F-Zero: Maximum Velocity

{{unsourced section|date=February 2024}}

{{see also|F-Zero (video game)#Gameplay|l1=Gameplay of F-Zero}}

Every race consists of five laps around a race track. Players lose the race if their machine explodes due to taking too much damage, or if they land outside of the track, get ejected from the race due to falling to 20th place, complete a lap with a rank outside of the rank limit of that lap, or forfeit. In the single player Grand Prix mode, all of these conditions require the player to possess and use an extra machine to try again.

For each lap completed the player is rewarded with a speed boost, to be used once any time; one of the "SSS" marks will be shaded green to indicate that it can be used. A boost will dramatically increase a player's speed, but will decrease their ability to turn. A boost used before a jump will make the player jump farther, which could allow the player to use a shortcut with the right vehicle. Boost time and speed varies according to the machine, and is usually tuned for proper balance. For example, one machine boasts a boost time of twelve seconds, yet has the slowest boost speed of the entire game. Players can also take advantage of the varying deceleration of each vehicle. Some vehicles, such as the Jet Vermilion, take longer than others to decelerate from top boost speed to normal speed, once the boost has been used up. Players can also take advantage of this effect on boost pads.

The Grand Prix is the main single player component of Maximum Velocity. It consists of four series named after chess pieces: "Pawn", "Knight", "Bishop" and "Queen". The latter of these can be unlocked by winning the others on "Expert" mode. They have five races in four difficulty settings, "Master" mode is unlocked by winning expert mode in each series, the player unlocks a new machine after completing it. The player needs to be in the top three at the end of the last lap in order to continue to the next race. If the player is unable to continue, the player will lose a machine and can try the race again. If the player runs out of machines, then the game ends, and the player has to start the series from the beginning.

Championship is another single player component. It is basically the same as a "Time Attack" mode, except the player can only race on one, special course: the Synobazz Championship Circuit. This special course is not selectable in any other modes.

Maximum Velocity can be played in two multiplayer modes using the Game Boy Advance link cable, with one cartridge, or one cartridge per player. Two to four players can play in both modes. In single cart, only one player needs to have a cartridge. All players drive a generic craft, and the game can only be played on one level, Silence. Silence, along with Fire Field, are the only areas to return from previous games. Aptly, Silence in Maximum Velocity has no background music, unlike in most other F-Zero games. In multi cart, each player needs to have a cartridge to play. This has many advantages over single cart: All players can use any machine in this game that has been unlocked by another player. Players can select any course in this game. After the race is finished, all of the players' ranking data are mixed and shared ("Mixed ranking" stored in each cart).

{{Expand section|[http://web.archive.org/web/20050206001741/https://www.famitsu.com/game/special/2001/03/22/f-zero_top.html][http://web.archive.org/web/20041102013712/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0103/032/]|date=March 2009}}

F-Zero: Maximum Velocity was one of the first games developed by NDcube.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/01/31/tube-slider-2 |title=Tube Slider (Preview) |author=IGN staff |date=January 31, 2003 |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831230712/https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/01/31/tube-slider-2 |archive-date=August 31, 2022 |url-status=live}} Like the original F-Zero for SNES, Maximum Velocity implements a pseudo-3D visual technique based on the scaling and rotation effects of bitmap graphics. In this game, this technique consists of a double layer, one of which gives the illusion of depth.{{cite web |last=Satterfield |first=Shane |date=June 6, 2001 |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/f-zero-maximum-velocity-review/1900-2770369/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606042051/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/f-zero-maximum-velocity-review/1900-2770369/ |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |access-date=February 15, 2024 |website=GameSpot |publisher=Fandom}}

iQue released it to the Chinese market in August 2007.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Maximum Velocity is one of ten Game Boy Advance games released on December 16, 2011, to the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program, a program to give free downloadable games to early adopters who bought a Nintendo 3DS before its price drop.{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/news/3ds-ambassadors-free-gba-games-today |title=3DS Ambassadors Get Their Free GBA Games Today |last=Pereira |first=Chris |date=December 17, 2011 |website=1Up.com |publisher=Ziff Davis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112040422/http://www.1up.com/news/3ds-ambassadors-free-gba-games-today |archive-date=January 12, 2012 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/news/zelda-minish-cap-wario-land-4-3ds-ambassador-gba|title=Zelda: Minish Cap, Wario Land 4 Among 3DS Ambassador GBA Games Coming Friday |last=Pereira |first=Chris |date=December 14, 2011 |website=1Up.com |publisher=Ziff Davis |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620051405/http://www.1up.com/news/zelda-minish-cap-wario-land-4-3ds-ambassador-gba |archive-date=June 20, 2012 |url-status=dead}} It was also released on the Wii U Virtual Console on April 3, 2014, in Japan and April 17 in North America and Europe.

The game was re-released via the Nintendo Classics service on March 29, 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.gematsu.com/2024/03/game-boy-advance-nintendo-switch-online-adds-f-zero-maximum-velocity-on-march-29 |title=Game Boy Advance – Nintendo Switch Online adds F-Zero Maximum Velocity on March 29 |last=Romano |first=Sal |date=March 26, 2024 |access-date=March 26, 2024 |website=Gematsu |archive-date=August 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240817134001/https://www.gematsu.com/2024/03/game-boy-advance-nintendo-switch-online-adds-f-zero-maximum-velocity-on-march-29 |url-status=live }}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 86/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/f-zero-maximum-velocity/ |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926153907/https://www.metacritic.com/game/f-zero-maximum-velocity/ |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |url-status=live}}

| Allgame = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=33373&tab=review |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity - Review |last=Weiss |first=Brett Alan |website=AllGame |publisher=All Media Network |access-date=August 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114124906/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=33373&tab=review |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead}}

| Edge = 7/10{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/c/c6/Edge_UK_097.pdf |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity [sic] [JP Import] |author=Edge staff |magazine=Edge |publisher=Future Publishing |issue=97 |date=May 2001 |page=77 |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227010233/https://retrocdn.net/images/c/c6/Edge_UK_097.pdf |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |url-status=live}}

| EGM = 7.83/10{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/e/ea/EGM_US_144.pdf |title=F-Zero Maximum Velocity |last1=Hager |first1=Dean |last2=Dudlak |first2=Jonathan |last3=Sewart |first3=Greg |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=144 |date=July 2001 |page=93 |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119023333/https://retrocdn.net/images/e/ea/EGM_US_144.pdf |archive-date=January 19, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{efn|Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 7/10, 7.5/10, and 9/10.}}

| EPD = 8/10{{cite web |url=http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=6076&full=1 |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |last=Craggs |first=Samantha |date=June 14, 2001 |website=The Electric Playground |publisher=Greedy Productions Ltd. |access-date=February 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030510204635/http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=6076&full=1 |archive-date=May 10, 2003 |url-status=dead}}

| EuroG = 9/10{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/r-f-zero-gba |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |last=Bramwell |first=Tom |date=July 21, 2001 |website=Eurogamer |publisher=Gamer Network |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010806063545/http://www.eurogamer.net/content/r_f-zero_gba |archive-date=August 6, 2001 |url-status=live}}

| Fam = 31/40{{cite magazine |url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=1308&redirect=no |title=ゲームボーイアドバンス - F-ZERO FOR GAMEBOY ADVANCE |language=ja |magazine=Famitsu |publisher=Enterbrain |issue=915 |date=June 30, 2006 |page=121 |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220901002518/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=1308&redirect=no |archive-date=September 1, 2022 |url-status=live}}

| GI = 9/10{{cite magazine |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=FuncoLand |issue=99 |date=July 2001}}

| GSpot = 8.1/10

| GSpy = 86%{{cite web |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/december01/fzerogba/ |title=F-Zero Maximum Velocity |last=D'Aprile |first=Jason |date=December 25, 2001 |website=GameSpy |publisher=IGN Entertainment |access-date=August 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050217154045/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/december01/fzerogba/ |archive-date=February 17, 2005 |url-status=dead}}

| IGN = 9/10

| NGen = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/NextGen79Jul2001/page/n65/mode/2up |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |magazine=NextGen |publisher=Imagine Media |issue=79 |date=July 2001 |page=64 |access-date=August 31, 2022}}

| NLife = {{Rating|8|10}}{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/f_zero_maximum_velocity_gba |title=F-Zero Maximum Velocity Review |last=Wahlgren |first=Jon |date=December 23, 2011 |website=Nintendo Life |publisher=Hookshot Media |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230916155501/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/3ds-eshop/f_zero_maximum_velocity_gba |archive-date=September 16, 2023 |url-status=live}}

| NP = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |magazine=Nintendo Power |publisher=Nintendo of America |volume=145 |date=June 2001}}

| PG = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/f-zero-maximum-velocity/f-zero-maximum-velocity/ |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |last=Sanches |first=Joao Diniz |date=October 21, 2005 |website=Pocket Gamer |publisher=Steel Media Ltd |access-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220831234211/https://www.pocketgamer.com/f-zero-maximum-velocity/f-zero-maximum-velocity/ |archive-date=August 31, 2022 |url-status=live}}

}}

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. NextGen, however, called it "A classic SNES racer that ports well, although the look is definitely dated." In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 31 out of 40. Uncle Dust of GamePro said that the game was "every bit as good, if not better, than the amazing SNES version—it's a must-buy in the launch lineup."{{cite magazine |url=https://retrocdn.net/images/3/33/GamePro_US_154.pdf |title=F-Zero: Maximum Velocity |author=Uncle Dust |magazine=GamePro |publisher=IDG |issue=154 |date=July 2001 |page=39 |access-date=February 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109031150/https://retrocdn.net/images/3/33/GamePro_US_154.pdf |archive-date=January 9, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{efn|GamePro gave the game 4.5/5 for graphics, two 4/5 scores for sound and control, and 5/5 for fun factor.}}

The game went on to sell 334,145 units in Japan and 273,229 units in the U.S. as of 2005.{{cite web |url=http://www.japan-gamecharts.com/gba.php |title=Nintendo GBA Japanese Ranking |website=Japan Game Charts |access-date=November 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012085329/http://www.japan-gamecharts.com/gba.php |archive-date=October 12, 2008 |url-status=usurped}}{{cite web |url=http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~hokora/english/n64chart.html |title=Game Boy Advance Best Selling Ranking |website=Shrine of Data Sales Database |access-date=August 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20050409181026/http://www5e.biglobe.ne.jp/~hokora/english/gbarank_e.html |archive-date=April 9, 2005 |url-status=dead}} The game has total sales of over 1 million units worldwide.

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{{notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://archive.today/20061119135851/http://ms.nintendo-europe.com/microsite/fzeroadvance/enGB/ Official website]
• {{moby game|id=/4533/f-zero-maximum-velocity/}}

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Category:2001 video games

Maximum Velocity

Category:Game Boy Advance games

Category:Game Boy Advance-only games

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Category:Nintendo Cube games

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