Look, we need to talk about the fox in the room. If you grew up with a gray controller in your hand, the Star Fox game series probably feels like that one high school friend who was destined for stardom but ended up working at a local garage—full of untapped potential and occasionally showing flashes of the old brilliance. It’s a franchise defined by "what ifs."
What if Nintendo actually knew what to do with it?
What if they stopped trying to reinvent the wheel—or the Arwing—every single time?
Honestly, the history of this series is a chaotic mess of groundbreaking tech and baffling design choices. It started as a technical miracle. Back in 1993, the Super Nintendo wasn't supposed to do 3D. It just wasn't. But Argonaut Games and Shigeru Miyamoto shoved the Super FX chip into a cartridge and suddenly, we were flying through polygons. It felt like the future. Fast forward to today, and the series is essentially in cryosleep.
The Shifting Identity of the Star Fox Game Series
The core appeal is simple: barrel rolls, lasers, and a team of animals bickering in your ear. But Nintendo has a weird relationship with Fox McCloud. They seem convinced that a straight-up rail shooter isn't "enough" for a modern audience, which is why we keep getting these wild experimental departures.
Take Star Fox Adventures on the GameCube. It started as Dinosaur Planet, an original IP by Rare, and then Nintendo basically slapped Fox McCloud onto it. You spent more time whacking lizards with a magic staff than actually flying. It wasn't a bad Zelda-clone, but for fans of the Star Fox game series, it felt like buying a ticket to a rock concert and ending up at a puppet show. Then came Star Fox Assault, which tried to mix third-person shooting with flight. It had its moments—the multiplayer was actually a sleeper hit at sleepovers—but the "on-foot" missions felt clunky compared to the buttery smooth flight mechanics of the N64 era.
Then there’s the Star Fox Zero situation on the Wii U. This is where things got really divisive. Miyamoto wanted to prove the Wii U's dual-screen setup was necessary. He forced a control scheme that required you to look at the TV for flying and the GamePad for aiming. It was exhausting. It felt like rubbing your stomach and patting your head while someone throws bricks at you. People wanted a return to form, and instead, they got a homework assignment.
Why Star Fox 64 is Still the Gold Standard
If you ask any fan which entry defines the Star Fox game series, they’ll say Star Fox 64. Every time.
It wasn't just the "Do a barrel roll" meme. It was the branching paths. You didn't just play through the game; you earned your way to Venom. If you didn't meet specific medals or triggers, you were relegated to the "easy" route. Taking the high road through Sector Y and Aquas felt like a badge of honor. The voice acting, as campy as it was, gave the characters actual souls. Peppy’s constant worrying, Slippy’s high-pitched screaming, and Falco’s "I guess I should be thankful" arrogance created a team dynamic that hasn't been topped since 1997.
The game was designed for replayability. You could beat it in 40 minutes, but you'd spend 40 hours trying to find every secret exit. That’s the magic Nintendo has struggled to recapture. They keep trying to add complexity to the controls when the original magic was in the level design.
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The Technical Wizardry and the British Connection
Most people forget that the Star Fox game series owes its existence to a bunch of teenagers from England. Jez San and the team at Argonaut Games were the ones who convinced Nintendo that 3D was possible on the SNES. They literally had to teach Nintendo how to work with polygons.
This partnership led to the creation of the Super FX chip. It was an extra processor inside the game cartridge itself. Think about how insane that is. The console wasn't powerful enough, so they just added more "brain" to the plastic box you plugged into it. This tech paved the way for Star Fox 2, a game that was 99% finished and then cancelled at the last second because Nintendo was worried it would look "bad" compared to the upcoming PlayStation and N64.
We didn't get to officially play Star Fox 2 until the SNES Classic released in 2017. It’s actually fascinating because it introduced the "all-range mode" and the walker transformations years before they became series staples. It was ahead of its time, and Nintendo killed it to protect their brand image.
The Cursed Path of Recent Releases
After the Wii U's Star Fox Zero underperformed, the series went quiet. We saw a glimmer of hope with Starlink: Battle for Atlas, a Ubisoft game that featured Fox as a guest character. Ironically, many fans felt the Star Fox content in Starlink was a better Star Fox game than anything Nintendo had made in a decade. It had the scale, the dogfighting, and the polish people craved.
But then... silence.
The rumors of a "Star Fox Grand Prix" racing game by Retro Studios turned out to be just that—rumors. Or maybe it was cancelled. In the gaming industry, the line between "in development" and "ghosted" is incredibly thin.
What the Series Needs to Survive
To save the Star Fox game series, Nintendo has to stop being afraid of the rail shooter. There is a massive market for high-fidelity, cinematic arcade experiences. Look at the success of Ace Combat 7. People want to feel like an ace pilot.
- Focus on the Cockpit: Give us high-speed, 4K vistas of Corneria.
- Ditch the Gimmicks: No dual-screen aiming. No motion-control-only requirements. Just tight, responsive arcade flight.
- Expand the Lore: The Star Fox universe is actually pretty dark. You've got an exiled scientist (Andross) waging a genocidal war. Lean into the "Star Wars meets Furry" vibe with more grit.
- Modern Multiplayer: Imagine a 16-player dogfight over the Great Fox. It’s a no-brainer.
The reality is that Fox McCloud is a legacy character now. He’s a Super Smash Bros. veteran first and a pilot second in the eyes of younger gamers. That’s a tragedy. The Star Fox game series deserves more than being a trophy on a shelf or a secondary character in a crossover.
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Star Fox Fan
If you want to experience the best of the series without digging through a dusty attic, here is how you should handle it today.
First, grab a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. It gives you access to the original SNES Star Fox, the "lost" Star Fox 2, and the legendary Star Fox 64. Play them in order. You'll see the evolution of 3D gaming in real-time.
Second, if you can find a copy of Star Fox Assault for the GameCube, grab it. It's expensive these days, but the local multiplayer is still some of the most fun you can have with three friends and a CRT TV.
Lastly, keep an eye on the indie scene. Games like Whisker Squadron or Ex-Zodiac are carrying the torch that Nintendo seems to have dropped. They capture that low-poly, high-speed energy perfectly. Sometimes, when a giant company forgets its roots, the fans have to grow their own garden.
The Star Fox game series isn't dead, but it is waiting. It’s waiting for a developer who understands that "doing a barrel roll" isn't just a meme—it's a philosophy of movement, speed, and pure, unadulterated arcade joy. Until then, we’ll just keep replaying the 64 version and dreaming of the Lylat System.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Check your Switch Online Library: Download the N64 app and aim for the "Medal" on Every Planet in Star Fox 64 to unlock the expert mode.
- Explore the "Lost" Game: Spend at least an hour with Star Fox 2 on the SNES app to see the RTS elements Nintendo was experimenting with in the 90s.
- Support Spiritual Successors: Look up Ex-Zodiac on Steam if you want that specific 16-bit aesthetic with modern performance.