F-Zero 99 review: The Race of the 21st Century

F-Zero fans have waited 20 long years since the last console title (F-Zero GX) released on Nintendo GameCube. Sure, there have been neat little nods to the futuristic racing game franchise in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate trailers, a Nintendo Land mini-game, or even on a poster on the wall in Mario's bedroom in the smash-hit motion picture The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but many video game pundits have declared F-Zero dead and buried for years.

Against all odds, F-Zero 99 was shadow dropped during the September 14, 2023 Nintendo Direct. After months of playing the game, it is safe to say that F-Zero is back.

F-Zero 99 is the answer to series creator Shigeru Miyamoto's criticism that he was not sure what Nintendo could do with a new franchise entry. The magicians at Nintendo have cooked up a brand new experience that incorporates the Battle Royale formula into a futuristic, fast, and frenetic race that cranks up the difficulty to the max in an unabashed celebration of the series. 

What's on the menu?

F-Zero 99 is a love letter to fans of the franchise. The game's menu screen music is a fine example of the care that the development team has put into this new entry. The music will change depending on which Special Event is currently featured. The Grand Prix version of the main menu theme has become my own personal anthem. Just sitting on the menu screen as the wonderful, synthesized tune washes over me heals my soul.

That's not where the fan service stops in the menus either, with amazing artwork from the original F-Zero SNES Instruction Manual featured heavily. It brings a huge smile to my face every time I see Mister Zero or an airborne Fire Stingray depicted in that classic F-Zero style when I turn on the game.

F-Zero 99 features several Special Event modes like Team Battle, Classic Mode, Pro Tracks, Grand Prix, and Mini Prix. Much like the other "99" titles on Nintendo Switch Online, the main draw of the game is the titular F-Zero 99 mode. 

Just the other day, F-Zero 99 received another update adding a Frozen Knight League limited-time event that introduces winter weather effects to all Knight League tracks. Frozen Knight League also has a Special Event Grand Prix mode that pits 99 racers against each other on a collision course through wintry versions of Mute City I, Big Blue, Sand Ocean, Death Wind I, and Silence. 

You got Boost Power!

The way Boost Power works in F-Zero 99 is wildly different from the SNES original which limited players to one boost per lap after completing the first lap. F-Zero 99 borrows some inspiration from N64 title and Shacknews Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Inductee F-Zero X when it comes to how boost is handled. 

Boosting drains your vehicle's health, but not in a one-to-one nature like how F-Zero X handled it. Instead, the vehicle's health bar is depleted in chunks giving the player five boosts before running out of energy. Each track has a pit lane where players can get some more juice each lap. Vehicles that run out of Boost Power are very likely to be knocked out, but players can spam the A Button to keep their vehicles going above top speed. F-Zero 99 rewards players for living on the edge, and leaving it all on the track is most certainly part of the meta. 

There are still yellow boost arrows strewn across tracks, and the game even introduces another way to go super fast called the Sky Way. Players can unlock this elevated race track that features shortcuts and even more boost arrows by collecting Super Sparks and filling up the second yellow meter. Super Sparks are generated by vehicles bumping into each other, encouraging F-Zero 99 players to race with a bit of road rage. Racers can even fill up and increase the size of their boost meters by knocking out opponents. Once the meter is filled, racers can no longer use the traditional boost until after jumping to the Sky Way. The strategy involved in the timing of triggering the Sky Way is key as there are certainly better locations on each track that provide players super sweet short cuts that can jump them ahead of the competition in mere seconds.

The combination of new core boosting and spin attack gameplay mechanics with the introduction of the Sky Way and Super Sparks help form a competitive meta in F-Zero 99 that has racers faced with tough choices on each lap of each track. The resulting gameplay loop is fast in the sense that an F-Zero 99 race only lasts about two minutes or so, but many play sessions end up topping an hour or two. My doctor diagnosed me with one-more-game-itis back in September, but what does he know? He's a Falcon main.

Anything is possible

F-Zero 99 features many little details that bring people back to live service games that the franchise never had a chance to implement up until this point. Player progression is a clear focus of the devs, creating a traditional ranking system based on experience points. There is also the pilot rank which is determined by defeating rivals in individual races.

The game takes things to another level with a vast array of in-game cosmetics that are also tied to achievements like completing a certain number of races or clocking in a practice round under a specific time limit. There are so many ways to feel rewarded in F-Zero 99 that don't involve finishing in first place, which is good news for many players because the game is hard as all get out.

Dark Souls is the F-Zero of Action-Adventure games

The challenge of defeating 98 other racers in F-Zero 99 has to be one of the game's main selling points. Not since PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) have I been so obsessed with winning a Battle Royale multiplayer game mode. While it's been years since I attained that beloved "chicken dinner," winning an F-Zero 99 race remains my white whale.

The game challenges players in all the right ways, and provides a number of ways to feel some sense of achievement while battling with 98 other players for the top spot. To be honest, I am not sure if I will ever win an F-Zero 99 race, but I will still have tons of fond memories of being in the fight. It's a privilege to compete alongside these legendary racers, and the game's stat keeping also throws some bones your way letting players know where they placed among their pilot license class and vehicle type. While I haven't achieved a first place victory in a race, I have certainly been the best Fire Stingray on the mean streets of Mute City, Big Blue, and countless other amazing tracks.

While F-Zero 99's difficulty may not be for everyone, it's a huge draw for racing game fans starved for a Nintendo game that doesn't feature extreme rubber banding or weapons. F-Zero 99 winners certainly need to have luck on their sides, but skill and determination are also required to achieve that ultimate goal.

Operation Mute City

Witnessing The Big N show this much love to a dormant franchise like F-Zero has injected hope into other fans of forgotten Nintendo gems from the past. F-Zero 99 is a brand new way to race online with 98 other players, and the developers' amazing execution has breathed new life into the fanbase while introducing the franchise to a whole new generation of gamers.

While Nintendo is currently providing updates to the game, the live service nature is the elephant in the room. Many F-Zero fans are worried that this game may only be available for a limited time. Pac-Man 99 was recently taken down from the Nintendo Switch Online platform while Tetris 99 is still kicking, so it is hard to draw any clear conclusions about the future of F-Zero 99, but it's probably best to just enjoy this magical moment while it lasts.

Two features that F-Zero 99 would benefit from adding would be a way to play with friends or even queue up in team battles together and a way to practice with 98 bots. The current Practice Mode allows players to race against a ghost of their best time on a given track, but it would be great to have an opportunity to practice in the Battle Royale format. I would also be interested to see if Nintendo would be able to implement a traditional Death Race featuring no time limit similar to the F-Zero X mode.

F-Zero 99 is similar to some of my favorite games like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater or Rocket League in that it is easy to pick up and play for a few minutes, but it will take hours, days, weeks, months, and maybe years to master. The ability to fire up the game, jump in a race, and be on with my day in a matter of minutes is super satisfying. The fact that Nintendo shipped a 99 player online racing game and it runs without a hitch is also quite a sight to behold in 2023.

F-Zero fans are still in shock that this game really exists. I have dreamed about a game like F-Zero 99 for years, and to see Nintendo release the game in such a magnificent condition and keep supporting it with new modes, features, and events has me smiling every time I fire it up. 

The Internet is brimming with tons of new F-Zero fan content born out of the game's release with musicians covering and remixing sweet tunes, artists drawing their favorite characters and vehicles, and even speedrunners streaming and making videos. While the seeds of an F-Zero revival have been sowed by F-Zero 99, diehard fans know that this may just be the beginning of a new era for our beloved racing game franchise. 

F-Zero 99 is available to play as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Asif Khan

CEO/EIC/EIEIO

Asif Khan is the CEO, EIC, and majority shareholder of Shacknews. He began his career in video game journalism as a freelancer in 2001 for Tendobox.com. Asif is a CPA and was formerly an investment adviser representative. After much success in his own personal investments, he retired from his day job in financial services and is currently focused on new private investments. His favorite PC game of all time is Duke Nukem 3D, and he is an unapologetic fan of most things Nintendo. Asif first frequented the Shack when it was sCary's Shugashack to find all things Quake. When he is not immersed in investments or gaming he is a purveyor of fine electronic music. Asif also has an irrational love of Cleveland sports.