Geekscape Games Reviews Star Fox 64 3D

Nearly 15 years ago, Star Fox 64 introduced us to some of the greatest memories in gaming. Whether it was the first time we were told to do a barrel roll, experiencing rumble through our controllers or exploring the lush worlds of the Lylat System, ask anyone who played it and they’re sure to have tons of fond memories of the classic rail shooter. But that was a long time ago and frankly, Fox and company haven’t done so well since then. After a string of disappointments, the team is returning to basic training in Star Fox 64 3D for the 3DS. After so long away from the cockpit, does the team still have what it takes to be the best in the galaxy or have their best days passed them by?

Tasked with saving the galaxy from an evil empire lead by the mad scientist, Andross, players take control of Fox McCloud. Fox is the leader of a group of mercenary fighter pilots that are AI controlled, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Peppy is the veteran of the group who reveals boss weaknesses and seems to be an all around flyer. Slippy is the tech expert that displays boss health and builds most of your vehicles, but constantly needs to be rescued on the field. Lastly is Falco, a wisecracking rival to Fox who is nearly as capable in combat. Failing to protect your teammates in battle will result in losing their aid for two levels and the possibility of ranking at the end of a stage, so it’s important to keep an eye on them, no matter how much of a pain in the ass it can be.

But this is easier said than done, because some of the levels can get challenging when trying to keep everyone in one piece. The game has two types of sections, a standard section where you follow a set track in either your primary fighter plane, the Arwing, the Landmaster Tank for ground missions and the Blue Marine for underwater fights. Each vehicle offers a different feel that makes each one stand out, so it’s not just a rehash of flight levels underwater or on the ground. The second type are all range mode battles which are only in the air. These let you fight multiple enemies in a 3D arena, forcing you to take advantage of all of the fancy flight moves like summer-saulting and U-turns to keep track of enemies and dodge incoming attacks. And you want to make sure you’re at your best, because exploring stages and maximizing your kills unlocks multiple paths and medals that count towards 100% completion. While a straight run might not take long, the true replayability in this classic is being able to experiment with the stage to find all of the hidden paths.

Part of what made Star Fox 64 so memorable was the overall presentation, with revolutionary graphics, voice acting and level design at the time. Thanks to the extra power of the 3DS, the visuals have been remastered, looking gorgeous in 3D. The incredible music for the original has also been touched up to enhance the overall epic feel of the firefights that take place. I admit that I was concerned when I learned the voice acting would be redubbed, worried that Star Fox would pull a Star Wars and rape my childhood memories. That worry turned out to be unfounded because while a small handful of lines are slightly altered, everything is pretty much how I remember it and whoever directed the new dub took great care to make sure the actors sounded as close to the original as possible when appropriate and improved where the original lacked, (so say goodbye to Fox’s awkward screams!).

So far, it might seem that as good as the game is, it’s pretty much the same game it was all those years ago. Honestly, that is mostly the case, but there are a few features that keep it fresh. First is the gyroscopic controls, which let you steer your 3DS to move your vehicles. Once getting used to it, it works really well, but I have to ask what Nintendo was thinking when they mapped the re-calibration button to the same button as the brakes. There’s nothing like losing to Star Wolf because when trying to slow down, your plane went out of control and nosedived into the dirt. There’s a 3D mode that is said to make gyro controls easier, or an N64 mode that recreates the original, but honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference.

Next is the score attack mode that lets you challenge high scores and replay any level you’ve completed in the campaign at any time. My only gripe is that your campaign high scores don’t count even though the levels are identical. Talk about forced replayability.

Third is a retooled multiplayer. The option to play with Landmasters or on foot has been removed and is strictly played in the air now, but the levels have all been remade to take full advantage of flight combat. Some Mario Kart elements were added such as item boxes and power ups to give players an advantage over their foes. The biggest touted aspect of the new multiplayer is the option to record your face through the 3DS camera to show opponents your reactions, but this feature is completely pointless and I’ll tell you why. First, it’s really jumpy, so it looks like you’re watching a freakin flip book instead of real time video. Second, the game is not online. I repeat: NOT ONLINE! Why do I need to see my opponent’s faces? They’re sitting right next to me! I’m far from being on the bandwagon that thinks everything needs online all the time, but if you’re going to have video recording, online should be a given. Bad move Nintendo.

So for a gamer like me who played Star Fox 64 to death years ago, is it worth dropping $40 to play it again? The game is still incredibly fun and holds up with the best of them today, so fun factor isn’t the issue. It’s whether or not you enjoy it enough to want to run through it again. The gyroscopic controls breathe new life into it, but as always with the 3DS, moving the system screws with the 3D effect so you’ll have to choose one or the other. Multiplayer is the biggest reason to buy it though, and whether or not it gets a full recommendation is whether or not you have friends with 3DS systems to play it with, (but not everyone needs the game because oddly enough, it ONLY supports single card play). The lack of online makes no sense, especially considering that the previous Star Fox game was online, but if you’ve never played this classic before, there’s absolutely no reason not to pick it up. With tons of hidden stages, two different endings and top notch presentation, Star Fox 64 3D still flies with the best of them, so jump into the Arwing and do a barrel roll one more time.