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Former F-Zero artist at Nintendo, says that the series is not dead, “but without a grand new idea, it’s hard to bring it back”

Imamura spoke to IGN about his 30-year career at Nintendo, and he revealed that he considers F-Zero GX to be "the ultimate F-Zero." However, 2003's F-Zero GX is 18 years old and is the last console F-Zero game to be released.

“Of course, I’ve thought about it many times, but without a grand new idea, it’s hard to bring it back,” Imamura says.


Despite that, Imamura reassures us that the F-Zero series isn't dead, even with him no longer being at Nintendo.


Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/ex-nintendo-designer-says-f-zero-isnt-dead-its-just-hard-to-bring-back


Not dead, riiiight. They will launch in the same day as the new Advance Wars.
 

Dick Jones

Gold Member
I understand where he is coming from. Nintendo want an evolution to justify making a sequel. While they port like crazy, they tend to want to make a noticeable different sequel than just a cookie cutter sequel. I think almost 20 years should be enough time to restart it without a new hook though. If it was more recent I'd understand Nintendo's stance.
 
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I understand where he is coming from. Nintendo want an evolution to justify making a sequel. While they port like crazy, they tend to want a different game than just a cookie cutter sequel. I think almost 20 years should be enough time to restart it without a new hook though. If it was more recent I'd understand Nintendo's stance.
I think that a north-american branch (like NST), could very well work in these smaller games. They do not need to be a US$ 60 or US$ 20 (like the 'indies' from Nintendo).

A new tier of US$ 40 for those type of games would be cool and not so risk to experiment (Doshin, Kuru Kuru Kururin, Nintendo Puzzle Collection - heck, bring Giftpia too).
 

nerdface

Banned
I think that a north-american branch (like NST), could very well work in these smaller games. They do not need to be a US$ 60 or US$ 20 (like the 'indies' from Nintendo).

A new tier of US$ 40 for those type of games would be cool and not so risk to experiment (Doshin, Kuru Kuru Kururin, Nintendo Puzzle Collection - heck, bring Giftpia too).

I will always love NST for bringing waverace to the gamecube. When you unlock all the weather settings, you can crank the wave settings with a big storm...there’s no arcade racer like it!

...but FZero is so fast and pretty...it’s gonna take more than a few clever mathematicians and programmers.
 

AJUMP23

Parody of actual AJUMP23
Make the cars go fast and turn left and right, and then you can twist the turns upside down.


Yet they keep having ideas for Mario Kart.
 

Reindeer

Member
Is this the same Nintendo that charges people $60 for ports and is also into remakes/remasters? Naaah, I don't buy it, dawg. There isn't a lot of money to be made with F-Zero like there is with other games and that's the real reason they ain't making it, same reason Sony isn't interested in making more Wipeouts.
 
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Is this the same Nintendo that charges people $60 for ports and is also into remakes/remasters? Naaah, I don't buy it, dawg. There isn't a lot of money to be made with F-Zero like there is with other games and that's the real reason, same reason Sony isn't interested in making more Wipeouts.
"Go big or don't go".

Meanwhile, Aonuma continued to make shit Zeldas for years. Heck, and now they are bringing back Skyward Sword, the 2nd worst Zelda ever (only less bad than Majora's Mask).

This is weird. They let Aonuma almost ruin a flagship series but smaller series can't even have a new chance. It seems like Nintendo is divided by factions within.
 

Reindeer

Member
"Go big or don't go".

Meanwhile, Aonuma continued to make shit Zeldas for years. Heck, and now they are bringing back Skyward Sword, the 2nd worst Zelda ever (only less bad than Majora's Mask).

This is weird. They let Aonuma almost ruin a flagship series but smaller series can't even have a new chance. It seems like Nintendo is divided by factions within.
Zelda sells simply by name, F-Zero doesn't.
 
Make it like Yakuza.

Captain Falcon is a bounty hunter / private dic. In between big races you run around town solving little crimes and fighting to upgrade Blue Falcon.

Then after each act there’s a big race with a main enemy. In between you can enter smaller challenge cups to get more money to upgrade fighting moves at the dojo / clothing and your vehicle.
 

nerdface

Banned
Is this the same Nintendo that charges people $60 for ports and is also into remakes/remasters? Naaah, I don't buy it, dawg. There isn't a lot of money to be made with F-Zero like there is with other games and that's the real reason, same reason Sony isn't interested in making more Wipeouts.

I dunno if the sales are there, but I think those analog triggers aren’t a simple controller port. Maybe gyro ‘leaning’ somehow?

...as soon as you start talking about redesigning stuff like that, simple ports become bigger projects.
 

GrayFoxPL

Member
Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/ex-nintendo-designer-says-f-zero-isnt-dead-its-just-hard-to-bring-back


Not dead, riiiight. They will launch in the same day as the new Advance Wars.
What? Grand idea?

Tom Cruise What GIF



This is racing game! Like on NGC ask Namco to help, make swinging tracks and speed that makes your head fall off!


Do It Success GIF by Rosanna Pansino
 
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StormCell

Member
Not hard to see why Nintendo doesn't invest in a basic sequel to F-Zero. GX didn't sell amazing numbers. Simply releasing an evolutionary step forward isn't likely to rake in huge sales numbers. They are looking for an idea that would revolutionize the way we play F-Zero.

I've actually had some ideas, but it just doesn't seem like it's in Nintendo's wheel house. They love to market characters and fun play ideas, and Mario Kart really covers that race for fun base.
 

KellyNole

Member
Do we really need a grande new idea for it. I just want updated graphics and online play. Heck take the GX, update graphics, patch in some online play, and let's roll. Let one of the younger dev teams tackle it.
 

KellyNole

Member
Not hard to see why Nintendo doesn't invest in a basic sequel to F-Zero. GX didn't sell amazing numbers. Simply releasing an evolutionary step forward isn't likely to rake in huge sales numbers. They are looking for an idea that would revolutionize the way we play F-Zero.

I've actually had some ideas, but it just doesn't seem like it's in Nintendo's wheel house. They love to market characters and fun play ideas, and Mario Kart really covers that race for fun base.

I get it didn't sell amazing numbers, but the Gamecube itself didn't see amazing numbers. With the switch's popularity, it should be able to hit some decent numbers. It wasn't a complete flop either. It sold what 1 to 1.5 million. That is pretty good back in 2003. Luigi's Mansion sold 2 million and that was a launch title when there wasn't a lot to play. I am not saying make it a triple AAA title or anything. Bring the series back. Test the waters with an updated port that is much cheaper to put out.
 
It's understandable, but incredibly disappointing that Nintendo don't want to iterate and instead attempt bold new ideas with titles like F-Zero.

GX is hands down one of my favourite games of all time, to have nothing for so long is painful.

Even a remastered GX would be a god send at this point.
 

StormCell

Member
I get it didn't sell amazing numbers, but the Gamecube itself didn't see amazing numbers. With the switch's popularity, it should be able to hit some decent numbers. It wasn't a complete flop either. It sold what 1 to 1.5 million. That is pretty good back in 2003. Luigi's Mansion sold 2 million and that was a launch title when there wasn't a lot to play. I am not saying make it a triple AAA title or anything. Bring the series back. Test the waters with an updated port that is much cheaper to put out.
I'm not in disagreement with you on any of that. If anything, F-Zero is one of the easiest franchises to hand off. Almost, literally, anybody could make an F-Zero. Even Retro Studios could make F-Zero. I thought SEGA did a fantastic job and would love for them to make a sequel.

Nintendo is Nintendo though. They get these ideas that their audience is fatigued with certain franchises, and they don't listen to core audiences from western countries very often. We're lucky they have even given a green light to Metroid Prime. Maybe F-Zero will be next.
 
Nintendo is Nintendo though. They get these ideas that their audience is fatigued with certain franchises, and they don't listen to core audiences from western countries very often.
Sean Malstrom talked about this a lot.

Nintendo of America is just a PR branch, they should have more autonomy like in Arakawa days.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Arcadey racers dont fly anymore.

Racing in general is dead unless it's Mario Kart.

Gamers had enough. Too repetitive and shallow. Generations ago, racers would be everywhere including being top sellers and system sellers. How often do you hear about racers now?
 
Same old shit for 15 years.

Gameplay is great. There is no reason to kill it. Online play, VR, 4k and creation modes are enough to justify a sequel.

The truth is that:
- Nintendo is not able to create a racing game with the same tech as WipeOut HD.
- they hated the SEGA game (made after killing the DC, a mostly dead SEGA) since it was everything Nintendo was never able to deliver. It’s a disaster for their teams. They were so jalous.
- Nintendo is going SEGA and being cluless about their legacy and what to do with it.
- there's something wrong at Nintendo. Asking the Burnout Out studio to create a new FZero and then cancel it. Why? Those guys were a million time better than Nintendo. Is that the reason why? Are people that mad at Nintendo?

We're talking about the compagny that made the WiiU a reality, guys. The WiiU was ok, not a new FZero. Put that into perspective.

This tells so much about the state of Nintendo.
 
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StormCell

Member
Sean Malstrom talked about this a lot.

Nintendo of America is just a PR branch, they should have more autonomy like in Arakawa days.
I may have felt that way 10 years ago or even 5 years ago regarding an American branch of Nintendo having autonomy or sway in the company, but Americans have flat lost my confidence and trust in their use of bespoke autonomy. lol

Probably, I feel, Nintendo saw the problems that plagued SEGA and made sure that the same will never happen to them!
 

StormCell

Member
Same old shit for 15 years.

Gameplay is great. There is no reason to kill it. Online play, VR, 4k and creation modes are enough to justify a sequel.

The truth is that:
- Nintendo is not able to create a racing game with the same tech as WipeOut HD.
- they hated the SEGA game (made after killing the DC, a mostly dead SEGA) since it was everything Nintendo was never able to deliver. It’s a disaster for their teams. They were so jalous.
- Nintendo is going SEGA and being cluless about their legacy and what to do with it.
- there's something wrong at Nintendo. Asking the Burnout Out studio to create a new FZero and then cancel it. Why? Those guys were a million time better than Nintendo. Is that the reason why? Are people that mad at Nintendo?

We're talking about the compagny that made the WiiU a reality, guys. The WiiU was ok, not a new FZero. Put that into perspective.

This tells so much about the state of Nintendo.
Simply not true. Nintendo could very easily hand a game like this off to a studio like Retro and easily achieve something very similar to WipeOut HD. The problem with Nintendo is they are too concentrated on this notion that most everything they do is some grand innovation, which it's not. This is the same company that won't simply give us another Mario RPG-esque Paper Mario. Simply. Will. Not.
 
Where did you see that ? Just curious cause everything I’ve pulled up says 1.5 million.
Nagoshi once wrongly said that the game sold 1.5M, but Nintendo reports every game that sold more than 1M and F-Zero GX was never reported.
 
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120fps and/or VR support would be a reason, but even with a switch pro i doubt the hardware would be powerfull enough. just releaes a remaster of gx ffs, hell make it a digital collection with all three titles. nintendo fanboys will pay 60 bucks for it.
 

Dr_Salt

Banned
Give it to Nagoshi again and let him make it an open world yakuza like game with fzero GX style races.
The guy already wants to work on it let him have it.
 
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cireza

Member
Yeah we understand very well the kind of big idea required...

Slow down the speed, put wheels on the vehicles, and a character from the Mario universe sitting on it.
 
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Give it to Nagoshi again and let him make it an open world yakuza like game with fzero GX style races.
The guy already wants to work on it let him have it.
This would not be possible. Nagoshi is a totally different person, inside and outside.

This is Nagoshi back then in the GameCube days. He seems british and a joyful person.
DXOnlBRUQAErGru.jpg


And this is him today, looks like a bitter and abandoned husband.
Ryu-ga-Gotoku-Studios-Toshihiro-Nagoshi-CCO-Sega.jpg


I do not think that he wants to work with Nintendo anymore.
 
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NIntendo doesn't like money apparently. They'll greenlight any Mario and Animal Crossing crap even when no one wants it "cough cough" Mario Tennis Aces , Pokemon Snap "cough cough" Yet they won't do anything to a series fans have been asking and asking for years.?
 
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MagiusNecros

Gilgamesh Fan Annoyance
F-zero isn't dead it just has homage race tracks in Mario Kart and a husbando you can play as in Smash Bros. :messenger_unamused:

I have to applaud these people when they say something isn't dead and then tell you that it is in their next sentence.
 

Naked Lunch

Member
Heres a grand idea:
You put FZero GX on a modern console with online play.
We've only been waiting for close to 20 years now.

Nintendo can be so moronic sometimes...
 
NIntendo doesn't like money apparently. They'll greenlight any Mario and Animal Crossing crap even when no one wants it "cough cough" Mario Tennis Aces , Pokemon Snap "cough cough" Yet they won't do anything to a series fans have been asking and asking for years.?
Sorry, but this a dumb take.

F-Zero was never a big seller.
Who decides about Pokémon Snap is The Pokémon Company, not Nintendo.
The only Animal Crossing crap was the Wii U title were they said was an excuse to use amiibos.
Mario Tennis Aces sould more than any F-Zero ever made.

I would like a new F-Zero, but it is almost assured that would not be a big hit.

Nintendo DO like money and because of that that we do not have new F-Zero, Advance Wars, Panel de Pon and so on. ;_;
 
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e0n

Member
F-Zero with soft-body physics and more environmental hazards. Many sim racers don't want to damage their cars, so this is a niche that isn't going to be taken up by many games.
 

Esca

Member
Don't need some new gimmick to revive a franchise that's been dead for over a decade. F zero is about super fast futuristic racing. People aren't asking for anymore than that
 

Dr_Salt

Banned
Sorry, but this a dumb take.

F-Zero was never a big seller.
Who decides about Pokémon Snap is The Pokémon Company, not Nintendo.
The only Animal Crossing crap was the Wii U title were they said was an excuse to use amiibos.
Mario Tennis Aces sould more than any F-Zero ever made.

I would like a new F-Zero, but it is almost assured that would not be a big hit.

Nintendo DO like money and because of that that we do not have new F-Zero, Advance Wars, Panel de Pon and so on. ;_;
I mean there were 21M GC units sold vs 78M Switch units sold. Switch has sold more than 3 times the GC. Your comparrison doesn't make any sense.
 
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I mean there were 21M GC units sold vs 78M Switch units sold. Switch has sold more than 3 times the GC. You comparrison doesn't make any sense.
What doesn't make sense is to compare two distinct years without the context.

By your logic, why Bayonetta on Switch just barely outsold the Wii U version? It should have sold a lot more, no?
 

Fbh

Member
There hasn't been a new Fzero in 17 years and there's no new project in development that we know of.

Seems pretty dead to me
 
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