Hands-On: Star Fox Zero

If you’ve been paying attention to Star Fox Zero‘s release press, you’ll know that it’s been a bumpy road so far. The game currently stands at a 71 on Metacritic, which is an uncommonly low score for a major Nintendo title. Most criticism has been leveled at the game’s supposedly unwieldy controls and lack of any substantial content; since the game is one of Nintendo’s biggest draws on the PAX show floor this year, we took it upon ourselves to see if it really is as mediocre as the Internet says.

Before I go any further, let’s get this out of the way. Yes, it’s true – the controls are pretty strange. You use the left analog stick to pilot the Arwing, but aiming your gun is tied to the GamePad’s motion controls. Additionally, the GamePad screen always shows a cockpit view of the action while the TV displays the standard behind-your-vehicle view. This does create a bit of a disconnect in terms of what you attempt to do and what you expect to happen, and it can be confusing at first. I ultimately managed to make due by holding the GamePad completely still, which more or less allowed me to fire wherever my Arwing was flying. Sure, this may defeat the purpose to some degree, but it was the only time I truly felt comfortable playing the game. Unfortunately, several segments lock you into a forced camera perspective that requires your using the cockpit view to navigate, and attempting to keep an eye on both screens gets a bit puzzling and tiresome. A chicken-esque land-based vehicle also required motion controls and the cockpit view to do much of anything, and I never did get the hang of that one.

Once you do come to terms with the controls, though, much of what makes a Star Fox game fun returns in force. You’ll be treated to action-packed levels with explosive set pieces and diverging pathways, much like you’d expect. The game doesn’t seem to push the envelope much in terms of new ideas or innovate gameplay elements, but the core gameplay is definitely still there. Visually, the game looks decent by Wii U standards, and the game does manage to pack a fair bit of action on-screen at once. Sadly, frame rate judder and slowdown are pretty pervasive, especially when explosions take center stage, and it’s occasionally enough to distract from the gameplay. The familiar Star Fox aesthetic is intact, though, and it looks better than it ever has thanks to the Wii U’s HD polish.

Despite the updated visuals and gimmicky controls, Star Fox Zero and its arcade-like approach feels very much like something out of 1997. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on two factors: how much you appreciate the old-school Star Fox games, and how many flaws you’re willing to accept in order to play something like this again. If you’re a die-hard fan of the series, you’ll likely find some enjoyment here, but for everyone else, the curious control scheme may be a considerable turn-off. Try it before you buy it.

Star Fox Zero is available on Wii U now.