F-Zero X in Our Hands

We got our hands on a copy of the Japanese version of F-Zero X for the N64. Here's videogames.com's Ryan Mac Donald's first impressions of the futuristic racer from Japan.

F-Zero X is so fast, the game runs at an amazing 60 frames per second. This is undoubtedly accomplished by keeping the graphics fairly simple. Besides the cars on the tracks and a few nearby buildings, you won't notice too many things in the background. You will notice that the game does have a fair amount of pop-up, although it's far enough out that it really doesn't interfere with the race.

The control is simple - you use the analog stick to maneuver your craft and the trigger and R button to slide it left and right. Did I mention that it's really fast? Even with two, three, or four players, the speed of the game is extremely fast. And since the tracks twist and turn and go upside down, the pace seems even faster.

There are three different racing classes: the Jack Cup, the Queen Cup, and the King Cup. Each Cup has six different tracks to race. After completing the three cups on the novice difficulty setting, more cars become available. After unlocking them all, you'll be able to choose from a whopping total of 30 different crafts. Each is rated in terms of body, boost, and grip.

All 30 cars participate in each race, and all of the cars can be onscreen at the same time - without noticeably dropping frames. After completing the first lap of the race, your craft can boost - which allows you to zoom forward at the expense of part of your energy bar.

Like in the first F-Zero, small zippers on the tracks send you zooming forward as well. When you get toward the beginning of the laps, you can maneuver over the special areas of the track to replenish your energy bar (it gets depleted every time you hit a wall or use the boost).

You can change the camera view while racing, and there's a chase view that can be close or far and an aerial perspective.

Keep an eye peeled for F-Zero X coming this August to the States.