‘Aero GPX’ is a man’s vision of ‘F-Zero’ Reborn, and it could change

It has been almost two decades since we got a new F-zero I play what Really It should be a crime, or something like that. Still, if Nintendo isn’t going to make a new F-Zero, then maybe we should look elsewhere; For example, solo developer Aaron McDevitt is preparing an F-Zero-style racer by the name of Aero GPX, and it certainly looks like it could build on the good work seen in the N64 iteration of the franchise, F-Zero X.

Eager to learn a little more about the game, we sat down with McDevitt for a quick chat.

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Nintendo Life: What do you love about F-Zero?

Aaron McDevitt: Well, basically everything! If I had to pick one particular look that F-Zero nails, it’s the sheer responsiveness of the controls. F-Zero X and GX respond almost instantly to player input; even the most basic act of spinning the machine feels instantaneous when the player is finicky with the analog joystick. I’ve done my best to push that further in Aero GPX; to make it appear that instead of “driving” the vehicle, you are actually “controlling” it as if it were a character. Hope that makes sense!

What inspired you to create the Aero GPX?

I was bouncing through various project files and I thought, “Hey, I’m going to try to reproduce the antigravity physics from the F-Zero games.” I started working on it and eventually there was a “eureka!” moment when things fell into place. I started to see potential in it; the prototype began to feel good and technologically worked without problems. Of course, my love for antigravity runners also helped get the ball rolling.

Have you noticed that the game will focus on flight and deep mechanics, could you explain?

An essential part of the Aero GPX track design are aerial wind tunnels called “Slipstreams”. Slipstreams can be flown in all directions and add a significant airborne element to the Aero GPX game. I wanted to add to the antigravity racing sandbox with my own twist, and the slipstreams have been a blast to design. Riders can also dive in and out of them to gain momentum using a new advanced mechanic called “Drill Dive,” in which they engage at a downward angle and dive to gain speed. That’s the “deep mechanics” part of my design goals; put in place mechanics for players to learn that allow them to express themselves and push the limits. I’m trying my best to make the game fun for players of all skill levels, but I want to incorporate special mechanics to reward players who want to optimize and push the game to the limit as well.

What aspect of the game are you most proud of?

So far I am most proud of the shader I wrote for machines. It’s honestly just one application of a couple of simple math and modeling techniques that have been around for decades. I found a pretty unique way to present them that gives Aero GPX machines a pretty unique aesthetic. I worked on that shader for basically a whole month making sure it rendered that elusive image in my mind of how I wanted the machines to look.

Is anyone else involved in the development of Aero GPX?

Not yet! So far it’s just been me.

You also said that your intention is to develop the game so that it is not so close to F-Zero. How do you propose to do this?

Most of this will occur once you start working on the final game tracks in the design phase. I am using both a health and boost resource for Aero GPX; where in F-Zero everything happens under one resource. I keep the risk-reward component by having separate recharge zones that are always parallel, forcing the player to choose between recharging health or boosting. I also have a ton of mechanics and track design techniques planned that will definitely make the Aero GPX feel like its own; Especially when mixing Slipstreams and a few other meaningful twists on the antigravity racing sandbox I’ve planned!

What is the timeline for the launch? Do you think there is any chance this will finally make it to the Switch?

I don’t really have a timeline yet. Basically I already have all the development tools and the back-end of the game. From now on, it’s mostly about track design, art, and content work. That could take longer or be shorter than progress to this point; It is the first game I made. However, I am working on it every day and I am definitely going to release Aero GPX eventually. I would also love for Aero GPX to exist on consoles one day starting with Switch!