Nintendo 64 · 1998
Star Fox
A rail shooter that puts you in the cockpit of Fox McCloud's Arwing to defend the Lylat system from Andross.
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Format
- Cartridge
- Genre
- Rail Shooter
- Released
- 1998
01
Overview
Star Fox flies the player through branching space and ground missions with a team of animal wingmen, mixing corridor segments with freer flying and tank sections. The game uses the Nintendo 64's expansion pack for enhanced polygon rendering and features voice acting by the main cast, both notable for console games at the time. As a sequel to the Super Famicom titles Star Fox and Star Fox 2, it carries the Lylat War story forward with a wider set of mission types and character voices.
02
Why it matters
It showcased the N64's polygon capabilities early in the console's life, with texture mapping and anti-aliasing that set a visual bar for the platform. The game's voice acting and expansion pack usage also demonstrated what a cartridge-based rail shooter could achieve on mid-90s hardware.
03
The physical edition
A typical complete copy includes the game cartridge, an instruction manual, and the original box. Some regional releases also bundled a Rumble Pak or other accessories, so contents can vary by edition and region.
04
Playing it today
The game runs on an original Nintendo 64 system and requires the console's expansion pack for its full polygon rendering. It can also be played through Nintendo Switch Online or other emulation setups that support N64 titles.