Nintendo and Rare were so good together, but then Nintendo sold Rare to Microsoft. This is the very last game that Rare made for Nintendo. Did Rare go out with a bang with this Zelda-type adventure or did it flop? Read on to find out!
The graphics are nothing short of marvelous. Everything looks real and the animation is top-notch. Everything was treated wonderfully, and the graphics really show the Nintendo GameCube's power.
The sound in this game is also great. The music is good for the game and so are the sound effects. The voices are also well chosen and inspired. The audio portion of this game is certainly Rare's quality.
The story in this game involves the StarFox crew (Surprise!) as they wait for another mission. It's been eight years since they have saved the Lylat System, so they have very little pay. Falco, a trusted StarFox member, left the gang in boredom. However, they finally have a new mission at hand. Dinosaur Planet is in peril, and Fox needs to help. He was also told that if he could locate a fox named Krystal, she could help, too. When he lands on the planet, he can find a staff containing magical powers. The story seems slightly stupid at times as it progresses. Plus, Fox sometimes seems to care more about being paid than saving lives. In addition, the ending is very dull. I won't spoil it, however. The story does get the job done and won't detract you from the adventure.
The overall feel of movement and control is very much like a Zelda game. No jump button, Fox just jumps when he runs off an edge. The battle system is dull, as it just requires button mashing. Another annoying feature in control is that sometimes Fox won't jump off the edge, but hold it instead. Other than that, the controls work.
The game progresses in a more linear manner than most Zelda games. You are usually sent place to place, trying to find items or trigger a scene. There are only two main dungeons, but most of the game is spent outside of them. Though a fetch quest may not sound fun, everything in this game is great. The fetch quests just make you go place to place, but you're still having fun. The staff you possess has various abilities, ranging from shooting fire to causing earthquakes. On occasion, Fox does end up using his Arwing in normal StarFox-style levels. You also have a partner. A little dinosaur named Prince Tricky can perform some tasks. He can breathe fire, hold down switches, dig for treasure, and grab important items. To get equipment, you must visit the shop in the main area. You can haggle over the prices for important items. The prices are unbalanced, as you can buy almost everything at the store in no time at all. Puzzles in this game aren't very unique, and can put a damper on things in the dungeons. You don't spend too much time in them, though. As you read this review, you may be thinking that this game isn't very good. Well, I have to be honest, you're positively
WRONG.
There are tons of fun mini-games, the exploration is great, and you're always having fun, even in the fetch quests.
The flaws in this game include the simple fighting system, sometimes-flawed story, and all of the fetch quests.
Despite those flaws, I had a barrel of fun with this game. The action is balanced, it's fun, and it looks and sounds pretty. Plus, you won't spend time stuck and lost. Just hit pause and Slippy will give some advice.
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