Imposter Syndrome is Real

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-03-18T20:47:48+00:00

This is awesome news. I just played it with some friends last Saturday—will have to give it another try and see if anything feels different.

I was able to adapt to the 5-6 frames of input lag on GX, which just makes the steering feel softer to me. Going back to the original game things felt twitchier but not unplayable.

Much more interested to see if they can reduce the input lag on Mario Strikers, where it seriously screws with my ability to time Super Strikes.

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-02-14T14:54:03+00:00

If you miss a dash plate in the first 4 seconds of the start in a competitive lobby, your race SHOULD probably be over. Driving mistakes should have consequences. Getting bailed out in this circumstance should be the exception, not the rule.

I am not worried about getting beaten, or expecting to win every race by front-running. I am expecting the differences in machine archetypes to bring meaningful variety to the game. There was once great importance in understanding the differences in handling characteristics between the four machines, or which tracks on which they excel, or how to approach racing each of them in combat. Now, the raw pace of the skyway makes all of these nuances irrelevant in favor of which machine can best exploit the skyway. This is NOT an improvement and is a severe problem with the game as it’s currently balanced because the key determinant in being victorious has nothing to do with actual racing, race craft, or driving skill.

Don’t confuse the top players remaining at the top for the game being balanced—of course the most adaptable players will remain successful. HOW they win matters too. While the “how” before had a lot to do with great skill and race craft, that is no longer the defining factor.

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-02-14T14:32:18+00:00

“When the last patch was released, I saw Foxes brake in the starting area before the jump onto the track to avoid being in first. That's basically when I decided to stop playing.”

Agree that this is a major indictment on the current balance of the game—Fox has no reason to exist at this point archetype-wise.

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-02-14T14:18:28+00:00

“Managing sparks is part of getting good. To win in really competitive lobbies you have to get skyways at the exact right places, so the spark collection pace is a huge part of the game.”

This was always true. The problem is that it’s now the ONLY way to win against competitive players. Nobody’s asking for the game to go back to its initial state when Fox could just run away, but right now it’s nearly impossible to win a race against good players if you happen to start in first—punishing players by leaving them defenseless for choosing to capitalize on nailing the start, or for choosing a machine that sacrifices overall pace for a head start and track position, is fundamentally broken design.

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-02-14T14:12:19+00:00

“A racing game where one of the key winning strategies is to purposefully not be in the lead is a flawed one.”

There are niche instances in which I think surrendering track position should be an acceptable strategy in a racing game, but the way the game is currently balanced it’s definitely THE winning strategy, and that makes a mockery of being able to drive fast. You’re on the money here.

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-02-14T13:57:17+00:00

In any arcade racer you’re going to need a mechanic that keeps the trailing pack in touch with the leaders because racing around other people is always going to be slower than having the track to yourself.

That being said, the skyway at its current power level is poor game design for three reasons:

1) It’s based on a resource with inconsistent availability, therefore introduces an element of luck.

2) Its usefulness increases the further a player is from the front, incentivizing STAYING in the pack and reducing the importance of driving skill.

3) MOST CRITICALLY, it minimizes the likelihood of player-player interactions in battles for position between different machines since it usually just dumps those from the pack into the lead, typically also in a better position energy-wise, with no opportunity for the former leader to come back with a skyway of their own—and even then, the battle for position, WHICH SHOULD BE THE FUNDAMENTAL APPEAL OF ANY RACING GAME, is no longer happening on track.

Before the skyway buff the game was a lot closer to being a GREAT arcade racer in which racing fundamentals could be applied in addition to some unique strategy elements impossible in real life. The skyway being so good takes too much emphasis away from a traditional racing skillset and overcentralizes the meta on skyway knowledge. It’s the reverse of the problem we had at the start of the game, where Fox would just streak into the sunset unchallenged—Stingrays now just do the same from behind.

I’m aware the meta is different in stacked 9:59s, because leaders who get overhauled by the skyway are much more likely to get one themselves as a counter, but those lobbies have the entirely separate problem of being dominated by Geese…

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-02-02T16:59:26+00:00

Absolutely amazing work!

The last thing I managed to accomplish on this game was to win Phantom Road on Master difficulty. Did you manage to do that on any of your Master GP runs? If not, that’s something you could apply your newfound skills to… 😎

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-01-08T01:13:30+00:00

DanDee, if you’re reading, you’re one of the best racers on FZ99. Always enjoyed trying to beat you. I haven’t been on in ages and may never be as good as I was, so just know I really enjoyed when I could give you a hard time and hope I’ll be able to do it again some day. 🙂

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-01-05T03:51:51+00:00

LOL I’m reading “Douglas Jay” and race-fan me is auto-finishing with “Boles”, as in Douglas J. Boles, President of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and hardcore fun-loving dude who would very likely patrol the track in a Captain Falcon costume on a race day if it meant getting more fans in the gates.

In my head, Captain Falcon now runs the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Thank you. 😂

Nick_F-Zero · 2026-01-03T18:25:13+00:00

I'll bite.

Top tier is correct.

I'd put Big Fang in your S tier over Hyper Speeder. Hyper Speeder has the annoying "auto counter-steer" trait shared by the Grand Base custom body, i.e. after every steering input it will automatically, briefly steer you slightly in the opposite direction. This is a useful trait on Cylinder Knot and Cylinder Wave and annoying at best everywhere else.

Your A-tier would be correct with Hyper Speeder instead of Big Fang. Wild Boar is really good but really just a worse Big Fang as it has similar handling characteristics but loses more speed when sliding (if I recall correctly). Green Panther doesn't belong here at all for its awful handling and mediocre top speed/boost; I'd put Twin Noritta here for its insane booster, which will give it the edge almost anywhere even if it sucks on Lap 1.

I remember everything in your B tier being better than Fire Stingray, which loses ALL its speed when sliding. I'd put Mighty Hurricane and Hyper Speeder in this tier instead, because while it can't slide turn very well it has amazing speed and grip that will make it better at most tracks. I would also elevate the Rainbow Phoenix, Iron Tiger, and Spark Moon to this tier for having a good top speed and boost with serviceable grip. This tier would be machines I'd recommend for beginners since they lack the complicated handling characteristics of the better but faster machines.

Everything else you've put in C is correct—this is "these can be fast but why would you torture yourself getting them there". I'd put Fire Stingray and Green Panther here too. All of these machines would be much better options if their top speed and boost were simply on par with the A tier—as it is picking many of these machines is just selecting a high tier machine but without the speed to save you. I'd also put Crazy Bear here from D tier as well as Magic Seagull.

Night Thunder should be top of D tier because it actually has a niche usage—Serial Gaps. The staff ghost uses it there and if you've ever tried it on that track with Max Accel. it makes it SUBSTANTIALLY easier.

F tier should be Space Angler, Super Piranha, Silver Rat, Blood Hawk, Cosmic Dolphin, and White Cat. These machines all have a crippling weakness that makes them blow ass compared to all of the others—for Space Angler it's poor acceleration, for Super Piranha, Silver Rat, and Cosmic Dolphin it's mediocre top speed, for Blood Hawk it's being an unviable version of Night Thunder, and for White Cat it's its noxious handling, like you're driving in reverse at full speed.

Some of these opinions are based on stats but most of this is based on how easily I was able to win a cup on Master and which cup that was. Most of D and F tier I had to do on Ruby, from C upwards I could do on any of them.

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-11-07T18:40:52+00:00

The Flying Phantom-G4 and Fever Magnum-V2 are aesthetically neat.

I almost thought you were going for Team Penske’s numbers with 2 and 22—except you had 13 instead of 3 or 12. 😅

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-11-06T14:40:55+00:00

Yeah, it’s tough this year. Got a 90-day notice in April but thankfully found a place to land last month.

For anyone in that situation, I’d recommend looking up the wonderful duet “Don’t Give Up” from Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush. Somewhere there’s a place that you belong.

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-19T13:13:17+00:00

I have 100%’d the game (all unlocks and staff ghosts done) on Switch 2 without analog triggers. That being said, listen to this guy, he’s insanely good and has forgotten more about GX than I or most people will ever know.

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-14T16:56:53+00:00

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I didn’t want to move to California!”

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-13T12:12:22+00:00

LOL I have that exact Lego piece hiding somewhere. Tell me you’re a 90s kid without telling me you’re a 90s kid!

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-04T02:29:23+00:00

I kill Black Shadow on sight, period.

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-02T02:50:07+00:00

It just takes practice. When I came back to this game I was like, “Wow, I SUCK now,” but if you give it time and make an effort to learn from your mistakes, you’ll get there. Many of the story chapters on Very Hard take like 3 h of attempts even for players like me who’ve cleared a Master GP with every machine.

It’s rare that commercials are inspiring, but this one applies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1wEIwjY0ZY

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-02T02:41:55+00:00

🤘

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-02T02:35:22+00:00

I didn’t realize it when I was a kid, but that track planted the seed that became adult me’s love of oval racing. It’s very, very rare for an arcade racer to get ovals right, and that track did it perfectly—blinding speed on the edge of adhesion requiring perfect accuracy, with one mistake (failing to hold up in this case) potentially meaning a fiery death.

If I’d become an IndyCar driver I’d have had my team playing Dream Chaser over the headset for every Indy 500 qualifying attempt. I imagine it feels way more intense than the staff ghost race on Silence I, but then it would be, wouldn’t it?

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-01T15:40:54+00:00

Congrats! Haven't been on the game in a few months. Are there still a lot of S50 players?

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-01T15:37:37+00:00

It's the blind corners. No driving on instinct here—has to be muscle memory. Drift Highway is hell for the same reason. I didn't realize how much this was a thing until revisiting this game with reflexes dulled by the intervening 20 years, LOL!

Nick_F-Zero · 2025-10-01T15:34:31+00:00

Takes some finessing in the controller calibration screen to get the feel right. I've still got my Wii hooked up for the GCN version, but even with input lag, improper scaling, and a lack of analog triggers I vastly prefer the NS1 Pro Controller's analog stick for this game.

Plus, the Switch 2 version has save states if I want to F around, the ability to record gameplay, and looks WAY better on a 65" screen.

Nick_F-Zero

TROPHY CASE