Since the original F-Zero launched with Super NES back in 1991, Nintendo's futuristic racer has spawned three sequels (one released only in Japan) and numerous imitators, including such popular franchises as WipeOut and Extreme G. We've always thought it pretty likely that the series would continue on GameCube, especially after its appearance on GBA, and that suspicion seems to be solidifying into fact.

During the last day of E3, Nintendo's gigantic video screen near the ceiling began showing footage of a futuristic racer that we can only assume to be F-Zero. The graphics were of GameCube quality, or seemed that way during our brief glimpse. Otherwise the footage was FMV, and in that case it could have been from an upcoming GBA commercial. That seems unlikely given what was actually contained in the video though: a sleek hovercraft zooming through a wire-mesh tunnel at insane speeds. Some of us were immediately reminded of the unfinished G-Zero on Virtual Boy, which featured fully flying hovercraft in tunnels. However, this new game, if that's what it is, had the car firmly planted on the inner surface of the tunnel...though it rode up on the walls quite a lot, and looked like it could very easily ride upside-down on the ceiling.

The only truly unsettling thing about the footage was that it contained no F-Zero or GameCube logos. The whole thing was very deliberately engineered to be a mystery, and of course no one at NOA has been willing to comment on it. It is highly likely that the footage was a teaser just like the one for Mario Kart for GameCube...just a fancy way to confirm that the game is in development. Seeing as how the clip didn't appear until the third day, it's also possible that the dev team behind it simply could not finish it in time to appear at the Nintendo press conference earlier that week, so it was slipped into the video feed for that big projection screen in the booth.

For the sake of argument, let's assume that the video shown was indeed a teaser for a GameCube F-Zero title. The clip may suggest a new style of gameplay with the tunnels...or that might just be a specific tunnel track. F-Zero X on N64 was noted for its perfect framerate, thirty cars onscreen at once, and sparse graphics. Nintendo will probably show off GameCube's power by keeping the same 60 frames-per-second fluidity and adding in incredibly detailed cars, tracks, and backgrounds. As for gameplay improvements, there are countless possibilities. The sometimes violent racing of F-Zero X should make a comeback, complete with new high-speed attacks (but NOT projectile weapons) and an expanded Death Race mode with multiplayer options. The very popular X-Cup with its randomly generated tracks will surely return as well, and perhaps this time the game will include a track editor without having to buy any defunct system add-on.

What new gameplay tweaks and modes could the next F-Zero introduce? It's impossible to say, but considering the various advances and innovation this series is famous for, you can bet that the GameCube version will include something you've never seen before.