Outside of Mario Kart 64, the Nintendo 64 wasn't known for its' racing games, even though there were quite a few good ones on the system. F-Zero X, like its predecessor on the SNES, was a bit unfairly labeled as a glorifed tech demo by many when it came out. But those that scoffed at the game missed out on one of the best racing games of the time.

Thankfully, F-Zero X still hold up well today. The graphics are very sparse by present-day standards, but they still do an excellent job in conveying a sense of unbridled speed.

Sonically, this was one of Nintendo's more under-rated efforts. Wipeout on the PS1 might have gotten more buzz for its' use of licensed tracks, but F-Zero X definitely holds its' own in the sound department.

Most importantly, the game still controls like a dream and is a blast to play. There's nothing really fancy here -- those people looking for stuff like deep customization will want to go elsewhere.

But what F-Zero X does deliver is fast and exciting action, which can be enjoyed with up to four people if you have enough controllers. F-Zero X provided the benchmark for the futuristic racing genre, and is well worth the download.