Zero Friction

A precursor of sorts to Mario Kart, F-Zero was a launch title for the SNES and one of the first games to make use of console's "Mode 7" graphics capability.  For the uninitiated, Mode 7 allowed a single large texture to rotate, slide, or enlarge in a pseudo 3D space.  The technology is prominently displayed in several other SNES titles such as Pilot Wings and Contra III.  Unlike those games though, F-Zero was purely about racing.  In order to increase international appeal, the Japanese development team decided to use Batman comics as inspiration.  This is especially noticeable with regards to Captain Falcon's appearance, and his race vehicle (the Blue Hawk) which has more than a passing resemblance to older versions of the Batmobile...minus tires, of course.  Supposedly, wheels were removed early on in the design process in order to save on effort and work within the extremely limited capabilities of gaming hardware at the time.  The result was a futuristic setting featuring hovercar racing that takes place across a slew of exotic planets.  Officially, the game takes place in the 26th century, though I must admit I never cared much for the lore.  To me it was more interesting to let the visuals tell the story.  Looking into the distant horizon on each of the race tracks reveals all sorts of mysterious wonders ranging from towering trees scattered across a seemingly endless savanna, colossal buildings dominating the skyline of a bright cityscape, and massive spires of stone rising out of a vast sea.  One bit of in-game trivia I do want to touch on is the anti-gravity devices used in each hover vehicle.  They are specifically referred to as "G-diffuser systems" - a direct reference to the Arwings in the Starfox series!  

Generally speaking, F-Zero's attention to detail is what makes it standout to me.  Captain Falcon throwing his weigh around inside the glass cockpit of his Blue Hawk when making turns is one example.  Another is using the "L" and "R" buttons on the SNES controller to do a power slide resulting in the underside of the vehicle scraping the ground and sending up sparks.  The engines have a jet turbine whistle to them that even creates a doppler effect when passing up another racer.  According to the in-game speedometer, it's also possible to break the sound barrier.  Sadly, there isn't a sonic boom noise, though the explosion sound that occurs when the player wrecks practically qualifies in terms of loudness.  The music is top-notch too, with the theme for Mute City being one of my favorites.

In terms of gameplay, it's easy to see the DNA for Mario Kart.  There are four vehicles to choose from: the aforementioned Blue Hawk (a jack-of-all-trades), the Golden Fox (a fast accelerator), the Wild Goose (a damage sponge), and Red Stingray (the best of the four owing to it having the highest top speed).  The categories that these machines occupy are the protogenesis of Super Mario Kart's racers.  Yoshi and Princess Peach being in the same league as the Golden Fox while Bowser and Donkey Kong are derived from the Red Stingray.  Obviously, Mario and Luigi are modeled off the Blue Hawk.  Only the Wild Goose lacks an equivalent due to life bars not existing in Mario Kart outside of a slight performance boost based on the number of coins held.  Also unlike Mario Kart is the absence of any items aside from a mushroom-equivalent speed booster that is awarded after each completed lap.  "Energy" (basically health) is lost whenever the player collides with another racer, a landmine, or a wall.  Additionally, specially marked patches on both edges of the course (and sometimes scattered across it) cause damage if the player races over them.  It's also possible to recover a small amount of energy each lap by steering into a pit zone of sorts.  Other than that, there are boost and jump pads, as well as rough patches of ground that reduce speed.  After the first lap, generic (unranked) racing vehicles will spawn ahead of the player.  They are annoying to deal with, but do help break up the monotony that comes with completing the five laps needed to finish each race. 

F-Zero got a sequel on the N64, plus a bunch of adaptations to various handheld systems.  Regrettably, there hasn't been a new entry in the franchise in over 16 years.  Aside from the occasional cameo in other first-party Nintendo titles, it doesn't look like F-Zero is getting much attention from developers.  In some ways it makes sense, why make more F-Zero when Mario Kart has all those bases covered and more?  Honestly, I think the best way forward for the series would be an overhaul of the mechanics; reimagine F-Zero as an expansive cross-country racer (more rally car than F1) with an emphasis on vehicle upgrades and navigating the topography of alien landscapes complete with hazards and shortcuts.  In that way F-Zero could be true to its roots as an pioneering leader, rather than following the pack.