With the release of “Star Fox 64 3D,” Nintendo finds itself in the awkward position of selling the same game for $10 in one form or $40 in another. Well, not the exact same game. “Star Fox 64 3D” on the hand-held 3DS makes improvements to the original Nintendo 64 space shooter — available for cheap download to the Wii’s Virtual Console — but are those improvements worth 30 bucks?
The improvements, namely, are better graphics, simpler controls for special moves –somersaults and U-turns are now mapped to one direction on the D-pad, rather than the vexing joystick-button combos of yore — and a new multiplayer mode that can be played wirelessly on four 3DS systems, even if just one player has the game. With the addition of “Mario Kart”-style power-ups to the mix, these dogfights are an extremely pleasant surprise, and make at least one copy of this game a must-buy if you’re the leader of your local 3DS gang, no matter how many times you’ve played the original.
| ‘Star Fox 64 3D’ |
| » System: 3DS |
| » Price: $39.99 |
| » Rating: 3 out of 5 stars |
If you’ve never played the original and don’t have a Wii? “Star Fox 64” is worthwhile in any form, a fantasia of barrel-rolling submarines, disembodied monkey heads and the most memorable voice acting in all of gaming. There’s “Gee, I’ve been saved by Fox” from your ungrateful wingman Falco, “Do a barrel roll!” from countrified Peppy, and of course the existentialist robot boss who alternates between “Destroy! Destroy!” and “Where is the creator?”
The game’s singular nature extends even to the evocative end credits, with Fox and his wingmen sprinting across a field as their mothership rises over the horizon.
Still, if you have a Wii and no friends with a 3DS, the $30 premium for multiplayer and prettier graphics simply isn’t worth it. Mario, within and without a kart, gets new adventures on this new hand-held. Are Fox and team forever relegated to remakes, rehashes, and guest appearances in other games?
