I feel that the SNES was the last major console that had a sound of its own. That’s not to say that later consoles don’t have great music. It’s just that the limitations of the 8 and 16-bit eras gave their platforms a unique voice. After the shift to CD, t??hat was lost.

The Nintendo S-SMP, created by Ken Kutaragi, was one of the most sophisticated console sound hardware at the time. But while that didn’t necessarily give it an advantage over the PC-Engine/Turbografx or Sega Genesis/Megadrive, it did give ??it a unique sound among its competitors. This led to more fantastic soundtracks than I can name.

Really, while I picked ten SNES soundtracks for this best-of list, there are many more that I considered. Games like Demon’s Crest, Addams Family Values, Final Fantasy VI, Yoshi’s Island, Jurassic Park, Chrono Trigger, Super Adventure Island, Super Metroid, Kirby’s Super Star, Actraiser, Super Mario Kart �?and those are just the games I ??can list off the top of my head.

But before hitting the list, let me state the limitations I’m imposing on myself. First, a com??poser can only be mentioned once, making it so Koji Kondo doesn’t just dominate the whole thing. I’m also restricting this to games released in North America. Lastly, my choices favor games with soundtracks that are varied, consistent, and d??on’t lean heavily on pre-existing songs from other platforms such as arcade or even movies. It's not enough to have one great song,

Last year, I covered the 10 Best NES Soundtracks, so if you haven’t already and don’t think I’m completely off my rocker, you can check it out here.

10. Plok (1993, Music By: Geoff Follin, Tim Follin)

Tim and Geoff Follin are responsible for some of the best soundtracks on bad games. Mostly. They did the tracks for Silver Surfer, Solstice, and Pictionary on NES, and strangely enough, the soundtracks to each are incredible. Yes, even Pictionary.

Similarly, Plok is just?? as incredible. While the game itself is, eh, not really top shelf, the Follin brothers just went to town on the soundtrack. It’s v?aried, unconventional, and high-quality from opening to credits. Even the sound sampling for the instrumentation is mind-blowing.

9. Shadowrun (1993, Music by: Marshall Parker)

The SNES version of Shadowrun was a bit of a strange game. Based on the tabletop RPG of the same name, it was part adventure game and part action RPG. What makes it weird is that both the adventuring and the combat were done ??via mouse interface on a console, and it didn’t choose to use the SNES mouse ??controller. It’s still a pretty great, if often overlooked, title I have a lot of affection for.

A good portion of that affection, however, comes from its extremely atmospheric soundtrack. Shadowrun’s environments were drenched in darkness, taking place during a seemingly endl?ess night, and Marshall Parker was able to capture that completely. It draws you into the shadows and makes you feel like you’ve missed the last train home and are left to walk the empty streets. In other tracks, it underlines the mystery and gives you the sense of a greater cons??piracy.

I love the Shadowrun soundtrack so much, that at this point, it’s the music I associate with the other games based on the TTRPG. The series has always had great composers working on it, but Marshall Parker’s interpretation is the only one that feels right to ?me.

8. F-Zero (1990, Music by: Yumiko Kanki, Naoto Ishida)

I love the buzzy sound of early SNES soundtracks. Pilotwings and SimCity both were great demonstrations of this weirdly unique sound of fuzzy percussion and trumpet-like melodies. F-Zero, however, outbuzzed them all.

It’s difficult to imagine an F-Zero game without the themes of Mute City of Big Blue, but the original’s OST went far beyond that with at??mospheric, slow melodies played over hyperactive drumrolls. It simultaneously sounds like the anthem to a sports highlight show while still underlining the edge-of-control danger that defines the series.

7. Axelay (1992, Music By: Tarō Kudō)

Axelay is a solid shoot-’em-up, but it’s not the most memorable. The soundtrack, on the other hand, is absolutely incredible. Tarō Kudō is perhaps better known for his design work at Love-de-Lic and Vanpool, but while at Konami, he helped out with the sound design on Super Castlevania IV and composing for Axelay.

Axelay’s soundtrack is excellent all around, being atmospheric between flights and exciting when the lasers start flying. I feel this is best demonstrated by the Stage 3 track, Mother. It kicks off with a brassy fanfare before starting into o??ne of the most dynamic percussive backings I’ve heard on the console.

But perhaps most importantly for a video game, it works really well with everything that??’s happening on screen, whether or not you’re supposed to be marvel??ing at the scenery or picking out your armaments.

6. Star Fox (1993, Music by: Hajime Hirasawa)

As a game, the SNES Star Fox feels a bit hamstrung by the system’s limitations, even if it is one of the console’s more capable polygonal 3D games. New??comers to the series would likely be put off by the general clunkiness of it. But if there’s one thing that hasn’t aged, it’s the soundtrack.

Star Fox 64 is often considered the seminal title in the franchise, and much of the series�?later games base their aesthetic on it. That’s a shame because its musical compositions are more similar to the sweeping space opera themes of something like Star Trek. The original Star Fox?? ??is something far dancier. It’s much more pop. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a touch of space opera pomp mixed in there, but songs like Fortuna and Meteor are just wildly enigmatic with unusual beats and playful basslines.

Yet, whatever direction the varied but cohesive soundtrack takes, it’s always top-notch and fits wh?atever it’s layered over perfectly.

5. Legend of the Mystical Ninja (1991, Music by: Kazuhiko Uehara, Harumi Ueko)

Once one of Konami’s tentpole franchises, the Ganbare Goemon series got weirder and weirder over a decade before ceasing to exist entirely during the �?0s. We didn’t get many of the titles in North America, but one that we were fortunate to receive was 1991’s Legend of the Mystical Ninja.

What I respect most about the music in Legend of the Mystical Ninja is that it knows when to be wacky, when to be exciting, and when to be relaxing. With its unique sampling??, it evokes a picturesque Edo-era Japan while still providing an effective backing for the action. It’s a rather well-packed and well-rounded soundtrack that never loses steam.

Having only been released in Japan, the Super Famicom sequels to Legend of the Mystical Ninja weren’t eligible. Even if they were, the music in those games leaned more cartoony, and I felt they los??t the sense of admiration for their home country.

4. Donkey Kong Country 2 (1995, Music By: David Wise)

It’s impressive that the soundtrack to Donkey Kong Country could be improved upon, but it happened. With an injection of pirate motif underneath the startlingly atm?ospheric guitar(ish) squeals, David Wise absolutely blew away the sounds of the previous game.

It’s hard to describe the overarching success of Donkey Kong Country 2’s soundtrack, aside from just c??alling?? it startling. The title theme slaps you across the ears right from the start, and it’s less than a minute long. Then, throughout the course of the game, it hits you with high-intensity action tracks and uncomfortable calming atmospheric tunes. A level’s theme will not prepare your ears for what they’re about to hear, yet somehow, it all fits.

3. Super Mario RPG (1996, Music by: Yoko Shimomura)

It seems to have been an unwritten rule that SNES JRPGs were required to have some great music. Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger were contenders for this list, but I don’t think they have the same consistency or unconventional quality as the soundtrack for Super Mario RPG.

It must have been pretty tempting to lean back on the work of Super Mario’s usual composer Kōji Kondō, who had already defined what a Mario game should sound like. And while there are definitely shades of that here, Yoko Shimomura went her own way and created something unique. Not only that, it goes beyond just good battle music and provides something to fit each of the game’s emotional beats. There are a lot of themes here for min?or places and minor characters. Sometimes, the theme track that goes along with the character is part of what defines them and makes them stand out, such as the case of Booster.

Whatever was happening on screen, the soundtrack just fit. And yet still, it’s great to listen to, even outside the context of the gameplay. Many of the tracks carry more emotional weight than you’d expect from the license, and more of them have an upbeat bounciness. It just has so much to offer, which puts it above other JRPGs and Mario games.

2. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (1991, Music by: Kōji Kondō)

The soundtrack for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past come??s out swinging with one of the most memorable introductory fanfares on the console, followed by a song that is way too good for an expositional prologue. It then continues to surprise at every turn.

One would expect Link to the Past would lean heavily on the already established OST to the original 1986 title, but?? there weren’t very many tracks to begin with. It really only reuses the main theme and menu music, which are greatly overshadowed by everything else in the soundtrack. A good track will often hit you where you don’t expect it like the inconspicuous Sanctuary music or the po?werful Dark World theme.

It’s a powerful soundtrack that underlines a powerful game. Some of the tracks still give me goosebumps, even after I’ve heard them ?a kajillion times.

1. Mega Man X (1993, Music By: Setsuo Yamamoto, Makoto Tomozawa, Yuki Iwai, Yūko Takehara, Toshihiko Horiyama)

At this point, the Mega Man X soundtrack is just the music that constantly plays on the Juke Box in my head. On many mornings, I wake up with the Highway theme from Mega Man X. Randomly, throughout the day, I’ll wonder what tune keeps repeating in my brain and realize it’s the hook from Boomer Kuwanger’s stag?e or Spark Mandrill. It’s wild how much stock my brain puts on? this game’s tunes.

The Mega Man series has always been serious about its soundtrack, and they went big with the inaugural game of its new SNES sub-series. It’s a long string of absolutely top-shelf tracks with memorable melodies and a high level of consistency. But more importantly, it highlighted the fast pace and more intense action that the X subseries had o??ver its predecessor. It’s just plain legenda?ry.

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It's provided endless amounts of fun, and it's still alive on Switch

Star Fox 64 is 25 years old now. Originally released on April 27, 1997, in Japan, the Nintendo 64 classic lives on in various ways, from the 3DS to the Switch. And you know what? It?? deserves a special shoutout.

Nearly 25 years ago (when it came out in the US on June 30, 1997), Star Fox 64 blasted its way into my friend's living room. We were immediately taken by it, and beat it in one sitting. From then on we'd comb through it, trying to find ways to break off on different story paths and discover new levels. We didn't play anything else for a week. T?he char??acters, which were already endearing in the original SNES edition, were expanded upon and cemented into the Nintendo pantheon right then and there.

Beyond that initial rush, Star Fox 64 became a staple in nearly every household that had it. Four-player split-screen was still a mind-blowing feature at the time: and given how little local play is emphasized in modern releases (instead opting to push people to online ecosystems to partake in), everything has come full circle, in the sense that it's still impressive. Star Fox 64 was easy to grasp, but had a high skill ceiling when it came to evasive maneuvers; which made it a ??no-brainer pick-up-and-play game for so many friend and family groups.

Although Nintendo "forgets" about certain classic franchises often, at the very least, they aren't above dipping into the Star Fox 64 well whenever possible. Plenty of Star Fox 64 3D copies are out in the wild for when the eShop is shut off, and for now, it's alive and well as part of the Nintendo Switch ?Online Expansion Pack. It deserves that lega??cy.

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Star Fox Zero Switch? Sure

Star Fox Zero hasn't had the best reception for a first-party Nintendo game. But Star Fox Zero Switch? With some tweaks in to??w? Maybe that version could salva??ge its reputation.

Speaking to VGC, Zero developer Platinum Games is totally cool with making it happen on Switc??h. In fact, they are "definitely" interested, and seemed to have a smooth time developing it. Platinum boss Atsushi Inaba explains:

"It’s unfortunate that people aren’t able to play older games because they’re locked out of the platform, so of course if possible we’d like to bring over any of those older titles to the newer platforms. It kind of depends on what’s in the realm of actual possibility, but yes, if the chance came up [Star Fox Zero Switch] it’s definitely something we’d like to think about. The important thing to remember there is that because it’s Nintendo’s IP, the ideas are coming from Miyamoto-san himself.�?/p>

Interestingly, Inaba notes that for the director of the game (Yusuke Hashimoto), going to Miyamoto to provide feedback or ideas was somewhat intimidating, given Miyamot??o's legendary status in the indu??stry.

One of the best ways to do this whole affair, if we did get Star Fox Zero Switch, is to provide a peace offering of sorts: a cheaper price point, reworked controls, and the bonus of bundling in Star Fox Guard as well. Star Fox Zero didn't really get a fair ?shake, but I totally? understand why people would take umbrage with the controls. If those were tweaked, there's a lot to enjoy underneath.

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Now I just want a TV show

Artist Daniel Cortes (@Dannycortoons) has completed a painstaking project to depict the entire roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in an aesthetic reminiscent of 1930s animation, perhaps more commonly known as the "Rubber Hose" style, and recently popularized by Studio MDHR's platformer, Cuphead.

"After many months, and over 120 ch?aracters drawn, here's every single #SmashBrosUltimate character in a style inspired by #Cuphead #Rubberhose #1930sCartoons! Everyone is?? Here!" announced Cortes on Twitter. "Thank you guys so much for support throughout this project, can't wait to share more in the future!"

The incredible image features well over 100 characters, representing the entirety of the roster from Nintendo's popular fighting title, including alternate skins and Mii cosplay characters. From Mario to Jigglypuff, Sans to Solid Snake, Joker to Wii Fit Trainer, "Everyone is Here" in this colorful and lively? banner - a real who's who of gaming.

Cortes has noted that they will update their artwork with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's two remaining DLC characters once they are finally revealed. In the meantime, en??joy picking out your fa??vorite characters in the full image. Everyone looks fantastic, but I th?ink Wendy O. is my favorite here... or Fox McCloud..?. or Bayonetta... Or...

After many months, and over 120 characters drawn, here's every single #SmashBrosUltimate character in a style inspired by #Cuphead/ #Rubberhose/ #1930sCartoons!! Everyone is Here!! Thank you guys so much for support throughout this project, can't wait to share more in the future! pic.twitter.com/tXErXZ0mpe

— Daniel Cortes (@DannyCortoons) April 16, 2021

The post Stunning art shows the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster recreated in classic ‘Cuphead’ style appeared first on Destructoid.

Excuse me, Princess

You might remember, back in 2015, several reports emerged that Netflix was working with Nintendo to produce a live-action Legend of Zelda series. Mere weeks later, it seemed as if this exciting project was nothing more than wishful thinking. Well, in today's hot gossip, it is being reported that the Zelda series was indeed in? the works, but Nintendo canceled the project after its existence was leaked to the press.

The intriguing new tidbit comes from U.S. comedian Adam Conover, dating back to a time when Conover worked with viral website CollegeHumor. According to Conover, the CollegeHumor team were working on a series of StarFox skits that featured stop-motion animation - a play on Wes Anderson's 2009 movie Fantastic Mr. Fox. These skits had Nintendo's backing, with Shigeru Miyamoto himself visiting the CollegeHumor office.

But speaking on podcast TheSerfTimes yesterday, (as noted by superrerogatory), Conover recounted how, out of the blue, the plug was abruptly pulled on the StarFox project.?? You can hear Conover's story for yourself at 39:00 in?? the video below.

"Suddenly there were reports Netflix isn't doing this Legend of Zelda anymore. I said 'what happened?'" remembers Conover. "And then I heard from my boss we're not doing our StarFox anymore [...] He was like 'oh, someone at Netflix leaked the Legend of Zelda thing, they weren't supposed to?? talk about it,' Nintendo freaked ?out [...] they pulled the plug on everything, the entire program to adapt  these things."

The live-action Legend of Zelda series was first brought to the public's attention by The Wall Street Journal, who described the show as "Game of Thrones for a family audience." Then-Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata would go on to neither outright confirm nor deny the show's existence when speaking with Time, but stated that "the [WSJ] article in question is not based ?on correct information."

So while it appears that this now six-year story still has its own fair share of facts, rumors,?? ??misinterpretations, and secrets, the one thing we'll ever truly gain from it is the heartbreak.

Exposing capitalism by exposing the truth [Serf Times / Eurogamer]

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'Hats off to myself...'

As of tomorrow, there will be one less legend at the hallowed halls of Nintendo. Takaya Imamura, who worked as a prolific designer, producer, and director for the developer, will leave the company today ??after 32 long years of service.

"Today is my last day coming to work," Imamura said this morning on Facebook (as translated by Gematsu) "I took a selfie with the empty office building. It feels pret?ty sad to think about not c??oming here anymore… Hats off to myself for 32 years of hard work!"

I'm sure any Nintendo devotee would gladly join Imamura in his self-congratulatory wishes. The 54-year-old joined Nintendo back in 1989 as a graphic artist, designing the vehicles and pilots for anti-gravity racer F-Zero, including Captain Falcon. But perhaps Imamura's lasting legacy will be his work on the Star Fox franchise, as h??e is responsible for the? design of its lead hero, Fox McCloud, alongside numerous other characters.

Imamura would go on to become the art director for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – creating the character of Tingle in the process – before working with development teams on titles such as Star Fox: Assault, Star Fox: Command, Tank Troopers, and Steel Divers. I mean, just coming up with Tingle should be enough for anybody's resume... right?

Not long after Imamura announced his departure, Tomoo Yoda - the general manager of Takara Tomy A.R.T.S. - noted that Imamura would be working with his company in a freelance capacity. So while it might be the end of the road for Imamura an??d Nintendo, his eye for delightfully designed characters looks set to continue in a whole new venture.

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'You were good, son'

Actor Rick May, best remembered in the video game community for his roles in Star Fox 64 and Team Fortress 2, has passed away at the age of 79. The news was released by Seattle's Rekindle School, an initiative where May resided as a teac??her of the perfor??ming arts.

While May has featured in many video games, including Age of Empires II and Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves, his most enduring work saw him voicing the militant-minded, overtly-patriotic Soldier in Team Fortress 2, and as both Andross and Peppy Hare in Star Fox 64, where May coined the now-iconic phra??se "Do a Barrel Roll!"

Outside of gaming, May was most often found on stage, having starred in and/or directed some 300 shows over a 50-year career. These included roles in classics such as Arsenic and Old Lace, Fiddler on the Roof, Death of a Salesman, and the award-winning one-man show Bully! An Evening with Teddy Roosevelt.

May had been undergoing rehabilitation at a nursing home after suffering from a stroke in February, but recently contracted coronavirus, from which he passed on Monday, April 13. We at Destructoid offer our condolences to his friends and? family.

Rick May - In Memoriam [The Rekindle School]

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The boys and Wolf

Artist Raf Grassetti has been busy. In addition to all his work on the new God of War (which contains some of the best visuals of the last 10 years), he's also been chipping away steadily at side projects on his Instagram account.

We shared his Super Smash Bros. character art in the past, but now he has a new Nintendo project in mind: Star Fox. In addition to a giant collage that puts the main crew (Star Fox, Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, Falco Lombardi), he also took the time to put in Wolf O'Donnell (yes, his last name is O'Donnell) looming over them, Dracula in Castlevania style. Man I miss this series! Even though Nintendo is wishy-washy about rolling out the red carpet for this franchise (especially after Star Fox Zero), I love that fans are keeping it alive.

If you want more, check out his Instagram account, there's a lot of this kind of stuff. I'm talking Dragon Ball, Hellboy, Star Wars, Spider-Man, LittleBigPlanet, Predator, Moon Knight, Cuphead: you name it. And all of it is fantastic.

rafagrassetti [Instagram]

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Now that's what I call super effects

It's been a long time since Nintendo was able to make a hit Star Fox game. Star Fox Zero was one of Miyamoto's biggest bombs, though it wasn't the first time the series struggled to appeal to its audience. The last all-new Star Fox game to perform up to expectations was probably Command on the DS, but that's only if you don't count Star Fox 2, which remained unreleased for over 20 years before it was included on the SNES Classic. While not technically a "new" game, it was new to all of us who'd never pirated it before. More so, the fact that Nintendo was willing to release it after all these years led Star Fox essentialists ??;li??ke myself to feel seen in a way we hadn't in a long time.  

With flat, largely untextured polygon models, a short-but-replayable campaign, and generally straightforward gameplay, Star Fox 2 was not like any Star Fox game we'd gotten in a while. It gave us a new story and characters, but when it came to the look and feel of the game, it stuck to the basics. This seemed to be what fans wanted from Star Fox all along.

That was a few years ago now, and it looks like indie dev Ben Hickling is ready to capitalize on the large, Star Fox-shaped hole in the current gaming landscape. Ex-Zodiac doesn't feature anthropomorphic characters or a John Williams-inspired score, but otherwise, the game is Star Fox through and through. The big differences are that the ship is purple, the frame rate is solid, and the crab boss doesn't have a sassy pilot that quotes Deliverance. But who knows, that may be an upcoming feature.

This video shows off a demo for the game built especially for EGX, so it's early days yet for Ex-Zodiac. Ho??pefully the finished game makes its way to Switch soon enough, complete with wise-cracking rivals who scream bloody murder as they go down in flames.

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Why did it crash and burn in the first place?

“We’re going to break through that fleet!” Fox says as he and his wingmates assault a vastly overwhelming enemy armada. Maybe it’s one of the less memorable quotes from Star Fox 64, but it’s a moment that captures what helps make it the pinnacle of the rail-shooter genre: intense, non-stop action that takes you through a variety of carefully curated experiences. And yet, here we are, over two decades after it hit the scene, and we still haven&??rsquo;t seen a rail shooter capture the same wonder and excitement.

Even with the series’s seminal entry, there seemed to be an underlying resistance to its own sub-genre. One of Star Fox 64’s new features was the “all-range mode” that lets you navigate a small arena in full three dimensions, unconstrained by the invisible rail that guides you through the levels. It wasn’t overly prevalent, mainly showing up for boss battles, but it was also a whiff of the future as Star Fox would hesitate to return to the genre. With future titles preferring free flight over a locked course, a void has formed in the sub-genre. One that, despite all t?he potential that still lies within, has yet to be filled.

On paper, the rail-shooter formula is sound. For flight games especially, it’s essentially a transposition of the shmup, translating it from its 2D trappings to a 3D perspective. In the right hands, those invisible rails could guide you through a thrilling course. It all boils down to something akin to a roller coaster that bobs and weaves through thrilling, carefull??y curated situations. Tight corridors and mammoth beasts can be thrust into your face in ways that are more difficult to do when the player has direct control. The deft designer can present a?? sense of scale that is easy to miss when you’re permitted to keep your distance.

Space Harrier and After Burner helped popularize the formula in the ‘80s, though technological restraints greatly restrict how far they could take it. The sub-genre was already well established by the time the original Star Fox arrived on the scene with its flat-shaded polygons, but the addition of a third dimension allowed it to communicate a larger scale. Huge warships and enormous space creatures dominated some of the backgrounds. It hasn’t aged very well, ??with its hobbled frame rate and primitive graphics, but it was a delicious bite of what was to come before the close of the decade.

In the arcade sphere, first-person rail shooters began dominating by the mid-‘90s with games like House of the Dead and Time Crisis, both of which would preempt the seminal Star Fox game in the market. The first two Panzer Dragoon games would also pre-date Star Fox 64 by a few years. ??However, Fox and his friends would arguably reach the pinnacle in 1997.

Like many of Nintendo’s N64 titles, Star Fox 64 took the groundwork laid out by its predecessor and expanded upon it in every direction. Gone were the flat-shaded polygons and gibberish speech, and in its place were detailed worlds and full voice acting. The story remained the same, with the Star Fox team launching a counterattack against the Venom forces, but additional backstory that provided motivation for the team, as well as new antagonists (technically lifted from the unreleased Star Fox 2), were added to round out the narrative. Simply adding textur??es to the level geometry provided an? extremely appreciable sense of depth perception.

The levels were incredibly diverse, providing the aforementioned armada attacks, ground-based assaults ?against supply trains, and even flights across the surface of a sun. The game itself was dizzyingly short, but alternate routes could be unlocked if the player performed well enough, giving the incentive to repeat visits.

Yet, for some reason, this was the last Star Fox game that was primarily rail shooting until 2016’s Star Fox Zero, and even that seemed to be trying as hard as possible to shrug off the vestiges of its original formula. It’s a trend that the series has been following as early as the follow-up to Star Fox 64, the action-adventure, Star Fox Adventures. Fox has returned to the cockpit many times since, but each time is its own divergence. Star Fox Command was repetitive in its use of all-range mode styled encounters. Star Fox Assault had a few stages on?? rails but largely focused on ve??hicle arenas.

Nintendo, for better or worse, is often committed to change, and Star Fox is very much a victim of this. It seems he??sitant to return to the on-rails formula that the series was born on, instead seemingly resigning itself to the idea that the sub-genre is out of steam. However, that seems difficult to justify when it hasn’t been attempted.

The rail-shooter genre seemed to dry up overnight. Much of it since then has been relegated to the arcade market where it still sees the occasional release over in Japan. It’s been quieter on home consoles. The boom of motion control on consoles attracted a number of higher-profile releases that aped the light gun genre, such as House of the Dead: Overkill, Fable: The Journey, and Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles. There’s a lot of shovelware titles floating in the motion control stew, but some of the titles were decent. None really reached the heights of Star Fox 64, with the closest being titles like the Sin & Punishment games. Even Panzer Dragoon hasn’t been seen since 2003’s Panzer Dragoon Orta unless you count the spiritual successor, Crimson Dragon.

The combination of sporadic and low-quality releases in the last decade seems to indicate that the genre has died. Even the positively ancient shoot ‘em up genre gets more action than the rail shooter. It seems odd. A lot of modern game design doesn’t truly allow for much player agency. Games like Uncharted are largely just a bunch of gameplay nodes connected by corridors. They’re carefully curated in much the same way as a rail shooter, leading players through a number of pre?-configured action set pieces. Really, they’re just one step away from a rail shooter.

It doesn’?t so much feel like there’s still gas in the tank, so much as it seems like the car was hardly driven before being put away. New technology should be able to create more destruction, more fantastic set ?pieces, and bigger bosses. Older games had to limit what was on screen at any time, but with modern horsepower, things like giant space battles with massive starships should be a breeze. If anything, the rail shooter could be considered the best way to show off new and amazing effects, because you're literally forced to see it in front of you. With free roaming design, you don't even really have to be looking in the same direction of something interesting. You can miss certain details entirely.

It feels like wasted potential. With all the modern whizbang technology, why aren’t we still breaking through fleets while everything explodes around us? Why is it not considered exciting just bec??ause you’re not in direct control? Why is it so unmarketable to present a game that is a flight simulator but you follow an invisible line?

Flight games, in general, have become something of a rarity in today’s market, and FPS games are so loaded up with scripted sequences that there seems to be little point in further restricting movement. There are still smaller releases keeping the spirit alive, such as the Gal*Gun series and a PC re-release of Killer 7, however, in the big b??udg??et market, there appears to be little interest in reviving the genre, and it would probably take a landmark title to prove its viability and kick start it again.

If anything, should rail shooters ever see a resurgence, I expect it will be in the indie sphere where forgotten styles of games are often resurrected by passionate fans. Seemingly forgotten sub-genres, like F-Zero's ultra-fast futuristic style of racing, have seen successful imitators like Redout. Rogue has seen what i??s perhaps the biggest revival, as its randoml?y generated elements have found their way into a horde of new games. So why not a rail shooter revival?

I just can’t help but hope that we’ll one day see a game that captures the same excitement found in Star Fox 64, especially when it’s starting to look increasingly unlikely that we’ll see it matched within the same series. It seems unbelievable to me that a game fro?m the early-3D era will forever sit as the most sterling example of the sub-genre. I can only hope that one day, someone will see the potential that still remains unta?pped within the rail shooter and bring it to new heights.

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Peppy, Slippy, and Falco to the rescue

Fox is getting some help. Star Fox is exclusive to the Switch version of Ubisoft's Starlink: Battle for Atlas. But, soon enough, the Star Fox pilots won't be only vulpine.

Peppy, Slippy, and Falco are joining Starlink: Battle for Atlas on Switch. They're getting a new series of missions, and they can individually partake in any of Fox's? missions. Further, they'll all have their own skill tree and abilities.

The anthropomorphic trio will be added as a part of the Starlink spring update which is slated for April.

The post All the Star Fox friend??s take flight in Starlink: Battle for Atlas this spring appeared first on Destructoid.

Super Mario Maker 3DS, Majora's Mask 3D and Star Fox 64 3D

W??hen Nintendo has price drops for first party games, it's a rarity. There are years-old titles that still go for their f?ull retail launch cost, so when they discount something, it generally matters as ripples will be felt throughout the collection-sphere.

The newest "Nintendo Selects" entries are all 3DS-centric, with Super Mario Maker, Majora's Mask 3D and Star Fox 64 3D all hitting the $20 price point for new retail copies. In true Nintendo fashion these three retailed at roughly $40 each in the past, with Star Fox fetching a higher price physically due to a short?age of copies.

While you should spring for the superior Wii U version of Mario Maker if that's an option, the other two get strong recommendations. Due to the lack of online play and new content for Star Fox 64 3D, $20 is a more palatable price.

The post Several first-party? 3DS games have been discounted to ??$20 appeared first on Destructoid.

Bold

You really have to give Ubisoft credit for aggressively pursuing their partnership with Nintendo even after they faltered on the Wii U. Most of you really seem to be taking to it, and now we know just how aggressive they are: the Starlink team apparently had a full mockup, 3D-printed Arwing and al??l, ready to go before they even met with Nin??tendo.

Speaking to Okay Cool, producer Matthew Rose explained that the team had the Star Fox pitch in mind the entire time: "we always thought 'maybe, maybe they’ll be interested. Maybe this is something we can do' and so we started right away, because we were like 'we’re so excited by even them having this conversation with us, ??even though they hadn’t confirmed anyth?ing.' And so we started working. We started drawing concepts, we made a 3D-printed Arwing that had their proper connectors and toys in it so that you could take it apart and everything."

After "cautiously working" on the idea the team spray-painted the Arwing model, brought it to Kyoto with some concept art, and met with Nintendo. Rose says that in a crazy twist, the entire Star Fox team and Shigeru Miyamoto were there waiting for them. He recalls being ??????????????????????????"massively?? outnumbered" by them but in the end, managed to snag the deal.

Star?? Fox And Starlink: How The Blockbuster Crossover Came To Be [Okay Cool]

The post Starlink developers h???ad Star Fox mockups before Nintendo even agreed to the partnership appeared first on Destructoid.

The digital version of course

It's flying in a bit under the radar, sandwiched between some of the biggest games of the year, but the new Ubisoft toys-to-life franchise Starlink: Battle for Atlas has launched for Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

Judging by the comments, people mostly want to know about the different versions of the game available. So, to clarify this for anybody who might be confused, I've created this spreadsheet to show you exactly what's being advertised with the Starlink Starter Pack, Digitial Edition, and Digital De?luxe Edition.

Everything listed above is based on available information found at the Ubisoft store and Starlink website, as well as the PlayStation store and Nintendo websi??te. Of note, the Zenith ship and Shredder weapon included with the Starter Pack for Switch are digital, not physical. Anything not included with either the Digital Edition or the Starter Pack can be purchased as DLC or as a toys-to-life accessory from a retailer. If you purchase a digital edition of the game and then buy ?some of the toys-to-life accessories, you will need to purchase a controller mount to actually use them.

In addition to everything above, there are also two store-exclusive ship packs: GameStop is selling the Cerberus ship with Razor Lemay pilot and the Shockwave weapon, while Target has the exclusive on the Scramble ship with Levi McCray pilot and Fury Cannon weapon. And of course, the Switch version of the game comes with an exclusive Star Fox mission campaign.

I hope this helps you decide which version is right for you. Find our final review of Starlink: Battle for Atlas here.

The post Which version of Starlink: Battle ?for Atlas is right for you? appeared first on Destructoid.

The night club equivalent is a Barbie dollhouse

After Star Fox Zero flopped, I feared that Nintendo was going to leave the beloved space shooter series in the dust. So when I saw that Star Fox would have a major cameo in Ubisoft's Starlink, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a far cry from the sequel fans are asking for, but when I was expecting the worst for the series’s future, it gave me a breath of relief. Probably not as much as I first thought, given the kinks outlined in our review, but it ??at least shows Nintendo is willi?ng to let other studios experiment with IPs they’ve become hesitant to work on themselves.

It’s led me to ponder about the fate of an even more niche but fervently beloved Nintendo IP --and one that I have more of a personal history with -- Skip Ltd.'s Chibi-Robo. Similar to Star Fox Zero, it was stated if Chibi-Robo Zip Lash didn&r?squo;t sell well, it might be his last game. Zip Lash also flopped even harder than Fox's last outing, having little to no resemblance to anything his fans found appealing and charming in the first place. But just as the Star Fox team was given a new lease on?? life by Ubisoft (as well as the SNES Classic), I'm hoping Nintendo could also give another studio a shot at this oft-neglected IP.

But if Chibi-Robo is to return to its original gameplay style (or at least something new but fundamentally similar), most studios wouldn't be willing to tackle its bizarre niche. He’s known for his wholesome charm (barring the occasional can-butt), exploring a “massive” house, doing mundane household tasks, scrambling his way across furniture with various simple tricks, and helping a cast of lovable weirdos through their relatable emotional side quests. And sometimes, extremely weird weirdos with weird but still endearing side quests. It’s a niche that most developers don’t even touch, let alone make successful. Naturally, the first candidate for this job to come to mind was the studio that developed Yakuza, a seri?es well known for that move where Kiryu neuters h?is enemies with a gondola.

Okay, so maybe there is some kinda sorta extreme tonal dissonance between these two IPs. Disregarding that, Ryu ga Gotoku Studio’s already won a lot of fame in areas parallel to where Chibi-Robo has endeared its fans. While it’d be a ton more work to make their design philosophies mesh with Chibi’s formula instead of adapt their own engine towards another franchise (like they did for Fist of the North Star), I’m confident they’re one of the few non-Nintendo developers who could do Chibi-Robo’s concept justice. In fact, infusing Chibi’s chill but weird world with their own bra??nd of high-energy hijinks could elevate it to the mainstream success ?that producer Kensuke Tanabe wants this series to become.

I’m not going to prattle on too long about narrative details, but just in case, minor spoiler warning for both series? Only for two Yakuza side stories and a little of the first Chibi-Robo's main plot.

Though its over-the-top antics are what Yakuza mostly advertises itself for, fans of the series regularly praise its more personal side stories. These are no less over the top than its gameplay, ranging from role-playing with a dominatrix to faking membership in a bizarre cult. Yet they are grounded in charming and emotional struggles, such as the dominatrix’s desire to overcome her submissive personality or a mother’s desire to reconnect with her daughter ??that fell into the cult.

While a boy as pure as Chibi would never step foot in a BDSM parlor, his games are known for their own brand of wackiness and relatability. Instead of episodic side stories, Chibi interacts with a cast of char??acters over the course of his journey, gradually building upon each of their ??sidequests until he finally draws them to their conclusions.

The Sandersons from the first game are a quirky bunch with various hobbies, but it gradu??ally becomes apparent how these quirks drive their struggles with escapism and financial stress, and how seriously problematic they truly are. Meanwhile, the dozens of side ?characters Chibi meets come with a plethora of over-the-top personalities, yet their problems are usually as simple as yearning to find happiness in their own relationships with other characters or meet other basic needs.

Spoiler warning over. Bottom line, bo?th of their narrative tendencies are similar enough that I could see Ryu ga Gotoku Studio ?easily cook up new stories for the tiny robo buddy.

Another cornerstone of Yakuza’s brand is its plethora of fleshed out minigames, many of which are complemented by their own side stories and mechanics. While they’re optional, they serve as an interesting side attraction to get more out of the city setting and its people. Chibi-Robo doesn’t have any mini-games that drastically change controls, but it is worth noting the bo??t does a lot of different little things (pun not intended). He collects trash. He cleans stains. He fetches lost items. He gardens. He cooks food. He plays with people. And much more.

All of these mundane side activities are central to his goal of earning Happy Points (which help upgrade Chibi), like how the rewards of side activities in Yakuza games are various items. Optional as they are, they’re still a centerpiece at the heart of their worlds and the progression of their game mechanics. Comparing the two, I wonder why the former shouldn’t have minigames or at least little controls and normal gameplay mechanics as involved as the latter? Chibi-Robo Park Patrol already danced with the concept of building chores ar??ound goofy minigames like dancing with flowers to make them sprout. Fleshing these activities out with more depth can do a lot of good, especially when they make up the bulk of Chibi’s day.

But we still have to address the polka-dotted elephant in the room -- combat. Everything that I’ve just described only overlaps with a part of what makes Yakuza such a well-known series. If it weren’t for Yakuza’s frequent beat-em-up gameplay and over-the-top combat styles, it might have remained as obscure as Chibi-Robo. Kiryu’s violence works well in the context of a man with criminal ties who just wants to help peop??le in need, especially in a shady town where innocent people get jumped by not-so-innocent people every minute. Chibi is a tiny adorable robot designed to help one small family (and their toys) be happier by solving their problems, 95% of which can’t be solved with violence. Kiryu and Chibi might be similarly altruistic, which shapes many of their stories and activities, but the former’s main gameplay and the latter’s nature are not a great match.

And yet in each of his adventures, Chibi also has some sort of micro-menace he fights part-time. This combat has never been a highlight of these games, but it exists. In all my time playing through the GameCube original, I never disliked random Spydorz encounters, nor did I look forward to fighting them. They were just kinda there, barring a few strong set pieces that unnerved me and got me in the mood to confront them. I think Ryu ga Gotoku Studio could make a great game without any ??of that at all? if they so wanted. Even so, I insist it’d be best if they gave the pint-sized robot a similarly rad combat system of his own, albeit a significantly toned-down one compared to their usual work.

For an adventure game protagonist, Chibi doesn't have many moves to optimize his travel from point A to point B. It can be a bit of a drag to carry your plug all the way across the floor to the next room. Normally the easiest solution to this would be to just add fast travel, but since managing time and battery levels are some of Chibi-Robo’s main mechanics, that on-foot travel time is actually very important to plan your day around. He does have several tools to speed this travel up, including a few actual teleporters. But circumventing those limitations altogether runs counter to the point of? making you f??eel like a tiny robot helper trying your hardest to help big people with bigger problems.

I feel those enemies were added mostly to make that trek from point A to point B just dangerous enough to feel less tedious. And I think that helped, but it would help a lot more if such encounters felt more engaging themselves. While Zip Lash didn’t satisfy my cravings for action, an expert at action games could take the idea of using Chibi’s plug as a weapon and give ?it the polish to become something very fun. Combat shouldn’t steal the spotlight from everything else, but featuring it as an infrequent pillar supporting the exploration and/or character stories might be enough to add that mainstream appeal Tanabe was looking for without removing Chibi from his native gameplay formula. Plus ?I’m a sucker for any polished and clean beat-em-up or hack-and-slash gameplay!

More exciting gameplay would help Nintendo to buy into the pitch, given what Zip Lash said about their faith in the series, but it’s not what matters most at the heart of Chibi-Robo. What endeared the Gamecube original to me and its other fans is less its gameplay and more its world and writing. That’s a major reason why Zip Lash, a game wholly focused on platforming gameplay at the expense of character interactions, did little to interest Chibi-Robo enthusiasts. It’d be hard for anybody other than its original creators to recreate s??uch an intentionally bizarre charm. But if anybody can do so, Ryu ga Gotoku Studio’s resume is qualified enough to give it a shot.

A heartwarming 3D happy-em-up doesn’t exactly need thrilling gameplay to be lovable, and I’m still a bit heartbroken by Nintendo’s decision to the contrary (let alone how little Zip Lash thrilled me in my entire playthrough). Yet regardless of whether Chibi-Robo needs it or not, in the proper hands, I'd love a return to the character's roots with his own antics dialed up to 11. Yakuza’s shown that adrenaline-filled combat or juggling dozens of over-the-top side activities doesn’t have to be at the expense of heartwarming narratives, and given tweaks that fits his character, I could only be even more excited for a return to Chibi’s origins with a hand like?? Rya go Gotoku Studio's. Maybe it could even convince Nintendo that the little guy’s got a lot more potential with his original formula.

Or maybe I’m just so hyped for Yakuza Kiwami on PSPlus next month and also so desperate to revisit Chibi’s roots that I’m stretching my imagination. That could also be it. Shame that I only rented Chibi-Robo instead of buying it. I wonder how Photo Finder stacks up…?

The post The Yakuza tea??m could make a pretty rad Chibi-Robo game appeared first on Destructoid.

Bark at the Moon

A new trailer for recently-launched toys-to-life sci-fi adventure Starlink: Battle for Atlas pushes the new IP's crossover with Nintendo's Star Fox franchise further, featurin??g a glimpse at some familiar antag?onists.

Responding to a mercy call from Starlink pilots under fire, Fox McCloud and his faithful crew, jet into battle, accompanied by a funky remix of the classic Star Fox stage one theme. However, there is e??vil lurking in the galaxy, and we ??get to see it in the form of arch-villain Andross and Fox's eternal rival, Wolf McDonnell. Also, someone says "Do a barrel roll", because that's a thing.

Starlink launched last week to a fairly positive response from both critics and fans. If you're interested in jetting off into the great unknown yourself, then check out CJ Andriessen's review right here, along with this nifty buyer's guide to the various sets on offer.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is available now on ??PS4, Xbox One, ??and Nintendo Switch.

The post New Starlink trailer includes appearances from Star Fox villain?s appeared first on Destructoid.

Do a barrel roll!

I remember the first time I played a title in the Skylanders series. It was the first game for the Nintendo 3DS. I found it on sale at Best Buy and decided to pick both it and three figures up. When I got home I ended up beating the game in just a few hours, only to find I didn't actually beat the game. At least not all of it. Skylanders was? designed to get you to buy toys, and while I ha??d three figures to go with my game, I didn't have the right figures to unlock every route, or to see every part of every level.

I could have gone back to the store and purchased the three extra figures I needed to see all Skylanders had to offer, but instead I traded the game in; realizing that while I found the gameplay fun, forcing me to buy more toys just to see slightly different areas in each stage was not something I could bring myself to do. Thankfully, that won't be an issue with Starlink: Battle for Atlas.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch [reviewed])
Developer: Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Released: October 16, 2018
MSRP $59.99 Digital Edition, $74.99 Starter Pack

Before I start, I need to be upfront with what Ubisoft provided to me for this review. I was sent the Nintendo Switch starter pack, containing the Star Fox Arwing ship, but with the physical copy of the game taken out. I was also sent three additional toys-to-life ships, one pilot toys-to-life pack, and one toys-to-life weapons pack. To actually play the game, I was sent a code for the digital edition as well as all of the DLC. Needless to say, I have everything I need to play Starlink: Battle for Atlas and then some. 

Now, there are two different ways to play Starlink: digital or physical. Physical requires the use of the toys. You're not bound to them, but there are certain stipulations you should know about. When you plug a ship, pilot, or weapon into the controller dock, you unlock a digital version in-game for seven days. That way you can play Starlink&nbs??p;on the go wi?thout having to bring the toys with you.

Digital is how I imagine most of you will be playing the game. This gives you access to all the sh??ips you unlock in perpetuity, and, unlike with physical, you can switch your weapons, wings, and ships on the fly. I played through the first planet with my Arwing sitting atop my Joy-Con controller dock and didn't mind it much (it's not too heavy) but the frequent need to swap out weapons for the task a??t hand has kept me in digital mode for the rest of the time I've played.

As of this review-in-progress, I am about 14 hours into the game. In that time, I've explored four planets and have got a general feel for how the rest of the game is going to play out. Starlink: Battle for Atlas is an open-world space shooter where I, as a member of the Starlink team, am trying to liberate planets in the Altas system from the scourge of the Forgotten Legion. Headed up by Grax, a feathery fellow with a General Grievous gait, the Legion is searching for Nova, an extremely power substance that Starlink's leader St. Grand just happens to ??know how to create. St. Grand learned this from Judge, a swarm-like alien creature, who crash-landed on Earth and helped develop the Starlink technology.

Liberating each planet, so far, has followed a similar pattern: I land, eliminate some Imp hives, build some refineries and observatories, destroy a few extractors, and lay waste to the Prime beasts that roam the land. Eliminating the Prime and extractors gives me cores I can use to improve the various complexes I construct on each pl?anet, helping them build a defense network to protect themselves for when I mosey onto the next world.

The Prime beasts are just one of the threats on each planet. There are also cycloptic robots sent by the Legion and outlaws that'll attack both you and any ships working for the settlements you build. There is a shallow diversity of fauna on each planet, but most of them are non-confrontational. Battles with the cyclops and outlaws don't really differ from encounter to encounter. The bouts are frequently intense as I glide across the planet's surface, dodging enemy attacks as I try to take out three or four of them at a time, but with su?ch a small number of enemies in the game, these battles tend to blend into one another.

It's never overwhelming, thanks to the unique weapons system Starlink employs. Each wing of my aircraft can hold a single gun and there are different elemental variations at my disposal. One of the most effective ways to take down foes is to hit them with a Nullifier, which creates a small vortex that does continued damage, and then hitting that vortex with a fire or ice weapon. This creates a fire or ice vortex, helping me bring down an elemental cyclops in a jiffy. There's a great deal of fun improvisation to be had with the weapons system, keeping the experience fresh even if ??the objectives I'm tasked with can feel quite repetitive.

It can also feel like busy work. Let me give you one example I've come across so far: As part of my journey across the system, I can scan each creature I see to find out exactly what it is. Scanning requires me to do a full 360-degree circle around the animal, and then find two more of the same species and repeat the process. That's just for my records, but some of the research outposts I discover on these planets will also ask me to scan the animals for their studies. One one of the planets, I was asked to use their scanning device to scan three examples of a giant toad creature I'd already scanned three times for myself. So I found three of these toads and scanned them all again, completing the mission. At the very next outpost I found, they asked me to scan the same damn creature. Doing a full 360 around three creatures of the same species just to d?iscover what it is already feels like overkill. Doing it nine times is flaccid mission design.

There is still a lot for me to see. With the first third of the Atlas system more-or-less safe, I can move onto the unexplored planets of the system, get to work on some of those sidequests I've been ignoring, and finally see what the Star Fox missions are all about. To hear about all that and more, check back once the final review for Starlink: Battle for Atlas is posted.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher. In addition to receiving the Digital Edition of the game, several of the Starlink ships, pilots, and weapons toys-to-life accessories were provided as well.]}

The post Review in Progress: Starlink: Battle for Atlas appeared first on Destructoid.

DO A BARREL ROLL!

I guess I didn't understand the extent of the Star Fox content in Ubisoft's upcoming Starlink: Battle for Atlas because I'm just floored here. Not only does Peppy get a close-up, but Slippy and Falco have speaking lines and Fox is tracking down Wolf. Are we sure this isn't a proper Star Fox sequel?

That being said, this 14-minute trailer is mostly just footage of the game being played as Fox. It doesn't showcase much more than the non-Fox versi??on that Ubisoft uploaded to YouTube. We get a pretty good look at what the game plays like and the promise that this crossover isn't just a load of fluff.

Starlink Battle For Atlas - Fox McCloud Gameplay [GameSpot via YouTube]

Starlink: Battle for Atlas: Gameplay Walkthrough | Ubisoft [NA] [Ubisoft North America via YouTube]

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Gottum

The post Ligma??? appeared first on Destructoid.

Just what you wanted, discounts

Itching to use those My Nintendo Platinum points on something interesting? Well too bad! There were a few Gold offerings that were added ju?s??t last week, and once again you're going to be bartering for 30-40% off select Wii U and 3DS games for more Gold.

On the 3DS side Bravely Default, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, Metroid: Samus Returns, Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, and Sakura Samurai are all 30% off with a voucher. Wii U love is split between Star Fox Zero and Tokyo Mirage Sessions: FE at 30% off, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon for 40% off, and Metroid Prime Hunters at half off. Ashley from WarioWare has a theme for 20 Platinum and WarioWare Gold has a set of desktop/phone wallpa?pers for 50 Platinum.

Oh, and there's a "must-have" Metroid: Samus Returns theme. If you must have it, it'll cost you 20 Gold Points (the equivalent of $0.20). You can find a reminder of how that whole program works right here. That's all folks!

Have fun all summer long with My N??intendo Au??gust rewards [My Nintendo]

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It's out of this world

When Starlink: Battle for Atlas was announced at E3 2017, I immediately wrote it off. Here was a new toys-to-life product i?n a time when other franchises in that niche were starting to die off. In 2017 it seemed like an antiquated concept. In 2018 it's downright ancient. When ??Ubisoft went silent on the new IP, I told myself it was either being canceled or changed to remove the toys-to-life aspect.

Ubisoft proved me wrong. It didn't cancel the game, nor did it drop the toys-to-life accessories. In fact, it doubled down on it, surprising audiences with a Star Fox crossover right out of left field. As I watched its most recent trailer?, I thought I was wrong to write the game off so quickly.

Guess what? I was wrong. Really, really wrong. Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a banger, and everything I wanted Star Fox Zero to be.

There were no toys in the Nintendo press area for me to see, so my hands-on session with Starlink starts off with a bit of confusion. Putting together a ship without the toys takes a few moments for me to get right, and even when I complete my spacecraft, I'm not quite sure it's what I want. There are multiple ship??s to choose from, but naturally, I go str?aight for the Arwing, an exclusive vehicle in the Switch version. Fox was not available as a playable pilot, so I settle for Shaid.

In putting my ship together, I can choose from several available guns to equip, one on each wing. I opt for the Volcano with its rapid-fire blasts and the Imploder, a devious weapon that fires black holes that do sustained damage. Again, assembling my ship wasn't what I'd call intuitive, but once I get into action, ?everything clicks.

I start off in space, flying freely above a planet that houses my first objective. Directional control of my vessel is handled with one control stick while the other activates thrust. After getting my bearings with everything, I dive toward the planet in a seamless transition from space to surface. Once on the ground, the controls of my ship change, mimicking those of the Star Fox Landmaster. I don't fly so much as hover above the ground with full 360-degree movement. I can ??also jump and barrel roll, but if I screw up the latter maneuv??er I have to press the B button to recover. 

The left and right triggers handle my equipped guns and soon enough I fly my way over to my first skirmish as part of my mission. There are a few towers I have to take out, and I alternate between my Volcano and Imploder unleashin??g massive damage. At first, I can just fly around freely and wantonly fire, but as the energy of the main tower drops, it ups its defenses. My carefree fighting technique changes as the tower sends out deadly lasers I have to jump rope over while continuing to fire on its weak spot until it's destroyed. 

The second part of my mission takes me a short distance across the planet. Here, I encounter a four-legged beast that is my final objective. This boss is massive, towering over my ship and able to summon minions to help defend it. It seems like a lot, but I have everything in control. By now, I'm a veritable expert at handling my ship, quickly taking down the boss's summoned creatures while blasting its weak points. It's a long battle?, but one I emerge victoriously fr?om wondering if there is time for me to play it again.

Honestly, I'm still in shock with how good Starlink: Battle for Atlas is. With how disappointed I was with Star Fox Zero, Starlink fills me with glee. Nothing about what I played ??came across as a cheap cash-in banking on the appeal of toys-to-life. This is the real deal, a?nd while there is still so much I don't know about the game (like the scope of the galaxy), it very well could be the best game I play at E3 this year.

The post Starlink: Battle for Atlas is Star Fox evolved appeared first on Destructoid.

They're action figures, MOM!

One of the biggest surprises of E3 so far has been the reveal that Fox McCloud of Nintendo's Star Fox is joining the space assault of upcoming Toys-to-Life game Starlink: Battle for Atlas. Publisher Ubisoft has revealed an exclusive Nintendo Switch special edition featuring ?the anthropomorphic hero.

The Starlink Nintendo Switch Starter Pack, priced at $75, will include a copy of the game, a Joy-Con mount, figurines of Fox himse??lf and the game's lead, Mason Rana, plus the famous Arwing ship, which has flown in many a desperate battle against the evil Andross Empire. Also included are several weapon attachments, including the Flamethrower, Frost Barrage and Digital Shredder.

All of the above physical items can be used in conjunction with Starlink in order to designate your on-screen characters, vehicles and capabilities. For more information on how the upcoming title will incorporate the toys into its gameplay, check out this video.

Starlink: Battle For Atlas launches October 16 on PS4, Xb?ox One and Nintendo Switch.

The post Starlink: Battle for A??tlas Switch Edition include??s nifty Star Fox toys appeared first on Destructoid.

Do a... Well, you know the rest.

During Ubisoft's E3 presentation, the publisher released a new trailer for their Toys-to-Life sci-fi title, Starlink: Battle for Atlas.

Players will journey through deepest space, exploring magnificent environments and engaging in fast, brutal space battles. But Switch users will have a huge helping hand in the form of Nintendo's intergalactic hero, Fox McCloud and the Star Fox team, coming exclusively to the Switch edition.

Shigeru Miyamoto himself tur??ned up to help reveal the shocking crossover, and was presented with the original Arwing model used to create the famous ship in the upcoming space adventure. Here's hoping a selection of cool Arwing toys will be made available to use in conjunction with the game.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas lau?nches on October 16 for Switch, PS4 and Xbox One?.

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Nintendo has always had a weird relationship with Star Fox

Nintendo seemingly is willing to try new things with the Star Fox franchise. While it started off as a vehicular rail shooter it eventually branched off with action ??adventure and tower defense spinoffs. According to a crazy rumor, Nintendo might extend that list t??o "racer."

Although the logo for a game called "Star Fox: Grand Prix" has been circulating for some time, leading most people to believe that it's fake, several folks on Twitter, reddit, and 4chan have been booming about it again. Allegedly the Switch title will be a "mix between F-Zero and Diddy Kong Racing," with "adventure mode, bosses, and a hub world." That's all low-hanging wishlist fruit right there, that people have been pining for since the likes of Crash Team Racing.

Let's take a tempered look at the situation. Right now we have no idea what Retro Studios is working on. Originally we assumed it would be Metroid Prime 4, but we've since learned that the job is going to a "talented new development team." Ever since Tropical Freeze Wii U wrapped, Retro has been behind closed doors, toiling away on a new project. That could be Grand Prix I guess? If it's real we'll likel?y find out at E3 as Retro has been quiet long enough.

Realistically, all of these unsubstantiated rumors could amount to nothing. Other than the word of soothsayers and the proliferation of logos that have no official Nintendo documentation on them, we need to chalk this up as a strong rumor. But still, if it was re??al, I'd probably play the hell out of it.

We need more racers at the moment, and the concept of a Star Fox racer actually does fit with an in-universe bit of lore -- the G-Zero Grand Prix, included as one of the endings in Star Fox Command.

Star Fox [reddit]

The post There’s a wild rumor that the next Star Fox is a racing game: would you play it? appeared first on Destructoid.

Making history

The legend of Star Fox 2 has been a popular Nintendo campfire story for over two decades. Set to be released two years after the original Star Fox, it was subsequently canned right before l??aunch, and all?? of its development resources were moved to the Nintendo 64.

But it never truly died. I still remember playing a ROM of the alpha edition that a friend had picked up, and the trials and tribulations ?of its development cycle were basically an open book. It seemed like a taste was all we would get until Nintendo announced a limited release on new hardware -- a highly unconventional move that drew the ire of fans after the system sold out online in an instant.

Yes, Star Fox 2 is exclusive to t?he SNES?? Classic, and it's worth giving a shot.

Star Fox 2 (SNES Mini)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: September 29, 2016
MSRP: Exclusive to the $79.99 SNES Mini

Nintendo made all the right moves in making Star Fox 2 seem familiar to the first at a glance, while silently reworking the series from the ground-up mechanically. Sure, you're going to be hopping from planet to planet on an overworld??, but now that map allows you to free-roam and pick your next jaunt. Space battles are still sprinkled in, but they're in first-person and have a more dogfight-like feel to them rather than extensions of the same planetary on-rails rumbles.

The same goes for the walker transformation sections and "all-range mode" areas, the latter of which was employed shortly after Star Fox 2 was canceled in Star Fox 64. Add in the power to select a character and a wingman (with two new faces, Miyu the lynx and Fay the dog) that each have unique statlines, and you have a smörgåsbord of alterations. It's obvious that Star Fox 2 is a highly ambitious endeavor, so let's talk about how those cha??nges stick.

Selecting a ship is somewhat of a sham because most of the crafts are the same with minor tweaks here and there, but the illusion of building a small party with your favorite characters works. Miyu is also my new best friend and I? pick her consistently over Falco, Peppy, and Slippy, and if you so choose, you can have your own personal bestie as a wingman.

As for the general flow, Star Fox 2 is a lot like the original but with a more open map, where Corneria is constantly being bombarded with mis?siles. Your job is to intercept them (an automated turret will help but needs to recharge from time to time) while taking down aircraft carriers and the planetary bases that launch them. It's as simple as selecting an area on the map and moving toward it, but again, the illusion of tension works in its favor -- the decision to press forward and ignore a missile or go back and prevent it was real.

Why does ?all of this matter? Well if Corneria's damage threshold crosses 100%, or you use up all your lives, the game is over. This element of permadeath might have turned people off from the original on native hardware, but on the modern SNES Classic (ha) you can utilize the save state function to literally save your??self the hear?tache. You probably won't need it though as long as you're vigilant.

What I like most is that you'll be swapping between viewpoints and playstyles on a dime. Traditional first-person battles feel like smooth transitions, as do the classic third-person segments, some of which allow you to swap between a walker ??and an Arwing at the press of a button. The Star Wolf squad also adds some character to the game's typically faceless tank bosses, and some mini-exposition between levels make everything feel more RPG-like. Note how I said "RPG-like," because this sequel is still incredibly truncated -- it'll take you around 30 minutes to beat it (though there are three difficulty levels and some hidden collectibles to find).

Star Fox 2 tries to do so much, and it's clear that it took its toll on the SNES hardware, pushing it to its absolute limits. Nintendo didn't make any concessions with the Classic unit to compensate, as the low framerate is still a problem. Initiating a transformation into a walker for the first time is a pretty big moment, but when it's followed by massive slowdown my mood immediately sours. It's not that it's consistentl??y unplayable, just uneven.

It's hard to tell how Star Fox 2 would have been received if it released as planned. I think it would still have a following to this day d??ue to its loose smattering of new ideas, but that's preci?sely why it would have its detractors as well.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the SNES Mini hardware provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Star Fox 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Good luck!

Manuals may be fading away, but maybe they'll get one last hurrah as Nintendo has uploaded a full manual to Star Fox 2; the same kind of manual we used to expect to come with each new game. It details the story, char?acters, controls, features, and mechanics with brand new images (some animated).

Also uploaded are design documents for the overall game design as well as ship designs from June ??19, 1995. They're all in Japanese, but you can get a gist of what they're showing and describing.

The post Nintendo ?reveals Star Fox 2 manual and design documents appeared first on Destructoid.

Can Star Fox 2 be a reward if they don't make enough SNES Classics?

My Nintendo has been updating its rewards steadily, but a lot of you probably haven't even noticed, or checked the site in months. If you do care, you'll find some Kirby and Star Fox related rewards, which you can peruse below. Highlights include Star Fox Zero on Wii U and a Kirby anniversary 3DS theme.

So all of this My Nintendo stuff is predictable unimpressive, but you know what would be neat? If Nintendo made Star Fox 2 a My Nintendo reward. I don't care if it's a massive coin sink, just putting it on there would be a classy move. Because after all, if they don't actually create enough SNES Classics, the system ??that the lost game is exclusive to, it'll just be lost to scalpers and collectors.

It would be really unfortunate for a game this long in the maki??ng to suffer that fate.

My Nintendo [Nintendo]

Gold Points:

• 3DS Theme: Kirby’s 25th Anniversary – 20 Gold Points
• 30% discount on Star Fox 64 3D (3DS) – 90 Gold Points
• 50% discount on EarthBound Beginnings (Wii U) – 30 Gold Points
• 30% discount on Star Fox Zero (Wii U) – 100 Gold Points
• 40% discount on Star Fox Command (Wii U) – 30 Gold Points
• 40% discount on Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger (3DS) – 40 Gold Points
• 40% discount on Pandora’s Tower (Wii U) – 60 Gold Points

The post New Star ?Fox a??nd Kirby rewards pop up on My Nintendo appeared first on Destructoid.

Aaaaand they're gone

Hey everyone,

This episode of Retroid discusses the biggest retro news of the year so far, the announcement of the Super Nintendo Classic ??edition. We recorded a little over a week ago, just after the reveal. It's possible that our own Jonathan Holmes may have forced the announcement by using targeted, carefully applied JOURNALISM to Nintendo's pressure points, and we open the show by discussing how that all went down. You can listen to the show ??below or download it directly from SoundCloud.

We talked about the sad history of Uniracers/Unirally and why it'll never be re-released thanks to rabid Disney lawyers. You can read all about it at HardcoreGaming101.

Our first musical interlude comes at 16:29 and is the music that plays in the Peanut Plain stage in Kirby Super Star. The second at 23:00 is the Super Smash Bros. Brawl remix of Star Fox's opening level, Corneria. The third break at 40:00 plays the Atma weapon theme from Final Fantasy VI. As alwa?ys, our opening theme comes from Sunsoft's Journey to Silius and our outro music is NES Metroid Ending - arrange version by nicoMS0122 on YouTube.

If you haven't already, you can subscribe to our shiny new RSS feed at //feeds.feedburner.com/RetroidPodcast. We'll need one more episode in the can befo?re I can sub?mit the show to iTunes, but we're recording episode five tomorrow night, so it shouldn't be much longer.

If you've missed any of our previous episodes you can check them out from the RSS feed or click on these links. If you'd like to know immediately when a show is posted or just want to send us some questions, you can always reach us @RetroidPodcast on Twitter. Let us know what you'd like to hear about, and t?ell us how we're doing!

The post Retroid discusse??s the SNES mini and whether Nintendo will get it right thi??s time appeared first on Destructoid.

Never had a barrel roll

If you've just woken up from a coma, you may not have heard that the SNES Classic is coming this September. It's loaded with 21 classic Super Nintendo titles, from A Link to the Past to Yoshi's Island. One game on that list is the biggest and most surprising news though: After over 20 years, the unreleased SNES title Star Fox 2 will finally make its debut on the SNES Classic.

Whatever happened to that game though? Star Fox 2 was finished after all, so why didn't it ever see a retail release? It's a question on a lot of people's minds with the announcement of its official release. Star Fox 2 was an ambitious project, but it would be thrown out, and we wouldn't see Fox, Slippy, or Falco again until Star Fox 64 – a favorite of the era for a lot of gamers.

Why cancel the game? Nintendo gave the title a ton of magazine coverage prior and even showed it off at the 1995 Consumer Electronics show. In an interview with Nintendo Life back in 2015, Dylan Cuthbert, who worked for Argonaut Software, the studio working on the title with Nintendo, said the game was about 95 percent finished at the time of cancellation. Cuthbert goes on to explain that the decision to cancel the project was ultimately ?;made to stop any chance of the SNES' 3D graphics being compared to that of the more powerful PlayStation.

Nintendo didn't want the older generation's 3D graphics being compared to those of the new one. At that time in Japan, the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were doing very well, much to the surprise of Nintendo. So it was decided that the next outing for Fox ?McCloud and friends would be on the N64, Nintendo's 3D console.

Star Fox 2 isn't the only SNES game to get thrown out, but it is one of the higher-profile ones. Games like Kid Kirby and Super Kid Icarus might never see the light of day outside of some leaked ROMs. If you're looking for more history and screenshots on this game, Unseen64? has a great?? selection of videos and images to check out.

So, 2017 will see the official full release of a Super Nintendo game we never thought we'd get. Are you psyched to finally play Star Fox 2? Their devel??opment team sure is. Here's a photo of them celebrating (via GoNintendo + Swery's Twitter)

StarFox 2 devs gather to celebrate the upcoming launch of the game //t.co/XMIvkUKBqs pic.twitter.com/MaStE0yJVI

— GoNintendoTweet (@GoNintendoTweet) June 27, 2017

Wh?at other canceled games w??ould you like to see get a retail release? 

The post Whatever happened to Star Fox 2? appeared first on Destructoid.

Holy [expletive]

Well, it's really happening. If the NES Classic didn't appeal to you, then this one surely will draw you in. Nintendo confirmed on Twitter that a Super Nintendo Classic Edition (which means it'll be HDMI ready like its predecessor) is on the way, and will include the never before released Star Fox 2. 

Expect the (probable) five of these available, releasing September 29 for $79.99 USD, to go quickly. Let's all thank our own Jonathan Holmes for potentially forcing Nintendo's?? hand on this. 

Here's what's included: 

• Contra III: The Alien Wars
• Donkey Kong Country
• Earthbound
• Final Fantasy III
• F-Zero
• The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Kirby's Dream Course
• Kirby Super Star
• Mega Man X
• Secret of Mana
• Star Fox
• Star Fox 2
• Super Mario World
• Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
• Super Mario Kart
• Super Metroid
• Super Ghouls and Ghosts
• Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting
• Super Punch-Out!!
• Super Castlevania IV

[via Twitter] 

The post SNES Classic loaded wit?h Star?? Fox 2 launching this September appeared first on Destructoid.