DRAGON BALL FighterZ: Prepare to Get Bodied

The new hotness, DRAGON BALL FighterZ has finally come out. After a killer 2017, the game is a great way to kick of 2018. If you aren't into fighting games but you love yourself some Dragon Ball, chances are, you picked up DBFZ. As of this editorial, there are a copious amount of videos pertaining to DBFZ on YouTube. I am by no means a fighting game enthusiast, but I still like to throw down in a 2D or 3D brawler, nonetheless. So what could peasant like me offer as advice on the latest fighting craze? You're gonna get bodied online. A lot.

No one likes to lose. We like to win. We're wired that way. But if you plan to go online in DBFZ, then you need to brace yourself for the harsh reality: someone is going to firmly plant their size 10s on your butt cheeks and every time you take a shower or sit down, you're going to be reminded that you had to hold the fattest L. Losing sucks but you should not let it keep you from playing this awesome fighter. Getting handed defeats is a big part of the learning experience.

Piccolo is smiling because someone is about to
catch some serious work.

We love to see Goku as this unbeatable god. Yes, Goku has had many victories and he is crazy strong. However, there is so much focus on his wins that I'm not sure if people remember how many times throughout his life that Goku got his Saiyan keister handed to him. General Blue, Tao Papai, and Demon King Piccolo are just a few of the opponents that gave Goku a beating on the journey to get to where he is now. And even after obtaining his Super Saiyan forms and beyond, he still came up against fighters that were better than him. One of my favorite things about DBZ: Battle of Gods is that even though Goku got access to Super Saiyan God powers, he still couldn't beat Lord Beerus. There will always be someone better but that shouldn't stop you from striving to improve yourself.

17 and 18 are giving Cell some long overdue payback.

Actually, I do have some more advice for a players getting into DBFZ. Go into practice and spend some time there. Every time you fire the game up, devote some time to practice mode. You can learn the basics of the game, your movement options, and so on. Every time I hit practice I come away knowing something I previously didn't know. Don't get frustrated if your growth rate isn't at a rapid pace. Some improvement is better than no improvement. Catch yourself falling into nasty habits? Train yourself to stop so you become less predictable. If you can, record your matches so you can see just where you faltered and from there, you can work on bettering yourself. That's the thing about defeat: it can be more instructive than winning.

Above all else, have fun with DRAGON BALL FighterZ. I'm dreading the day when tier lists start coming out for this game. I do not want this game to turn into something where we only see a handful of characters getting used because a stupid lists says only this meager selection is worth a crap. Play the characters you like and have yourself a good time. Now get out there and go raise that power level.

Hype Culture

If you went through 2017 without playing at least one game you thought was awesome, you've got to be incredibly hard to please. We were practically stepping in one good game after the next. However, this doesn't mean all of the standout games we experienced are flawless or even the best in the genre or respective series. In the sea of hype that surrounded last year's releases, the sea was so massive that it can be hard to look beyond that hype.

When Final Fantasy VII was originally released, it was universally praised both by fans and critics alike. It was not only hailed as "the greatest RPG of all time" but some game publications even went as far as calling it "the greatest game ever made." The game is responsible for bringing RPGs out of the niche status they previously had and into the mainstream. At the time, there was no RPG that was on the same scale as Square's superstar.

We've since had 20 years to reflect on Final Fantasy VII and opinion on the game isn't quite what it used to be. Some of this is due to the overwhelming popularity that FFVII has and hating on a big game is what all the cool kids do these days, but the other thing is that FFVII does have legitimate criticisms labeled against it. Sepiroth goes from a dude with mommy issues, disturbed with how he was made (he doesn't know that his daddy is Hojo and he was implanted with JENOVA cells) to wanting to be a god with no explanation for the shift in villainous motivations. It is also heavily implied that the Sepiroth that comes back is really JENOVA pulling his strings, thus making his actions post main FFVII story not his own.

Hype and a game's initial wow factor can cause people to make bold, even outlandish claims about a game. Granted, there are a lot of games that are certainly worthy of much of the praise and hype that they get. This doesn't mean it isn't possible for our judgement to be impaired. It can cause you to overlook and or even flat out ignore a game's faults. I myself have fallen victim to this. YouTubers and gaming journalists aren't immune to it either.

If I may spoil one of my upcoming articles, at one point I thought my Game of the Year would be Super Mario Odyssey. It is the long awaited return of sandbox Super Mario. The kingdoms are an absolute joy to explore and the game often rewards you with collectibles for searching every nook and cranny. There are numerous videos on YouTube claiming Super Mario Odyssey is the best Super Mario game ever made or that it is a game changer. Odyssey has a ton of Power Moons for you to grab, way, way more than the previous 120 star count of any of the previous 3D Super Mario games, to the point of being a bit detrimental to it's overall enjoyment. If you're going for 100% completion, you may not want to play the game on a daily basis because it can feel like a grind. As great as many of these kingdoms are, I'm not sure repopulating them with even more moons was the best way to add post-game content. The ones where you go off on a liner level that is often home to tricky platforming is awesome sauce but a lot of the other ones come off as filler. Yet the game hasn't even been out for long and some are already saying it is the best game Mario has ever been in.

Sonic Mania is an outstanding game, a blast to play. The best Sonic game in 23 years and the best Sonic game ever made? Ehhh, I'm not so sure about that. The whole "best Sonic game in 23 years" nonsense stems from Sonic's rocky track record. The last two console Sonic games to release before Mania, Sonic Lost World and Sonic Boom did not go over all that well with fans and critics. Lost World once again experimented and it wasn't as fast as the blue blur's previous outings but it was far from an awful game. On the other hand, Boom was a glitch rife mess, teetering dangerously close to Sonic '06. We haven't seen a Sonic game like Mania since the Genesis days so it comes as no surprise that the game was so well received. One of Mania's biggest striking points is that it reuses old levels, and that is a valid complaint. Sure, some one act of each eight returning zones is re-imagined, but that doesn't change the fact that once gain, we are treading on old territory, something that has been a problem with Sonic games for the past few years now.

Mania also nostalgia panders to a fault. I get that the designers of Mania are huge Sonic fans and love the old games but Mania constantly throws the call backs and references in the player's face to the point to where it reaches overkill. As fantastic as Sonic Mania is, so much of that is due to relying on what has come before, which is the game's biggest problem. Final Fantasy IX was done in the style of the older, mid evil games in the series with so many references to the past that it may as well have been a game about the Final Fantasy series. Sonic Mania is in the same boat. Hopefully the Mania team embraces more originality if they are given a chance at another Sonic project.

Loving a game and having it live up to or surpass expectations does not absolve it from criticism. Would you believe that the Empire Strikes Back, a movie widely considered to be one of the best sequels of all-time and the best Star Wars movie did not originally enjoy the high status it does today? The prequels have been heavily bashed, cited as an insult to the original trilogy but as the years have gone by, fans and critics have taken notice that the original trilogy probably shouldn't be placed on this untouchable pedestal that so many have placed it on. No game, no matter how well made is perfect and we should never be so caught up in a game's hype that we overlook or dismiss what it does wrong.

Favorite Tunes #212: Space Cuba, Here We Come!

I hope you're ready to rock because this week we've got a health does of that genre. I've also thrown in some chiptunes for good measure.

Dancing Mad -arrange- - Dissidia Final Fantasy Arcade (ARC)

What is there to say about Kefka that hasn't already been said? He's arguably the greatest villain in the history of the Final Fantasy franchise. His final battle them, Dancing Mad is a four movement piece. While having all of it arranged for the arcade version of Dissidia Final Fantasy would have been nice, if they were going to take one movement and turn it into a metal track, I can't argue with them using the fourth movement. It is so head bangingly awesome.

Stage 2- Metal Storm (NES)

Reverse gravity mechanics. One minute you're on the floor, the next, you're on the ceiling. Lots of games uses this for a level or two, then never go back to it. If you're looking for a retro game that further explores this, Metal Storm has you covered. The entirety of the game revolves around shifting gravity. Metal Storm was also one of those very rare cases of having North American box art that was just as rad as the Japanese version.

Password - Bionic Commando (GB)

Capcom's Bionic Commando series is more known for on the NES release and later HD incarnations a la Rearmed, but there were two entries on the old GB. Despite sharing the same name as the NES version, Bionic Commando is not the same title. Man, this sure is some cheery password music. Along with themes created just for this version of Bionic Commando, you'll also hear GB arrangements of NES pieces.

Steam Gardens (Wood Kingdom) - Super Mario Odyssey (NS) 

I know I've placed music from Super Mario Odyssey in Favorite Tunes a lot but that's because in spite of the game's faults (I'll be touching on that in an upcoming editorial) I really do love this game and its soundtrack. I have always been a fan of Koji Kondo's compositions. He doesn't compose music for games nearly as much as he used to but every once in a while, he'll write a few songs for a Mario game. This fan favorite just happens to be one of the few tracks he wrote for Odyssey

Whoa I'm in Space Cuba - Mighty Switch Force! (3DS, Wii U)

Mighty Switch Force! allows you to control when blocks are transparent or solid, creating platforms, pathways over otherwise impossible walkways, and of course, splatting enemies like a bug on windshield. Just look at the title of this track. You haven't even clicked on it yet and you know it is gonna be awesome.

Conquest (Flames) - Fire Emblem Warriors (NS, 3DS)

I'm still playing catch up when it comes to buying games for the Switch. As such, I've yet to get Fire Emblem Warriors. You could probably argue that the crew from this franchise is a better fit for the Dynasty Warriors treatment that Link and company. I just started listening to this game's soundtrack. I had a strong feeling it was gonna be good, I just didn't know how good. I don't know who had the brilliant idea it was to give Conquest a rock arrange, but whatever they are being payed, it is not enough.

Favorite Tunes Database

Remix of the Week: Feldschlcht I (SaGa Frontier 2)

Maaaaaaaaaan, it has been faaaaar too long since I posted something from The Consouls on this blog. If you're not familiar with them, they are a band that specializes in jazz covers. Some time ago, they did an arrangement of one of my favorite songs from SaGa Frontier 2, Feldschlacht I. (That's German for Field Battle I.)

 

Favorite Tunes #211: X Marks the Spot

For this week's Favorite Tunes, we've got music from Mega Man X, the updated After Burner II, Tekken 7, NieR: Automata and one of Yoshi's puzzlers.

Boomer Kuwanger - Mega Man X (SNES)

The X series uses a the same formula from the Classic series but is still plays radically different from the original Blue Bomber. Even so, the first Mega Man X has a number of things in common with the very first Classic Mega Man game. Both games have robots bosses that have sharp weapons on their heads that can be thrown as weapons. Where as Cut Man was an ideal starting choice in the Mega Man, trying to take down Boomer Kuwanger first probably isn't going to end well for you. Both of these robots do have awesome music, though.

Brimstone & Fire 1st - Tekken 7 (PC, PS4, XBO)

Tekken 7's soundtrack may be a bit too loud and in your face for a lot of people but I've said it before and I will again, there are some exceptionally good tracks in there. This one is still a bit on the heavy side but it is dialed back considerably compared to a lot of other songs in the game. Along with excellent Menu theme and others, I love this one.

City 202 - After Burner II (ARC)

Despite the name, After Burner II is more of an enhanced version of the original game. It is largely viewed as a better game than the first. Hiro returned to write the music for After Burner II and while much of it is from the first game (sounding slightly different), he did give us this peppy new theme. This is one of Hiro's shorter compositions but it is extremely catchy.

Action Type B - Yoshi's Cookie (SNES)

Yoshi was quite the breakout character after his debut in Super Mario World. He was given two of his own puzzle games before finally landing a leading role in the 1995 platformer classic, Yoshi's Island. One of those aforementioned puzzle games was Yoshi's Cookie, first released on the GB and NES and then later receiving an SNES version. Those of you that are fans of classical music should recognize this track.

Memories of Dust (Medium Vocals) - NieR: Automata (PC, PS4)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Horizon: Zero Dawn, NeiR: Automata. Man, 2017 had no shortage of games that took place in a post-apocalyptic setting. I'm actually still need to get around to one of those games I just mentioned. The music for Automata is well, I mean, just listen to this track. Depending on where you are, the track currently playing may have quiet vocals, medium vocals or dynamic vocals.

Gunner Down - Descent II (PC, PS)

Descent was one of  my earliest exposures to 3D gaming. I guess I was something of a light weight because all the spinning and turning gave me motion sickness. To this day, it is something I still deal with from time to time with certain games. Nevertheless, I still look back on my memories of Descent with fondness and that is in no small part thanks to the outstanding soundtrack.

Favorite Tunes Database

Remix of the Week: New Donk City: Daytime (Super Mario Odyssey)

I do believe it has been some time since I've posted a remix from Bulby in Remix of the Week. Well, we're gonna fix that right here and now. Many of the Kingdoms in Super Mario Odyssey have 8-bit renditions of their respective themes. Except good old New Donk City. That lively, jazzy daytime music was just dying to get the 8-bit treatment and as usual, Bulby does not disappoint.

F-ZERO: Boost Power!

If ever there was a franchise that was in serious need of love, it is Nintendo's futuristic, anti-gravity racer, F-ZERO. There has't been a new F-ZERO game in well over a decade and while I feel that there is no better time for the series to make its comeback with the Switch being a huge success, we'll just have to wait and see if Nintendo brings it out of retirement or not. F-ZERO being gone thankfully hasn't stopped fans from appreciating the series. Take for example, one of my favorite bands, the Pixel Mixers. They've crafted a wonderful tribute album in the form of F-ZERO: Boost Power.

There are only a handful of F-ZERO games and Boost Power! covers four of them. Represented in this album is F-ZERO (SNES), F-ZERO X (N64), F-ZERO: Maximum Velocity (GBA), and F-ZERO GX (GCN). One might expect for rock to be the dominate genre on this album. Rock was certainly present in the original F-ZERO and F-ZERO X fully embraced that style of music along with heavy metal. F-ZERO GX was loaded with it as well along with a dose of electronica. Even the final GBA entry to be released outside of Japan, F-ZERO: GP Legend was bursting with sweet MIDI rock. Rock is certainly present in Boost Power! but there's a surprising amount of variety here.

The Mute City arrangement is an 8-bit chiptune medley that also covers the original F-ZERO's Fire Field theme. They've transformed White Field into a smooth, jazzy, lounge piece. Dream Chaser consists heavily of Genesis synth, something I actually didn't take notice of until my second time listening to this album. Dream Chaser's signature guitar riffs sound really good in this format. Big Blue is some good old fashioned hard rock, though it sounds like they went with the F-ZERO X version of the song, but according to the MP3 files, it is an arrangement from the original F-ZERO. Just something I thought I'd mention. Regardless, the Big Blue cover is another outstanding track.

Some unusual suspects, or rather, less appreciated tracks have also been arranged in Boost Power! I would have killed for the Pixel Mixers to do an Empyrean Colony cover but I'm just happy they arranged Maximum Velocity's awesome Title Theme and that Synobazz remix isn't bad at all. The Ending Theme from the original F-ZERO is a fine way to close out this amazing album.

My only real gripe with F-ZERO: Boost Power! is the album length. There are only 12 tracks here, clocking in for a total of 35 minutes and eleven seconds. However, the quality of this album is undeniably strong. There isn't a single track on here that I dislike. The fact that it is little over a half hour long makes it great for easy, repeated listening. If you're a fan of F-ZERO, game music and need some new beats to jam out to, you cannot go wrong with F-ZERO: Boost Power! This freebie joins the ranks of F-ZERO X-Style Arrangements as one of the best F-ZERO arranged albums. I do hope the Pixel Mixers return to F-ZERO music again some day.

F-ZERO: Boost Power

Nintendo Switch, AKA Port City

You know, I was thinking of making a list of games I'd like to see ported to the Switch from the Wii U and other game systems. Yes, I'm aware that I did say that begging for Switch ports is pretty dang dumb, but wanting and actually begging (the later of which a company that screwed over Wii U owners was actively encouraging) are two different things. The recent Nintendo Direct Mini revealed the Switch has plenty of ports coming its way and that is by no means a bad thing.

The Switch has been on a roll since launch, with over 10 million units sold and it doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The amount of ports the Switch has and will be getting has been cited as a complaint for some. I'd like to counter that argument by stating that both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were home to a plethora of ports, remasters and definitive editions earlier on in their life spans. Yes, the Switch is getting a lot of port love, but it has a major advantage that the XBO, PS4 and even the PC does not have: not only is it a home console, it is a portable one. Yeah, yeah, a laptop is also portable but it is nowhere near as convenient as the Switch is. That portability factor is what makes the gaming on the Switch and the ports all the more enticing. 

I have been wanting to get into the Dark Souls series for a some time now. My plan was to start with the first one via the PS3, but upon hearing the announcement of Dark Souls Remastered, well, I'll gladly fork over extra cash for the ability to not only get bodied at home but also while I'm up at laundromat across from my apartment. 

Hyrule Warriors was my first venture into the Dynasty Warriors style of games and I got a big kick out of it, repetitive as it was. Slaying wave after wave of foes as Impa, Midna and host of other Zelda characters that you normally don't get to play as really made that game for me. There was also a ton of content from the get go, which gave you a lot to do. I didn't stop playing Hyrule Warriors because I got bored of it. No, as usual, other games came along and I never got around to picking it back up. I didn't even purchase all of the DLC or Hyrule Warriors: Legends on the 3DS. Now that Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is Switch bound and will include all of the content from the Wii U and 3DS versions including DLC, I'll just cop that version and call it a night. I'm itching to go out into the field using Toon Link (the GOAT Link) and Marin to to show fools what's up.

With Dark Souls Remastered heading for the
Switch, you can now die on the toilet. If you're
into that sort of thing.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was a fine, fine 2D platformer and in many ways, it one-up Donkey Kong Country Returns. It was one of the games I was wanting to see come to the Switch and lo and behold, my dream has been made reality. I got all the way up to the final boss, Lord Fredrick but died on him so many times that I stopped playing, never resuming. Yes, I'm aware that I'm a wimp and need to get gud and all that. Whatever. I would have bought a Switch port even if nothing else was added but they are giving us another Kong to play as in the form of Funky Kong, so there's that. More than that, Tropical Freeze is a wonderful game that deserved to sell much more than it did on the Wii U.

I as well as many others have said it so many times that we're beating a dead horse, but the Wii U was a flop. At over 13 million in lifetime sales, not a lot of people bought the system, meaning a wealth of people have did not play the games it had. Yet in spite of the Wii U failing, the system had some outstanding games and with some of them making the jump to the Switch, this will give them a new lease on life. The Switch is a huge success so it only makes sense to get those Wii U greats to those that didn't play them in the first place. The Switch is a such a mega hit that third parties are practically breaking down Nintendo's doors to able to make games for the thing or port games over to it. With the system being a home console as well as a portable, I fail to see how that is a bad thing. 

Kirby25: A Chiptuned Retrospective

2017 was an anniversary year for a multitude of games, so much so that it was hard to keep track of them all. I was aware that it was the 25th anniversary of gaming's most adorable pink puff, Kirby, but the existence of this 25th anniversary album is something that I was completely unaware of.

Kirby25: A Chiptune Retrospective is a digital album consisting of 34 tracks from numerous Kirby games. The album is dominated by main line platform entries like Kirby's Adventure, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards and Kirby's Return to Dream Land (my personal favorite Kirby game) among a plethora of others but spin off titles such as Kirby Air Ride and Kirby's Block Ball get some representation as well.

A Kirby arrangement album done exclusively in chiptune form is strangely refreshing but fitting since Kirby's audio roots are heavily planted in chiptune hardware. A total of fourteen different artists contributed to this album and their love for Kirby really shines through with this project. I get the impression a lot of these arrangers were fans of SUNSOFT's NES sound font because plenty of these tracks have that undeniable SUNSOFT punch. I think that's a good thing because the majority of NES games with the SUNSOFT name attached have outstanding soundtracks (Batman: The Video Game, Gimmick!). The drum samples and baselines throughout many of these tracks ring of SUNSOFT quality. I'm not saying these guys just copy pasted  SUNSOFT's audio and called it a day, though. Every track on this album has that Kirby charm and you can hear bits of the sound font taken from Kirby's old chiptune titles.

Most of the songs you would expect to get arranged do get arranged. If there wasn't an arrangement for Green Greens people would undoubtedly cry fowl. You've got your Factory Investigation, Rainbow Resort, King Dedede's Theme, Sky Sands and C-R-O-W-N-E-D to name a few. Strangely, there isn't an arrangement of Gourmet Race. As much as that song as been remixed over the years, perhaps the artists didn't feel like covering it. As much as I adore that song, the absence of it isn't really a big loss. Some of my favorite Kirby tracks that don't get as much love as the aforementioned tracks have been given some time in the sun here. Marshmallow Castle, Grass Land 2, Cappy's Stage (Kirby's Block Ball), White Wing Dyna Blade get some long overdue appreciation. Some of my more recent favorites are also covered here as well. White Office March sounds every bit as awesome as the 3DS original and Lovely Yellow Va-Va-Vrooms sounds like it was ripped right out of Kirby's Adventure, perfectly capturing the lively, chipper feel of the original tune. 

Look, if I haven't made it abundantly clear already, Kirby25: A Chiptune Retrospective is an album that I cannot get enough of. It is not only a tribute to Kirby's long history but also his chiptune sound origins. The album is a pay what you want download, so you can give a few bucks or get it for free. Your choice. Whatever you do, just get it.

Kirby25: A Chiptune Retrospective

Favorite Tunes #210: The Snowman Cometh

We had a major snowfall here in Virginia. We got so much snow that it feels like the kind you'd get back in Ohio during the winter time. Though the snow came three days ago, there is still a lot of the white stuff on and ground and unfortunately, the side streets. Stay warm and safe.

40 Below Fridge - Wario Land 4 (GBA)

One of the most visually and audio-ably impressive GBA games was released early in the handheld's life. The plentiful SNES enhanced GBA ports were great and all but original titles like Wario Land 4 made me a happy that grabbed the handheld early on. If you missed out when it first released, Wario Land 4 is on the Wii U's eShop.

Sendai Outpost - FAST RACING NEO (Wii U)

Released as a digital only game (except for you lucky gamers in Europe). FAST RACING NEO was another one of those stellar Wii U titles you could bring up whenever someone said that the system had no games. If you never owned a Wii U, pick up FAST RMX from the eShop on the Switch. For $20, you're getting yourself one fine racer with some really good beats.

Red Out - After Burner (ARC)

Another one of SEGA's super scaler games released in the 1980s, After Burner saw plenty of home ports as well as an enhanced version of the game in the form of After Burner II. The game's original music was wrtitten by Hiroshi Kawaguchi, often going under then name Hiro. Like his music for Out Run and Power Drift, much of his tracks on on the long side, often going for over a minute before they loop around.

My Happy Sweet Time - Kirby: Planet Robobot (3DS)

I am really looking forward to the upcoming Kirby game for the Switch this year as it marks his return to traditional Kirby platforming on console since 2011's excellent Return to Dream Land on the Wii. On the 3DS, Kirby has been going strong with Triple Deluxe and the even better Planet Robobot. My Happy Sweet Time indeed.

Adventure Mode Konoha - Naurto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 (PS4, XBO, PC)

I have not played a Naurto game since Ultimate Ninja on the PS2. Since that time, dozens of Naruto games have been released in the west. I've been watching videos of Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 and one of the things that really grabbed my attention is the music. There's plenty of good battle themes but I really like the Konoha music that plays during the adventure mode.

Get Rid (Boss) - Blazing Star (ARC)

The 1998 sequel to Pulstar, Blazing Star (thankfully) has your ship respawn after you die, making for a slightly easier and even a bit faster paced game. Though the game does thrown a lot of enemies and even more bullets at you so it can still be quite challenging. The lady behind the music is Harumi Fuijita and she's turned in mostly jazzy score.

Favorite Tunes Database

Remix of the Week: Mute City (F-ZERO)

I've heard many a Mute City cover throughout the years. I gotta say, Nestalgica's metal cover is pretty dang awesome. Bonus points for covering that sick SNES Mute City opening as I have always loved that.

Now is the Perfect time for F-ZERO to Return

Art by AzureBladeXIII

Thirteen long years. That's how much time has passed since the last F-ZERO game was released on a home console. Its been twelve years since the last portable F-ZERO entry. Since the release of F-ZERO GX and F-ZERO: GP Legend, Nintendo's futuristic racing series has been sidelined, stuck in whatever high tech garages they use in Mute City, waiting for the day it can finally rev up it's engines once again. Well, in my humble opinion, that time is now.

F-ZERO GX was the last time we saw a console release in the series and that
was way back in 2003.

Mario Kart 8 sold well on the Wii U, reaching over 8 million in a period of a little over three years. However, the upgraded Deluxe edition on the Switch has sold over 4 million units and the game hasn't even been out for a full year yet. Splatoon 2 is already shaping up to outsell the original game with over 3 million and like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a year hasn't even passed since it released. People that missed out on Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon on the Wii U were probably experiencing these titles for the first time and existing fans also helped move sales. Let's not forget that ARMS, a brand new Nintendo IP, managed to to sell more than 1 million copies in June, the very month that it was released. For a new IP, that is highly impressive.

What I'm getting at is that the Switch is yet another Nintendo system that prints money. It also helps that Nintendo's ads are seriously on point. Switch ads are short, simple and to the point, showing off the system as a home console and a handheld and with more than 10 million Switch units sold, people are loving what Nintendo is selling. Combine the Switch with Nintendo's killer ads and there is no better time for Captain Falcon and the gang to return in their home franchise.

I can already hear some of you saying that we've got Shin'en Multimedia's FAST RACING series, which has similarities to F-ZERO. Both are insanely fast, futuristic racers. Heck, FAST RACING NEO and FAST RACING RMX  have the very same announcer from F-ZERO GX. I've heard some people say NEO and RMX are "basically F-ZERO". Similar as these two franchises may be, they are still different animals.

The FAST games let you change phases to get boosts when passing over the appropriate color. F-ZERO lets you boost whenever you please after completing the first lap at the expense of machine energy. You can bump into your opponents in FAST and send them off course but there is little in the way for you to hurt the opposition. F-ZERO gives you two options for attacking other racing outright, spinning and side attacks. Another key difference between the two series, and this is a big one, is characters. F-ZERO has Captain Falcon, Samurai Goroh, Pico, Dr. Stewart, Blood Falcon, Black Shadow and a host of other crazy comic book inspired fellows. Characters are one of the main reasons Nintendo's games are so universally loved. You could make the argument that they may not be as developed as lots of other story driven games, but Mario is loved by many despite Luigi having far more depth to him than his older brother (who also happens to be adored by throngs of fans). In contrast, the FAST games have no characters to speak of.

By no means am I trying to cite the FAST series as a lesser franchise by saying all of these things. I'm merely pointing out the differences between two similar games. The FAST games are highly enjoyable with a lot to offer and I'm glad they have a home on Nintendo systems. Having said that, the FAST games are not F-ZERO and in spite of those similarities, it never will be.

FAST RMX is great, but F-ZERO it ain't. 

Perhaps the biggest obstacle standing in the way of F-ZERO's return is Nintendo itself, or to be more precise, the the man who had a major hand in creating the series, Shigeru Miyamoto. The man has made it clear that he does not simply want to release another F-ZERO game. I'm all for innovation but not every game needs to reinvent the wheel. A new way to play has hardly stopped the company from releasing new entries in the New Super Mario Bros. series, one that is heavily criticized for being too samey. The Mario Kart franchise, while outstanding has hardly had much in the way of mind blowing ideas in years. Hasn't stopped Nintendo from cranking them out. Miyamoto is a genius but genius doesn't make you right all the time. That he can't understand why fans want F-ZERO to return is very puzzling to me.

Metroid made a comeback without doing anything radically different from what we saw from the games before. Why does F-ZERO have to do something bold or new to warrant a return? If Nintendo is unsure of making a new F-ZERO, they could outsource it to another developer, F-ZERO GX, what many to consider to be the best of the series was developed by Amusement Visions, one of SEGA's now defunct second parties. If any company should be tasked with handling Nintendo's anti-gravity racer, it should be none other than Shin'en Multimedia. They have more than proved themselves worthy of making a competent, blistering speed racer. With the Switch being a runaway success, Nintendo has nothing to lose and everything to gain from bringing F-ZERO out of its long retirement.