Pezjulo

Mario Kart Wii is one of those games that offer both lighthearted fun for casual play, as well as some gaming depth for a more serious type of player. The game has improved vastly over its Gamecube predecesor, gathering more elements from the DS version than the GC format. Yet, this is a pretty good thing since it is a sort of "back to basics" for the franchise, however adds some elements to keep it fresh.

The game has no story or background, however, most racing games don´t have one either so this is not an issue. From a certain point of view, it is actually a good thing because it keeps the racing, stripped to its bare basics, as the focus of the game.

The default control scheme using the wii wheel feels great. The wiimote fits into the wheel sideways, leaving all the buttons easily accesable, and adds an aid to help press the B button with ease. The grip of the wheel feels solid and accurate, and in the game, its behavior is terrific. The A button is used to accelerate, B is the handbrake (sort of), 2 is used to launch items and...well that's pretty much it. Although it sounds rather plain, the wii motion steering adds a lot of depth and fun to the game; it is intuitive and easy to learn, yet needs practice to master.

The game also expands in terms of content, adding more unlockables and new challenges. The tracks i the game, although aren´t vast in number, prove to be very diverse considering that they are gathered from all the previous installments of the franchise adding a sense of nostalgia to the game. There are 32 tracks in total, half of them being completely new to the wii version. This tracks in particular are awesome, since they interact more with the player, and add new "textures" to the game, i comparison to some of the old, rather plain tracks.

In terms of characters, the game has expanded vastly, including the classic lineup pf mario kart games as well as newcomers (there is even a way to unlock playing with your Mii). Although characters within the same weight class feel prett much the same, it adds some aesthetic value to the game, as well as replay value.

One of the best things (if not the best) about this game is the online play. The Nintendo WFC works brilliantly, with an easy to use interface that picks oponents from all over the world very quickly, mainly because there is a lot of people playing this game online.  The gameplay itself is almost completely lag free (considering you have a good internet connection) and the opponents selected for you to race with are generally within the same level or skill as you are (based on a points system that can only be earned while playing online).

Back in 1991, the SNES received a game that would not only stun critics and players for it´s addictive gameplay, but also for it´s revolutionary "Mode 7" graphical interphase that created an unparalleled sense of speed and environmental depth that no other game had at it´s time. That game was, of course, the original F-Zero. Asides from F-Zero X and F-Zero GX that used their respective console´s technical power ro reinvent the games once again, not much has changed from the original formula, relying still on an advanced version of "mode 7" that today feels as fresh as ever.

GP Legend is based on the F-Zero: Falcon Densetsu anime, that was aired in North America on the Fox Box between 2003 and 2004. It is then undersrtandable than all character designs and much of the storyline in the game are a direct port from the anime. The game has four main modes: Story, Grand Prix, Time Attack and Zero Test. Unlike the story mode introduced by F-Zero GX, GP Legend features the storylines of eight different characters, with each of them having between five or six different chapters. However, some of this storylines could have used more complexity to get the player more into the action, and most of the chapters end up being "defeat the character X to the finish line" type of challenge. Besides, not all of the storylines are completely original, since most of them entwine with other storylines and end up telling the part of the story from a different point of view. Although the story mode IS challenging and tries to make the chapters varied, the storylines themselves could have used some deeper writing to make them more dense. The story is told by means of character portraits talking and some 3-D renders of F-Zero machines; this method gets the job done and they are in overall well animated.

Grand Prix is the traditional game mode, where you race in five different courses and attempt to have the most points at the end of the cup. A new game mode is the Zero Test, in which you race only split sections of a track with a particular ship and attempt to beat a preset time. The interesnting part of this game mode is that it forces you to use a particular ship within a particular track section, which is not always the easiest task in the world, specially if the challenge is "Clear five consecutive hairpins using an E-Grip machine". There are a lot of racing techniques to be learned in Zero Test.

An advantage that GP Legend has over the previous GBA installment from the series, F-Zero: Maximum Velocity is that it includes 34 different characters, all of which are the "traditional" subjects of the F-Zero franchise and that have appeared in most games in the series. That also means that if youve played another F-Zero gae before, you´ll be already familiar with each machine´s handling; all of them have the same specs and overall "feel" that in the other installments of the series.
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n the technical department, the graphics of GP Legend are very good for a GBA game, with backgrounds that rotate around the ship and different layers and textures apllyed to the tracks to give each planet a unique feel. The anime versions of the F-Zero characters are extremely cool, and the ships have enough graphical detail to be distinguished at a distance. However, due to hardware limitations, all of the tracks, much like in the original F-Zero are plain and filled with obstacles, so don´t expect any corkscrews, cylinders or wavy terrain in this game. However, the graphical engine runs the game at a very fast FPS rate, probably higher than any other GBA racing game, which means that the vertiginous sense of speed characteristic of the franchise is as present as ever.

The soundtrack in GP Legend is excellent, having all of the traditional F-Zero themes plus some new ones, that for some reason sound great when translated to the MIDI format that the GBA supports. Most of the soundtrack is fast pased and matches the track styling perfectly, and can even encourage you to use boost powers when the excitement level is pretty high. Even the narrator voice that presents each of the menus sounds crystal clear.

GP Legend´s gameplay is probably it´s forte, mainly because it is difficult to both get used to and master, but enriches the experience and makes the game challenging. Unlike F-Zero X or GX, GP Legend demands much more acceleration control and traditional corenring ability. This is due to the fact that GP Legend doesn´t have the "sideway drift" function that both X and GX incluided that allowed the player to tackle virtually any turn without letting go of the accelerator; just pushing the machine sideways at full speed. However, in this game the main cornering aid is only leaning the ship, which helps to take turns quicker but can´t save you from going aggainst the wall without propper throttle control and even use of bracking. Demanding turns, like hairpins, require the use of both brakes, leaning and acceleration at the proper time to exit the corners. The game also introduces a new aid, known as Blast Turn, that rewards you with a boost at the exit of a corner if you accelerate to exit it at the right time. This is a very helpful technique to regain control quickly. Rocket start´s have also been added to the game, which is something new in the F-Zero franchise. However, both Blast Turn and Rocket Start timings are different for each machine, so mastering each and every character in the game is a long task. Another element that makes this game more difficult is that contact with other ships con make you lose control easily, and going against a wall is something completely undesired since you can easily end up bouncing around the track´s other walls.

Most of the game´s characters are locked, as well as an extra cup and difficulty, which means that the game has a good replay value. Besides, being a portable game, it is easy to pick up and play anywhere thanks to it´s quick racing system that can entertain you even when you´re looking for casual play.

Consensus: F-Zero GP Legend is a game that keeps the player amused for it´s gameplay mechanics, difficulty and overall feel and diversity. The only thing that keeps it from getting a higher score is it´s under-developed storylines, specially considering that it is based upon an anime.

Pezjulo´s Indicators
Story 3/5
Graphics 4/5
Sound 4/5
Difficulty 5/5
Gameplay 5/5
Replay Value 3/5

I consider myself a huge, i mean HUGE fan of racing games. Both sims and arcade styled games appeal to me, yet, when I first played F-Zero, I just had to say "This isn´t like anything I have played before. It´s better".

There are two main aspects that anyone needs to know about any F-Zero games: it is a futuristic styled racing game, and, more importantly, it is insanely fast! This game doesn´t stray away from the basic formula, instead it improves it and takes the franchise to a whole new level, mainly by exploiting the GC's full capacity.

The game takes place in the 26th century, just when a new grand prix is about to begin. The deal with this racing game is that a lot of it´s focus and depth stem from it´s dense storyline that began with the first F-Zero for the SNES and is still being developed through each of the installments in the franchise. Although the main mode of the game, Grand Prix, doesn´t follow any particular storyline, the novelty to GX is the addition of a "Story" mode, which follows the adventures of Captain Falcon in defeating Black Shadow, and the rise of a new, more dangerous threat to the galaxy and the Grand Prix itself. Although being relatively short (under 10 chapters) the story mode is relentlessly difficult, even in the normal difficulty. However, the missions that you take on as captain falcon are varied and have an interesting background (from winning a GP to avoiding a bomb from destroying your ship by staying above a certain speed). Also, each of them is accompanied by a gorgeous cutscene that pretty much serve as the narrator to the storyline that could have used a bit more of length, but the challenge is so tough and varied that you just don´t care.

Now, moving on to Grand Prix mode. In this mode you just pick any of the ships that are available for racing and tackle onto a Cup, each composed of five different courses. This mode proves to be both fun and challenging, mainly because the difficulty is steep and each and every single ship in the game feels different from the rest. This adds a lot of complexity to the game, since mastering every single character isn´t a short task, and also shows the level of dedication the developers put into the game (even the sound of each ship´s boost is different). In addition to the 31 standard characters that come in the GX version, there are also some characters and unlockables that can only be obtained directly from the AX (arcade) version of the game. GX also adds a garage function, that allows the player to build up to four custom ships from the parts inventory, which can be bought by winning tickets in both the story or grand prix mode. This means that unlocking everything in the game is a very long and hard labor, however, most people wouldn't mind putting their hands on it considering the ammount of fun you have playing this game, that just never seems to get old.

The track design on F-Zero GX is just amazing. From the uber-detailed backgrounds of mute city, to the creative design of the Cilinder Knot in Fire Field, each track has something that makes it memorable and challenging, and will also require the player to memorize the position of the boosts in each track in order to conquer the harder difficulties of the game. The sense of speed is also breathtaking, with most of the racers going at speeds above 1200 km/h; add 30 more rivals simulaneously racing you and what you get is addictive mayhem. With 26 tracks in total, 31 standard characters and ships, and 4 difficulty levels, plus the huge ammount of ship parts, this is a hugely immersive and complete game, that will keep you coming back for more.

Concensus: If you have a Gamecube and like racing games, this is the one to get.

Pezjulo´s Indicators
Story 3/5
Graphics 5/5
Sound 4/5
Difficulty 5/5
Gameplay 5/5
Replay Value 4/5