User blog:TheIkranRider/My F-Zero Retrospective

Well since I've been doing some F-Zero projects, I might as well get something off my chest with another retrospective. Even though, I highly doubt anyone would read this...who knows.

Anyway, I'll just start with the original. Like many Nintendo consumers back in 1990-1991, I've seen the first F-Zero for the SNES; it was indeed a classic! Little did I know at the time, it was a launch title along with Super Mario World. Shigeru Miyamoto was in his prime then. I remembered my dad playing it a lot, and he was pretty good at it. I, however, was not since I was very young; I've always kept blowing up and ranking out. It was pretty disappointing, until several years later. I eventually beat the Knight League using my all-time favorite machine, the Wild Goose. Unfortunately, I wasn't so lucky in the Queen League; that gap in the second White Land was the death of me. Thus, I came up with a scenario for my OC.

I'd lost interest after that and F-Zero Maximum Velocity back in 2001 was so-so. I did get it for Christmas along with Pinobee and Wario Land 4, and even that was a launch title, but it didn't have the same feel as the original did. I thought I was going to throw in the towel for the series...until in the summer of 2004. That was when I was introduced to my favorite installment, F-Zero GX. Of course, before that, I met Captain Falcon in Smash Bros, and he was a cool fighter. Though, I never had the chance to try F-Zero X. By that time, I was back in the cockpit as I had loads of fun playing it. I remember being in Toys 'R' Us one time, and that's when I saw and bought it. My passion for the franchise came back to me full throttle, and I used the Goose again! This was light years better than the original and Maximum Velocity! Then, I got curious about this "accident" that happened in the events prior to it. For the longest time, I never had the answers, except for that so-called rumor that Pico was behind it. Ironically, he was the pilot for my favorite machine, but I didn't mind.

Next, I was enamored by GX's Story Mode. It was insane as hell, and beyond frustrating! But, like Joshscorcher and Meta527ii said, I couldn't help but hate it and love it at the same time. Those chapters were so unforgiving; my imagination just went into overdrive as I tried to hypothesize what would happen next. That was when the duelists, Yugi and Joey, came along. My younger bros were watching Yu-Gi-Oh a lot, so I eventually incorporated them. Sure, they were only card duelers, not racers, but I've made up scenarios in which they've used their monsters in various ways to achieve missions. I did eventually beat the game, though, and I managed to unlock 3 pilots, Deathborn, Dai Goroh, and Princia Ramode.

Aside from the raging story, I enjoyed the Grand Prix as I was introduced to many awesome courses (Aeropolis, Green Plant, Lightning) and pilots (Leon, Blood Falcon, Black Shadow, Beastman, Draq, Gomar & Shioh, Pico, Octoman). Out of all the exhilaration, there was always the upcoming junior year; I've dreaded it nonstop since there was going to be a huge state test where if I can't pass, I wouldn't graduate. I've been worried sick over that...I was so lucky I barely passed it.

Later on, I was introduced to the anime, F-Zero GP Legend. The first episode I saw was the one that had Rick look for Samurai Goroh. At first, I wasn't very thrilled of the new character, Rick Wheeler. I was hoping to see Captain Falcon as the main hero of it all like in GX, but instead I saw him a few times like any elusive bounty hunter. So, eventually I got used to it and I began to like Rick more and more, especially by Lap 8. Shortly after, by Christmas which was a Saturday, I saw the pilot episode. Aside from some DDR games, it was like the best gift ever! Speaking of which, another stunning gift was from my birthday, when I've played the actual GBA game. Back then, I thought it was amazing, but in retrospect it was pretty rushed, and its story was incomplete. Regardless I had a blast with it, even during the throwback in the Platinum Cup.

I hadn't really heard of F-Zero AX or Climax. I guess I was missing out on the former since there was a special cup from that on GX, and I wasn't skilled enough. By the time the enormous test ended, I saw that GP Legend just got up and went, as did the FoxBox. I knew later that it was cancelled and it only had 15 episodes (out of 51) in English. Sure, I found out recently of the subbed episodes, but they just didn't feel the same. And that was why I wanted to write "Ending it All" even though it's been on hiatus for years, much like the series itself. Even to this day, I can't understand why it was so overlooked and abandoned. I too wish that another company like FUNimation or whoever would get the job done properly, instead of a shabby, poor quality translation I'd find on the internet. I'm looking straight at you, Stonestream Dubs!!

When I look back on it now, it did remind me of my teenage years, and sometimes these memories can also hurt deeply as well. I felt I'd lost so much then; it's like a void that cannot be filled. I've always wondered why I'd root for the underdog, what if Rick were in Smash, why the good things always have to end so soon... Would the series ever recover and rise up again, just like it did back in 2004..? Before the failures of GP Legend and Climax? Even though I sorely disagree with the first one?

And that was the main reason for this retrospective; I want to share my experiences with everyone that'll appreciate them. I know it's been too long, and the anime may never be redone. But still, I just needed to get a load off of my mind before it'll consume me so much. Has anyone ever encountered anything like this? Is F-Zero really a discontinued series? Am I the only one?