Starfox 2 is in a dilemma which, as far as I know, is unique to this one game alone. Completed in 1995, Starfox 2 was supposed to be the direct sequel to the revolutionary classic Starfox. But veterans should already recognise from the date why it was completed but not released. The N64 was on the horizon, the SNES was an aged console and Nintendo feared that the once revolutionary 3D graphics of the SNES would look outdated in comparison. Eventually, Starfox 2 was shelved for seemingly eternity. A few years later, a dumped ROM was released, which was apparently an early build of the game. However, the mystery remained as to what the official 100% finished game would have looked like. In 2017, this eternal question was finally to be answered with the help of the SNES mini.
But was all the waiting really worth it? Can a game that was technically released only a few years ago, but is based entirely on outdated 3D technology from the 90s, still be convincing today?
I can answer this question with a deliberate "yes" and would even go so far as to say that Starfox 2 overshadows its predecessor by far. On a technical level alone, the game uses pretty much the same visuals, but runs much smoother than Starfox 1. Or at least as smoothly as a Super FX game can run. Starfox 2 also uses a lot more textures, but this is probably only noticeable if you play both games in succession.
The biggest difference to Starfox 1, however, is in the gameplay. Instead of choosing from 3 different routes, which you travel with your Arwing in typical rail shooter fashion, in order to finally defeat Andross himself, Starfox 2 is about the direct defence of Corneria itself. On an open star map, Andross has taken over various planets and sends space cruisers and bombs from them to blast Corneria off the face of the solar system. The goal now is to liberate the infested planets from Andross' army and at the same time protect Corneria from as much damage as possible. Starfox 2 has a tactical element here, where the player must always decide which targets should be attacked first in order to defend themselves as efficiently as possible against Andross' squadron. Once you have decided on a target, contrary to expectations, you do not get into the rail-shooter gameplay of the predecessor. In fact, Starfox 2 introduces what would later be known as the all-range mode in Starfox 64. Most of the "levels" are in this mode and work surprisingly well despite the absence of an analogue stick. However, Starfox 2 does not yet have manoeuvres like U-turn or somersault. When selecting the attack targets and completing the levels, it is also noticeable that both on the map and in the level itself, the enemies move further and further in the direction of Corneria.
So it is always important to note how much time you spend in a level. Because too much elapsed time means another blow to Corneria. And if the damage level reaches 100%, it's Game Over. The only point where time doesn't pass is when you're not interacting with the map, so that should be used to plan the next steps. Not enough tactics, Starfox 2 adds an expanded character roster. There are now 6 members in Team Starfox, whose Arwings have different strengths and weaknesses. Fox and Falco form the middle ground with common stats with a slight propensity to attack. Peppy and Slippy are tanks. They have the largest life bar and can heal themselves with their special weapon. However, the weapon output and speed is quite low. Finally, we have the two new members Miyu and Fay, who have an enormous attack but can't withstand much. This was also to be the only appearance of the two glass cannons in a Starfox game. Depending on the difficulty, you should adjust your team accordingly, which this time consists of only two people. Unlike in Starfox 1, there aren't really 1-ups either. If the two team members die, it is also game over. The Arwings have also received a new form. As a walker, you mainly move around on the individual planets, which makes the game more in the direction of a 3D person shooter, which is a refreshing change from the typical space glider.
This game also marks the first appearance of the infamous team star wolf antagonist, who must be defeated in a similar way as in Starfox 64. Once you have finally eliminated all opponents, the way to Andross is free, who defeats in much the same way like in Starfox 1. The only difference is that this time he doesn't spit out bathroom tiles.
If you look at it in the context of the time when Starfox 2 was originally supposed to be released, I would stick to the statement that this sequel is much better than Starfox 1. The better performance makes it much easier to maneuver the Arwing or Walker and that tactical element, may be unusual for the series, but it gives the player much more creative freedom to choose how to play the game, and I find it a shame that none of the sequels have attempted a similar system again. However, Starfox 2 is far from perfect. Above all, the level design is rather short and attacks on Andross's spaceships usually don't last much longer than a minute. The longest encounters are the fights against the Starwolf members and the interior of the large battleships, which consist of simple interconnected battle rooms, with the respective reactor core as the target. This was the highlight of the game for me. In terms of difficulty, you should rather throw yourself into the hard mode, because only there can the game show its true strengths. Normal mode is ridiculously easy and you only see a few of the planets, since logically you can only visit the infested ones.
In conclusion, however, it remains to be said that Starfox 2 is a lost classic that can actually surpass its predecessor by far thanks to the strengths of a strategy and better maneuvering system. The significantly better frame rate also makes it significantly more enjoyable to play than Starfox 1. However, Starfox 2 will probably never come under the nostalgia umbrella of its predecessor. Because Starfox 2 is officially only 5 years old. Still, Starfox 2 gets my highest recommendation for retro lovers. Especially if you want to see the origin of many mechanics from Starfox 64.
But was all the waiting really worth it? Can a game that was technically released only a few years ago, but is based entirely on outdated 3D technology from the 90s, still be convincing today?
I can answer this question with a deliberate "yes" and would even go so far as to say that Starfox 2 overshadows its predecessor by far. On a technical level alone, the game uses pretty much the same visuals, but runs much smoother than Starfox 1. Or at least as smoothly as a Super FX game can run. Starfox 2 also uses a lot more textures, but this is probably only noticeable if you play both games in succession.
The biggest difference to Starfox 1, however, is in the gameplay. Instead of choosing from 3 different routes, which you travel with your Arwing in typical rail shooter fashion, in order to finally defeat Andross himself, Starfox 2 is about the direct defence of Corneria itself. On an open star map, Andross has taken over various planets and sends space cruisers and bombs from them to blast Corneria off the face of the solar system. The goal now is to liberate the infested planets from Andross' army and at the same time protect Corneria from as much damage as possible. Starfox 2 has a tactical element here, where the player must always decide which targets should be attacked first in order to defend themselves as efficiently as possible against Andross' squadron. Once you have decided on a target, contrary to expectations, you do not get into the rail-shooter gameplay of the predecessor. In fact, Starfox 2 introduces what would later be known as the all-range mode in Starfox 64. Most of the "levels" are in this mode and work surprisingly well despite the absence of an analogue stick. However, Starfox 2 does not yet have manoeuvres like U-turn or somersault. When selecting the attack targets and completing the levels, it is also noticeable that both on the map and in the level itself, the enemies move further and further in the direction of Corneria.
So it is always important to note how much time you spend in a level. Because too much elapsed time means another blow to Corneria. And if the damage level reaches 100%, it's Game Over. The only point where time doesn't pass is when you're not interacting with the map, so that should be used to plan the next steps. Not enough tactics, Starfox 2 adds an expanded character roster. There are now 6 members in Team Starfox, whose Arwings have different strengths and weaknesses. Fox and Falco form the middle ground with common stats with a slight propensity to attack. Peppy and Slippy are tanks. They have the largest life bar and can heal themselves with their special weapon. However, the weapon output and speed is quite low. Finally, we have the two new members Miyu and Fay, who have an enormous attack but can't withstand much. This was also to be the only appearance of the two glass cannons in a Starfox game. Depending on the difficulty, you should adjust your team accordingly, which this time consists of only two people. Unlike in Starfox 1, there aren't really 1-ups either. If the two team members die, it is also game over. The Arwings have also received a new form. As a walker, you mainly move around on the individual planets, which makes the game more in the direction of a 3D person shooter, which is a refreshing change from the typical space glider.
This game also marks the first appearance of the infamous team star wolf antagonist, who must be defeated in a similar way as in Starfox 64. Once you have finally eliminated all opponents, the way to Andross is free, who defeats in much the same way like in Starfox 1. The only difference is that this time he doesn't spit out bathroom tiles.
If you look at it in the context of the time when Starfox 2 was originally supposed to be released, I would stick to the statement that this sequel is much better than Starfox 1. The better performance makes it much easier to maneuver the Arwing or Walker and that tactical element, may be unusual for the series, but it gives the player much more creative freedom to choose how to play the game, and I find it a shame that none of the sequels have attempted a similar system again. However, Starfox 2 is far from perfect. Above all, the level design is rather short and attacks on Andross's spaceships usually don't last much longer than a minute. The longest encounters are the fights against the Starwolf members and the interior of the large battleships, which consist of simple interconnected battle rooms, with the respective reactor core as the target. This was the highlight of the game for me. In terms of difficulty, you should rather throw yourself into the hard mode, because only there can the game show its true strengths. Normal mode is ridiculously easy and you only see a few of the planets, since logically you can only visit the infested ones.
In conclusion, however, it remains to be said that Starfox 2 is a lost classic that can actually surpass its predecessor by far thanks to the strengths of a strategy and better maneuvering system. The significantly better frame rate also makes it significantly more enjoyable to play than Starfox 1. However, Starfox 2 will probably never come under the nostalgia umbrella of its predecessor. Because Starfox 2 is officially only 5 years old. Still, Starfox 2 gets my highest recommendation for retro lovers. Especially if you want to see the origin of many mechanics from Starfox 64.