Console release date: April 22, 2016
ITS OUT NOWConsole released on: Nintendo Wii U
General DescriptionStarfox is back with an "original" title after an 11 year gap with Starfox Assault.
Star Fox Zero is being co-developed by Nintendo and PlatinumGames. The game was originally scheduled for release in November 2015, but was eventually delayed to April 2016 to allow for more development time. It is the sixth installment in the Star Fox series. Producer Shigeru Miyamoto stated the game is neither a prequel nor a strict remake of the first game, while Nintendo of America stated it is neither a sequel nor a prequel to the series.
Gameplay DescriptionStar Fox Zero largely follows the classic gameplay of its predecessors, such as Star Fox 64, in which players control Fox McCloud as he pilots his Arwing craft through various levels. The game is controlled using the Wii U GamePad, with the left control stick used to maneuver the craft while gyroscopic controls can be used to aim weapons. A roosterpit view is displayed on the GamePad's screen to assist with aiming. Various elements return from previous games, including Fox's teammates, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy, who can assist the player if they protect them from enemy attacks, as well as Star Wolf team rivals Wolf O'Donnell, Leon Powalski, Pigma Dengar, and Andrew Oikonny. Some of the game's vehicles can transform in certain situations. For example, the Arwing can transform into the Walker which was first seen in the cancelled Star Fox 2 on the Super Nintendo, which lets the player freely walk around on platforms. The Landmaster can transform into the Gravmaster, which can perform extended aerial maneuvers. A new vehicle introduced to the series is the Gyrowing, a drone-like helicopter which can lower a small robot that can enter small spaces and hack into computers. Several level locations have also returned, including Corneria, Zoness, and Titania, while two new locations, Sector Alpha and Area 3, have been added. Gameplay footage suggests that the snowy planet Fichina (Fortuna in Star Fox 64), the asteroid belt Meteo, and the missile-wrought Sector Z may also appear.
Trailer Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puvW4NmaiOoGameplay Footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoOhlqbSsts Review
I just recently picked up Starfox Zero when I went to the Nintendo Store (Located in NYC) last thursday and was excited to finally play the long awaited new title in the Starfox franchise. 5 hours later I felt like I got my moneys worth, but at the same time I felt mildly annoyed. Starfox Zero plays on a whole new level with using the TV Screen as a third person floating camera of your ship while you use the Gamepad's motion controls to target enemies (You can turn this off, but it doesn't make things better to be frank.) This control scheme is just frustratingly difficult, but nevertheless after a couple of hours I can say that I was pretty good with it. The main campaign will last about 5 hours and is pretty short for my taste, but there are many secrets in each level and multiple levels have secret exits which can lead to a whole different area and boss fight. Many of the levels in the game have you go from a on rails shooter, to free-range mode which allows you to fully control your Arwing, but when this happens the control scheme really shows how much of a pain in the ass it is since you have to balance between the Gamepad screen, and the TV screen. The Gryowing hovercraft that you unlock about a quarter of the way through is a godly infuriating machine. It's slow, its clunky, and the I-Robot which you can drop to access computer terminals can get pretty old rather quickly. The stealth mission in this game really makes this game slow to an utter crawl and can feel tiresome and really break the experience for a little while. I can't bash this game too hard though, because the music that plays in the background and battles that you face are awesome for a lack of a better word. The bosses in this game are huge and some are a real challenge. I had to walk away from the game a couple of times because of how difficult the final boss was, but that was probably my fault with stupid mistakes. You also unlock many different modes after completing the main game, such as Arcade Mode which allows you to try and beat your record time and/or kills during a stage. Most stages have literally hundreds of enemies in which you can engage and will certainly put your skills to the test. This game really makes you want to keep going back to story mode to see how much better you can do with your newly obtained skills. Starfox Zero holds true to the franchise and is a must play for any Starfox fan.
Final Rating: 8.5/10