Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
It’s been a long time since the last F-Zero title. While there were entries on the Game Boy Advance, the last major release was on the Nintendo GameCube all the way back in 2003. Since then, Nintendo has been depressingly silent on the state of F-Zero. But in a recent interview with IGN, series artist Takaya Imamura gives fans a bit of hope that the series isn’t dead, but in a kind of limbo.
The IGN interview with Takaya Imamura covers a wide range of topics about the artist’s 32 year career with Nintendo. But one thing stood out to us here at Shacknews, and that was Imamura’s statements about F-Zero and whether the series is dead or alive.
According to Imamura, he has thought about the F-Zero series a lot, but without a “grand new idea” bringing back the beloved franchise is a challenge. Below is the quote from IGN’s interview.
“Of course, I’ve thought about it many times, but without a grand new idea, it’s hard to bring it back,” Imamura says, assuring IGN that his departure from Nintendo does not mean that the series is dead.
Takaya Imamura also states that he considered F-Zero GX to be “the ultimate F-Zero”. As players have come to anticipate from the Big N, new entries in series typically involve a tantalizing new mechanic or direction that completely revolutionizes the franchise.
It was only a few months ago that SEGA’s Toshihiro Nagoshi revealed he would like to work on a new, challenging F-Zero game. Perhaps all the talk surrounding a new game might lead to Nintendo taking the plunge and beginning development on a sequel or a franchise reboot. After all, Metroid Prime 4 has had its share of woes but that hasn’t stopped its development.
Though it’s not a game announcement, it’s at least reassuring to hear someone like Takaya Imamura state that F-Zero isn’t dead. Hopefully someone at Nintendo can come up with a “grand new idea” that will lead to a new F-Zero experience. In the meantime, make sure you keep it locked to Shacknews as we continue to cross our fingers and toes in an effort to will a sequel into existence.