A Classic F-Zero Moment
This week I am attempting to unlock the fifth cup in F-Zero GX. Such requires ranking first in Master Class on each of the four other cups. This of course is no simple feat: Master Class means you must risk your life by boosting constantly while racing, and for all five tracks in a cup you are only given one retry.
Last night. 4:00 AM. I am racing on Mute City: Sereal Gaps, the final track of the Sapphire Cup. I'm on my last ship, but I'm nearly 100 points ahead of second place. This means virtually any placement will grant me first overall. Death means defeat; Completion of the track means victory.
Two laps down, the music picks up and the final lap begins. Fifth Place. I'm not in first, but I remind myself it's more important to keep cool than to place high. Naturally since I'm playing Master by the time two thirds of the lap is behind me my ship's integrity is down to the point that being thrown around amonst the other competators means certain death. I hit the boost before the big gap, overestimate the distance, and nearly fly off the left side of a right curve. Stunned that I'm still in the race, I desparately bear right, but my added distance allowed the crowd behind me to catch up. In midair, I meet the hull of another racer.
"Broken down!" the announcer voice shouts. My ship, now spinning out of control and on the verge of bursting into flames, makes contact with the steep incline before the finish line. My intense speed causes the impact to launch my helpless ship rediculously high, covering almost all the distance remaining on the course.
I've seen this happen before. Is luck on my side? I wait patiently as the last of my momentum propels my remains closer, and closer...
"Finish!" My victory is confirmed and at the same moment my ship explodes and in its place is now an unrecognizable hunk of steel melded to the track. Fifteenth place. Dead average, but enough to give me first overall. I won my blue star above the Sapphire Cup.
But that wasn't the best part - it turns out the game's ending credits feature actual screen captures from the end of each race in the cup. The credits roll and a sequence of the Deepclaw crossing the finish line after each race is shown to the right, ending with a nice conclusive capture of the smoking wreakage that once was my ship. Quite the joyful ending after all.
Last night. 4:00 AM. I am racing on Mute City: Sereal Gaps, the final track of the Sapphire Cup. I'm on my last ship, but I'm nearly 100 points ahead of second place. This means virtually any placement will grant me first overall. Death means defeat; Completion of the track means victory.
Two laps down, the music picks up and the final lap begins. Fifth Place. I'm not in first, but I remind myself it's more important to keep cool than to place high. Naturally since I'm playing Master by the time two thirds of the lap is behind me my ship's integrity is down to the point that being thrown around amonst the other competators means certain death. I hit the boost before the big gap, overestimate the distance, and nearly fly off the left side of a right curve. Stunned that I'm still in the race, I desparately bear right, but my added distance allowed the crowd behind me to catch up. In midair, I meet the hull of another racer.
"Broken down!" the announcer voice shouts. My ship, now spinning out of control and on the verge of bursting into flames, makes contact with the steep incline before the finish line. My intense speed causes the impact to launch my helpless ship rediculously high, covering almost all the distance remaining on the course.
I've seen this happen before. Is luck on my side? I wait patiently as the last of my momentum propels my remains closer, and closer...
"Finish!" My victory is confirmed and at the same moment my ship explodes and in its place is now an unrecognizable hunk of steel melded to the track. Fifteenth place. Dead average, but enough to give me first overall. I won my blue star above the Sapphire Cup.
But that wasn't the best part - it turns out the game's ending credits feature actual screen captures from the end of each race in the cup. The credits roll and a sequence of the Deepclaw crossing the finish line after each race is shown to the right, ending with a nice conclusive capture of the smoking wreakage that once was my ship. Quite the joyful ending after all.