10 Obvious Video Game Remasters The Industry Is Ignoring
2. F-Zero
Whilst the original F-Zero on SNES was a game-changer that really showed the power of the console’s Mode-7, it’s the later games in the series that brought the futuristic racer into its own. X for the Nintendo 64 and GX for the GameCube were both commercial successes which is why the franchise going dormant seemed so unreal.
In a May 2022 interview with GamesBeat, former Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime said that, in his experience, the company never explicitly drops a franchise, they just merely wait until they find an idea that works to push something forward.
But it’s been three home console generations since we last saw F-Zero. Perhaps reinvention isn’t necessary. Starving fans of Captain Falcon and company merely would like a single drop of water at this point, even if that’s a remaster or rerelease.
With the Nintendo Switch being designed to be played on the go or at home and being so couch co-op friendly, simply bringing F-Zero X or GX back would be a hit. It would be a good way to gauge the interest in a new instalment, and could inspire developers to actively pursue an idea for the IP rather than wait until something comes along that merely “fits”.
After all, the best selling Switch title is Mario Kart 8 so the console has an established install-base who are interested in fun, gimmicky-based racers.