F-Zero: Maximum Velocity

 Game Boy Advance
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
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  1. GamePro
    100
    Blazing fast speeds with sharp graphics, pulsating sounds and good controls.
  2. Gaming Maxx
    95
    One of the best racing games on a portable ever.
  3. TotalGames.net
    92
    As you can probably tell from this review, we at TotalGames.net were just slightly impressed by F-Zero. If you've got yourself a GBA, you really have to buy this.
  5. Games Radar
    92
    A technical marvel. It moves so fast, and so smoothly, that you'd be forgiven for forgetting that you're playing it on a handheld console.
  6. Media and Games Online Network
    91
    Nintendo's latest version of the F-Zero series for the GBA preserves the "Wow" factor that made F-Zero one of Nintendo's biggest game franchises.
  7. IGN
    90
    The element that really makes F-Zero Maximum Velocity shine is its four player option.
  8. Gamer's Pulse
    87
    It's extremely fast, it's even more intense, and it has replay value to boot. What more could you ask for in an arcade racer?
  9. GameSpy
    86
    A great, if overly hard revamp, of the classic SNES racer.
  10. Nintendophiles
    85
    The game can get rather frustrating because of the control scheme, but once you have them mastered it can be quite fun.
  11. GamerWeb Nintendo
    85
    Provides an outstanding experience, and one I never thought possible on a handheld.
  12. GameSpot
    81
    While it isn't be most visually astonishing Game Boy Advance launch game, Maximum Velocity's visuals improves upon the SNES version in almost every respect.
  13. GMR Magazine
    80
    An enhanced port of the classic SNES racer with improved graphics and support for 4 players. [Feb 2003, p.97]
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  14. Electric Playground
    80
    Speed vs. control is what F-Zero is all about. It's not an easy ride, but it's a fun one.
  15. Game Over Online
    80
    If you are one who knows what the term 'powerslide' means in racers, you'll undoubtedly want to pick this one up.
  16. Ferrago
    80
    Represents a very purified experience, which is better suited for the occasional quick thrill, than hours of immersive play.
  17. Hot Games
    80
    Merely a good game that feels a bit old hat.
  18. My Gamer
    78
    While some people may get frustrated on the higher difficulties, they add a great dimension to the game and separate the casual racers from the true F-Zero fans.
  19. Armchair Empire
    75
    Simple gameplay that can stay entertaining for a long period of time. You can't really ask for much more from it.
  20. Yahoo!
    70
    Graphically, the Game Boy Advance comfortably does the game justice.

Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best Game Boy Advance Game of 2001
15
#15 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2001

User Reviews

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User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 39
  3. Negative: 4 out of 39
  1. Metaloki
    Oct 10, 2003
    10
    I bought this a long time ago when I first got a GBA and I'm STILL playing this game. It's just that good of a remake.
  2. dinosauryoshi
    Oct 7, 2014
    8
    When I first got a GBA as a kid this was the first title I got for it, I remember liking it a lot but I'm not sure if I loved it exactly.When I first got a GBA as a kid this was the first title I got for it, I remember liking it a lot but I'm not sure if I loved it exactly. Going back to it over the past couple of weeks I can see it's a very good game, that makes the most of the GBA's hardware to create an experience that still feels fast and enjoyable, but it isn't without its faults.

    On the presentation side of things it doesn't feel that much like F-Zero, there are no character models and Captain Falcon is nowhere to be seen (although a ship referencing him does come as an unlockable later on). The music, likely due to the GBA's lack of audio ability, fails to reach the driving levels of the F-Zero X and GX soundtracks and there's rarely more than 2 or 3 racers on the screen at once which is a world away from the hoardes of racers on the aforementioned games. This is all likely due to the GBA's lack of horsepower however.

    Where this game excels is in the most important part, the feel of the racing. The sense of speed is still there, particularly when you use your boost. The cars handle well and taking corners is a joyful challenge. The tracks are surprisingly varied considering the limitations of the mode 7 engine it's built on and there's a decent amount of them once you unlock everything. The game is a little light on vehicles though with only 4 to start with and a few more to unlock. The only complaints I have with the actual gameplay are that I wasn't a fan of the random yellow cars that seem to be driving on the track really slowly for no reason whatsoever other than to annoy you and get in your way and the strange system where to get past a race you have to be in the top certain amount of racers after lap one, and further up each lap until you have to finish in the top 3. If you fail to meet this threshold after any of the laps you automatically lose. There's no table at the end of each race to see how each player is doing and so you have no real rival, you essentially get the same reward for finishing 3rd in every race as you do 1st. The table and being able to smash up your rival to get ahead of him on it was one of the most enjoyable parts of the other F-Zeros I've played for me and their decision to not use this here is a strange on in my eyes.

    On the difficulty front I think it's definitely challenging and the hardest difficulty is only recommended for the really hardcore out there (I got frustrated with it pretty quickly). There's definite rubber-banding going on as always although it seemed a lot less obvious (at least to me) than other racing games I've played from this time.

    Overall this game excels in the feel of the racing, which is essentially the most important part. However it fails in some of the other areas and does things which I didn't entirely enjoy. It's a great game to pick up and have a race at and I'm sure I'll be doing that often with there still not being a newer alternative for portable F-Zeroing many years later. I just wish there were tables after each race, Captain Falcon was actually in the game, and that the cups didn't take longer than my average bus journey.    … Full Review »
  3. CalebL.
    Dec 18, 2002
    10
    It's got amaxing graphics, amazing gameplay, and amazing speed. Why get a TV connected console instead of an ac adapter.
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