---===*** SNES RESOURCE GUIDES ***===---
F-Zero: Complete Guide
Written By: Archie2K <archie2k@bigfoot.com>
Bought to you by: www.angelfire.com/sk2/snesres/
========================================================================
C O N T E N T S
========================================================================
I. Intro to the Guide
II. Intro to F-Zero
III. Game Modes
IV. Crafts Guide
V. Items/Hazards
VI. Circuits Guide
VII. Tips/Secrets
VIII. Credits
============================================
I. I N T R O T O T H E G U I D E
============================================
A cursury glance towards that clearing house of game guides that is
GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com - a great site if ever there was one)
revealed that there was just a single guide written for this great game.
Bored one day I decided to create my own as it'd be something to put on
my own site anyway and plus it means more F-Zero playing which is never
a bad thing!
So some months on (hey I have a job too you know!) and it's done. Frankly
F-Zero is hardly the hardest game ever to write an FAQ on as there is a
shocking lack of secrets etc. to discover. Anyway, here goes...
NOTE: I have used the letter P to indicate Position, so P1 is First
Position, P2 is second Position etc.
========================================
I I. I N T R O T O F - Z E R O
========================================
F-Zero is a simple fast-paced futuristic racing game in which you must
control one of 4 space-age craft to victory. Weyhey. The game was
released in 1990, yet it still has the same charm and action as it did
back then. Added to that it looked damn amazing on release and you had
one heck of a game.
So why should anyone be interested in it now. Well the SNES is starting
to become a classic system. Walk into a second-hand games store with 7p
and you could buy one and still have enough change for the bus. If you have
just rooted out your old SNES and want a quick guide, this is for you.
================================
I I I. G A M E M O D E S
================================
Load up your cartridge and within seconds you have four options.
--------------
Grand Prix
--------------
Grand Prix is where most of the important racing goes on. Grand Prix
mode is the heart of F-Zero and is the place where the only secret
in the game can be found - Master Mode.
-------------------
Races & Leagues
-------------------
Upon entering you choose your craft from the four available as
usual, then you choose your league from three available:
* Knight League (Easy)
* Mute City I
* Big Blue
* Sand Ocean
* Death Wind I
* Silence
* Queen League (Moderate)
* Mute City II
* Port Town II
* Red Canyon II
* White Land I
* White Land II
* King League (Hard)
* Mute City III
* Death Wind II
* Port Town II
* Red Canyon II
* Fire Field
You must also choose your difficulty level from:
* Beginner
* Intermediate
* Expert
* [Master]
Master mode is only available once you have beaten the the Expert
difficulty level in one league.
------------
The Race
------------
You start the race to a countdown like in real motorsport. Your
position depends on the craft you are in. 1st-4th goes like so;
Fire Stingray, Blue Falcon, Wild Goose, Golden Fox. Quite why
the order is like that puzzles me, but alas the best craft also
gets the best position, not that it helps!
After each lap you get a Speed Boost, indicated by one of your "S"
filling up in the bottom right corner of the screen. To use one,
just press the A button and you will get a short speed boost of
around 25%. Using these in the correct places is a key to victory
(for more information see 'VI. Circuits Guide'). You may carry
up to 3 Speed Boosts at a time.
You race against a field of seemingly infinate number of crafts. The
main aim is to get to the end of the race finishing within the Rank
Limit each lap.
After each lap you need to be in or better than the following
position:
1st Lap - P15
2nd Lap - P10
3rd Lap - P7
4th Lap - P5
5th Lap - P3 (finish)
If you fail to do so then you get "Ranked Out" and have to start the
race over again. In turn you lose a life too.
The other way to fail is to destroy your craft. There are too main
ways that this can happen. Either you crash into hazards so often
that your craft runs out of power (see the Power bar in the top right
corner to check) and explode - and if that happens you really are
truly awful at this game! Much more likely you exit the track
entirely and crash onto the planet below also exploding. This is
only possible if you use a jump plate to clear the Anti-Gravity
Guidebeam then fail to return to the track. If either of these
situations happen then you are "Crashed Out", have to restart and
again lose a life.
You start with 3 lives (but more can be added). The life count is
next to the small model of your craft in the bottom right corner.
If you run out of lives your championship is over and you have to
start again from the beginning.
---------------------
GP Scoring System
---------------------
Assuming you do well in Grand Prix mode, you get points for how well
you do after each lap, and your eventual finishing position.
P1 - 900 points
P2 - 600 points
P3 - 400 points
Worse - 200 points
Upon finishing a race you get the following instead of a lap total:
P1 - 2,500 points
P2 - 1,500 points
P3 - 1,000 points
And what do points make? Well not a lot actually. After 10,000
points you get an extra life, but aside from that I see no reason
why the game has points at all, other than to make it more game like
I assume.
--------------------------
Winning A Championship
--------------------------
To win a championship you have to do nothing more complicated than
finish in the top three in all five races. Upon doing so you are
granted with a nice round-up of how well you did in each race
along to some funky music. You are then taken to the Records menu
to see if you made any new records in your cruise to victory.
If you complete the Expert difficulty level in one League then you
gain access to the secret "Master" mode. This is just another
step up from Expert, but alas the game finally becomes challenging!
Complete this mode and you get a personal message from Captain
Falcon himself which tells you that you are an F-Zero Master,
along with a strange overhead view of your craft doing the final
circuit.
------------
Practice
------------
Practice is a mode in which you can hone your skills and set top times
in the process. You can either race entirely by yourself or
alternatively against one of the other four top craft. The maximum
number of other craft is two though.
The race itself is the same as Grand Prix mode in the fact that you
still get your Speed Boosts, and the race lasts for five laps.
You can race on one of the following seven circuits:
* Mute City 1
* Big Blue
* Sand Ocean
* Death Wind I
* Silence
* White Land I (Queen League)
* Port Town II (King League)
This means that seven of the nine planets are covered, with only Red
Canyon and (unfortunately) Fire Field missing.
You'll find Mute City I will make you much better at the other two Mute
City versions, as effectively they are the same track with a few minor
alterations. Death Wind I has to be the test for all top timers. The
three Dash Arrows make it a great high-speed circuit where Right + R will
get tested to its limits! Practice on Port Town II and you'll be fine on
Port Town I as the two tracks are the same except for that PT1 cuts off
a small section at the end.
-----------
Records
-----------
This does exactly what it says on the tin. You get to see the top ten
times set on any of the 15 circuits in the game, aswell as the single
fastest lap. The times are colour-coded too; the rank number will
be shaded a light pink colour if the time was set in GP mode, and it
will be light green if the time was set in Practice mode. You can
also see which craft was used to set that time though frankly you
should be seeing a sea of light green & Fire Stingray as that is
the best combination for fast times.
--------
Demo
--------
Jot strictly an option, but leave the menu screen alone for a while and
a demo of the Blue Falcon completing a lap of Port Town II comes up.
I find it impressive how close the craft comes to the barriers without
actually crashing.
==================================
I V. C R A F T S G U I D E
==================================
This information is taken stright from my site at
www.angelfire.com/sk2/snesres/fzero/crafts.shtml
Specs taken from in game.
---------------
Blue Falcon
---------------
The Blue Falcon is supposedly a car for beginners. I don't think so. It
slips and slides around like the track has just been pre-coated in
sunflower oil, with even the most basic of corners sending the poor
craft spinning off the track into those horrible barriers. Nasty. It has
fairly average top speed and accelleration and is OK at withstanding
damage. Infact that really sums up the whole car: average at everything,
but it fails to excel at anything.
Colour: Blue
Engine: BF-2001 x4
Max Power: 3200ps
Max Speed: 457km/h
Weight: 1260kg
--------------
Golden Fox
--------------
Mmm. A lovely tasteful shade of lemon yellow. Personally I am a bit of
a fan of the Golden Fox. It's very quick accelleration often will put it
into a lead which is occasionally unbreakable. This craft's lightweight
make it ideal for nasty circuits where speed is not essential, such as
Silence. Like the Blue Falcon it has a habit of sliding uncontrolably
through some of the tighter turns, but if you get used to this car it
can be surprisingly fast. The bad news? I've raced one against the Fire
Stingray on Mute City I, and it's best time was a whole 7 seconds off
that of the Fire Stingray. This craft also has a tendancy to fall apart
if you just drive through a puddle, so don't go expecting this thing to
come back in one piece through Fire Field. At just 1020kg, you could
fit almost two of these into the weight of a Fire Stingray.
Colour: Yellow
Engine: GF-2614 x4
Max Power: 2950ps
Max Speed: 437km/h
Weight: 1020kg
--------------
Wild Goose
--------------
The Wild Goose has to be the choice for every budding teenager out
there. Built like a house, and weighing about the same aswell, this will
withstand almost anything you throw at it. It is actually surprisingly
nippy aswell being the second fastest car in the game and can handle
corners pretty well too. However this is a car for those who wish to
flatten the opposition, but it won't be setting those lightning speeds
in practice mode. Interestingly, it is the only car to have an odd
number of engines. This doesn't really do anything particularly
important in the way of corner handling, but it does seem bizarre.
Colour: Green
Engine: ES-8302 x3
Max Power: 3670ps
Max Speed: 462km/h
Weight: 1620kg
-----------------
Fire Stingray
-----------------
Is this what the McLaren F1 of the 26th Century will be like? Pink? Oh
well. Best make do with the colour, because the Fire Stingray is by a
long way the best car in the game. Weighing almost 2 tons, this craft
takes an age to reach its top speed. Infact you could probably go out of
the room and make a cup of coffee before the craft has reached top
speed. But when it has, it is unstoppable. At 478km/h it is faster that
any other craft on the road and you can simply drive-by everyone. It can
also withstand damage pretty well and with its large weight can shunt
others out the way easily. Just 2 engines delivering 1900ps each, makes
this craft unstoppable. At absolute top speed (above 470km/h) though,
its heavy weight and speed give it a tendancy to understeep around
corners (want to go straight on and not turn) which actually happens
in real life aswell. A heavy car takes corners much slower than a light
one.
Colour: Pink
Engine: RS-5025 x2
Max Power: 3800ps
Max Speed: 478km/h
Weight: 1960kg
======================================
V. I T E M S & H A Z A R D S
======================================
---------
Items
---------
----------
'Pits'
----------
I'm not too sure what this is actually called so I will call it the
pits. I'm talking about those areas of the road where you regain lost
power when you drive through them. These are definately good.
Found: On every circuit, usually to the left/right of the finishing
straight
--------------
Jump Plate
--------------
This launches you a little in the air. It also makes you go a little
faster while you are in the air. Hold Down while in the air and you
will fly higher and furthur, also hold Down on landing and you will
not lose speed when you crash back to Earth (or whatever planet you
are on!). The opposite is also true. Hold Up and you will lose lots
of speed on landing and not fly very far at all (this is sometimes
useful but not very often). These items are definately good.
Found: Mute City I, Silence, Mute City II, Port Town I, Red
Canyon I, White Wind I, Mute City III, Port Town II, Red Canyon II,
Fire Field
------------------
Big Jump Plate
------------------
The same rules apply to this as to the normal Jump Plate except that
these stretch the width of the track and allow you to jump over
'missing' sections of track.
Found: Port Town I, White Land II, Port Town II, Red Canyon II
(secret)
-------------
Dash Zone
-------------
A flashing yellow and purple arrow on the track. Hit one of these
and you fly to almost 1000km/h for a short time. These are almost
always useful except for on Death Wind II where some of them will
send you spinning uncontrolably into the barriers. Steering at these
sorts of speeds is a definate no.
Found: Death Wind I, Death Wind II, Fire Field (secret)
-----------
Hazards
-----------
--------------------------
Anti-Gravity Guidebeam
--------------------------
Or as the lazy among us call it, barriers, railing etc. It's that
stuff at the side of each track which stops you flying into whatever
is below. Avoid these at all costs as they make you lose power.
Found: On every circuit
---------
Rough
---------
Stuff that is grey and slows you down. This is all over the place
on every circuit and isn't a big disaster. Try to stay out of the
thick stuff, however the thin stuff doesn't slow you down too much
(especially if you use a turbo) and can be a useful short cut.
Found: Almost every circuit
---------------------
Side-Pull Magnets
---------------------
These drag you to the side of the track and if you hit one it
causes you to lose power and also can be very difficult to get out
of. Avoid these at all costs by steering away from them, moving to
the other side of the track from which they are on (the furthur away
you are, the less effect they have on you) or by using L or R to
counter the pull. Very nasty hazards these.
Found: Port Town I, Port Town II, Fire Field
---------------------
Down-Pull Magnets
---------------------
These are found on the track itself. If you jump over them they pull
you down shortening your jump, however you do not lose any power. If
you drive into them they cause you to lose power and it can be very
difficult to escape from. Avoid these at all costs.
Found: Red Canyon I, White Land I, Red Canyon II
--------------
Land Mines
--------------
These are not fun things to hit. If you do they take a chunk of
power away and throw you away in a random direction. Avoid at all
costs, however you can force the other drivers into them which is
good.
Found: Silence, Red Canyon I, Red Canyon II, Fire Field
--------------------------
Magnetic Block Coating
--------------------------
These make your car slip wildly out of control if you turn too hard.
This frankly is a pretty dorment hazard as it is very rarely
actually causes your car to spin out of control unless you try to
make it. Anyway if you start to slip turn into the skid (in the
opposite direction to which you are spinning) and slow down a bit.
Found: Big Blue, Fire Field
-------------------
Flashing Crafts
-------------------
In Grand Prix mode there are some flashing crafts dotted about the
place that are racing against you. These cars are a hazard because
if you hit them, they blow up, take away a chunk of your power and
throw you in a random direction. A bit like landmines but moving.
Fun to hit for a while but not nice if you are jostling for the
lead.
Found: Any race track in GP mode, lap 2 onwards
---------------
Backmarkers
---------------
Not exactly a hazard like Flashing Crafts are as they don't so any
damage, but still worthy of mention since they are backmarkers for
a reason - they can't drive. These things manage to do their utmost
to get in your way, intentionally or otherwise. Take special care
on the two Death Wind circuits due to the high speeds involved.
Found: Any race track in GP mode, lap 2 onwards
====================================
V I. C I R C U I T G U I D E
====================================
This guide assumes you are using the Fire Stingray because it is the
best craft and handles the best. You may need to make some alterations
to the guide to suit your favourite craft and your driving style.
---------------
Mute City I
---------------
Mute City I is the first and easiest circuit in the game. No real
surprises on the way. Go flat out around turns 1, 2 and 3. Use your
turbo here just before reaching the jump plate, then hit the plate,
hold down to get more air and speed and avoid losing speed when you
land, then cut to the right and cut off turns 4 and 5 going over the
light rough. This saves quite a bit of time and yout turbo should just
run out as you leave turn 5. Finally you have a short left-hander into
a right hairpin. Stay as close to the left through turn 7 then slow down
a tiny bit and hold Right + R to go around the hairpin. Avoid the thick
rough on the exit and try not to hit the barriers. It takes a bit of
practice to get right but this circuit is very simple really.
Turbo: Use before hitting the jump plate about half way around the track
and save yourself plenty of time by cutting the next two corners!
------------
Big Blue
------------
Big Blue is a favourite circuit of mine. It is set on a planet made up
almost entirely of water. It is fairly simple and can be taken, with
practice, entirely flat out. The corners are all fairly easy,
but through the last 2 corners a new hazard is introduced: the
anti-magnetic coating which causes your car to slide out of control.
Go flat out through turns 1 to 4. On the exit of turn 4, just before
meeting the straight with rough on either side, use your turbo and
cut across the rough on the insides of turns 6 and 7. Go flat out around
turns 8 to 13, and you should reach a tight-ish right-hand corner. Use
Right + R to take it without losing speed, then move to the right
of the track for turn 15. This is a 90-degree left hander which has
quite a narrow circuit. Use Left + L to take it flat out, and try not
to clip the inside of the corner when going around it. Turns 16 and 17
have the anti-magnetic coating on them, so don't turn too sharply
and do not use the L or R buttons.
Turbo: Use just after turn 4 as the next few corners are open enough
to be taken at the high speed you will be doing.
--------------
Sand Ocean
--------------
Sand Ocean is a tricky circuit. It is extremely narrow in places and
has some devilishly tight turns. The pits is on the right-hand side
of the circuit on this level, unlike in Mute City and Big Blue.
Go flat out rough turn 1, then turn 2 is a hairpin right. Use Right + R
to go through it as quickly as possible, but beware as there is some
rough on the exit of the corner so turn sharper to avoid it. Go flat out
through the twisty corners, then you reach turn 8 - a very tight
hairpin left. You need to stick to the far right of the circuit on
the way in, then slow down and hold Left + L to get around the corner.
Try to use as much of the track as possible to go around quickly. Go
flat out through turn 9 then into the double open right-hander of turns
10 and 11 - I am counting them as two separate corners although they do
pretty much form one continous right-hander. The track narrows on the
way out so be cautious. Then stick to the middle of the circuit avoiding
the rough. Now there are lots of open corners which can be taken at full
speed. One to watch out for is turn 16, the long, long left-hander.
It can be taken at high speed although you may need to use Left + L
if your car is understeering too much. Then you will come up to
turn 18 - a tough right-hand hairpin. It is narrow on the way in, then
the track widens through the middle, and then it narrows again on the
exit Use Right + R to turn sharply, and you may need to use some brake
to avoid hitting the barriers at the edge of the circuit. Finally go
flat out round turn 19 and you are done.
Turbo: This circuit isn't very turbo friendly. You can use it after
turn 18 when crossing the finish line, or after turn 2, on the way down
to the tight hairpin. If you use it here, make sure it will've run out
by the time you reach the hairpin or you will hit the barriers without
a doubt.
----------------
Death Wind I
----------------
Death Wind I is a great fun circuit. It introduces the speed arrows
which when hit launch your car to speeds of over 900km/h. Also however,
a strong crosswind blows our car about making it feel unstable. The
wind blows from left-to-right as you start, and the other way around
when going down the opposite straight. Go forwards from the start,
avoid the areas of rough as best as you can (hard with the crosswind)
and go around turn 1 and 2. Around here is the first speed arrow to
hit. It is placed dead center of the circuit and you must hit it
fairly exactly. Near the end of the straight is another speed arrow to
hit, then the pits which is put into the middle of the circuit for
no good reason. It is narrow here, so try as best to avoid other cars
and then press Right + R to go around turn 3. It widens before turn 4.
Take this corner flat out then hit the third speed arrow which is just
after the exit of turn 4. The speed will carry you through to the
finish line and back to the area of rough again. Use your turbo through
here and cut across the rough to overtake people. A simple circuit.
Turbo: Use just after crossing the start/finish line to allow you to
drive faster over the rough.
-----------
Silence
-----------
Silence is a bugger of a circuit. It is made up almost entirely of
right-angled corners. This is one of the few circuits where the Fire
Stingray is not the fastest craft. It has to slow down too much
to go around the tight corners. Go through turns 1 and 2 flat out,
then you reach a fork in the track. They both lead to the same place
so don't worry too much. If you take the right-hand route then you
will go around an open left-hander which can be taken flat out. If
you take the left route you cut of a bit of the track but there are
mines on either side of the road here, and you have to turn sharply
left coming out of the corner. Which ever route you take, you come up
to a jump plate on the far left of the track, going over some rough.
Press down to get more air and clear the rough, or you will slow down
considerably. Then use Left + L to go around the next corner. Then
slow down a bit to go through the chicane. Then use Right + R to go
around turn 7. Next you come up to a horrid, extremely tight, chicane.
Go to the far right of the circuit and slow down quite a lot, then use
Left + L and Right + R to get around the nasty corner. You will need to
take it at about 300km/h or you will crash into the barriers. Then
accellarate towards the nasty corner ahead. Go to the far right of the
track and then slow down a little bit, to about 350km/h. Turn left, then
when you are near the exit of the corner, slow down a bit more as it
tightens on the exit. Then accellarate, and go to the left of the track.
Finally there is this tricky chicane. It isn't too tight so you should
be able to take it at fairly high speed. Silence needs a lot of practice
to drive well and so I would strongly recommend going for a drive in
practice mode before doing a grand prix if you are finding it tough.
Turbo: It best used just after turn 1. There is a long enough section
without tight corners for you to use your turbo, but like Sand
Ocean, this track isn't turbo friendly.
----------------
Mute City II
----------------
Mute City II is the first circuit in the Queen League, and it is nearly
identical to MC1, except that the city below is orange, not blue,
and there is a huge loop in the track. After exiting turn 3 you come
up to a huge circle on the road. You can go either left or right,
both are the same distance and both lead to the same place. After
the circle is the jump plate that you used in MC1 to make up time,
except it has been shifted furthur down the track. Use your turbo
before the jump plate and then use it to jump over the rough at the
inside of turn 4. Cut across the rough of turn 5 (like you did before)
then hit the jump plate at the exit of this corner and cut off some of
turn 6. This is difficult to explain in writing, but when you race
on this track it all becomes clearer. Mute City II is great fun.
Turbo: Effectively the same place as MC1. Use after the big oval in
the track before hitting the jump plate.
---------------
Port Town I
---------------
Port Town I is a shortened version of Port Town II which can be raced
in practice mode. Race the longer circuit and you should have no
problems here as the two are pretty much identical. Use your trubo
before the first small jump plate on the right of the track, and hold
down whilst going over the two jumps to get extra speed. The first 4
corners of this track aren't too taxing, and can all be taken at full
speed. Turn 5 is a tricky right-hander. You may need to slow down a
touch and use Right + R to get around it. After turn 6, a new hazard is
introduced - magnetic beams, which are on one side of the track and
they try to pull your craft towards them. If you touch them you
lose power and it is hard to escape once drawn in. The first one is
on the left side of the track so stick to the right-hand side of the
track to avoid being pulled in. Then go around turn 7 - the easy
left-hander and you reach a magnetic beam on the right. Stick to the
left side of the track on the way out of turn 7 to avoid being
dragged about, then there is a third beam on the left hand side of the
track, so move to the right-hand side, to avoid being draged in.
The beams are a pain, but once you get used to them and the force
they have on your craft, they aren't too hard to avoid. Just needs
practice. The last three corners can all be taken flat out with the
use of the shoulder buttons.
Turbo: Use before hitting the first small jump plate after the 'pits'
then hold down to gain more speed off the following two jumps.
----------------
Red Canyon I
----------------
Red Canyon I is a tricky circuit to race on. It is all high speed but
has some tough corners to get past, and it all goes along to a funky
soundtrack! Take turn 1 flat out, then turn 2 is a tricky hairpin
right, which you will need to slow down a bit for. There is some light
rough on the inside which you can cut off fairly easily without losing
speed. Turns 3 and 4 are also tricky hairpins which you may need to
slow down a bit for. The next section introduces down-pull magnets.
When flying through the air, if you go over these they pull your car
downwards, like the magnetic beams on Port Town I. If you touch them
then they do big damage to your craft. Use your turbo here, and hit as
many jump plates as possible. Be careful not to fly off the track
though. Next comes a tough right turn, followed by a tough left turn.
Take these as fast as possible, then you will find a straight with rough
on either side. Because the rough is patchy you can safely cut across it
without losing much time. Then go around the next two right turns flat
out to finish the lap. Red Canyon I is probably the most difficult
track in the Queen League (except maybe White Land II) so don't be
upset if you don't win first time round.
Turbo: Nowhere in particular stands out on this circuit. The best place
is probably on the start/finish straight or when going over the jumps
and down-pull magnets. Either way no real gain is made on either.
----------------
White Land I
----------------
White Land I is a very easy circuit, mostly flat out and with few
tricky corners. You can take turns 1, 2 and 3, flat out and then you
come across Turn 4 which is a strange left-hand hairpin. There is
rough on the inside and outside and magnetic-block coating on the entire
corner, so it isn't as wide as it seems. Be sparing with your use of
Left+L here as your craft can spin out of control easily. Next comes
a straight with patchy rough along the width of the track and lots
of jumps and down-pull magnets. Use your turbo here to avoid losing
speed but be careful over the jumps as the track is narrow and it is
surprisingly easy to fly off the track completely. Next comes turn 5
which is an easy left-hander to be taken flat out and that leads into
a series of open corners which is pretty much a bendy straight. That
leads into Turn 6 which is a right-hand hairpin with magnetic-block
coating. Like Turn 4, be sparing with your use of Right+R and slow
down to avoid spinning out and into the barriers. Fortunately there
is a wide area on the outside of the corner so it can be taken a little
faster than it first seems. Finally there is a series of small corners
which can all be taken flat out, leading back to the start line.
Turbo: Use of the straight with all the jumps after Turn 4, just be
careful not to jump off the circuit completely.
-----------------
White Land II
-----------------
White Land II bears almost no resembelance to White Land I at all,
except for the setting. The first 4 corners are all easy and can be
taken flat out. Turn 5 is a tricky hairpin right which has magnetic
coating on it and rough on the outside. Slow down and either do not
use the R button, or coast around the corner without pressing the
accellerator. Either way you should avoid slipping out of control.
Next comes up a hairpin left, which you can cut off a bit by going
across the 'barriers' at the edge of the track - you will see what
I mean when you get there. Next comes a right-hander followed by another
left-hand hairpin which you can cut across. After this come 3 corners
which can be taken flat out and then a tricky left-hander. Immediately
afterwards comes a big jump across the track. You need to be carrying
quite a lot of peed when going over here and you will *need* to hold
Down to get more flight over the jump otherwise you won't make it.
Also I would recommend using your turbo here if you've got one to be
doubley sure to make the jump. Next comes two right-handers which
lead back to the main straight again. Personally I hate this circuit
as the strange corners and big jump I find just strange and don't
let the track flow. Oh well.
Turbo: Use just before the huge jump in the track, no doubt about it!
-----------------
Mute City III
-----------------
MC3 is just a step harder than MC2, although it is probably the easiest
in King League. If you follow the advice for MC1 then you should be
fine. Be especisally careful when going through the mines. Stick to
the middle of the circuit and make sure you do not hit any flashing
cars. When crossing the rough areas that you do not hit any mines here.
Try to stick to the same path through this area each lap.
Turbo: Use in the same place as the other two Mute City tracks, just
be a little more careful this time when passing the mines.
-----------------
Death Wind II
-----------------
Ooh, this one is a real toughie! Death Wind II is very similar to the
first circuit, except there is a twisty part instead of the
second long straight. The cross wind is there too which just makes
this circuit just harder still. Avoid the rough areas at the start
and use your turbo here to cut down the effect of the cross wind.
After the second corner there is a left turn followed by a right turn.
You will need to slow down here, and there is a Dash Zone on the inside
of the right turn. Because the circuit is so twisting, I would strongly
advise you to NOT hit this, as it will send your car into the walls
at high speed. There is then another chicane afterwards which is
more open, but also has a dash zone on the inside of the right turn,
which should also be avoided. Go flat out through the next two corners,
and then there is a tight right to-left-chicane. You will need to slow
down here, and there is a dash zone on the outside of this chicane too,
which I would again advise avoiding. Finally an easier chicane which
can be taken flat out, and you rejoin the old circuit just before the
'Pits'. Go around the next two corners flat out and this time hit the
final dash zone to go over the start/finish line. This circuit is quite
narrow, so be careful. I would say this is the second hardest circuit
in the game, behind the awesome Fire Field.
Turbo: Use in the same place as DW1, after the start line so you can
drive across the rough faster. Anywhere else would spell
d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r.
----------------
Port Town II
----------------
Follow the guide to PT1 here, as the two circuits are identical apart
from the end bit which is more twisting and difficult in PT2. Just
before the last right-hand corner in PT1, there is a hairpin left. You
will need to slow down and use Left + L to take this. Next is a
slightly easier hairpin right, but you will still need to slow down a
bit. Next comes a chicane which you can easily take at full speed. Just
be careful if you intend to overtake anyone here as it is quite
narrow. Then the track tightens into a smooth right-hander. Again this
can be taken at full speed. Finally there is a tricky left-right
chicane. This CAN be taken at full speed, using L and R to help steer,
but it requires quite a bit of practice. Finally the track widens and
crosses the start/finish straight. As the different part of the track
is so twisting, use your turbo down the straight to help you get over
the jump plates at the beginning.
Turbo: Exactly the same place as PT1. Use after the 'pits' to get more
speed off the jumps.
NOTE: If you leave the menu screen without touching any buttons for a
while, it will show a practice lap of this circuit in the Blue Falcon.
It is impressive to see how close they cut to the side of the track
without hitting it!
-----------------
Red Canyon II
-----------------
This is one of my favourite circuits. It isn't that hard to race on,
is nice and wide, and there is an impressive shortcut which means
you will win almost every time! The beginning bit of the lap is
identical to RC1. When you come to the area of jump plates and
down-pull magnets, do NOT use your turbo here. Instead go over the
jump plates as usual and then just afterwards there is a short straight.
Use your turbo here and then you come to a right-to-left chicane.
Instead go straight on, seemingly into the wall and there is a jump
plate hidden here. Hold down and you will hit a large blue arrow
on the side of the track which will launch your craft safely back
onto the track. Hold down when you land to avoid losing speed when
you come crashing back to earth. Next there is a right turn which can
be taken flat out followed by a straight with jagged edges. Then there
is another right turn to take flat out, followed by a tricky
left-to-right chicane. You will probably need to slow down here, but
with practice it is an easy corner to make. Go flat out round the last
two bends and you will rejoin the old track.
NOTE: On the first lap you do not have a turbo therefore you will be
unable to make the shortcut. In this case take the corner and pick your
way through the mines.
Turbo: Read the guide! Just before the shortcut.
--------------
Fire Field
--------------
OK so you made it all the way to the end of King League! This is the
last circuit, and it is the only one you do not race, in some form,
in an earlier league. Fire Field is very long. It takes a good
5 minutes to complete a full race, and the pit lane is hidden away
in a neat corner, but you will almost certainly have to use it as this
track is littered with hazards. Immediately you come across mines
on the first straight. I find the easiest way to avoid them is to stick
to the far left. This puts you in a good position for the first corner
too, a tricky hairpin right. Take this as fast as possible and go
through turns 2 and 3 flat out too. Then you come across a tighter
hairpin right, followed immediately by a hairpin left with rough on
the inside. Getting through these two is very hard, but it helps if you
slow down on the way into turn 4, and then stick to the inside of the
corner on the exit, getting you in a good position for the tricky
turn 5. This is then followed by a straight with patchy rough dotted
about on either side. This is probably the best time to use your turbo
as you can cut across the rough without losing speed, and the next
corner is open and can be taken at speed. Next comes yet another
hirpin right, followed by a hairpin left. Both of these you will need
to slow down for. Turn 9 is a gradual right turn with rough on the
outside of part of it. It is a very easy corner to take at speed. Stick
to the inside all the way through to put you in a good position for
turn 10. Turns 10 and 11 are open corner which can be taken at speed.
Next comes a gradual left corner with Magnetic Block Coating on the
inside. Stick to the outside of the corner so you don't slide around
on the red stuff! Then turns 13 and 14 are fairly easy and can be taken
at high speed. Next is a straight where the road splits in two and
there are side-pull magnets on the inside of both. It is quite tight
through here so be careful. At the end of this straight is a right turn.
If you continue straight on through this corner there is a second part
of the track where the pits are hidden away. Try to hit the thin strip
of pit on the entrance to maximise the effect of the pits, and after it
there is a dash zone which makes up for any lost time you sustained
going the long way round the last corner.
This circuit is extremely tough to get round. It will probably take more
than one go to finish in one piece. The only advice I can give is to
be a little more safe than usual. Take the tight corners slowly
and use the start/finish straight to do most of your overtaking. Good
luck!
Turbo: Hmm, tricky one this. Fire Field doesn't really have any places
where a Turbo is particularly beneficial. The best time is probably
after Turn 5 on the straight as it will allow you to go through the
patchy rough quicker.
==================================
V I I. T I P S / C H E A T S
==================================
---------------
Boost start
---------------
Not exactly a secret, but if the engine is at full revs when you see
'Go!' you will get a quick boost start and then slow down. Now if you
can cut across some of the other drivers you can cut them off before
they get ahead. This is particularly useful in the Fire Stingray as
it has got such poor acceleration. Good luck.
------------------------
Sparking the corners
------------------------
This is a pretty well known one aswell. Hold Left+L or Right+R and your
craft will turn shrper in the given direction. However it will also
produce some quite cool sparking effects on that side of the craft.
Nice! This technique is essential for getting the fastest speeds in
Practice mode.
--------------------------
Red Canyon II shortcut
--------------------------
Heyhey. On Red Canyon II you may have noticed a massive blue arrow off
to the left side of the track at one point of the circuit. Ever wandered
what it is? Here goes. After the section of small jumps and down-pull
magnets you normally do a small right-left to before entering a straight
of nasty landmines. Instead of going through that right-left turning, use
a turbo boost on just before entering that corner and drive towards the
barrier. You should leap into the air on a small hidden jump (it's just
about visible if you look closely). Now when in the air press and hold
Down so you fly furthur and you will hit that blue arrow. This then
bounces you back onto the track before anyone else. Use this to your
benefit - none of the other racers do!
---------------------------
Port Town II "shortcut"
---------------------------
OK, it bugged me for years. At the beginning of the race approach a
small jump over some rough, then there is a big jump. I wanted to know
if it was possible to drive hard to the right and cut off the first few
corners. The answer is: Yes & No. You can jump the gap by using a turbo,
then flying as hard to the right as possible. Hold Right+R+Down and if
you get it just right you can make the gap. However after all that
effort, its totally pointless. A stupid floating UFO type thing drags
you back because you cut off too much track. Damn.
Videos of the above two shortcuts are available from
www.angelfire.com/sk2/snesres/fzero/files.shtml
============================
V I I I. C R E D I T S
============================
Wanna contribute? Please get in contact at archie2k@bigfoot.com. Send
anything cool and/or useful and I will give you credit and you will be
eternaly happy. If you are looking for F-Zero pics, I have tons. Just
contact me at the above address once again.Thanks for stopping by and
please visit the site at
www.angelfire.com/sk2/snesres/
Who knows, maybe I will even get my own domain name one day. Ah *dreams
of the good times*
Enjoy the guide.
Archie,
SnesRes
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