In the same EDGE feature about Toshihiro Nagoshi's long career at Sega, the development cycle of the GameCube-hit F-Zero GX was addressed. Nagoshi explained how during this period he realised Nintendo and Sega operated in a similar manner, but it was finer details that set them apart.
He further elaborated on this discussing how Nintendo had strict rules and regulations in place to ensure its brand image was maintained, and also noted how “not even once” was he able to change Nintendo's view during the development of F-Zero GX:
Compared to us, in the big picture, we are similar. But in the finer details - their decision-making and timing - things are different, and I learned a lot from them. In short, it's about objectivity. (...) It's hard to describe, but when I'd say about some part of the game, "It's okay like this, isn't it?" they'd say, "Our company does not allow this kind of thing. Ever." I didn't manage to change their minds about anything. Not even once. But that's why Nintendo has such a solid brand, even after all these years. That is why we lost the hardware war.
As Sega had lost the hardware war following the demise of the Dreamcast, it really wanted to impress Nintendo and show it how great the company still was by making fantastic characters and courses for F-Zero GX and creating the best graphics possible with the current technology at the time. Nintendo was apparently so impressed with the final product it requested the game's source code:
After it released, I got a call from Nintendo. They said they wanted to see all the source code for the game, and wanted me to explain how we'd made that game, in that timeframe and with that budget, in detail. They were wondering how we'd done it - they couldn't figure it out. We were able to achieve something a lot higher than what Nintendo had expected.
Nagoshi also admitted how Sega was far more successful as a developer than it was as a hardware manufacturer:
Even though we'd tried really hard making games for Sega hardware, they never sold too well, but F-Zero sold over 1.5 M copies worldwide. We realised the only thing we needed to admit was that Sega did not have the ability to sell hardware (laughs). That as a developer (...) we did not need to be pessimistic at all.
Are you a fan of Sega's version of the futuristic racing series? Have you played F-Zero GX on the GameCube? Would you like to see Sega develop another entry in the franchise in the near future? Tell us below.
[source resetera.com]
Comments 93
Sega couldn't get out of their own way and that's why they failed. The Dreamcast was actually a good system but by then it was already too late.
> Have you played F-Zero GX on the GameCube?
I still do, it's one of the best racing games I've ever played, Sega very well did impress me. It's why it's such a sin this game hasn't been remastered yet.
It is too bad they forgot to make the game accessible. I still consider it one of the most frustratingly hard games ever made, it is why the game was failure for me.
Well, they sure impressed me. Now make another one.
You literally took the words right out of my mouth as I was about to type them, thesilverbrick. As a gamer F-Zero GX was both a technical marvel at the time and a joy to play; my only knock against it is JayJ's observation; the difficulty was scaled INSANELY tough. Which is a real shame because most folks have never seen the (often laugh-out-loud hilarious) ending cutscenes for each racer; the only way I got to was via an Action Replay.
F-Zero GX was one of those games (like Valkyria Chronicles later on) that showed flashes of what was indeed one of the greatest and most prolific videogame developers ever. Unfortunately since they stopped making consoles, they've had an overly myopic focus on Sonic, and the quality of their products has been all over the place. I'm definitely supporting Valkyria Chronicles 4 in the hopes that it might finally encourage Sega to bring back some of their other beloved IPs.
That was a short but good read.
I would be impressed with a new game in the series announcement
I wish they’d at least remaster this game if they won’t give us a brand new one.
I'd eat my own toes for an HD port.
Many of us knew how much power was in that little cube, with the sound and texture compression software; the fast read times of those tiny DVDs... GX was the pinnacle of this. That game blew the PS2 and XBOX out of the water. It is a crime we still don't have an HD remake. The single player story was pretty awesome to boot. Still my favorite racer next to BURNOUT.
Sega NEEDS to make a new F Zero for Switch. They did a great job the first time.
Still one of my all time favourites and I would buy Switch in an instant for a sequel or even for HD remaster.
The game was hard but not impossible. I still remember the feeling of success when I got those arcade tracks open. To open the Ax cup you have to beat other cups at hardest difficulty. I could only achieve that by making my own ship which is named Frost Lynx - no one the game's premade vehicles suited me that well.
I only gave up on the story mode's last mission. I still try it sometimes but not with the same passion I used to have.
Still great game with two players.
I thought it was an amazing game. The spin kill mechanic was so satisfying, and the difficulty while steep, provided a great challenge for the hardcore. Graphics were great, I'd say a tie between this and metroid prime for best on the system.
@JayJ I agree with you. I was never even able to get past the first track. I would welcome a HD remaster with an easy mode for people like me.
F-Zero GX: Best GameCube game ever, and possibly the best modern racing game ever, at least for a one-player experience (easily better than Burnout, IMO, but there may be other games I'm not thinking about).
Tracks and visuals were outstanding, control was spot on, music was amazing, while the characters and world it expanded upon offered a breath of fresh air for the series.
Yes, the learning curve was steep, but it was well worth the effort. The satisfaction of zooming around the beautiful tracks at extremely high speeds without hitting anything was without equal.
Sega was Sega's problem. To give you an idea what Sega was really like, ONLY GENESIS OUTSOLD THE WII U!! Think about that. More Wii U's in the world than Master System's. More Wii U's than Saturn's. More Wii U's than Dreamcast (like over 50% more too). So, Sega never really did compete, their flash in the pan was 1991 to 1993 with Sonic. After they started shooting themselves in the foot with the CD, the 32X, and the horrible launch of Saturn, they never were going to regain what they had in the early-90's. They should have kept Genesis alone, maybe just gone with the CD, but the 32X was definitely too far, especially with Saturn around the corner.
Yes!! Love that game! Can we please get it for the Switch now, with some online pleeeease?
Sega's current problem is their focus on trying to milk Sonic, but without putting much effort into it. Worst of all, the plot for a lot of their games reads like a fanfic at times, edgelord with guns included.
On the other hand, they have a ton of good old ips they're not using well along with some amazing niche games like Valkyrie chronicles. Sega is a weird company.
maybe we will get lucky and get it with nintendo online service.
One of the best racing games ever this is the kind of content Nintendo should be providing for its online service not NES games imagine this with online play
Surely we will get GameCube games on the switch at some point , I mean who wants NES games as I have played them to death?
F-Zero GX is,to this day,still my favorite racing game. It was brutal at times but so satisfying to play and deserves a remaster of some sort. Or give SEGA another bash at a new one if Nintendo aren't willing too themselves
@nab1 agreed
Fast RMX could easily be re-skinned into an F-Zero. or make a HD compilation of X and GX.
F-Zero GX is a masterpiece, along with Diddy Kong Racing and Crash Team Racing it's my favorite racing game ever made.
F-zero gx is awesome. A masterpiece of I ever saw one.
I want more of exactly that.
@JayJ Wipeout was never an easy game either - but it’s partly why it was so great... if you like the idea of it, and it’s well put together, get good at it... a good way to play.
F-Zero GX sure was something very special, a shame this masterpiece as well as plenty of other retro games will be lost due to Nintendo's poor approach to retro games on Switch.
@FTL I get that, I mean I enjoy a number of realistic racing games that can get really tough, but these futuristic hover racers always seem to require a completely different skill set. I could just never get into them when they are punishingly difficult, and the whole "git gud" argument never goes far for me with games. I usually just move on to something less frustrating when a game is so difficult that it becomes off-putting. Even if I want to like it, the game needs to click for me at some point or I'm done.
I would love to see this on Switch in either original or HD remaster form. That said, I find it funny how many people keep talking about the lack of Virtual Console service, and especially Gamecube games, as if it means they can no longer be played. You can play Gamecube games on the original hardware or Wii and F-Zero GX can be picked up fairly cheaply. If you really want to play it...
@JayJ Yea not every game is going to appeal to everyone I get that sure - I guess what I’m saying is that I’ve been against the idea of making a game easier for those particular people who find it hard, because there are plenty of games that are easy and not all that many (in the racing genre at least) that are both difficult and extremely fun to master once you do manage to work it all out.
When wipeout and F-zero was so difficult at first it’s kind of why it was so satisfying for me to become good at them.
Nothing wrong with adding some kind of beginner / training modes though I suppose.
Man of only nintendo and sega where partners. Like for real just like Nintendo and rareware where like ONE.
seeing this picture of captain falcon, Nintendo can do alot more with that character. In smashbros he is the embodiment of Power and speed, just perfect for an action fighting Manga movie, not only the racing part, they can mix that. Something like a super hero game with captain falcon and with the Fzero racing vehicles.
as a kid a dreamed of a game like that.
This game dominated my childhood and I still come back to it to this day. As many have already said before: This game is not accessible in anyway to the average player, and that's excluding it's absolutely brutal difficulty in the story mode.
Oh Nintendo Life, trolling me with an image of F-Zero GX, I was hoping Nintendo came to their senses and were releasing a new one.
Aw, sorry dreams, crushed again.
Heck yeah I want Sega to make a new f-zero was that really a question smh.
There are 3 games I own which I will never part with; my Japanese Dreamcast ver of Virtua On, my Xbox copy of Star Wars KOTOR, and my beloved F Zero GX.
Its racing perfection as far as im concerned.
F Zero GX is Still the best future racer IMHO. 1.5 million? I didn't even realise it sold as well! I think Nintendo are scared to release a follow up. F ZERO GX running in HD looks and runs better than most games today.
Sega could never make a home version equivalent to their hit arcade racing games until F-Zero GX when the home version is pretty much on equal to the arcade game. Now imagine if Nintendo allow Sega to bring in their other arcade titles like Scud Race and Daytona to GameCube, that would be spectacular especially consider how powerful the GameCube hardware was at the time compare to the PS2.
That's easily top 5 for me on the Game Cube, a system that had a big number of excellent games. I love GX.
Just don't understand why they didn't keep making FZero games
I think I prefer F Zero X on the N64. That game seems to have nailed the difficulty curve better. Like others above have mentioned, I found GX too difficult. Which is a shame, because the look, feel and speed of GX is a real achievement.
I'd love to see a re-release, whether as a virtual console title or a remaster. Brilliant game.
@nab1 seconded. It still stands up incredibly well now, and as far as I'm concerned it's not only the pinnacle in the series but all also one of the most challenging, balanced, and rewarding racing games in our time.
People keep asking for a follow up for a very clear reason! Get cracking, Nintendo!
And the end result was easily the best F-Zero game ever. Sega does what nintendon't. Believe me, I've played even the obscure ones, beta satellaview F-Zeros and X Expansion Kit.
It still boggles my mind how every single racer has a rigged and animated character model AND a theme song, and that the only place you can experience these is when browsing the racer profiles.
That's a LOT of effort for somethign very few will care to experience for any length of time. Octoman and Dr. Stewart's themes made it worthwhile though.
I've been following this game for years, but it's too expensive for me. I hope in time I'll find it at a reasonable price, just as a few days ago I found a Sonic 3 complete with box and instructions for 25 euros after several years of patient search.
When you think of all the great arcade and home console games Sega has made, there is nothing at all for that company to doubt in terms of its ability to make amazing games.
It's just a shame they don't realize they could actually make new versions of sooo many of those classic arcade, Master System, Genesis/Mega Drive, Saturn and Dreamcast games.
Sega is one of the few video game companies that comes even close to Nintendo in terms of the amount of IP and beloved characters and franchises it has in its back catalog.
It's a true masterpiece both as a game and from a technical perspective. It looked incredible at the time and never dropped one frame.
It's my all time favourite single player racing game. Getting to see all the characters short videos at the end was an obsession for me lol. Great times. And the story mode on very hard, it was brutal, just BRUTAL. But what a feeling when i beat it.
10/10
F-Zero GX was one of my favorite games of all time. I loved the fact that you could build your own machines, and I made one called the 'Pretty Bullet' that enabled me to beat all the courses on the highest difficulty...but I never was able to beat that story mode.
Nintendo knows we all want a new F-Zero. They're just being jerks about it...or very quietly developing it for Switch. One can hope...
And, for the record, Sega did actually make some great hardware in its day too, and come up with some groundbreaking stuff in gaming in general.
To this day I've never got passed the third level. Ended up selling it along with my GameCube. I regret that decision.
I was playing the game a lot and the difficulty never occurred to me as a big problem. I don’t think i beat all and everything in the end, but I also don’t think that it’s a necessity that everyone is able to do so.
@Pod
Yeah right! I am dreaming of a F-Zero RPG ever since: I would love to see Nintendo building on top of the depth which F-Zero GX provides the base for. Imagine a story that involves those characters and you could play and battle with different viewpoints in a Racing-RPG-Style game. The main story of Captain Falcon could be the longst one and then you have a play trough in the shoes and glider of Samurai Goroh and his ‚tragic‘ story as a former cop that became a bounty hunter (wiki) etc.
Some characters-stories could even be released as add-on‘s (not that I am a particular fan of add-ons, just sayin‘).
always confused me why none other 3 tried buy sega after dreamcast disaster
I really need to get out my Gamecube and play F-Zero GX, haven't played it for ages.
Would prefer a brand new F-Zero instead of a remaster though, or why not let us have both Nintendo
Sounds like a nice idea nowadays to have both sega and nintendo working together in a new entry for the series.
There have been some good f-zero copycats out there in recent years, but at least for me, nothing beats the OG.
@marck13
In the right hands, the kitschy superhero/machismo/discopunk universe of F-Zero could be storytelling gold!
Oh Sega you nailed it with F-ZERO GX! It was beyond amazing... Now team up again and give us SX!
It all makes sense now. Nintendo was like: "Wow, this is the best F-Zero game that could ever possibly be made. I think we're done here". And that's why there hasn't been a new entry in 15 years
@AtlanteanMan
Don't forget the Yakuza series! That's been consistently great as well. If you want a hint of the "old" SEGA, I'd also recommend pikcing up Puyo Puyo Tetris.
Overall, I agree with you though. There's not much to SEGA outside of Sonic, Yakuza, Valkyria Chronicles these days. I guess there's also Puyo Puyo and Hatsune Miku, plus Football Manager and Total War on PC, but there's nothing like the Dreamcast-era creativity they once had.
Then why it's it so hard for Sega to make a good 3d Sonic?
F-Zero GX is one of the games where many say it's brutally difficult but I beat everything on highest difficulty with just a bit of practice. For me it's the easiest F-Zero game ever made and I think the game and learning curve is perfect. It seems people like to exaggerate. F-Zero GX is easy.
@nab1 Agreed. This is why I wish Switch had an actual Virtual Console with GameCube games finally arriving on that platform. I can only hope that Nintendo Switch Online will see more than just a few select NES games made available and that either a remaster or a "Virtual Console"-type port of the GameCube original is released, compatible with the Smash Bros GameCube controller too please!!
I thought it bombed at retail. 1.5 million copies is hardly a bomb, especially in those days. Did it bomb at first, and then sell more through word of mouth?
Nintendo could put F-Zero GX on Switch with no changes other than HD upscale and I'd pay $60 for it. It blew me away back in 2003 and it still does today.
@ZanisDust Same here. I could only complete the hardest difficulty with the Frost Lynx. But completing it and unlocking the AX tracks was one of my greatest feelings of accomplishment in any game.
@SKTTR GX isn't easy but it is easier than the hardest difficulty of X. I beat X 100% but MYGOSH was it brutal! Took me a ridiculous level of dedication to master each track.
@sketchturner F-Zero X was the second easiest F-Zero game imo. All the other games, especially the SNES and GBA games are uber-difficult, at least to me.
@SKTTR Hmm, I didn't think the 2D games were easy, but definitely way easier than the 3D F-Zero games. To each his own.
@AtlanteanMan Speaking of Action Replay, you've reminded me there were codes which allowed you to play F-Zero AX (the arcade version of GX). I've never tried them but think I might give it a go, am not sure if you can unlock AX through playing the normal game without an AR though.
@Gs69
There is nothing wrong with nes games which are better than snes games too.
I bought the super nest version for a few dollars just for keeps. I played the hard mario karto and beat 100cc with toad and I felt I was good enough. No time for 150cc. I have some gamecube games for the manual like the nds.
F-zero GX isn't as hard as some people are making it out to be. Its not even about "git gud"; you probably just didn't understand the mechanics of turning and acceleration very well because the track design was solid and fair.
I'd recommend giving it a try again; a good analogy would be that...driving a car would be really difficult too if you're driving with your feet. Its more like you're doing something wrong than that its a bad car with poor handling.
@Danrenfroe2016 The problem was Sega never let Amusement Vision make a Sonic game. Would have been amazing if they had.
@JayJ For a long time, it felt as if I was the only one who felt that way. My stepbrother and I would literally stay up all night with our copy of F-Zero for the SNES. There was no multiplayer, but that didn't stop us. We would watch each other like hawks - I would shave a second off of his time, get bragging rights - and he would do the same. It was one of our top SNES games.
We missed the N64 - but when this came out on NGC, we were STOKED. Seriously stoked. Multiplayer F-Zero!!! Waited outside for the store to open...bought it...got home, ripped the plastic off while coming in the door, and it was time for some late night F-Zero competition. Except, it was GX. And it was so hard, it turned us off racing games for years. Sega made a beautiful game. Sega made a fantastic game. But even when making it for Nintendo, they missed the Nintendo difference - fun and accessible, yet difficult to master. F-Zero GX is to F-Zero, as Super Meat Boy is to Super Mario.
@wazlon
There were codes that unlocked the AX courses. I gave them a try but as I recall they were every bit as tough as the GX ones.
@JubilantTaker if you’ve played them a million times then not so good
@JayJ Well then it clearly wasn't made for you. Still a top tier racing game.
@Danrenfroe2016 Guess I imagined Sonic Adventure 1 and 2, Sonic Colours and Sonic Generations.
All I know is the tools are all there on Switch (minus analog triggers, but, plus gyro controls) to make a new F-Zero, port GX, or even enhance port it, so it's just excuses from Nintendo at this point. On another note, is AV still around? And whatever happened to F-Zero GX's arcade counterpart, AX? So much opportunity, Nintendo!
@AtlanteanMan Yeah, it's a very tough game. I never managed to complete the 'adventure' mode as I got stuck on one particular level and never managed to beat it after trying time and time again.
@JayJ this games hard as nails mantra, it's one of the many reasons that it's great, no pandering here. You want to beat me? You better bring your a game. Refreshing stuff in an age of auto aim etc. If they remade it as is it would likely be day one for me. Its a masterpiece in my opinion, proof if any that I think Sega should stop rinsing sonic so much and revisit some of their other titles.
@justin233 exactly racing genre on switch would light up with this, imagine this for their online service? I may be persuaded to pay with at least 1 £20 to give that a try
I really need to invest myself in the F-Zero franchise, it looks highly entertaining. Fingers crossed for a title from Retro Studios... Or any developer at this rate.
Sega had some awesome Dev teams in the day, and we're very skilled with creating arcade games virtual cop, house of dead, Manx tt, sega rally, sega sea bass, virtua striker, out run, Daytona, crack taxi, jurrasic park, jumbo safari.....
I want all these games again!
@UltimateDespair1 true, but still disappointed
@USWITCH64 I agree they are obsessed with reselling ancient games. Soo many game cube games begging to be ported to switch. I want Sega rally 1/2 or 3 come on Sega my money is waiting
@sketchturner I agree, my bro had a projector when I played this, done of my greatest memories are of this projected onto a wall abusing my brain with intense visual input. It's criminal that nintendo didn't get Sega to release more games for them, a partnership to print money... We can buy dream...
@impurekind but alas someone at Sega is clinically obsessed with sonic above all else. Alas is all I am saying. Also no phantasy star online in Europe / US for shame
@lillith I had a similar experience. The original F-Zero was one of my favorite games growing up, it was IMO one of the top games that stood out on the SNES and easily one of my favorite racing games of the era. I also kinda missed the N64 game, I was really into the PS1 at the time, but I too remember looking forward to GX on the Gamecube. I also remember how it turned me off that style of racing game for a long time, something about it's difficulty that has that effect on people.
It seems like the only people who like it are the hardcore elitist gamers who seem to take pride in punishing difficulty as some sort of accomplishment. As for me, I just like to have fun with games, and I don't think a game needs to be inaccessibly hard to give you a good challenge. The SNES version managed to hit the difficulty perfectly, easy to pick up and difficult to master, that is how it should have been and it is amazing how badly they managed to screw that up.
@pika677 you lack some history facts. the videogames' players fanbase has hugely increased after the diffusion of the HD consoles that boosted the mass market share. you are comparing the installed base of a console came out in 2012, with others from a whole different era.
back in the 90 numbers were totally different. You can't make comparisons pretending it's the same, since the market has changed and increased, so the numbers that were good yesterday, today are too little. but during that gen, selling that much was a good result.
Fantastic game. I would love a new one.
F-zero was my favourite game on gamecube. I think the best idea Nintendo could get to make another f-zero if they wanted to re launch the serie, 20 years later would be to team up with sega again to develop another f-zero since Nintendo wouldn't be able to developp a game of this caliber alone and wasn't able to do so for f-zero gx. I believe sega has the experience and the capabilities to make another f-zero.
If Nintendo can't do better, they should at least make a remaster of f-zero gx on Switch.
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