Collection essentials #252: Star Fox (SNES)

Many of Nintendo’s own games on the SNES were sequels to popular games released on other systems that came before, belonging to series such as Mario, Zelda and Kirby. What we have here, though, is what I think most would argue is the most significant Nintendo franchise that debuted on the SNES.

Back in the early days of console gaming when cartridges were the standard, game consoles were rather limited in terms of power, and developers had to work within significant limitations to develop games for them. One way that they sometimes managed to exceed the previously-established limits of a console was to invent special “chips” on the circuit board inside the game cartridges that provided enhancements. Star Fox is probably the most famous example of this. It was a cutting-edge game for the time, and Nintendo wanted people to be aware that this new chip existed to enhance this new game, as you can see the advertisement for it on the box and the “Super FX” logo on both the box and cartridge (that was the name of the chip). What made Star Fox so cutting edge? The answer is just a number and a letter…3D!! This was one of the first home console games that have true three-dimensional graphics, rendering polygons rather than two-dimensional sprites. Video game fans in the ‘90s were always very eager for the most technologically advanced video games, and Star Fox was that big game of 1993.

Star Fox is a type of shoot ‘em up that would be classified as a “rail shooter”. In a rail shooter, the player is either somewhat or completely restrained in how they can move, and aside from the player character, the player typically moves a crosshair around the screen to show where they’re aiming (though Star Fox 1 sort of breaks this roll by not having a crosshair for the third-person segments, which is the majority of the game). You control ace pilot Fox McCloud who pilots a ship called the Arwing and leads a team of four known as Star Fox as they travel to different planets and locations in space to deal with the evil Andross. The other three members of the team often contact the rest of the group with something to say, such as asking Fox for help when being chased by an enemy. They all have their own life bars, and there are rewards such as points and more dialogue when you keep them alive. 

Being a rail shooter, movement is limited in Star Fox, as you cannot change the perspective of the screen. However, you are free to fly around the confines of the screen. The game is all about shooting down enemies and maneuvering your ship to avoid damage, with the ability to turn it vertically and do a spin move (called a barrel roll) to deflect certain attacks. You can also accelerate and brake to put yourself in a more advantageous position, and a limited supply of bombs exists for special or desperate situations.

There are three different paths you can take in Star Fox, which you choose at the very start of the game. They all start and end in the same place, but the levels in between are all different. I’ve only ever beat the game on the first pathway…

Obviously Star Fox 1 isn’t so cutting edge anymore. And because 3D is a lot to ask of the Super Nintendo, the framerate is really darn low, which means the game’s motion looks really choppy. So this seems like an obvious example of a dated game. But while it’s true that there’s a part of this game’s appeal that is permanently lost, and also that the formula has absolutely been improved upon since, the gameplay experience here is still quite good. They certainly did make sure the game was fun to play and not just a technological showpiece.

As for my personal memories, I definitely remember seeing Star Fox at a young age and recognizing it as an impressive title unless anything else on the SNES. I didn’t have my own copy for a long time, though. I think it was circa 2000 or 2001 when my kid self secured his own Star Fox cartridge, and I do believe I did so at a defunct store called Fantasy Realms in West Springfield, Massachusetts. I don’t think me or my parents have my childhood copy anymore, though. In 2012 I scored this near-mint copy shown in the photo in an excellent Cragislist deal that came with a few other boxed games in excellent condition, such as ActRaiser and Pilotwings which I’ve already covered.

Star Fox is one of those games you just knew was going to be on this list if you know anything about old school gaming. Not many today would name it as one of their top favorite SNES games, but nevertheless almost anyone who loves the console would consider it an essential, and yours truly sure isn’t an exception.