Captain Falcon
| Captain Falcon | |
|---|---|
| F-Zero series character | |
| File:Captain Falcon.jpg | |
| First game | F-Zero (1990) |
| Created by | Shigeru Miyamoto |
Captain Falcon (キャプテン・ファルコン, Kyaputen Farukon) (full name: Captain Douglas Jay Falcon) is a human character in the F-Zero series, Nintendo's fast paced futuristic racing video game franchise. He first appeared in the 1990 game F-Zero. He is one of four original characters to make their debut in this game. Introduced as a mysterious futuristic racer, the character was not typical of futuristic racing games at the time. Yet only his machine was actually shown in-game where it was portrayed by a two-dimensional sprite. Not until F-Zero X has he made an appearance that has been conveyed by a computer-generated image (CGI). The Smash Bros. games are the only times he has appeared outside the F-Zero series and the first time that he himself became a playable character.[1] Other than that, the character has only once been featured outside the video games from Nintendo — on a television show called F-Zero GP Legend which based its storyline about the game with the same name. However, later F-Zero titles revealed significantly more details about him.
It's rumored that he's called Captain because he was once an officer on the Internova Police Force.[2] Captain Falcon races in a F-ZERO machine called the Blue Falcon, arguably the most well-rounded vehicle in the games. He is the winner of the F-Zero X Grand Prix and if successful again during the F-Zero Grand Prix in F-Zero GX, according to an interview, he will use the prize money towards building another machine, the Neo Blue Falcon.[3] When he is not taking part in races, he works as a bounty hunter, as portrayed in F-Zero GX and F-Zero: GP Legend. While most of his past is a complete mystery, it is known that his body and mind are honed from the many battles he has survived.[4]
Physical characteristics
- Species: Human.
- Occupations: Lone space-faring bounty hunter and F-Zero racer.
- Gender: Male.
- Age: 37.
- Homeworld: On Earth, in an island chain off the coast of Port Town.
- Hair color: Officially dark brown, depicted as a lighter brown in the anime.
- Eye color: Depicted as brown in the anime.
Other characteristics
These characteristics are from F-Zero Climax and are only considered to be applied to this game, if not all the GBA games. The GBA games are considered reboot continuities since they feature contradictions with other information when compared to the home console games. However, it should be noted that some of these contradictions are not far from what the console games states.[5]
- Date of Birth: 4.10
- Blood type: A+
Common attributes of Captain Falcon
Captain Falcon is "an accomplished F-ZERO pilot, a renowned and talented bounty hunter" as described in the first F-Zero game which was released for the SNES. In this game, he was "rumored to be in his early 30s",[6] then was 36 in F-Zero X and 37 in F-Zero GX.
Appearance
Brash and flashy in appearance, Captain Falcon stands tall and firm. Wearing a combination of a flight suit and body armor, he is covered mostly by blue pants and blue formfitting body armor and wears a helmet for protection. He always carries a sidearm in a holster on the right side of his hip.[7] He is only seen using the sidearm once, for on-foot bounty-hunter work and self-defense.[8]
Biography
Captain Falcon is the legendary bounty hunter and F-Zero racer who is well-known for defeating Black Shadow and revealing his face for the first time after winning the F-Zero X Grand Prix. He has the most rivals of all F-Zero characters; Samurai Goroh, Zoda, Michael Chain, Blood Falcon, Black Shadow, Deathborn, Dai Goroh, and Don Genie.[3]
Return of the F-ZERO Grand Prix
- The biography of this section is from F-Zero X
Falcon’s DNA was stolen while he was hospitalized after the huge accident that suspended the F-ZERO Grand Prix, which resulted in the creation of his clone - Blood Falcon. The main reason Port Town High Jump was built was due to the feeling and the casualties.[3]
Very little information known about his personal background. Over the years, Captain Falcon has gained a reputation as one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. This record has earned him an arrangement of foes. This constant danger has forced him to live in a sanctuary on an island chain, he acquired this island chain off the coast of Port Town. Each of the islands has a different track on it, giving Falcon safety as he sharpens his racing skill. He spends most of his time on the island, and is rarely known for leaving it. Within this inner sanctum he shows his true self —but no one has ever seen this side of him. Even after winning a race, he takes his award and quickly dashes home. Though he is an accomplished racer and bounty hunter, Captain Falcon is can be considered a workaholic.[7]
Winner of the previous F-ZERO Grand Prix
- The biography of this section is from F-Zero GX
Captain Falcon was the winner of the previous F-ZERO Grand Prix, making him to be more popular then ever before. He is well known as a skilled bounty hunter. Aside from the fact that he hails from Port Town, his past is a complete mystery. The many battles he has survived had improved his body and mind.[3] He was the main character in this game's story mode. After winning a number of races and saving Jody Summer, he went on to defeat Black Shadow, Deathborn, and even the Creators of the F-Zero world.[9]
Machine information
The Blue Falcon is Captain Falcon's F-Zero machine. Its machine number was "111", then later switched to "07" in F-Zero X. He is expected to use a totally different machine called the Neo Blue Falcon sometime in the future after it is completed. The Blue Falcon one of the most balanced vehicles in the F-Zero series and the lightest out of the four original machines; rating C for boost and B for body and grip, making him a good choice for players of any skill. Thanks to the efforts of the pilot, Captain Falcon, the Blue Falcon is well-balanced and impeccably tuned.
With relatively little training, even a novice could perform well in this machine. The engine it utilizes was built especially for Captain Falcon and is perfectly compatible with the fuselage.[10] With a well-defended body, average boost power and decent grip, the Blue Falcon has been under his control for years. He knows every inch of the machine and can make it perform as though it has a straight-A rating.[7]
| Body | Boost | Grip | Weight | Vehicle Designer | Engine Model Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | C | B | 1,260 kg. (2777.82 lbs) | Unknown | BF2003x4 |
The Blue Falcon's true weakness is its C boost, which hinders it in most races. It has a good acceleration to top speed ratio, reaching high top speeds when set to top speed, zipping past most other racers when set to acceleration. The Blue Falcon is not a specialized ship, making it decent in most situations, but not as good as the Wild Goose in tight corners, the Golden Fox in long turns, or the Fire Stingray in long straightaways. In the original F-Zero game, it has the most well rounded characteristics.
The Falcon Flyer is Captain Falcon's speedy midsize star cruiser that boasts an on-board computer that allows Falcon to control it remotely. This is probably the reason why it's never appeared on-screen in an F-Zero game. In fact the only time it did appear in the series, was on one the last pages of the original F-Zero's instruction manual. However, without this ship, Falcon couldn't prowl the galaxy like a lone wolf: the Blue Falcon is a state-of-the-art machine, but it's only used for F-Zero races.[11]
Appearances in games
The following F-Zero games have featured Captain Falcon:
- F-Zero (1991, SNES)
- F-Zero X (1998, N64)
- F-Zero X Expansion Kit (2000, N64)
- F-Zero GX (2003, GameCube)
- F-Zero AX (2003, Arcade)
- F-Zero: GP Legend (2004, Game Boy Advance)
- F-Zero Climax (2004, Game Boy Advance)
Captain Falcon was not shown in the BS versions.
The following F-Zero game never featured Captain Falcon:
Captain Falcon made appearances in other Nintendo games:
- Super Smash Bros. (1999, N64) (Hidden character)
- Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001, GameCube) (Playable character)
Captain Falcon in other media
Although information is only considered series canon if it comes from the games or instruction booklets (where there is conflict), or occasionally other Nintendo materials, there are a number of other officially licensed F-Zero stories.
The F-Zero GP Legend TV series
Captain Falcon, as voiced by David Wills, was featured in this anime which originally aired all fifty-one episodes from 2003 - 2004 in Japan as a part of TV Tokyo’s lineup. Fifteen episodes were produced before the GP Legend's cancellation in America. Based on the video game F-Zero GP Legend, the series presented Captain Falcon's persona basically the sameway done in the video games. He is considered Ryu Suzaku's (Rick Wheeler's) best friend and enemy.
A veteran racer by nature, Captain Falcon is one of the fiercest competitors on the track. Although he doesn't seem to like it, he also helps out a lot off the tracks. Whether or not he is still the bounty hunter that everyone has come to know, he's still feared by many gangs, especially the gangs causing havoc in Port Town and intimidates many others. Rumors has it that he has retired since the last racing season, and has opened a small shop in Mute City. Captain Falcon is a very shady character, he doesn't appear in all the episodes, but still plays a significant role. What might explain why he's not on the scene all the time, is he's still a bounty hunter. A true veteran to the sport, Falcon always goes for first place, unless there is something wrong during the race.[12] His main bounty is to capture Black Shadow, but once Blood Falcon appears, things get very complicated as he faces an evil twin. He has appeared in the Opening Lap, but after that, he comes and goes as he pleases. At the end of the series, Captain Falcon dies and passes his title onto Ryu Suzaku (Rick Wheeler).
F-Zero - The Story of Captain Falcon comic
An eight-paged comic included in the manual of the 1990 SNES F-Zero game. It had the original character designs of Captain Falcon, the three other original pilots, unknown (or radically designed) F-Zero pilots and the F-Zero announcer - Mr. Zero. Unlike most of the video games, the comic carried the reader fully through one of Falcon's bounty missions for the first time. Also, the comic had the first and only full appearance in the F-Zero series of Captain Falcon using his sidearm and him using his Falcon Flyer cruiser.[8] While largely forgotten and ignored, this is actually the source of some persistent fanon beliefs.
Appearances in other games
Super Smash Bros. series
Captain Falcon is one of four characters that can be unlocked in Nintendo’s 1999 fighting game, Super Smash Bros. Captain Falcon is also one of the 14 playable characters available from the start in Super Smash Bros. Melee, the 2001 sequel to Super Smash Bros. In these his moves seem to be a mix between Kung Fu and street brawling.[1] It is currently unknown if he will appear in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Falcon has been voiced by Ryo Horikawa; but because no F-Zero game before contains substantial spoken dialog, the part consists of a radical departure of voice acting compared to what F-Zero GX contains.
In Super Smash Bros., Captain Falcon is a very fast close combat fighter. A player can play as "Blood Falcon" by changing Falcon's costume color to red and purple. His signature move is the Falcon Punch, a slow but powerful, fiery punch in which a fiery falcon surrounds Falcon's fist. Unlike most other characters, Captain Falcon shouts as he executes most of his special moves.[1] The "Falcon Punch" is also referenced in the ending song of Story Mode in F-Zero GX. His other moves are Falcon Kick, which unlike the punch, is very fast and takes him a fairly long distance, and Falcon Dive, which propels him upward and, should he come in contact with an opponent, grab hold and bounce off them with a fiery kick. Captain Falcon is also known for his signature taunt in which he puts one hand on his waist, salutes with the other then commands the other player to "Show me your moves!"
In Super Smash Bros. Melee, he receives several new moves; two of these are the Raptor Boost and the Knee Smash. The Raptor Boost blasts him forward with a vertical uppercut. Like the Falcon Dive, the Raptor Boost can be used as a horizontal recovery move, and will leave the player vulnerable when used in the air. The Knee Smash on the other hand, is often used as a "finisher move", often at the end of a combo. It must be timed correctly to insure maximum damage and velocity, or it will result in a normal attack. If done correctly, there will be a small electrical charge on contact, and will send enemies at a low trajectory with great power. Falcon also receives three new Smash Attacks in Melee. Falcon's attacks are very similar to those of another playable character, Ganondorf (although they differ considerably in physical attributes such as speed and weight). A weakness is his limited recovery, where his full jumps and Falcon Dive make him vulnerable to players "edgeguarding" (stopping players from recovering after being thrown off a ledge) against him.
Minor cameos
Captain Falcon and/or the Blue Falcon briefly appears (cameos) in the following games:
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES) — At the back of Hinopio' Inn, deep within Barrel Vocano, there are three small models of spaceships sitting on top of boxes. Two of them are F-Zero machines, the Blue Falcon and the Fire Stingray.
- Kirby Super Star (SNES) — One of the treasures you can find in the Great Cave Offensive is "Falcon's Helmet", which is indeed Captain Falcon's helmet.
- Shadow the Hedgehog (GCN/PS2/XBOX) — The boss of The ARK is called "Blue Falcon".
References
- The following games and their instruction manuals: F-Zero; F-Zero X; and F-Zero GX.
- Books
- The official Nintendo Player’s Guides by Nintendo Power.
- Notes
- ^ a b c “Smash Profiles.”CubeIGNSite. Retrieved December 19, 2006.
- ^ “Smash Moves.”IGN InsiderSite. Retrieved October 29, 2006.
- ^ a b c d "Captain Falcon profile". F Zero World. Gideon. Retrieved 2006-09-12.
- ^ Sega/Nintendo (2003). F-Zero GX instruction manual. (in English).
- ^ "Captain Falcon profile". nintendo.co.jp (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved 2006-09-12.
- ^ “SNES profiles.” Gamespy's F-ModeSite. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
- ^ a b c “Falcon's Biography.” All game guideSite. Retrieved July 20, 2006.
- ^ a b “Comic.” f-modeSite. Retrieved July 24, 2006.
- ^ "F-Zero GX story guide". IGN.com. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
- ^ “Pilot Profiles.” f-modeSite. Retrieved October 26, 2006.
- ^ “SSBM trophy description.” GamespySite. Retrieved October 26, 2006.
- ^ “Pilot Profile.” Absolute AnimeSite. Retrieved December 7, 2006.
