In yet another symbol
of Nintendo's
persistence to create
sequels to its 16-bit
games, Star Fox 64
takes the never-say-die
shooter genre to new
levels of complexity,
sleek design, and
game play control.
Star Fox 64 represents
the next leap in the
evolution of Nintendo
games, with full-speech
samples,
FMV-animation and
fantastic production
value, a challenging
branch system, and
multiplayer gaming all
in one cartridge.

Staggered throughout
the game is the use of
full-motion video
animation, eloquent
cinematic sequences
that wrap the game play
up in a rich storyline,
setting each mission
with the right mood.
Boasting a remarkable
amount of voice
sampling for a cart
game, each team
member's former
burbles are turned into
live voice samples.
While not a CD-ROM
killer, Star Fox 64, like
Super Mario 64 before
it, demonstrates to
second- and third-party
developers what can be
achieved on a single
cartridge. Star Fox 64 is
an 8 megabyte cartridge
containing almost 3
MBs of straight sound,
and each of the 23
characters has, as it
were, something to say.

An exceptional shooter that's only
improved since its original 16-bit
inception, Star Fox 64 is deep with
game play, strategy, and calculated
level progression mechanics. Much
like Star Fox on Super NES, Slippy the
frog, Peppy the hare, and Falco the
falcon join Fox McCloud as they fly
through space in their patented
'Arwing' fighters in forward-scrolling
fashion. Players will also pilot a rather
clunky submarine and a unique tank
(with hovering capabilities), depending
on the various mission they encounter.
But what differentiates Star Fox 64
from its past version is that gamers will
play in both forward-scrolling levels,
found in latter-day shooters like Sega
Saturn's Panzer Dragoon, while newer
missions enable full 3D movement,
usually couched in a closed spherical
environment. In each, the Arwings are
capable of relatively quick acceleration,
quick hard braking, Immelmans,
loops, barrel rolls, and a wonderful
control system that's as responsive,
and as smooth as silk.

As many as 15 interconnected levels
are playable in the single-player mode,
each with the most amazing looking
bosses seen in a long time. Ranging
from a humungous clam in Aquas, to a
lavish molten lava-monster in Solar, to
an amazingly animated monkey head
and hands in the easy ending, these
bosses are fantastic in design and
graphic execution. A clever set of paths
are opened when players kill a
specified amount of enemies, follow an
unusual path, shoot subtle objects and
enemies, fly through special
constructs, or beat certain bosses. (In
one level, if players fly through a set of
blue rings they'll enter into a
psychedelic bonus level that's the
closest nod to Galaga we've seen in
quite some time.) There are also a
handful of paths in each level. This
branch system, unlike the chooseable
paths of the 16-bit Star Fox, makes this
often formulaic game a bit more
challenging.

Multiplayer Modes
The four-player, split-screen action
deepens the game's overall value, with
chooseable variations, like team-play,
or all-out 'death-matches.' And it's a
blast. Plus, after meeting certain
requirements, you can play on foot,
with laser cannons on your shoulders.
For beginners, a practice mode is also
available in one-player mode. And let's
not forget that the Rumble Pack,
bundled with the game, adds an
unusual burst of arcade ecstasy to the
game.

There are a few disappointments,
however, and these start with
game play. With game play nods to
Wing Commander (and cinematic
references to a few recent sci-fi
movies), the play is great, but not
terribly innovative, nor altogether new,
and with a few exceptions, it's a just a
good update from the original Star Fox.
Second, this game, like all shooters by
their very nature, is extremely
repetitive. Almost all of the little details
have been sorted out throughout the
game, except the incredibly muddled
and dark submarine level (Aquas). The
music could also have been improved
as well, and may have suffered due to
the abundant sound samples.



Closing CommentsThe branching system, loads of
secret paths, intelligently designed
levels, originally designed bosses, and
multiplayer gaming all add up to
overcome the game's minor
weaknesses. If anything can be said,
Star Fox demonstrates that shooters are
more alive now than ever. Another Take
Star
Fox 64 is one of the coolest shooters to come along since the 16-bit
days. The graphics and sound all make for a wonderful, cinematic
experience -- but the branching path system that forces you to play the
first level again and again is too archaic to match the hi-tech
presentation. The free-range dogfights and tank levels are outstanding,
but the music is a major letdown from its predecessor. I love all the
little movie references to Star Trek and Star Wars and the fact that all
the characters talk is cool (if only Slippy would shut up once in a
while...). Another quality title from Nintendo.

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