Dash Zone

Dash Zones, also known as Dash Pads or Dash Plates, are recurring obstacles in the F-Zero series. Dash Zones are usually yellow and shaped like an arrow in appearance, and will give machines a big speed boost when they run over them. The Dash Zones appear in every game, and their placement on the track is an important strategic factor when racing.

In F-Zero

Dash Zones appear like yellow arrows flashing pink (in a similar fashion to pits). They will elevate the racer's speed to over 900 km/h, that is, around the fastest possible speed in the game, surpassing anything else. However, the player must be careful to not crash while in this state, as this will result in heavy damage and loss of the benefical boost because of the impact. If a racer is under the effects of the Dash Zone in Death Wind, the wind has no effect on it.

Death Wind I, Death Wind II and Fire Field are the only courses in F-Zero that have Dash Zones, with Death Wind I having three, Death Wind II having four, and Fire Field having one.

In F-Zero X

Dash Zones appear like yellow arrows. They work by simply giving a regular Boost like those the player may trigger, with the difference of not consuming health. It's worthy to note that they will cancel a previously used boost in the sense that will stop the boost effect, including both the speed increase and the health consumption. However, because the nature of boosting in the game, this will increase the speed even further because the speed given by a boost is cumulative. Silence track High-Speed is an example of this.

In F-Zero: Maximum Velocity

Dash Zones reprise their role as of F-Zero. They, however, appear as purple arrows, and give speed increases that leave the vehicle topping 640km/h, and then decreasing speed until the machine's unassisted or boosted top speed is reached. If a boost is activated above its maximum speed, the rate of which the machine decreases speed is less.

In F-Zero GX

Dash Zones reappear in GX along with a major redesign. They look as a square with triangular textures resembling arrows; also, transparent arrows will circle around a pair of imaginary cylinders situated at the left and right sides of the Dash Plate. Also, a lightning bolt-like icon hovers over the Dash Zone, as a further visual detail. They increase the speed as a normal Boost as they did in F-Zero X, however, they don't cancel out another boost, but they still accumulate over any previous boost.

In F-Zero: GP Legend

Dash Zones appear as yellow arrows with a stripped patern of a yellow gradient; this time, they're shaped as arrows with a tail. They will always give machines a maximum boost of 1279 km/h. Some larger Dash Zones are right behind large Jump Plates to help the machine jump all the way to the next far-off part of the race track. An example of this would be the Lightning Volute track. However, this time, the Dash Zones won't elevate the vehicle speed if a boost is in process.

In F-Zero Climax

Dash Zones take on the appearance of their GP Legend counterparts. They will accumulate speed again in respect of the previous max speed, and then revert to normal speed. However, by boosting, the player will conserve the max speed reached by driving over Dash Zones while the Boost is still active. With careful and skilled driving, the player may maneuver at an overwhelming speed of 1920 km/h, crossing any portion of the track at an almost uncontrollable speed.

In the anime

In the anime, Dash Plates appear as their traditional look. They appear to give a boost to any racer who drives over them. This boost looks as the same boost they may perform anytime. Details are unknown because of the inconsistent nature of a TV-show, however, Dr. Stewart states that his machine, the Golden Fox, has an A-rated boost while he surpasses his opponents.