Lightning is an area where the climate was once calm, but due to centuries of air pollution, a perpetually-scaled lightning zone eventually formed. This extreme air pollution continues to destroy the ozone layer. The frequent bolts of electricity which hammer down from the sky are harnessed and put to use by innovative power companies. The total power generated in the efficient recycling facilities exceeds 10 million gigawatts. The output is so great, in fact, that Lightning now exports its excess power to neighboring planets.^[1]

Appearance in the games

Lightning appears in F-Zero GX, F-Zero GP Legend (game), and F-Zero Climax.

F-Zero GX/AX

There are three circuit configurations in the Lightning venue, including one circuit from F-Zero AX.

• Loop Cross is a straightforward track that features two loop sections that pass over and through one another (hence the name) - one vertically and one horizontally. There is also a 360 degree turn at one end of the circuit and a vertical switchback on the other.
• Half Pipe takes place on a road surface that curves upwards and has no barriers at the top, meaning that passing over the edge will result in instant retirement. There are many tight curves here to try and steer the racers towards the edge and near the end of the track are a series of laser barriers.
• Thunder Road is the second-to-last AX circuit. It has no noteworthy obstacles or gimmicks but is relatively long. One section is very bumpy while another takes the form of a series of sharp sequential horizontal shifts to the right.

It is also featured in Chapter 4-6 in the Story Mode. Captain Falcon drives to the Lightning area to stop Black Shadow from causing trouble, and later to save Jody Summer from an exploding building. It takes the form of a long tunnel with blast doors that must be avoided in order to escape within the time limit. Energy capsules can be picked up along the way to replenish the Blue Falcon's shield and facilitate boosting.

F-Zero GP Legend

Volute (only in F-Zero GP Legend) has a nasty jump which must be hit at an angle in order to survive it. All of the courses in GP Legend are filled with Speed Boosts.

F-Zero Climax

In Climax, each of the circuits has multiple routes, so players must plan their strategy if they should place either at a higher rank, or wind up in the back of the pack; the magnets and angle jump plates should be cautioned as well.

Anime

Lightning has appeared twice in the anime: the 1st time was in Lap 30, Only One Falcon, we see a track that's based on a Lightning circuit; while the other, Lap 45, Zoda's Other Ambition, where there's a sequence in which Rick escapes from Black Shadow's/Don Genie's death traps. A Dark Million base was stationed there as well.

Because of the thunderstorms, Lightning is meant to be a dangerous track. There are also several very tight turns that the pilots are required to brake at to make.

Trivia

• In F-Zero GX, Lightning appears in all odd-numbered cups. The Ruby Cup is the 1st cup, the Emerald Cup is the 3rd cup, and the AX cup is the 5th cup.
  • Coincidentally, in those cups, Lightning appears as the 2nd-to-last track.
• In F-Zero: Maximum Velocity, a track called Tenth Zone East is similar to Lightning.
• It is presumed that the games continuity (excluding the anime based games and content) counterpart of Lightning is on Earth. The anime continuity's version, however, is an entirely different planet.

Gallery

References

Improved translation (2024-04-19): The unusual weather caused by air pollution had become a serious problem over the course of 26 centuries. Even this once calm climate was now frequently covered in thick thunderclouds and experienced frequent thunderbolts. The energy companies of each planet, struggling with energy problems, decided to invest enormous funds in constructing enormous power plants to utilize this lightning energy. The pride of these power plants, which have now been completed, is that they can supply 10,000,000 gigawatts of electricity to neighboring planets.