The latest outing for the Star Fox team is a remake of the 1997 classic, Star Fox 64, bringing a familiar story and gameplay structure to a new generation of players. Beyond a visual refresh, this version introduces a robust Challenge mode, enhanced multiplayer, and extensive new cinematics that delve deeper into the Star Fox universe. Combined with a game that still holds up remarkably well decades later, this remake provides what is arguably the most engaging Star Fox experience to date.
The main campaign, while short, is designed for replayability. Featuring a branching path structure with 16 distinct stages, a single playthrough can be completed in under an hour, but exploring all routes and achieving every medal across normal and expert difficulties took approximately 10 hours. This structure ensures that players can revisit levels to uncover secrets and master challenges, offering more than enough content to remain engaging over multiple runs.
The return to these iconic stages is enhanced by impressive visual upgrades. Reflections on water, kaleidoscopic wormholes, and environmental details are rendered with clarity, aiding players in identifying alternate path objectives. The revamped soundtrack complements the action, capturing the mood of each location and maintaining a brisk pace throughout the campaign.
Brand-new, fully voiced cinematics significantly flesh out the characters and narrative. A unique cutscene precedes each stage, with alternate routes triggering different versions of these scenes. These cinematics focus on the conflict with Andross while also deepening the player's connection to the Star Fox team. Conversations reveal Slippy's engineering passion, Peppy's strategic insights, Falco's characteristic bravado, and Fox's newfound wit, adding a new layer of personality to the cast.
Star Fox's on-rails shooter gameplay hides a surprising amount of depth. Each stage contains hidden objectives, such as quickly eliminating enemy groups for power-ups or flying through specific structures to boost scores. Mastery comes from understanding enemy patterns, prioritizing targets for charged shots, strategically using limited bombs, and locating hidden power-ups. This emphasis on precision and execution provides a rewarding sense of accomplishment.
The new Challenge mode adds further depth by presenting specific objectives for each stage. These can range from flight skill tests, like racing against Falco, to boss time trials or eliminating specific enemy types. Completing all challenges took around eight hours. This mode serves as an excellent tool for practicing levels, memorizing enemy patterns, and optimizing paths for high scores. While some challenges require significant precision, potentially leading to frustration upon failure, they are designed to test mastery of the Arwing. A minor missed opportunity lies in the mode's potential for further expansion, such as including a boss rush or alternative gameplay scenarios.
Multiplayer Battle mode offers a compact yet enjoyable experience. It features four-versus-four deathmatches across three maps: Corneria, Fichina, and Sector Y. Each map has unique randomized objectives, such as capturing points, collecting meteorites, or delivering cargo. New power-ups, like the Plasma Blast and Smart Mines, can dramatically shift the tide of a match. However, the limited number of maps and the restriction of map-specific events is a notable drawback. The hope is that future post-launch content will expand this mode.
The Holoviewer provides an in-depth look at the game's lore, characters, planets, and the history of events like the Venom Incident, offering a deeper understanding of the Star Fox universe. The cosmetic unlockable system includes banners, emblems, and VTuber-style avatars. While the avatars allow for expressive character control, their use is limited to single-player or specific chat functions, excluding them from standard multiplayer matches, which feels like an unnecessary restriction.
Additional features include optional mouse controls, which offer precision but may not appeal to all players, and amiibo support for Fox, Falco, and Wolf amiibo, unlocking cosmetic items. A two-player co-op mode, splitting flight and aiming controls, is also available and could serve as a good introduction to the game for younger players.