F-ZERO 99 (NSP, XCI) ROM

F-ZERO 99 is a 2023 online multiplayer racing game with battle royale elements developed by Nintendo Software Technology. Publisher Nintendo announced the game during a Nintendo Direct presentation on September 14, 2023, and released it as a free downloadable game through the Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) subscription service on the same day.

It is the first F-Zero game since Climax’s 2004 release and the fourth 99-style NSO battle-royale game. Based on the 1990 Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) title F-Zero, gameplay is adjusted into a battle royale format by allowing the player to compete with up to 98 other online players. The objective of the race is to outlive other players and finish the race.

The player is equipped with a power meter which if depleted through damage will cause the player to be eliminated from the race. The player can then get a KO from someone with low power and that can extend their meter. The player can rack up Super Sparks on the tracks to access a road above the track called the Skyway, allowing the player to speed past other players for a limited time.

Join a lineup of 98 other F-ZERO racers, engaging in a thrilling reimagining of the classic Super NES game. In this high-speed spectacle, vigilance over your power gauge is essential as you accelerate and collide, where swiftness rivals survival. Utilize the Spin Attack for defense and gather Super Sparks to surpass rivals on the elevated Skyway.

Surpass adversaries and endure across various game modes. The heart-pounding F-ZERO 99 mode is merely one avenue for racing at breakneck speeds. Mini Prix and Grand Prix modes appear at designated times, challenging you to participate and qualify through a sequence of races. Team Battle and the formidable Pro Tracks mode alternate throughout the day. Hone your skills in Practice Mode and compete against your ghost.

Accomplish missions to unlock further personalization. Enhance your Skill Rating through stellar race performances and take on missions to gain access to customization choices. Personalize your F-ZERO machine with alternative colors, decals, and speed-boosting effects. Conquer milestones within your Pilot Card to obtain diverse unlockable backgrounds and showcase badges.

GAMEPLAY

In a similar vein to Pac-Man 99, Super Mario Bros. 35, and Tetris 99 the game takes the gameplay of F-Zero and re-contextualizes it as a battle royale. The game reuses the graphical style, vehicles, and tracks from the SNES game. The speed boost system is reminiscent of what debuted in F-Zero X. The game plays much like the original F-Zero, although it is adjusted into a battle royale format by allowing the player to compete with 98 other players in real-time, with the objective of the game being to outlive other players and finish the race in the first place.

The player’s vehicle is equipped with an energy meter, which serves as both a measurement of its health and as an energy reserve for temporary boosts to its speed; collisions and use of the boost deplete the meter, and once empty it will cause the player’s vehicle to explode and be eliminated from the race, though it can be refilled by driving through a pit zone.

The player can also collect Super Sparks, orbs dropped by colliding racers, and special golden bumper cars, which fill up a Super Boost meter that allows access to the Skyway, a floating road above the racetrack allowing the player to speed above other players for a limited time. As races progress, players at the back of the pack are automatically eliminated and are replaced by slower-moving bumper cars which spawn onto the track, adding another obstacle for surviving players to contend with. Players can utilize a rechargeable spin move to knock away these cars and those of their opponents.

The game’s main mode is a single online race with up to 99 players. A rotating playlist of modes includes a Grand Prix mode, a Team Battle mode, and races on more difficult Pro Tracks, as well as a Practice mode. The Grand Prix mode, which sees players compete in a series of up to five consecutive races, requires entry via tickets obtainable through racing in other modes, and points earned in this mode go towards placement on a weekly online leaderboard. Players can also unlock new color schemes for their vehicle and new player profile design elements by completing objectives.