Just finished Star Fox Zero yesterday. Honestly, it is an excellent gaming experience. It does justice to SF64 in so many ways and yet introduces so many fresh elements whilst remaining true to the series.
Yes, the Wii U may be an obsolete system-- with generation 7.5 graphical capabilities, a gimmicky gamepad, and an initial lack of games-- but it is a GOOD obsolete system, because regardless of its awkwardness and obsolescence, it has hosted some of the best video games ever made. I (including my friends here at college) have had countless hours of entertainment with the perfections that are Mario Kart 8, Smash 4, Splatoon, both Zelda HD remasters, Super Mario Maker, and more.
At first, Nintendo dug themselves into a hole with the Wii U. But, instead of giving up, they turned it around and resorted to the one thing they have always done best: making games. With each hit Wii U game they made, they gradually filled up the hole with more dirt, slowly but surely lifting themselves back to equilibrium. I think that it is a reasonable and rational statement if I were to say that Nintendo dealt with the failure of the Wii U well, and in doing so, they turned it into its own form of success; Star Fox Zero being one if its final triumphs.
The two-screen notion posited by the Wii U and utilized in Star Fox Zero is unconventional and enigmatic. But it works. It works if you adopt the proper facet of perception. If you keep an open mind and put trust in Nintendo's games, it will work for you-- hence why even though I thought the gamepad was unorthodox at first, the enjoyment I derived from my Wii U games encouraged me to accept it. I personally enjoy the gamepad because of the off-tv play (which is helpful in a dorm) the headphone jack, the mic, the surround-sound stereoscopic speakers, the camera-- it is essentially the ultimate controller, except it is all culminated into an awkward tablet. However, I have had some of my best gaming experiences on this awkward stone tablet.
One of those is Star fox Zero. Yes, it relies on a fairly perplexing control scheme, with heavy use of motion controls. But, because I have always kept an open mind about motion controls, like mastering Skyward Sword and owning at the motion controls in Splatoon-- the controls in Star Fox Zero were LITERALLY no issue for me. I was able to play it almost perfectly from the get-go. But, it is this mastery of the motion control peripheral that is the secret password to the "Enjoying Star Fox Zero" club, where you don't have to drink the kool-aid just to say you enjoy it.
Simply put, if you usually play with stick controls, you will most likely get very frustrated with SFzero, and this frustration will curtail your enjoyment of the game. But, if you can manage the motion control scheme, you will love SFzero, because it is an amazing game, motion controls aside. The level design is chaotic, frantic, and down-right exciting, the nostalgia of becoming a master of the arwing provides high-octane thrill, the graphics are gorgeous in many areas, the score is good, and the final battle against Andross is cleverly designed, as are most of the battles in the game including the boss on Titania. I highly recommend doing the training modes over and over, collecting as many coins as you can, to master the vehicles before you actually play the main game. It will benefit you immensely.
You won't hear this from the gamers who can't manage the motion controls, and their argument is justified-- Nintendo's mistake was not including an option to turn the motion controls off. Everyone should be able to enjoy the game if they are a Star Fox who is loyal to the Lylat system, regardless of their playing style.
It just saddens me that SFzero is getting so many bad reviews that are essentially rooted in people's knee-jerk reactions to the complex controls and not the game itself.
And let me be honest with you: in all of the parts of SFzero where the two-screened mechanic truly came into play, such as the Mother Strider on the frozen planet, the boss on Titania, and the final battle against Andross-- the level of immersion was so intense and so realistic that I had never experienced anything like it before, and I felt like a true Star Fox, like a true pilot, who is truly making his way through a galaxy, area by area, conquering the small evils in hopes to defeat the ultimate machination that threatens all. It was true thrill, all of which was somehow successfully compacted into an emotionally nostalgic, modern-day twist of a classic story that only needs a few hours to find consummation. Truly.
If you embrace the motion controls, those first few hours alone will be worth the $59.99.
Those who hate the controls are justified in their stance. Nintendo probably shouldn't have alienated them by excluding the option for stick controls. But this does not mean SFzero deserves bad reviews.
Furthermore, I do not understand how SFzero can receive 3.5/5 from Metacritic, 7.5/10 from IGN, and 7/10 from GameSpot. It's not that those are necessarily bad scores-- they're favorable by other developer's standards. It's that these scores don't harken to Nintendo's high quality standards, and that SFzero deserves better. Is there nobody at those institutions who can play the game like me? There must be. I feel for those who will never experience the game simply because they took the mixed reviews as a harbinger of their own possible disappointment of the game.
To close (and to summarize most other reviews) Star fox Zero is a truly unique experience that has been executed extremely well, albeit in polarizing forms. Mr Shigeru Miyamoto continues to instill his work with creativity and innovation with SFzero-- after all, Star Fox games are usually designed to show off the capabilities of Nintendo's current console. It is difficult to imagine Mr. Miyamoto cultivating a mediocre game, and with SFzero, he happily fails to do so, wherein his creative and innovative efforts are abundantly clear if looked for through the proper lens.
Overall an amazing game that most Wii U owners would be proud to have. If you're accepting of motion controls, you'll love it. If you're not accepting of motion controls and prefer conventional stick controls, you probably won't have a good experience, and that is understandable. Just don't get the game and then give it horrendous ratings because of its ingenuity.
I think if Nintendo simply released a patch that enabled both control schemes, motion and conventional, all would be well in the universe. But, I do not think the game would be anywhere near as beautifully immersive if you were to play with stick controls, which are bland in Star Fox Zero's respect. Instead, if you challenge yourself, you could become a true Star Fox.
This review is dedicated to our wingman who fell in battle.
Also, SFgaurd is a fun little side game that is extra entertaining at parties.
StarFox Zero - Wii U
4.5 | 1,770 ratings
Price: 26.95
Last update: 06-17-2024
About this item
Watch video screens as you frantically shoot down waves of attacking robots
Defend your facility from the evil (but cute) forces of Andross
Create your own waves of attacking enemies and share them with friends
Level up to unlock more missions and special cameras
Defend your facility from the evil (but cute) forces of Andross
Create your own waves of attacking enemies and share them with friends
Level up to unlock more missions and special cameras
Product information
| Computer Platform | Nintendo Wii U |
|---|---|
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00045496903794 |
| UPC | 667562993739 045496903794 |
| ASIN | B00ZRZTT3W |
| Release date | April 22, 2016 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars
1,770 ratings
4.6 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #9,159 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games) #27 in Wii U Games |
| Product Dimensions | 1.3 x 5.4 x 7.9 inches; 2.88 ounces |
| Type of item | Video Game |
| Rated | Rating Pending |
| Item model number | E3StarFoxZero_WiiU |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Weight | 2.88 ounces |
| Manufacturer | Nintendo of America |
| Date First Available | June 14, 2015 |
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