According to a recent interview, F-Zero GX producer Toshihiro Nagoshi would be willing to create a new F-Zero game for Nintendo. Even the slightest suggestion of a new F-Zero game would thrill series fans, who have gone well over a decade without a new installment.
In the 1990s and 2000s, F-Zero was one of Nintendo's signature franchises, offering a more intense alternative to Mario Kart. Befitting its origins as a Super Nintendo launch title, F-Zero made an impression on new SNES owners right away, with blistering speed and clever use of the system's Mode 7 graphics capabilities. The series continued on the Nintendo 64 with F-Zero X, and then on the GameCube with F-Zero GX. The most recent entry in the series is F-Zero Climax for the Game Boy Advance, released exclusively in Japan in 2004.
In an interview discussing his role as the creator of the Yakuza series, Toshihiro Nagoshi was asked if he would be willing to return to the F-Zero franchise. Nagoshi said he would probably do so if given the chance, although it is unlikely. It's not hard to see why he would be willing: over nearly two decades, F-Zero GX has gained a widespread reputation for being one of the best racing games ever made. Although Shigeru Miyamoto has famously said that he could not think of ways to evolve the F-Zero series from there, Nagoshi and many others would likely have ideas of their own.
Outside of Captain Falcon's presence in the Super Smash Bros. series, Nintendo has occasionally acknowledged the series over the last decade, giving hope to series fans. Wii U launch title Nintendo Land included a virtual attraction themed after F-Zero, and Mario Kart 8 included tracks, vehicles, and music tracks from the F-Zero games as DLC. Still, the F-Zero series has surprisingly deep lore, and there is plenty of room for future standalone games starring Captain Falcon alongside his allies and foes.
Fans should also know that other developers have tried to fill the gap left by the F-Zero games. Anyone with a Nintendo Switch can download Fast RMX, which incorporates F-Zero's signature speed alongside new gimmicks. Even Mario Kart 8 Deluxe's 200cc mode, which sees vehicles moving at a breakneck pace, often draws comparisons to F-Zero. Plus, anyone subscribed to the Nintendo Switch Online service can play the original F-Zero SNES game for free.
There is one other surprising way in which the F-Zero series might make a comeback: through films inspired by classic Nintendo franchises. While the only project to be confirmed thus far is a Mario movie, it is not impossible to imagine how other franchises could tie together. After all, Metroid, Star Fox, F-Zero, Pikmin, and Kirby games all share themes of space travel. In the right hands, a thrilling crossover starring Captain Falcon wouldn't be hard to create.
Source: Red Bull France