Star Fox 643D takes amazing advantage of the Nintendo 3DS’ 3D capabilities. It’s just a shame that it’s overall design is showing its age.
Star Fox 643D is a remake of the N64 classic and is faithful to the original game. You play as Star Fox, the Lylat system’s last hope to fend off the evil Andross. That’s about as deep as the story gets, but Star Fox 64 isn’t about the story, it’s about addictive space combat and blasting the crap out of various enemies. The gameplay is as fun as ever and controlling your Arwing fighter and Landmaster feels just as smooth as it did all those many years ago in Star Fox 64.
Such faithfulness to the N64 classic is great because the original experience is preserved and enhanced through a sharp looking graphical update. Unfortunately, there are some downsides such as having to restart from the first mission if you lose all your lives. Maybe I’m lazy, but that just plain sucks. I understand this is how the original game worked (the remake does allow you to save your progress though), but this seems like a strange design decision in today’s modern gaming era.
There are often multiple paths you can take on each level, but I’m not big on this alternate routes system. Figuring them out is extremely difficult and executing the various tasks to open up new levels is beyond challenging at times. For example: in order to get to the mission “Sector Y” you first need to save Falco and then fly through a series of arcs strewn across the level. Various other difficult tasks need to be preformed to access the game’s other levels. While some might find this feature unique and challenging, I found it frustrating and overly complicated.
It’s not all bad though. The awkward unlocking system does expand the game’s length substantially. Without this feature Star Fox 643D is insanely short – it can be completed in only a few hours. Missions themselves are also not very lengthy and for the most part last only a few minutes. I understand that this is how the original game was designed, but it would have been nice to see a few new levels, especially ones that feature the game’s more open style of gameplay. I prefer those missions to the on-rails ones.
The quality of this video isn’t the greatest but it’ll give you an idea as to how the game plays and a short preview of its somewhat cheesy plot.
Star Fox 643D supposedly features an excellent multiplayer mode, but unfortunately I can’t comment on it because it’s local play only and I don’t know anyone who owns the game. It would have been great to see the game have some online multiplayer. It’s a shame Nintendo didn’t take the time to implement it.
This is the first game I’ve ever played where 3D actually affects gameplay via a level of spacial sense unheard of in 2D counterparts. When an asteroid or bullet is flying at you, it’s much easier to avoid because 3D gives you a better idea of how far the object is from your on-screen self. It’s great to see a 3DS title actually play better because of three dimensional technology.
Very little has been changed in this remake; your squad is still pretty much useless and Slippy is still one of the most annoying video game characters ever. The game’s other voice actors aren’t much better; they’re over the top, but this also adds to the game’s campy charm.
One new aspect is the motion based control scheme that has been added to the game. I gave it a try, but I found it too inaccurate and it also conflicts with the 3DS’s 3D (just like using your weapons inOcarina Of Time 3D). In order to maintain the system’s 3D effect, you need a direct line of sight with it’s screen, so moving the 3DS side to side and tilting it doesn’t exactly work well with the 3D.
Star Fox 643D can be extremely difficult, especially when it comes to boss fights such as the final battle against Andross. Saving up the bombs you collect over the course of every level and upgrading your weapons are a necessity if you want to make it to the end of the game. It’s actually refreshing to play a challenging game for once, but there are times when the game gets a little too difficult for it’s own good.
Overall, I had a great time with Star Fox 643D. Its pick-up-and-play arcade style is a great way to kill time during my morning commute. Fans of the original will really like this game but if you were hoping for new content and a modern gaming experience, you’ll be severely disappointed.
Pros
-Classic Star Fox action in full fledged 3D
-It’s a faithful port of the N64 classic
-It’s a great pick-up-and-play relatively simple 3DS game
Cons
-Additional new levels would have been great
-Accessing the game’s alternative routes is difficult
-Its overall design feels somewhat dated
Overall Score: 7.5/10
Recommendation: Buy it! (It’s a great game with only a few flaws)