the installment they were first included in, the other three being ''EarthBound'', {{uv|Fire Emblem}}, and {{uv|R.O.B.}}

**This was technically the case for {{uv|Wii Fit}} and {{uv|Duck Hunt}} as well, as neither series received a stage in ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS'' at launch, though the {{b|Duck Hunt|stage}} stage would later be added as free DLC to the 3DS version of ''Smash 4''.  

*''F-Zero'' and {{uv|Banjo-Kazooie}} are the only franchises in the ''Smash Bros.'' series to feature a playable character that debuted in a racing game, though ''Banjo-Kazooie'' itself represents the platformer genre.