Impressions: Star Fox 64 3D

Impressions: Star Fox 64 3D

I spent some time at the show with the upcoming 3DS revival of Star Fox 64 (it’s not entirely fair to call it a port, as the visuals have most certainly been updated), and I left wanting a copy for myself. Sure, it’s debatable whether or not the game is worth full asking price at 40 bucks, but there is one thing which is unquestionable: the game looks great in 3D and is a fantastic showcase of the system’s oft-maligned three-dimensional benefits.

Nintendo chose the screenshot, not me!
Nintendo chose the screenshot, not me!

I played the whole of the first level, and right off the bat was impressed by the updated graphics. The water at the very beginning looks much more realistic this time around, and literally everything has been reskinned/retextured. I had the chance to play with headphones, and being the musical person that I am, I was once again sorely disappointed to discover that Nintendo has apparently done nothing with the soundtrack of the game. Why they would bother to spend so much time upgrading the visuals and yet leave the audio completely untouched is an enigma to me: not only did the original game feature terribly tinny and cheap-sounding MIDI instrumentation, but a full orchestra performance should have been warranted (and would have generated quite a lot of buzz) for the retail price for which this will be sold.

Nevertheless, we haven’t reached release yet, so I will reserve final judgment on this aspect of the experience. One other minor point worth mentioning, too, is that the gyro controls are about as pointless as most of you reading this probably already anticipated.  Moving the system side to side breaks the 3D effect, so there is no real benefit to opting for this play control method.  My suggestion is that if you have a tendency to move the 3DS while playing these types of games, either break loose of it or settle for playing in 2D.

Complaints aside, the voice acting seems to have been redone (though I couldn’t get confirmation on this), and again, it’s really worth experiencing this game again with updated 3D visuals. It’s simply made for this sort of treatment, so if you haven’t been through SF64’s single-player campaign in a few years, you’re sure to appreciate the way it feels playing it on the 3DS.

Seeing your friends' faces when they're beaten is pretty funny stuff.
Seeing your friends’ faces when they’re beaten is pretty funny stuff.

Finally, I did not have a chance to play the multiplayer at the show, but I did observe some others playing.  In spite of the new power-up and special weapons, it doesn’t look that much different from the original multiplayer, but the addition of the live faces from your friends does look like a really cool addition.  Seeing the expression on a person’s face when they’re taken down is pretty hilarious.  Just don’t forget and start picking your nose or anything.

We’ll have more on this game in the coming months—so stay tuned!