Fast Racing League
Marthe Bernskoetter
Fast Racing League is a fast-paced, futuristic racing game, often compared to F-Zero and Wipeout.[3] However, unlike other racing games, it features a "phase shift mechanic" which allows the player to switch their vehicle between light and dark phases. These can be used to take advantage of colored pads on the track to boost the player's speed or launch the vehicle into the air, which only work if the vehicle is the same color. The player must collect energy orbs scattered across the track to fill their energy meter, which allows them to switch phases, adding extra challenge to the game.[4] If the player attempts to drive over a boost pad of the opposite color, their vehicle will be drastically slowed down.
Before being able to play the main game, the player must complete the "qualification," a tutorial level in which there are no opponents and the player learns the game with the help of informational objectives displayed on-screen. Once this level has been completed, the player unlocks the ability to play single-player and multiplayer games with AI vehicles.
The game features multiple vehicles, which can be obtained by winning races between 3 classes (neutron, proton, and ion), which serve as different difficulty settings and take place in 3 leagues (Shima, Siberia, and Sunahara). Each league is further divided into races. These leagues must be unlocked for each class by completing the previous one.
The player begins with two vehicles: Ajia X and K-Rokoku. Each car has different weight, velocity, and acceleration stats, tailoring them to different playstyles. Heavier vehicles control more easily on ice. Ice will make the vehicle slide around, and the player must over-steer to prevent falling off the track.
Levels frequently include upside-down loops and tight corners. Ramming into a wall at high speed or falling off the track will result in a crash, where the player must wait several seconds before respawning.
Players can assign a Mii to their save file, allowing their real name to appear on the in-game scoreboard. The game supports motion controls by holding the Wii Remote sideways, as well as the Classic Controller and the Nunchuk.
Fast Racing League received generally favorable reviews, with Nintendo Life's Marcel van Duyn calling it "another success for Shin'en," and an "amazing accomplishment for WiiWare graphic-wise."[5]
There hasn't been a F-Zero game recently, but Shin'en comes to fill the void with their own rendition of the futuristic racing subgenre. A WiiWare title, FAST brings an interesting gameplay mechanic, shiny visuals, and an intense racing focus.
In the game, players can switch their cars' phase between black and white. Driving over regions of track matching your vehicle's color allows players to zoom forward at extreme speed, while passing over in the opposite color slows you down. There are also colored ceilings, which magnetically grab players, letting them drive upside-down, and colored jumps, which much be carefully matched to avoid driving off the track to destruction.To power the phase switch, orbs must be collected on the track. With enough orbs, you can also employ a turbo boost. However, power must be conserved carefully to ensure that polarity can be switched when necessary.
FAST can be played with the Wii Wheel, Remote and Nunchuk, or Classic Controller. While the quick reaction time needed in the game will probably send players to the classic control options, it contains possibly the most responsive motion racing controls available on Wii. They're even better than Mario Kart Wii's.
From a design perspective, FAST is highly reminiscent of F-Zero, as well as Shin'en's own Nanostray series. The graphics push the system, featuring lighting, texture, and other special effects seen too infrequently on retail Wii titles, let alone downloadable ones. While there isn't as much stuff going on off-track as F-Zero GX, it's frankly amazing what the developers managed to pull off given the WiiWare size restrictions. FAST's graphics are complemented by a driving Euro beat soundtrack.
Unlike F-Zero, there are no drivers or other characters to speak of; you're driving cars for corporations with Japanese-sounding names. As a result, the game can feel a bit generic and impersonal, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, as it keeps a solid focus on what matters -- the racing. The game ramps up quickly, throwing in loops, water-filled pits, tornadoes, flame guns, rotating walls, and other environmental hazards.
FAST includes six vehicles, 36 tracks across three leagues, and lots of unlockables. It also features 24 specific racing challenges in addition to the regular Grand Prix-style racing, as well as split-screen offline multiplayer with support of up to four players.
"FAST" describes the game well. The game runs buttery smooth and the cars do fly very fast. There's actually an option to run the graphics at a maximum of 60 fps, or to lock them to 30 fps. I rarely saw a drop using the variable setting in single player mode, though it happens on two-player mode. With more than two players, the game is automatically locked to 30 fps.
FAST somehow manages to pack a full retail experience onto the limited WiiWare platform. The game is very similar to the sorely missed F-Zero, but adds a challenging polarity mechanic a la Ikaruga. It packs an incredible amount of content, as well as impressive graphics into a tiny package, making what looks to be one of the best WiiWare games to date. FAST races onto WiiWare on May 27 in Europe and May 30 in North America.
Nice, very nice. I was interested as soon as I saw the first details and screenshots, but the polarity-switching mechanic puts a neat twist on proceedings. Trailer looks good, features sound impressive and your positive comments about the motion controls are particularly encouraging. Best on the system? Wow.
Do each of the cars handle and feel different?
How many Racers in a given race?
Multi-player modes?
Can you give an example of a Challenge?
Any word on Price?
I've been enjoying the stuff you've been doing lately MegaByte.
This looks great and the $10 price point is lower than I expected ($15). My first thought that six vehicles is on the low side, but then I realized I don't know what to expect in vehicle counts for futuristic racing games.
Why do cool games always have lame names? This title would be like if they called a game Kart Racer or something. A title like F-Zero or Extreme G sounds interesting, but I can see people not giving this game a second look based on the uninspired title.
In the year 2112 the masses are fascinated by extreme high speed races. The latest antigravity racing technology introduced phase shifting. The key to staying alive is to perfectly match the phase of the track with the racing machine.
Prepare yourself for a whole new racing experience at breakneck speeds. Push your skills to the limit to win races and beat records. Challenge your friends to an all-out split-screen competition. Compete against ruthless opponents and race to the top of all the leagues.
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After your payment has been processed, the content will be downloaded to the applicable system linked to your Nintendo Account, or your Nintendo Network ID in the case of Wii U or Nintendo 3DS family systems. This system must be updated to the latest system software and connected to the internet with automatic downloads enabled, and it must have enough storage to complete the download. Depending on the system/console/hardware model you own and your use of it, an additional storage device may be required to download software from Nintendo eShop. Please visit our Support section for more information.
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