When the Gameboy Advance was yet young, a game for the F-Zero futuristic racing series known as F-Zero: Maximum Velocity was released for the system. This was a blemish for the F-Zero series, having none of the familiar characters, not to mention terrible gameplay that made the SNES original look stellar by comparison. However, when an F-Zero cartoon series was temporarily on in the U.S., this game was released on the GBA to compliment the cartoon series. I never saw the cartoon series; it came out at the worst possible time for me, after my extremely frustrating experience with F-Zero GX. I still play the N64’s F-Zero X, however, and playing that game made me want to give the F-Zero series another try.
This Review is on a zero to four-star scale, with no stars being extremely poor and four stars being excellent.
Graphics: ***½
The graphics don’t come close to even the Nintendo 64’s graphics, but I’m judging this game’s graphics compared to the graphics of other GBA games, and it really looks to be one of the best-looking games on the system. It’s nothing spectacular, but everything is nice and clear. You can tell which racer is which, which is a big plus when you’re trying to beat a certain racer (if you know their machine’s colors, that is). While not very important to the game on the whole, the graphics are very nice for a GBA game.
Sound: ***½
Instead of creating all new tunes for this game, the makers of this game decided to try to recreate some of F-Zero X’s songs for this game, and they turned out great. They don’t sound nearly as good, but they still are great for the GBA. Other non-F-Zero X tunes in the game are pretty good as well, though I prefer the ones that are from F-Zero X.
Difficulty: **
F-Zero: GP Legend can have its extremely easy moments, and its incredibly difficult moments. There are some story mode missions that are excruciatingly frustrating, while others are a breeze. The game overall isn’t all that difficult, though there are the difficult missions that can be frustrating at times. The game does offer quite a bit of flexibility in the story missions, sometimes allowing you to finish 2nd or 3rd, as long as you beat a certain opponent.
Characters: ****
I love F-Zero’s characters, and this game uses all F-Zero X’s characters plus some new ones. In fact, you get to find out the backgrounds and stories of some of these characters in Story Mode. These characters are perhaps the most underrated in the Nintendo universe, as only Captain Falcon is very well-known.
Controls: ***
The controls for the most part are great. The game includes attacking opponents, controlled the same way as in F-Zero X, with L twice quickly or R twice quickly, depending on the direction of the attack. The braking system is brilliant: you can use the B button for a hard brake or can tap the A button several times around curves to slow your machine down, but not too much. This system allows you to choose how much you want to slow down, and allows you to keep speed around curves. One problem is boosts: you have to press L and R at the same time to get a boost, and occasionally it can be difficult hitting the two buttons at the exact same moment to get the boost, especially when you’re also using L and R to help your machine around curves. However, what else would control boosts? The hard-to-reach Select button? There really is no other option, so this game does just fine the way it is.
Gameplay: ***½
Simply put, I can’t remember playing a racing game this good since the Nintendo 64 days. Somehow, even on the relatively old GBA, this game is able to give a great racing experience, wiping out memories of F-Zero: Maximum Velocity’s failure. Gone is the “one boost per lap” system Maximum Velocity used, replaced by the boost system F-Zero X used, which is where you can boost as many times as you want after Lap 1, but boosts take up energy. The tracks are much better, and while they aren’t nearly as detailed as something you’d see on the N64, they’re as good as it gets for a pre-DS portable system. This game provides everything you’d want out of an F-Zero racing game for the GBA and more.
Story Mode: ***½
With the exception of some really hard missions that the computer seems to cheat in, Story Mode is an excellent mode, with Grand Prix-style races, one-on-one races, Death Race-style races, and even Time Trial-style races all part of the mix, as you go through eight characters’ stories. What’s more is that while you see a storyline from one character’s perspective, you can unlock other characters’ stories, then see that same story from another character’s perspective, which usually explains some strange things that occur in the story (such as how a racer escapes a seemingly inescapable situation). The racing is fun, as is simply watching the stories unfold. This truly is a brilliant mode.
Grand Prix Mode: ***
Grand Prix Mode is just the way it was in other F-Zero games. One difference: with it being harder to destroy others’ machines in this game, you will have to focus more on finishing first than taking out the closest character in the standings to you, as I would often do in F-Zero X. That just adds a different strategy to the way the game is played, not really making it bad, although the F-Zero X way is admittedly much more fun. This mode is a huge part of this game, and a good mode in itself.
Time Attack Mode: *½
I’ve never been a huge fan of time trial modes, though I can’t just give the mode a poor rating simply because it’s not my favorite mode. Certainly if you like setting records and trying to break them, this is for you. It’s an okay mode, though not one that I enjoy as much as others.
Zero Test Mode: *½
Zero Test Mode is a strange mode where you basically do a Time Trial of just a small part of a race track, or half of a lap, and try to break certain time records. However, getting a gold or silver trophy requires some really excellent, next to perfect, driving, and I end up with bronze trophies. It’s very difficult, and perhaps a little too difficult.
Replayability: ***
You can unlock all sorts of machines and characters in this game, as well as a couple of tracks, which I think come really late in the game. If you can’t play multiplayer, or only have the option of playing single-pak multiplayer (like me), which only offers one track, you won’t be able to get as much replayability out of the game. Still, there’s a lot to do in the game, and you should enjoy it for quite some time.
Fun Factor!: ***½
F-Zero: GP Legend is a very fun game. If you like the F-Zero series, then this game will not disappoint, because it definitely is a whole lot of fun to play. It’s the most fun portable game as I’ve played in a long time.
OVERALL: ***½
F-Zero: GP Legend is the best racing game on the Gameboy Advance… no, the best non-remake on the Gameboy Advance. Yes, it’s that good. It really beat my expectations, that’s for sure. This game makes me an even bigger fan of the F-Zero series, which I already loved from F-Zero X (and having enjoyed F-Zero on the SNES). Should you buy it? If you like racing games, absolutely. I ended up getting it for $7, which just seems unreal, considering the value I got out of it. With my once-hated (unfairly), now-beloved Pokemon Gold’s inner battery dying, destroying my saved game forever, F-Zero: GP Legend is the best option I have for playing on a portable system (until I get a DS, that is).
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