This Nintendo Series Hasn’t Had a Real Game in Over Two Decades

One of the reasons I love Nintendo is the sheer depth of its gaming catalog. Series like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros., Metroid, and Animal Crossing continue to receive new entries, and even smaller series like Fire Emblem, Pikmin, and Metroid. But even with this range, there are several series that Nintendo has failed to keep up with. Some have hope, such as Kid Icarus and Star Fox, but I can’t help but worry about the future of one series that hasn’t seen a true release in over 20 years. This has me wondering, where is F-Zero?

The futuristic fast-paced racing series once saw several releases and was even prominent enough to earn Captain Falcon a spot on Super Smash Bros. 64’s roster. The only point of note is F-Zero 99, a Nintendo Switch battle royale-inspired racer that released in 2023. With this being more of a spin-off, it makes the last real game in the series, F-Zero Climax, in 2004. More than twenty years later, fans are still waiting for a genuine sequel. With Nintendo revisiting other dormant franchises on the Nintendo Switch 2, the timing has never been better for F-Zero to return.

F-Zero Has Been All but Abandoned

F-Zero has an unusual history and is deeply tied to Nintendo’s various consoles. The original F-Zero helped showcase the Super Nintendo’s Mode 7 technology in 1990. Later entries, such as F-Zero X on Nintendo 64 and F-Zero GX on GameCube, earned praise for their blistering speed and demanding gameplay. Many others and I would argue that F-Zero GX is one of the greatest racing games ever made. Yet despite this reputation and connection to Nintendo’s history, the series feels like it has been largely abandoned.

The last traditional release was F-Zero Climax in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. Since then, Captain Falcon has appeared in other Nintendo games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate or even his vehicle in Mario Kart 8, but his own racing series has largely disappeared. Nintendo released F-Zero 99 in 2023, but that title was built around battle royale gameplay rather than serving as a full sequel or continuation of the series. While I enjoyed it, F-Zero 99 did not offer the kind of substantial single-player and multiplayer experience the series is known for.

What makes the situation more frustrating is that Nintendo has revived numerous other franchises during the same period. Somehow, we are getting yet another remake of Star Fox 64, but Nintendo can’t be bothered to remake even a single F-Zero game? If Nintendo believes there is still value in revisiting Star Fox, there is a strong argument that one of its most acclaimed racing franchises deserves the same opportunity. The Nintendo Switch 2 is early in its life, so I am hopeful that with its increased power, F-Zero will live again and reach new speeds either through a remake or a new entry.

Other Developers Are Putting Speed Back Into Racing

The biggest argument against a new F-Zero used to be that there was no audience for ultra-fast futuristic racing games. But that position can’t stand because other developers have proved it wrong. None of these games has reached the same height as Nintendo’s F-Zero, but they have achieved reasonable success for indie and AA studios. Fans still want high-speed racing, and it seems that if Nintendo won’t give it to them, they’ll have to look elsewhere.

Games such as Redout and Redout 2 have built dedicated fanbases by focusing on extreme speed, precision controls, and futuristic tracks. The series openly embraces concepts that fans associate with F-Zero and Wipeout. Meanwhile, Fast RMX became one of the standout racing games on the original Nintendo Switch. Developed by Shin’en Multimedia, it delivered fast-paced anti-gravity racing and something beyond traditional kart racers.

Star Wars: Galactic Racer looks to be the next title looking to fill the gap left by Nintendo. And with a big name like Star Wars attached, it is hard to ignore the appeal of high-speed racers. Kart racers and realistic racing sims may be the mainstream approach to the genre, but the continued success of games inspired by F-Zero design shows that the genre is far from dead. I know that if Nintendo were to commit to the series, it would absolutely find a place on the Nintendo Switch 2 and show why Captain Falcon once stood beside Mario and Link.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Needs More Racing Than Mario Kart World

The Nintendo Switch 2 provides the perfect opportunity for Nintendo to bring F-Zero back. The new hardware offers significantly more power than its predecessor, creating opportunities for larger tracks, more racers, smoother performance, and visual effects that could finally push the series forward. But the most important thing would be going all in on speed, and it has always been central to F-Zero’s identity. The Nintendo Switch 2 could easily push this to new heights and make it the best the series has seen yet.

A full sequel would be the best way to revive F-Zero, but a remake would also work exceptionally well. F-Zero GX remains beloved by longtime fans, and a modern remake could introduce the series to an entirely new generation. Nintendo could expand the original experience with online multiplayer, robust customization options, new tracks, and quality-of-life improvements while preserving the core gameplay that made the GameCube classic so respected. Nintendo has already done the same with other series, showing that the precedent has already been set.

The Nintendo Switch 2 already has Mario Kart World, but Nintendo’s racing lineup should not begin and end there. For decades, F-Zero offered a completely different kind of racing experience built around speed, challenge, and futuristic spectacle. More than twenty years after its last true release, the franchise remains one of Nintendo’s most notable absences. With competitors proving the genre still has life and new hardware creating fresh possibilities, there may never be a better time for Captain Falcon to return to the driver’s seat.

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