F-Zero 99, a battle royale take on the classic SNES racing game, is coming to Switch today.
Announced during today's Nintendo Direct, F-Zero 99 will be available as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription sometime today. Similar to games like Tetris 99 and Super Mario Bros. 35, this one updates the classic racing gameplay in a battle royale format, where 99 racers compete in a deadly game to reach first place. Completing certain goals in races will unlock new cosmetics for your chosen car.
As in the original, you have a power meter that diminishes when you bounce into track walls or opposing racers - when the meter runs out, your racing machine explodes. Borrowing from the SNES game's later sequels, you can also spend some of that power meter for a quick boost if you want to take a risky path ahead of your opponents.
Collisions between machines will cause "super sparks" to drop, which you can pick up to charge a super meter. Once that meter's full, you get brief access to a special skyway track that lets you drive without bumping into other opponents.
The last F-Zero game was the Japan-exclusive GBA title F-Zero Climax, released in 2004. After a 19 year long wait, it's safe to say that a downloadable battle royale game isn't the comeback series fans were hoping for - but honestly, after how much I enjoyed Tetris 99, I'm more than willing to give this new take on the series a shot.
Which of the best SNES games would you turn into a battle royale? Personally, I'm hoping for the speedrunner's dream in Super Metroid 99.
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