F-Zero Climax
About
F-Zero Climax is a racing video game developed by Suzak Inc. and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) handheld console. The game was originally released exclusively in Japan on October 21, 2004. The F-Zero franchise went on hiatus after its release.
Players race in vehicles on numerous courses while navigating past obstacles. While the game is a 2D racer, its Mode 7 graphical effect allows the track to be scaled and rotated around the vehicle to simulate a 3D environment. Climax let players store rewarded speed boosts to use with energy-draining speed boosts. Energy is a reflection of the craft's health, and can be restored by driving over specific areas on the track.
Nintendo World Report and Siliconera lauded the game for its track editor and Survival mode. Nintendo World Report praised the game's extensive Survival and Zero Test challenges, but complained about the Grand Prix's short duration and unbalanced difficulty. While Nintendo World Report and Official Nintendo Magazine thought it was a graphical improvement over preceding 2D F-Zero games, both the former critic and Siliconera lamented over its reused graphics and musical assets.