“Emergency, Emergency! Emergency, Emergency!” On screen we see four aircraft heading down a launch tunnel. Star Fox and his squadron of Arwings. A warning klaxon is going off and the word “Scramble” is shown. “Incoming enemy fighters, prepare for launch!” The warning alarm starts to blare louder as each of the Arwings hits their afterburners one by one, rocketing down the launch tunnel. Soon, the screen fades to black and then we’re taken outside. The skies of planet Corneria are a bright blue dotted with the occasional cloud. And all at once, Star Fox and his squadron take to that sky, ready to defend their world from the assault of the evil Andross and his diabolical forces.
Even through I’ve played Star Fox probably a hundred times up to this point in my life, the opening of this game always finds a way to excite me and pump me up. This game was a great rail shooter and in some ways the first of its kind. This was also the first game I ever played on the Super Nintendo that wasn't a Mario game, and it felt very "adult" to me. I mean, as adult as a game can be where you fly around as a fox with your friends who are a rabbit, falcon, and a toad... But what grabbed me right away, like I'm sure most kids back in the day, were the graphics. I mean, just look at them! 3D polygons over top the occasional 2D image. There was nothing like it at the time and it was all thanks to the Super FX graphics chip that promised players "special effects like never before".
For me though, it was all about the adventure and non-stop action. While Star Fox is a little clunky by today's standards, I still have a blast flying through each stage taking out the enemy while I maneuver around enemy fire, all while my squad mates fly with me. I always loved how I would have to save them from the enemy sometimes, and it took me back to some of the cooler 80's actions movies I used to watch like Top Gun. While saving your useless squad mates does get more agitating as you go, my 9-year-old self loved every second of it.
As you made your way to Venom, the planet that was Andross' home base, you'd find yourself having epic battles in space and on other planets. The game got progressively harder as you went and you really had to keep your cool behind the flight stick in order to see yourself through. You could upgrade your main laser cannon as you went, but you had to be careful! Take too much damage to one of your wings and you'd see it fly off, along with your upgraded weapon. It was such a neat touch! At the end of each stage, you'd come up against some awesome bosses in the form of enemy machines or aircraft. There was the Attack Carrier from the first level, the Rock Crusher found in the Asteroid level, and the awesome land based Dancing Insector that looked like a blue spider that would spit fire at you!
While the music in Star Fox really isn't anything to write home about, it does a fantastic job immersing you in this space adventure and absolutely fits the mood. It's a soundtrack I'll still listen to today and it always makes me imagine myself in the cockpit of an Arwing, ready to take flight.
The game also has three paths you can take on your way to your ultimate objective, so there's some decent replay value to be had here. Though, my 9-year-old self just played the easy path over and over again. And that was okay! I had a blast with this game when I was younger, and it was the sole reason I decided to pick up a Super Nintendo Classic when they were selling them however long ago that was.
Star Fox on the Super Nintendo may not be the best game on the system, but it will always have a special place in my heart. I can't help but feel like a kid again whenever I play this game, imagining it's me against the forces of evil, and only my cunning skill and fancy flying will see us through. If you haven't played it before, I encourage you to give it a chance. And if you have, don't you think it's about time to get back in the cockpit one more time?
If you want to hear more about my thoughts and experiences with Star Fox, check out an early episode of the Retro Wildlands podcast where I dive in head first! I'd love to have you!
