Fans of Nintendo’s F-Zero racing franchise have been waiting a long time for a new series entry. There have been no new games in the series since 2004, which leaves fans around the world asking for a new entry. While fans can’t be blamed for thinking F-Zero could be dead for Nintendo, it looks like the company hasn’t forgotten about the series. In an interview with IGN, former Nintendo designer Takaya Imamura was asked about the series and why there has long been no new game. According to Imamura, Nintendo is looking for a “great idea” for the series.
“Of course, I’ve thought about it many times, but without a great new idea, it’s hard to get it back,” Imamura told IGN.
Debuting at Super Nintendo, the F-Zero series focuses on high-speed racing in futuristic environments. Since that first game, Captain Falcon has been the main protagonist. The first game featured only four playable characters, although the number of runners quickly increased to over 30 in later games. Unlike Nintendo’s Mario Kart series, F-Zero places a much greater emphasis on high speed and high difficulty.
F-Zero has a loyal following, but the series has never been able to generate sales on par with Nintendo’s other key franchises. As such, it’s understandable that Nintendo wants to find a strong hook to bring the series to life. The last F-Zero game to be released in North America was in 2004 F-Zero: GP Legend, a Game Boy Advance runner based on the short-lived anime series. A follow-up, F-Zero Climax, released that same year in Japan, but never came out of the region.
While F-Zero fans have been waiting a long time for a new game, the franchise appears on the Nintendo Switch somehow. The Blue Falcon and Mute City appear in both Mario Kart 8 Deluxe while Captain Falcon appears as a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Last but not least, the original F-Zero can be played via Nintendo Switch Online. It may not be as satisfying as a new game, but until Nintendo finds the great idea they’re looking for, fans will just have to settle for it.
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