LogFAQs > #976093767

Yeah, I've been having a ton of fun with it. The gameplay of F-Zero is great, and the added battle royale touches are interesting and fun. I really like the Gran Prix races. They get very intense, especially because if you crash you're out completely. It's funny to see the final race only have like a dozen people left (to the point I was surprised when the race started out on an unmodified track instead of the ones with an "opening" section!)

I wanted to make a compilation of tips and tricks since games like these tend to be hard to learn good strategy for. If you have any to add on, feel free to do so.

• There are two types of starting boosts. If you hold the accelerate button right before the race starts you get a small boost. If you hold it down even earlier, you'll get a bigger boost, but will slow down afterwards. Ideally after you boost you'll want to move in front of another racer so that they bump into from behind and push you forward. Which boost to use depends on how close you are to other racers, and what your position is relative to them.
• The spin attack is good offensively, but is fantastic defensively because you're invincible in the middle of it. I try to save it for situations where I REALLY don't want to be bumped around, like on challenging turns. It's also great at places where everyone congregates, like on jump pads and boost pads. It can also save you from hitting the Bumper vehicles.
• When you land from a jump pad you'll lose speed, unless you hold down before you hit the ground. A lot of people don't realize this, so you can gain a big advantage doing this. This also seems to work when landing from the Sky Track. Additionally, your Spin Attack will instantly recover when you hit a jump pad. Be sure to use an attack before you jump to get extra value.
• Know that there are a lot of different ways to take a turn. You can do a normal turn with the joystick/dpad, you can turn while letting go of the accelerator, you can turn only using the shoulder buttons, or a combination of those options. Each one gives you a different angle, and each one has value depending on the turn you're taking. Experiment and mix things up. Also, if you have trouble with magnets/wind, the shoulder button turn is often enough to counteract them when used properly, and can help you not fly all over the place.
• You can destroy machines by boosting into them. If you see a weak machine, it might be worth a boost. If you get a KO, your energy meter grows and can restore to full.
• If there's a recovery strip directly after the starting line, you can use a boost as soon as you get boost power since you can recover the health immediately anyway. If you have a lot of health, and are about to get enough power for the Sky Track, and you plan to use that immediately, you can boost before you get it to maximize your abilities. Additionally, unless you REALLY want to play it safe, boost right before crossing the finish line, even if you don't have a lot of health. The race is gonna end anyway, and you'll probably survive. (Probably...)
• If you have the Super Boost to get on the Sky Track you can hold onto it and save it for a difficult section that will save you the most time. If you're clever, you can even get an extra time save by using it in the right spot. For instance, driving towards the wall of a corner and then using it might send you flying over the wall. The effectiveness varies from course to course. That said, it seems like the limit for how long you stay on the track depends on where you use it. Skipping big portions seems to tend to make it last for a shorter time. So compare turns and sections you know you can take well despite their difficulty. Additionally, it doesn't seem to really like to just dump you back on the track in a way that will screw you up, so you sometimes get extra time on the Sky Track because of that. If you use it in the right section, timing it so that it would normally "end" in a tricky spot, you can actually end up getting bonus time to let you pass that spot. (Also, ALSO, you can hold onto it to use it to save yourself if you're about to explode).
• If you're just starting out and want to spice up your ID card, do one of the time trials on the Practice Courses. You'll get a nifty background easily. You can also get a quick new vehicle color by doing a Team Battle. You basically have a 50% chance to win, and you get a color for your first victory.