Well guys, Star Fox Zero has made its triumphant return to a Nintendo console. Well, triumphant might be stretching it a bit, but it’s there, and it exists, so that’s something.
As of today, the game’s sitting at a 71 on both Metacritic and Opencritic. So it’s not an utter train wreck, but it’s got its faults. The game – for all intents and purposes – is basically a remake of Star Fox 64, or a reimagining if we’re being generous.
The campaign is fairly short at about 2 hours, but it’s ripe for replay. There are plenty of alternate paths to discover and take, so if Star Fox Zero clicks for you, you can probably expect to play through it a few times to experience all there is to see and do.
The gamepad controls seem a bit divisive. Chances are you’ll want to stick with the classic controls unless otherwise necessary, but if you put in the effort to master them, the gamepad offers much more precision and you’ll go from a Star Fox Zero to a Star Fox Hero, and that’s the only time this article I’m making that joke even though there are plenty of other ample opportunities.
NA copies of the game come with a copy of Star Fox Guard bundled. That’s a small tower defense game that people seem to be enjoying. So that’s definitely a plus, although if you’re in Europe, evidently you have to pay for Guard separately.
Overall, it seems like Star Fox Zero banks primarily on nostalgia. I don’t think it’s the next-gen Star Fox a lot of people were hoping for, but if you’re looking to relive Star Fox 64 with fancier graphics, a more fleshed out story, and a few more gameplay hooks, then maybe Star Fox Zero is up your alley.
If that fails, at least you’ve got Star Fox Guard, which seems to be a pleasant little bonus.
Maybe they’ll name the next game Star Fox Hero and right their wrongs.
I’m a liar.
