F-Zero 99 was revealed as the series’ unlikely, battle royale-style return during today’s September 2023 Nintendo Direct.
If you’re unfamiliar with Nintendo’s 99 series of spinoff titles, these bite-sized battle royale titles remix classic formulas by asking nearly 100 players to compete against one another. F-Zero 99 is a reimagining of the original game, and yes, as you might have guessed, it pits 99 players against one another all on the same track. There are a few key differences between this new F-Zero and the original, but it’s hard to complain when it’s been so long since we got an official release in the series. F-Zero 99 is only available for those who subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online, but on the bright side, it is set to come out later today. You can see F-Zero 99 in action in the trailer below.
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The original F-Zero released in 1990 and is one of Nintendo’s most beloved racing series, even if the company hasn’t given players pretty much any new installments in years. The most recent was the Japan-exclusive F-Zero Climax, which hit the Game Boy Advance in 2004. No doubt, fans will be glad to see Nintendo finally giving F-Zero some sort of recognition after so much time. Still, Captain Falcon, who originated in F-Zero, has remained a mainstay in the Super Smash Bros. franchise, meaning the racing series has never been far from the minds of a lot of Nintendo fans.
Today’s Nintendo Direct was an absolutely massive one for the titular company, which revealed details about many new upcoming games. The company also announced a highly anticipated remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, which is set to release at some point in 2024, and had been rumored for quite some time.