Release timeline
Main entries in bold
1990F-Zero
1991–1995
1996BS F-Zero Grand Prix
1997BS F-Zero Grand Prix 2
1998F-Zero X
1999
2000F-Zero X Expansion Kit
2001Maximum Velocity
2002
2003F-Zero GX
F-Zero AX
F-Zero GP Legend
2004F-Zero Climax
2005–2022
2023F-Zero 99

F-Zero is a futuristic racing video game franchise originally created by Nintendo EAD and has been continually published by Nintendo although the company has let outside development houses work on some installments.[1] The series premiered in Japan on November 21, 1990, with F-Zero,[a] which later was released in the North American in August 1991 and in the PAL Region in 1992. An original installment appeared on every succeeding Nintendo video game console with the exception of the Game Boy Color from its debut until 2004. GP Legend marked the first time the franchise hit a gaming system twice in its lifetime in the United States.[2] The 2004 release of Climax was the last video game in the franchise before its hiatus.[3][4] Since then, multiple video games were re-released through Nintendo's digital distribution channels. The series currently includes eight released video games, a television series, and video game soundtracks released on audio CDs.

Gameplay consists of racing in futuristic hovercraft and using their speed-boosting abilities to navigate through the courses as quickly as possible in settings like the recurring Mute City, Big Blue and Port Town. The first game was labeled by critics as an influential video game that created the futuristic racing subgenre[5][6] as well as inspired the creation of numerous racing games such as Daytona USA and the Wipeout series.[7][8] The series casually centers around the F-Zero racer Captain Falcon and his talented racing and bounty hunting abilities as well as his encounters with the other F-Zero characters.[9][10]

Video games

Title Details
F-Zero

Original release date(s):[11][b][12]
  • JP: November 21, 1990
  • NA: August 1991
  • EU: 1992
 Release years by system:
1990 – Super Nintendo Entertainment System
2006 – Wii (digital re-release)
2013 – Wii U (digital re-release)
2016 – New Nintendo 3DS (digital re-release)
Notes:
BS F-Zero Grand Prix
BS F-Zero Grand Prix 2

Original release date(s):[19][20]
  • JP: 1996–1997
 Release years by system:
1996 / 1997 – Super Famicom
Notes:
Zero Racers

Cancellation date:[22]
1996 		Proposed system release:
Virtual Boy[23]
F-Zero X

Original release date(s):[24][25][26]
  • JP: July 14, 1998
  • NA: October 27, 1998
  • EU: November 6, 1998
 Release years by system:
1998 – Nintendo 64
2004 – iQue Player
2007 – Wii (digital re-release)
2016 – Wii U (digital re-release)
2022 – Nintendo_Switch (digital re-release)
Notes:
  • The North American release of F-Zero X suffered from a three-month delay due to Nintendo of America's former release policy of spacing the release of first-party games out evenly.[27][28]
  • 100th game released on the European Virtual Console.[29]
  • A sequel of F-Zero, which greatly expands upon the number of playable vehicles and was the first 3D F-Zero game.[30]
F-Zero X Expansion Kit

Original release date(s):[31]
  • JP: April 21, 2000
 Release years by system:
2000 – 64DD
Notes:
  • The first add-on disk for the disk drive attachment of the Nintendo 64.[32]
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity

Original release date(s):[33][34][35]
  • JP: March 21, 2001
  • NA: June 11, 2001
  • EU: June 22, 2001
 Release years by system:
2001 – Game Boy Advance
2014 – Wii U (digital re-release)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as F-Zero.[d][36]
  • Direct sequel to F-Zero which occurs twenty-five years subsequent to the events in it.[37]
F-Zero AX

Original release date(s):[38][39]
  • JP: 2003
  • NA: September 2003
  • EU: 2003
 Release years by system:
2003 – Triforce
Notes:
  • Triforce counterpart of F-Zero GX for use in the Arcades.[40]
  • First announced Triforce game from Namco, Nintendo, and Sega's business alliance.[41]
F-Zero GX

Original release date(s):[42][43][44]
  • JP: July 25, 2003
  • NA: August 25, 2003
  • EU: October 31, 2003
 Release years by system:
2003 – GameCube
Notes:
  • Originally scheduled for May 2003 in Japan and June 2003 in North America, the title was delayed by two months.[45][46]
  • Sequel of F-Zero X, events take place one year after the aforementioned game.[47]
F-Zero: GP Legend

Original release date(s):[48][49]
  • JP: November 28, 2003
  • EU: June 4, 2004
  • NA: September 20, 2004
 Release years by system:
2003 – Game Boy Advance
2015 – Wii U (digital re-release)
Notes:
  • Known in Japan as F-Zero: Falcon Densetsu.[e][49]
  • Set in the year 2201, the game is influenced by the anime featuring characters and concepts seen there.[50]
F-Zero Climax

Original release date(s):[51]
  • JP: October 21, 2004
 Release years by system:
2004 – Game Boy Advance
2015 – Wii U (digital re-release)
Notes:
  • Is influenced by the anime and features characters and similar scenarios previously seen there.[50]
  • Re-released on the Japanese Wii U Virtual Console on December 16, 2015.[52]
F-Zero 99

Original release date(s):[53]
  • WW: September 14, 2023
 Release years by system:
2023 – Nintendo Switch
Notes:

Other media

Title Release date Media type
F-Zero: ...そしてスピードの神へ February 1992[55] Fantasy novel
Notes:
  • 244-paged fantasy novel authored by Ozaki Yoshiyuki and published by Futabasha.[55][56]
F-Zero: GP Legend October 7, 2003[57] Anime television series
Notes:
  • 51 animated episode series created by Ashi Productions based on the F-Zero franchise.[58][59]
  • A video game under the same title was released based on the show[59] featuring the same characters and art style.[60]

Soundtracks

Title Release date Length Label
F-Zero March 25, 1992[61] 51:46[61] Tokuma Japan Communications
Notes:
F-Zero X Original Soundtrack September 18, 1998[63] 52:46[63] Pony Canyon
F-Zero X Guitar Arrange Edition January 27, 1999[64] 36:43[64] Player's Planet and Media Factory
F-Zero Blue Falcon Ending Theme – Resolution December 3, 2003[65] 18:52[66] NEC Interchannel
Notes:
F-Zero Legend of Falcon Opening Theme: The Meaning of Truth December 3, 2003[67] 17:39[68] NEC Interchannel
Notes:
  • Features the introductory theme of TV Tokyo's F-Zero anime.[67]
F-Zero GX/AX Original Soundtrack July 22, 2004[69] 2:25:15 Scitron Digital Content
Notes:

References

Notes
  1. ^ Japanese: エフゼロ
  2. ^ According to Steven L. Kent's The Ultimate History of Video Games, the official Super Nintendo Entertainment System United States launch date was September 9.[70] Newspaper and magazine articles from late 1991 report that the first shipments were in stores in some regions on August 23,[71][72] while it arrived in other regions at a later date.[73] Many modern online sources (circa 2005 and later) report August 13.[74][75]
  3. ^ IGN refers to BS F-Zero Grand Prix as the planned sequel and BS F-Zero Grand Prix 2 as a "special edition" or "semi-sequel" to the original game. Computer and Video Games mentions the planned sequel to F-Zero was split into these two games.
  4. ^ Japanese: エフゼロ
  5. ^ Japanese: エフゼロ ファルコン伝説, lit. F-Zero: Legend of Falcon
Citations
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  72. ^ "Super Nintendo It's Here!!!". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 28. Sendai Publishing Group. November 1991. p. 162. The Long awaited Super NES is finally available to the U.S. gaming public. The first few pieces of this fantastic unit hit the store shelves on August 23rd, 1991. Nintendo, however, released the first production run without any heavy fanfare or spectacular announcements.
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Bibliography

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