F-ZERO GP Legend

F-Zero's change was so drastic that the game didn't feel like F-Zero anymore.  The GameCube version was one of the fastest games I had ever played and I loved every minute of it.  Regardless, it had more in common with Wipeout than the original F-Zero, a game that didn't have technology on its side.  It was two-dimensional, had only one camera view, and didn't pack the same thrills found in the GameCube version. 

That didn't stop anyone from loving the game when it was released in 1991 and that hasn't stopped anyone from loving it today.  Walk into a game store that sells used products and you'll find multiple copies of virtually every title.  F-Zero is always in shorter supply, assuming they have it at all.  It's one of those games that people can't part with, not now, and not ever.

Being a mobile version of the SNES, the Game Boy Advance is the perfect game device to carry on the F-Zero legacy.  Nintendo 64 got a version several years before GameCube, but this new release, F-Zero GP Legend, will be the second title to hit the Game Boy Advance. 

Look ma, no breaks!

Coming to gamers with new tracks, new vehicles (many of which appeared on GameCube), and a new story mode, GP Legend is not entirely a game of nostalgia.  You'll remember the good old days just the same.

The story mode is the biggest part of the game, but Grand Prix is the one most gamers will go to first.  Grand Prix works on a strange but effective point system in which the first place winner is awarded 100 points.  The following racers earn an uneven amount of points (93 for second, 87 for third, etc.), creating a tier of winners that can change in a heartbeat.

I won the first three races during one particular event, earning 100 points.  My top competitors fought over second and third.  Then I fell behind in the fourth race and got third place, bringing my point total to 387 points.  My nearest competitor had 381 points!  One more race remained, and if I messed up this time the rest wouldn't matter.

Of course, I happen to be a very skilled player when it comes to racing games.  The final race had my competitors begging for mercy.  You're about two seconds behind, suckers!

No one will be surprised by how entertaining the story mode's gameplay is.  What might surprise you (if you're sick of story modes as much as I am) is that the story is worth paying attention to.  I didn't say it was spectacular, so don't expect Final Fantasy meets high-speed racer.  The character dialogue isn't cheesy or typical.  It just flows together.  The best part is the anime-style soundtrack.  These songs were likely taken from the show, which is currently being shown exclusively on Fox Box.

Designed with the modern racer in mind, GP Legend has a new addition called Zero Test.  You know those excruciatingly difficult challenges that Gran Turismo forces you to complete in order to obtain a license?  Zero Test is F-Zero's version of that.  I wouldn't use the word "excruciating" to describe their challenge, but these likely won't be completed by anyone in a single battery charge.  They're more abstract than the goal in the rest of the game, which is to win the race.

Zero Test gives players several dozen skill-proving objectives to complete.  Miss your turn and automatically lose.  Hit the rail and you'll likely fail.  This way of testing skills has become very common in racing games, primarily because Gran Turismo made it so popular.  Personally I'm not as wild about it as everyone else, but that doesn't mean I can't acknowledge how well it's been executed here.  Anyone who wants to be tested on these kinds of things – speed, steering ability, etc. – will have hours of extra replay value to look forward to.

Now that every game has gone turbo boost on us, GP Legend takes the plunge with its power/boost meter.  The power meter was integral to your survival in the original.  If you reached low power and couldn't find a replenishing strip, your chances of winning were slim to none.  Chances are you'd hit an electric wall and burst into flames. 

Hey kid, do you wanna fly?  Do ya, huh, do ya?

Then play this game.  It’s real tight. 

In GP Legend you have to balance your power (your vehicle's health) with your boost.  The power meter loses 1/5 of its energy for every turbo boost used.  That's challenging enough, but the real catch is that you can't use your boost on the first lap, which is likely when your power is at its fullest.  When the power bar is too low turbo boosts are no longer available.

GP Legend's graphics haven't evolved much since the SNES original, but there is one noticeable change.  The vehicles appear to be slightly more three-dimensional.  I don't think Nintendo used polygons, but these aren't the same flat, cartoon-like sprites that were used in the original.  As you turn you can see that the vehicles are more defined.

The graphic style, music, and most of all its SNES-inspired gameplay are just what the F-Zero fan ordered.  This won’t be the last “retro sequel” Nintendo will make, but the Nintendo DS guarantees that things will change.  Enjoy the Game Boy Advance while it’s still the #1 mobile console available.  It won’t be long before Nintendo tops themselves – again.

Gameplay: 8
The most striking thing about GP Legend is the courses.  They feel like they were designed by the same developers who worked on the first game.  Some are a little short, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  The shorter length means that the sharp turns are closer together, giving players more ways to screw up and fewer chances to catch up.

Graphics: 7
As a Game Boy Advance game F-Zero GP Legend could get away with an 8, possibly an 8.5 if I were being really generous.  The thing is, we're not in 2001 anymore.  Graphics degrade quickly.  GP Legend isn't too far beyond the last game, and with the Nintendo DS on the way, soon GBA titles will have to use new techniques if developers want the graphics to garner serious attention.

Sound: 8
Anime-style goodness from the soundtrack.  The peppy announcer is a little annoying, but you don't hear him too much.

Difficulty: Medium
Hardcore F-Zero players (those who still own and play the SNES original) are going to blow through this sequel pretty quickly.  The rest of you will have to get used to the winding courses, sudden turns, and the cool-but-deadly ramps.

Concept: 7.5
No new concepts were implemented, but the execution speaks for itself.

Multiplayer: 8
Four game packs (and four GBAs, obviously) are needed to get the most out of the four-player versus mode.  I wouldn't recommend buying more than one copy even if you have multiple GBAs in your home, but I'm sure you could convince a friend or relative to get the game.  It won't be that hard: just let him or her play your game for a few minutes, then take it away.

Overall: 8
F-Zero fans get to live the good life.  Maximum Velocity in 2001, F-Zero GX in 2003, and GP Legend in 2004.  You're not likely to find it in America, but Nintendo released an arcade version with exclusive tracks that can be ported to the GameCube version.  I'd say that GP Legend is the perfect way to complete your F-Zero collection, but this hardly is the end for the series.  You won't be able to complete your collection for a long time.