F-Zero Series - Development

Development

F-Zero was one of the launch titles for the SNES that Nintendo Entertainment Analysis and Development had approximately fifteen months to develop completely. In Japan, only it and Super Mario World were initially available for launch. In North America and Europe, Super Mario World shipped with the console, and other initial titles included F-Zero, Pilotwings (which also demonstrated the console's "Mode 7" pseudo-3D rendering capability), SimCity, and Gradius III. F-Zero later had a sequel for the SNES that was canceled, but was released unfinished through the Satellaview peripheral under the name "BS F-Zero Grand Prix".

Takaya Imamura, who worked directly on F-Zero throughout its different incarnations, said in 2003 "hav worked on the F-Zero series, and seeing the results of the collaboration with Sega, I found myself at something of a loss as to how we can take the franchise further past F-Zero GX and AX." Edge magazine asked Shigeru Miyamoto in April 2012 regarding a future F-Zero installment. Miyamoto stated "I think at the time was a really big surprise, a new thing, a product that made sense" and the Wii and DS lacks to create a similar impact.