Nintendo’s next big release, Star Fox Zero, comes out on April 21 and is a big gamble on Nintendo’s part. It’s a major revival of a series that’s been dormant essentially since the GameCube days, and a series whose best game—Star Fox 64—came out almost 20 years ago. Star Fox Zero is intended as a return to form, a modern reimagining of Star Fox 64. The game isn’t out yet, but to all those lapsed Star Fox lovers out there, Nintendo is asking you to give Star Fox Zero a chance.
Give Star Fox Zero A Chance
In all likelihood, Star Fox Zero is the swan song for the Wii U. Sure, a few more games are coming out for the system, like Paper Mario Wii U, and Zelda Wii U, which is very likely to be a cross-platform release with the Nintendo NX. But Star Fox Zero may well be the last triple-A Wii U exclusive; certainly it’s one of the last. It’s fitting that Nintendo would use this moment to reboot the Star Fox series, which has very devoted fans who have often called for a return to the halcyon days of Star Fox 64.
Now we’re getting it, and for some reason, people don’t seem to be excited. Star Fox Zero should be one of the most hyped games of the year—it promises enhanced Star Fox 64-style gameplay, which is what gamers have always asked for—but somehow, the buzz isn’t building yet. We should change that. Nintendo is still ramping up its marketing, but this is, from all evidence, the Star Fox we’ve always wanted. Nintendo even added multiplayer during the delay.
Star Fox Zero may not be perfect. It’s a late effort to create a game that really uses the Wii U controls the way they were intended: As was the case when the game first appeared at E3 two years ago, Star Fox Zero uses the GamePad and TV screen in unison, and players need to use both. The GamePad isn’t just a map or an inventory, but an integral part of play. That was the original promise of the Wii U, and only rarely have games taken full advantage. Star Fox Zero aims to be one of them. As reporters noted at E3 and whenever else the game has been available in playable form, those controls take some getting used to and are a big departure from the norm. But that’s exciting in its own right.
Other than that, Star Fox Zero is vintage Star Fox. It’s got Andross, Star Wolf, dogfights, all-range mode, Landmasters (and a few new vehicles), Slippy Toad, and all the fun stuff us older gamers fell in love with back in the Nintendo 64 era. The controls may be weird and the graphics may be… vintage, but Star Fox Zero looks like it will deliver exactly what it promises. Which is exactly what we’ve always asked for. So come on, guys. Just give Star Fox Zero a chance.
