Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Old-school"

To this day, Star Fox 64 has remained one of the most cherished and addicting Nintendo 64 titles, and certainly one of the few titles found in the N64 library that has gracefully stood the test of time for the past 14 years. The Star Fox games to come out since SF64, while ambitious in trying out new ideas, have ultimately not been what people were looking for in a true sequel. To hold people off just a bit longer, the N64 classic has been revamped for the Nintendo 3DS and you can now experience the joy Star Fox 64 has to offer any time, anywhere.

The story and gameplay are largely identical to that of the original N64 title. Fox McCloud and his team of animal comrades are on a mission to defeat the maniacal scientist Andross from taking over the Lylat system and be able to avenge the death of Fox's father. The game is presented as on on-rails shooter where you will be traveling through seven of the 15 different planets/sectors per branching path. How you perform in each stage by the end will determine where you will head off to next. The game features a few vehicles that you can pilot: The Blue Marine (a submarine for the water planet Aquas), the Land Master (a tank for a couple of ground missions), and the Arwing, your main spacecraft of choice to help you conquer the skies. You will be battling your way through various enemy ships and aliens all while avoiding incoming obstacles as you make your way to a boss at the end of each level and promptly kill it so that it will instantly explode. At certain points you will also be able to enter All-Range mode, a feature first brought up by the ill-fated Star Fox 2. Here you will maneuver around a 3-D plane engaging in dogfights with either a main boss or you rival squad Star Wolf.

Much like the original Star Fox 64, Star Fox 64 3D features incredibly tight, responsive controls and great replayabilty. Traveling through space is done with absolute ease, and if you are very much used to the controls of the original, you will adjust to the new set rather quickly. A new addition included with the game is the option to maneuver your spacecraft with the 3DS itself using the gyroscope sensor. It works well for the most part, but it feels more comfortable using the regular button controls (plus using the gyroscope screws up the 3D effect). It will take you less than an hour to beat one path, but like any good arcade-styled game, it offers plenty of addicting gameplay to make you go back to again and again.

The game features two types of main game modes: 3DS and Nintendo 64. The 3DS mode is slightly easier, features and allows utilization of the gyroscopic motion controls. The 64 mode is pretty much identical to that of the original game. Both modes, however, include an auto-save feature which is a welcome addition, and you can collect medals in each planet by defeating a certain number of enemies and keeping you teammates in tact. Collecting all the medals unlocks an additional difficulty. Returning from the original Star Fox 64 is the fun local multiplayer, or "Battle Mode". With only one cartridge required, you and three other friends can duke it out in All-Range mode and fight for supremacy. A rather useless feature included is being able to take a photo of yourself for your friends to see as they play. The game also features a Score Attack mode, allowing you to revisit any stage you have completed so that you can compete for the highest scores and medals or simply blast through your favorite level. While the features presented will keep you entertained for some time, this remake would probably have benefited from having a bit more content added, like perhaps adding an online feature for the Battle Mode.

The obvious difference you will experience in the remake is the audio/visual upgrade. The graphics are absolutely gorgeous. The planets and space you travel through feature a greater attention to detail, with crisper textures, lighting, and a more vibrant color pallet that shows off the art style at its best; and despite it eating away at your battery life in a mere couple of hours, it really is worth seeing this game in 3D. The already fantastic music is also remastered and it sounds just as good as ever. The original voice cast returns in the remake to re-record the dialog, and for the most part they certainly get the job done in recreating the fun cheesiness of the original.

To sum things up:

PROS:
-Star Fox 64 on the go
-Gorgeous remastered visuals
-Great remastered soundtrack
-Same great, addicting gameplay
-Silky smooth controls
-Return of the cheesy voice acting
-Fun local multiplayer

CONS:
-Needs more content

Regardless if you are a seasoned veteran or a newcomer, Star Fox 64 3D offers enough fun gameplay and replayabilty that is worth the price of admission.