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Star Fox developers celebrate the series’ 30th anniversary

IbizaPocholo

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman
www.videogameschronicle.com

Star Fox developers celebrate the series’ 30th anniversary | VGC

Nintendo’s rail shooter was a graphical milestone in the…
www.videogameschronicle.com www.videogameschronicle.com


The original Star Fox was released on the Super Famicom in Japan on February 21, 1993, then came to North America in March and Europe in June.

Takaya Imamura, the former Nintendo artist who designed Fox McCloud and other characters in the original game, tweeted a new illustration to mark the occasion.

“Thank you for supporting me for over 30 years, Fox,” he wrote. “And everyone involved in the games you’ve appeared in! Thank you!”

Q-Games CEO Dylan Cuthbert, who co-programmed Star Fox while working at UK developer Argonaut Software, also celebrated the game’s 30th anniversary with a special cake.

Star Fox was partially inspired by the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine, which is close to Nintendo’s headquarters. In a 1993 interview for Channel 4 science documentary series Equinox, Shigeru Miyamoto said he used to regularly visit the shrine, with its many Torii gates, and imagine flying a spaceship through them.

The shrine also has a statue of a kitsune – a fox with paranormal abilities – which would ultimately inspire the design of Fox McCloud.

 
Fake

Fake

Member
bored waiting GIF
 
Bragr

Bragr

Banned
There is so much potential in Star Fox, it's so frustrating that Nintendo treats this as a second-degree franchise.

I would like to see some sort of continuation of Star Fox Adventure too.

I also feel this is one of the Nintendo franchises that has some good online potential, the sort of fast-paced arcade dogfighting in Star Fox suits multiplayer.
 
M

MagnesD3

Member
Bragr said:
There is so much potential in Star Fox, it's so frustrating that Nintendo treats this as a second-degree franchise.

I would like to see some sort of continuation of Star Fox Adventure too.

I also feel this is one of the Nintendo franchises that has some good online potential, the sort of fast-paced arcade dogfighting in Star Fox suits multiplayer.
Click to expand...
Yeah it's always been the Nintendo franchise I was most interested in besides Mario. I've always thought it's had incredible potential but Nintendo just doesn't understand what makes it good sadly.
 
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Saber

Saber

Gold Member
Years of failing. I wonder why its so hard to remain faithfull to the original.

I love Star Fox, its my favorite Nintendo IP, but there so many stupid ideas...
 
BlackTron

BlackTron

Member
I remember the interview where Miyamoto said he was surprised by the poor sales of Star Fox games. At the time I was just a dumb teenager and I rolled my eyes at how obvious it was that it's because the games lost focus on what made them great. I was like, are you kidding? God Himself Miyamoto cannot see this?

I'm not making this up, ten years ago I went on a date with the hottest woman I've ever had the courage to take out and she brought up games and said her favorite was Star Fox 64. It's fucking INSANE the longevity of the mindshare Nintendo's output carries from their old work, and how much value they leave on the table. People still remember StarFox/OOT/SM64 because they haven't been topped yet, and the accomplishment is being glossed over with a new gen of kids that didn't experience it getting better graphics today.
 
RoboFu

RoboFu

One of the green rats
this game was pretty mind blowing back in the day on my SNES that only started with games like Fzero and Pilot Wings years before.
 
S

SaintALia

Member
MagnesD3 said:
Yeah it's always been the Nintendo franchise I was most interested in besides Mario. I've always thought it's had incredible potential but Nintendo just doesn't understand what makes it good sadly.
Click to expand...
It's been declining in sales. It's not a matter of not 'understanding what makes them good', it's that it doesn't sell, so to actually make it sell, a new approach is needed. It's the same problem F-Zero faces. Just throwing graphics and money at it won't actually lead to blockbuster sales.

Though F-Zero is probably in a worse spot, since the only futuristic space racers around now are done by indies. But an approach maybe similar to Starlink could work, but probably not, since I think that game kinda bombed. Nintendo probably fields a lot of pitches for both games, but nothing seems to actually sell, even when you do a graphics-but better approach like F-Zero GX.
 
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Rran

Rran

Member
A very close second to StarFox 64 as best in the series, and easily the best soundtrack in the series. SNES StarFox's music is incredible.
 
6502

6502

Member
SaintALia said:
Nope. Unless we're excluding Amiga, ZX Spectrum and the sort?

Because even Argonaut software was making 3D space shooting console games:
Click to expand...

I spent years on Starglider 1 on a cga Amstrad 1512 and ega 1640.. good times. Came with a great Novella too.

Starfox was a blast and though I enjoyed the most of the games, half of the issue has been the inconsistency of the experiences. An arcade shooter with AAA production values (like sf64) would be great, but I doubt we will get one for a very long time 😞
 
EverydayBeast

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Playing star fox 64 for the first time was very important for being a gamer, the GameCube games are loved, Zero was inspired by 64 and saving the universe from an evil scientist holds up really well.

Drop The Mic GIF by MOODMAN
 
M

MagnesD3

Member
SaintALia said:
It's been declining in sales. It's not a matter of not 'understanding what makes them good', it's that it doesn't sell, so to actually make it sell, a new approach is needed. It's the same problem F-Zero faces. Just throwing graphics and money at it won't actually lead to blockbuster sales.

Though F-Zero is probably in a worse spot, since the only futuristic space racers around now are done by indies. But an approach maybe similar to Starlink could work, but probably not, since I think that game kinda bombed. Nintendo probably fields a lot of pitches for both games, but nothing seems to actually sell, even when you do a graphics-but better approach like F-Zero GX.
Click to expand...
It's declined in sales because they haven't made a good Starfox game since 1997, Starfox 64 sold like crazy. Nintendo ruined the golden opportunity to make Starfox a mainline franchise but were foolish and didn't understand the potential. Nintendo didn't understand what made Starfox special gameplay wise either so they let other developers play with it.
 
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C

cartman414

Member
BlackTron said:
I remember the interview where Miyamoto said he was surprised by the poor sales of Star Fox games. At the time I was just a dumb teenager and I rolled my eyes at how obvious it was that it's because the games lost focus on what made them great. I was like, are you kidding? God Himself Miyamoto cannot see this?

I'm not making this up, ten years ago I went on a date with the hottest woman I've ever had the courage to take out and she brought up games and said her favorite was Star Fox 64. It's fucking INSANE the longevity of the mindshare Nintendo's output carries from their old work, and how much value they leave on the table. People still remember StarFox/OOT/SM64 because they haven't been topped yet, and the accomplishment is being glossed over with a new gen of kids that didn't experience it getting better graphics today.
Click to expand...

OoT and SF64 always had flaws IMO.

The charged shot did to it what happened to Mega Man 4.
 
6502

6502

Member
cartman414 said:
OoT and SF64 always had flaws IMO.

The charged shot did to it what happened to Mega Man 4.
Click to expand...
The charge shot in sf64 was great, when chasing medals / high scores picking which enemies to target and which to pick off with lasers to max out scores was essential.
 
diffusionx

diffusionx

Gold Member
True story, I wanted a Genesis but when I saw StarFox in Nintendo Power I changed my mind. Oddly I never actually owned the game even after I got a SNES but did rent it a bunch. Just writing those sentences feels like I am describing a bygone era in every way.

MagnesD3 said:
It's declined in sales because they haven't made a good Starfox game since 1997, Starfox 64 sold like crazy. Nintendo ruined the golden opportunity to make Starfox a mainline franchise but were foolish and didn't understand the potential. Nintendo didn't understand what made Starfox special gameplay wise either so they let other developers play with it.
Click to expand...

StarFox 64 is basically a perfect sequel to the original, it's such a high quality and refined game. I really don't know where they go from that game and apparently Nintendo doesn't either because 25 years of attempts have been very mixed. They basically made a game that was too good.
 
M

MagnesD3

Member
diffusionx said:
True story, I wanted a Genesis but when I saw StarFox in Nintendo Power I changed my mind. Oddly I never actually owned the game even after I got a SNES but did rent it a bunch. Just writing those sentences feels like I am describing a bygone era in every way.



StarFox 64 is basically a perfect sequel to the original, it's such a high quality and refined game. I really don't know where they go from that game and apparently Nintendo doesn't either because 25 years of attempts have been very mixed. They basically made a game that was too good.
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To be fair they haven't really even tried, Rare developed Adventures, Assaust was Namco, Command Q Games, Zero Platinum. They have never really put alot of effort or thought into it and it's a damn shame. I know where I'd take the series but it's more than nintendo would be willing to try.
 
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C

cartman414

Member
6502 said:
The charge shot in sf64 was great, when chasing medals / high scores picking which enemies to target and which to pick off with lasers to max out scores was essential.
Click to expand...

Picking off enemy clusters boiled down to charging the blaster and letting it home in on them. Took the finesse out of the game.
 
Marvel14

Marvel14

Banned
When I was 16 I lost my virginity. I thought as a prelude to the night her and I should play a game, she chose Star Fox 64 - the original as this was many years ago. We left it playing as we took each others innocence and came of age, then came again. To this day I'm unable to achieve orgasm without picturing Peppy Hare telling me to "Never Give up" and to "Trust my Instincts"
 
Dr. Suchong

Dr. Suchong

Member
Marvel14 said:
When I was 16 I lost my virginity. I thought as a prelude to the night her and I should play a game, she chose Star Fox 64 - the original as this was many years ago. We left it playing as we took each others innocence and came of age, then came again. To this day I'm unable to achieve orgasm without picturing Peppy Hare telling me to "Never Give up" and to "Trust my Instincts"
Click to expand...
Did you "Do a Barrel roll!" mid coitus?
 
6502

6502

Member
cartman414 said:
Picking off enemy clusters boiled down to charging the blaster and letting it home in on them. Took the finesse out of the game.
Click to expand...
It wouldnt kill the whole cluster unless you hit the right enemy. If you try to get every enemy in the level it gets frantic and for the best scores you need to think quickly or learn the patterns.

It isn't as simple as hold A to get a perfect score. Plus using the lockon turned the bombs into homing smart bombs... so more choice / tactics on what weapon to use where.
 
BlackTron

BlackTron

Member
cartman414 said:
OoT and SF64 always had flaws IMO.

The charged shot did to it what happened to Mega Man 4.
Click to expand...

You replied to my post from months ago to say that OOT and SF64 always had flaws?

What was the problem with the charged shot in SF64? Or Mega Man for that matter? Regardless, it doesn't change my point that Nintendo lost sight of what made Star Fox so likable, approachable and yes, easy to sell. You can try to pick apart small flaws but the basic template of the game was on-point and it had that strength. Every game since lost sight of that.
 
DragonNCM

DragonNCM

Member
IbizaPocholo said:
www.videogameschronicle.com

Star Fox developers celebrate the series’ 30th anniversary | VGC

Nintendo’s rail shooter was a graphical milestone in the…
www.videogameschronicle.com www.videogameschronicle.com


The original Star Fox was released on the Super Famicom in Japan on February 21, 1993, then came to North America in March and Europe in June.

Takaya Imamura, the former Nintendo artist who designed Fox McCloud and other characters in the original game, tweeted a new illustration to mark the occasion.

“Thank you for supporting me for over 30 years, Fox,” he wrote. “And everyone involved in the games you’ve appeared in! Thank you!”

Q-Games CEO Dylan Cuthbert, who co-programmed Star Fox while working at UK developer Argonaut Software, also celebrated the game’s 30th anniversary with a special cake.

Star Fox was partially inspired by the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine, which is close to Nintendo’s headquarters. In a 1993 interview for Channel 4 science documentary series Equinox, Shigeru Miyamoto said he used to regularly visit the shrine, with its many Torii gates, and imagine flying a spaceship through them.

The shrine also has a statue of a kitsune – a fox with paranormal abilities – which would ultimately inspire the design of Fox McCloud.

Click to expand...

How abut you make new Starfox game instead of fucking cake ?
 
Morrie’s wig shop

Morrie’s wig shop

Member
God damn, where does the time go.
Feels like yesterday I was sitting in a classroom during my junior year of high school reading that EGM article and the cover with StarFox…….
 
mcjmetroid

mcjmetroid

Member
They really needed to evolve the series but never successfully achieved it or stuck with it.

I'm sorry but an on-rails shooter isn't going to sell now.

They should have either doubled down on the star fox adventure concept or star fox assault concept. Both of those games had good ideas but the execution maybe wasn't as tight as it could be. That's where a sequel would have really helped.

Instead they went back to the "roots" and made StarFox 64 again everytime and ehhhh.
 
R

reektann

Member
Starfox always reminds me of when a local chain called Woolworths in the UK had a special Starfox version made which was a competition. I can't remember what you won at the grand prize but I remember taking part in 2 different Woolworths stores when I was a kid - some kid who I think had the Japanese version knew the cheat where you shoot the asteroid with the face on it and it warps you somewhere for mad points.

Sucks it was called LYLAT WARS here though - gross...
 
M

MagnesD3

Member
mcjmetroid said:
They really needed to evolve the series but never successfully achieved it or stuck with it.

I'm sorry but an on-rails shooter isn't going to sell now.

They should have either doubled down on the star fox adventure concept or star fox assault concept. Both of those games had good ideas but the execution maybe wasn't as tight as it could be. That's where a sequel would have really helped.

Instead they went back to the "roots" and made StarFox 64 again everytime and ehhhh.
Click to expand...
The investment required is something Nintendo would never go for but I would absolutely keep the on rails choose/unlock your path thing but each planet would have a ton of different missions like MGSV with different rewards/gameplay segments.

I would have you really invest into your Characters on the ship giving them upgrades and different costumes you could unlock, there would be all the different vehicles and on foot would be developed into a Mass effect/beat em up on the ground that let you pull of trick combos that was also on rails or sometimes all range.

I would also pull a Sonic Adventure 2 with the story structure where you go through the story with Star Fox for 1 part and Star Wolf for the other ultimately unlocking a FINAL Story.

I'd also invest in Local Co Op and the Online Multiplayer with all the various unlockable characters and movesets with different gametypes.
 
S

SaintALia

Member
MagnesD3 said:
It's declined in sales because they haven't made a good Starfox game since 1997, Starfox 64 sold like crazy. Nintendo ruined the golden opportunity to make Starfox a mainline franchise but were foolish and didn't understand the potential. Nintendo didn't understand what made Starfox special gameplay wise either so they let other developers play with it.
Click to expand...
It sold 4 million according to Nintendo. And Starfox didn't stop with S64, there were 4 other Starfox games(technically 3 I suppose, since Adventures was retrofitted to Starfox), and also a spinoff and a remake and I don't think any of them even cracked a million sales apart from the retrofitted one.

Nintendo EAD made Starfox 64, the same studio that cranks out Mario Kart games, and the saem studio that now works on mainline Zelda, SPlatoon, Animal Crossing. All multimillion seller franchises on a bad day. Pikmin can barely get through, I see no reason why Starfox can with the numbers it's been hitting, and I see no reason why it would hit even if Nintendo gave it needed the needed budget and polish it would need.

I would like for that to happen, since it's S64 is one of my favourite games, but I can't see it happening.

It's best hope was always to be handled by some third/second party studio with a good pitch. Not even necessarilly something that would sell well, but something that's novel for gameplay that would bait Nintendo.


slight EDIT( Just checked the official numbers, seems the remake on 3DS got 1.05 million)
 
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BlackTron

BlackTron

Member
I mean, it's not impossible to revitalize StarFox, it's just not worth it. It would be easier to have an entirely new IP with how much they have damaged the brand. All of the momentum gained in 1997 is long lost.
 
S

SaintALia

Member
nkarafo said:
Those are computers, not consoles though.

I'm sure Starfox isn't the first still.
Click to expand...
I always thought of the Amiga as a console, but I guess that's the CD32 thing only.

If those don't count, then I don't know, but I'm fairly positive it wasn't Starfox.

But I guess if you limit it to be fully polygonal 3D game, then maybe. There were a lot of pseudo 3D games back in the day with clever sprite use, or limited polygonal use. In the back of my mind I always thought Sega had beaten Nintendo to the punch with that with Virtua Racing, but Starfox predates it by a year. So I dunno, would be interesting to know.
 
nkarafo

nkarafo

Member
SaintALia said:
But I guess if you limit it to be fully polygonal 3D game, then maybe. There were a lot of pseudo 3D games back in the day with clever sprite use, or limited polygonal use. In the back of my mind I always thought Sega had beaten Nintendo to the punch with that with Virtua Racing, but Starfox predates it by a year. So I dunno, would be interesting to know.
Click to expand...
Well, there was the awful Hard Drivin' port on the Genesis and the even more awful Race Drivin' port on the SNES, both around two years before Starfox.
 
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