F-Zero (video game)

F-Zero is a 1990 racing game developed and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released in Japan on November 21, 1990, in North America in August 1991, and in Europe in 1992. F-Zero is the first game in the F-Zero series and was a launch game for the SNES. F-Zero has been rereleased for the Virtual Console and Nintendo Classics services on various Nintendo platforms, and as part of the Super NES Classic Edition in 2017. F-Zero takes place in 2560, when multi-billionaires have created a new entertainment based on Formula One races called "F-Zero". The player can choose between one of four characters, each with their own hovercar. The player can race against computer-controlled characters in 15 tracks divided into three leagues. F-Zero has been acknowledged by critics for setting the standard for the racing genre and the creation of its futuristic subgenre. Critics lauded F-Zero for its fast and challenging gameplay, variety of tracks, and extensive use of the Mode 7 graphics mode. This graphics-rendering technique was an innovative technological achievement at the time that made racing games more realistic. It is credited for reinvigorating the genre and inspiring the future creation of numerous racing games. A sequel, F-Zero X, was released in 1998 for the Nintendo 64.