Star Fox 64 3D Hands-On - What's New and What's Missing
By:
Andre Segers
|
July 20, 2011, 1:00 pm

Nintendo invited us to their office in San Francisco earlier this week to take Star Fox 64 3D out for a test flight. True to its name, this is a 3D remake of the 14 year old Nintendo 64 classic. And like Ocarina of Time 3D before it, the game has been given the all-star treatment, bringing the visuals up to modern standards and adding a few new ways to play. 

Click here to check out the latest screenshots!


Single-Player

You’ll still find yourself piloting the Arwing, Landmaster (a tank), and Bluemarine (a submarine) as you traverse the Lylat system in an effort to put a stop to Andross’s antics. Like in the original, your performance in each level dictates the path you take, ensuring you’ll have to play through multiple times in order to visit every level.

With the core gameplay perfectly preserved, the visuals, audio, and even controls have all been given the modern treatment. Here's a rundown of everything that's new:
  • Vastly Improved Graphics - The most noticeable difference (besides the 3D) is the noticeable bump given to the graphics. Virtually every asset of the game has been remodelled and retextured, helping to conceal the game’s Nintendo 64 heritage. I really can’t gush enough about the raging water effects on Zoness, which looked amazing with the new lighting effects. Some visual artifacts do carryover, however, which are likely a direct consequence of their impact on gameplay. You’ll still find heavy fade-in of objects in the space levels, and the underwater level, Aquas, still seems to run (intentionally) at a lower framerate.

             
     
  • Motion Controls - Similar to the additions made in Ocarina of Time 3D, you now have the option to steer by physically moving the 3DS around. It is very responsive and surprisingly usable, and as I quickly learned, you need only use subtle movements meaning you can use it even while sitting. When using the motion controls, arrows appear along the sides of the screen and provide a visual indicator of how far you’ve moved the system from its neutral position. However, unlike Ocarina of Time 3D, where the motion controls allowed you to aim with greater speed and accuracy, Star Fox enjoys no such benefits. While physically moving the system is fun, I’m confident I’ll fallback on the Circle Pad when going for a high-score. Luckily, you are able to switch between the two types of control on the fly, just as in Zelda.
     
  • Easier Stunts - Mastering the Somersault and U-Turn maneuvers just got a whole lot easier! While you still have the option to perform them by tapping gas/brake in conjunction with the appropriate direction on the Circle Pad, you can now also simply tap either Up or Right on the control-pad to instantly perform the move. A small, but useful addition.
     
  • New Score Attack Mode - Although the single-player game remains untouched, you can replay any stage at any time in the brand new Score Attack mode in an attempt to earn a new high score. Importantly, you need to actually unlock the levels in single-player before they’re accessible in Score Attack. Unfortunately, there are no online leaderboards.
     
  • Re-recorded Voice-overs - While Star Fox 64 may not necessarily be remembered for the quality of its voice acting, it’s certainly remembered for the quantity, coming at a time when Nintendo needed to prove the Nintendo 64 was capable of storing large amounts of audio in face of the PlayStation’s CD format. And now those voice-overs have been completely re-recorded by much of the original cast, free of the compression-causing distortion in the original. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to find out which specific actors have returns but rest assured that the main cast sounds almost exactly as you remember, with Falco being as cocky as ever.
     
  • Updated Music - We weren’t able to 100% confirm it, but we’re pretty sure the music has been updated, even if just slightly. Don’t worry, they sounded great.
     
  • Touchscreen Support? Throughout the course of the Story Mode, the touchscreen is only used for two things: displaying the face of talking allies and occasionally tapping it to confirm supply drops when prompted.
     

Multiplayer

One area in which Star Fox 64 3D differs greatly from the original is in the multi-player department. Like the original, up to four-players can take to the skies and duke it out, in one of three modes. Where it differs is with the addition of floating item boxes that grant one of seven random weapons, adding both complexity, as well as general Mario Kart-like mayhem to the action. Here's everything we know about the multiplayer mode:
  • 3 Multiplayer Modes 
    Survival: Each player has only one life. The last man standing wins. 
    Point Battle: The first to score the designated amount of kills wins.
    Time Limit - Whoever kills the most within the preset time wins.
     
  • 4 Levels - Corneria, Venom, Meteos, Macbeth, all featuring unique terrain independent of the story mode.
     
  • Front-Facing Camera Support - Thanks to the game’s use of the 3DS’s front-facing camera, you’ll always know who you’re targeting as your opponents faces always hover just about their aircraft. Even better, you’ll see their faces cringe whenever you shoot them down! 
     
  • 7 Power-Ups
    Firebird - You know the star in Mario? Basically that, except with fire. Touch an opponent to take them down instantly.

    Stealth Mine - Yup, they’re mines...that float in the air. Handy for when you have a baddie on your six.

    Transpose - This allows you to switch positions with the nearest opponent, turning the chaser into the chasee! 

    Cloak - Conceals you from your opponent’s radar.

    Super Nova - These blobs of energy inflict heave damage, but can only be tricky to aim.

    Slow Burrs  - Activating this will slow your opponents to a crawl until they can shake off the three enemies attached to their ship by quickly tapping the shoulder-buttons.

    Force Field - You can probably guess what this does.
     
  • Options
    Shield Gauge - Allows you to handicap yourself with a shorter shield gauge in case your opponents can’t outfox you.

    Player Icons - Turn the aforementioned faces on/off.

    Items - You can disable the new power-ups, leaving only bombs and rings, similar to the original game.
     
  • Revenge Camera - After an opponent takes you down, you can hold left on the control pad to make the camera swing the camera around and show you where your opponent is..sweet revenge! You can also use the touchscreen to tap on the face of any of your opponents to similarly reveal their location.
What’s Missing?
  • Original Multiplayer - Unfortunately, the new multiplayer mode and maps comes at the expense of those in the original. Granted, Star Fox 64’s multiplayer wasn’t anything terribly special, but it was note-worthy for the ability to choose your vehicle. No longer will you be able to pilot the Landmaster, or god forbid, battle an Arwing while on-foot.
     
  • Rumble Support - Yes, yes, this one is obvious considering the 3DS has no rumble  built-in, but it’s still a loss all the same. Particularly when you consider the original game actually came bundled with the Rumble Back and introduced force-feedback to the masses. Somehow crashing your Arwing just isn’t the same without the controller trying to shake its way out of your hands!
     
  • Online Support - Disappointingly, Star Fox 64 3D does not have online support of any kind, which is especially baffling considering Star Fox Command on the Nintendo DS did. Add to that the seemingly made-for-online camera-support and we’re left scratching our heads as to why it was omitted.
Closing Thoughts
 
Playing Star Fox 64 3D was like being punched in the face with nostalgia. The haunting notes of the game’s intro, the impeccable level design, and chatty teammates all brought back memories of the time I spent with the game more than half my life ago. Everything was exactly where I remembered it, only untarnished by time thanks to the care spent in restoring this classic. Though the omission of the original multiplayer mode is disappointing, its replacement seems to be at least on par and should offer some new experiences. 
 

We’ll have more on Star Fox 64 3D as get closer to its September 9th release. In the words of the great General Pepper, “it's about time you showed up, Fox.”
 
Click here to check out the latest screenshots!
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Background Check: Andre
I’ve long been a fan of the Star Fox games. The original is still perhaps my favorite, though the N64 was is undoubtedly the one I played the most. Unfortunately, I can’t say anything similar for the games that followed in the series...

Star Fox: Loved
Star Fox 64: Loved
Star Fox Adventures: Meh
Star Fox Assault: Kill it with fire!
Crimson Skies: Loved