Concluding a franchise with a game brought back from the dead.
When a video game gets cancelled, it's usually due to unexpected issues arising during development and the publisher either running out of funding or patience to continue supporting the project. But when a game is practically ready for release, there's no reason not to follow through... right?
The same question must have been going through the heads of the team at Argonaut Software when Nintendo suddenly told them that their almost-complete sequel to the acclaimed Star Fox would not see the light of day – only to change their minds about 20 years later.
Polygonal Space Travel
Star Fox, developed by Nintendo and Argonaut Software, launched in 1993 for the SNES as a technical showcase, being one of the first console games to render real-time 3D polygons, enabled by the custom Super FX chip built into its cartridge. The game follows Fox McCloud and his team of anthropomorphic pilots hired to defend the Lylat System from mad scientist Andross.
The game was an on-rails shooter, with Fox' Arwing spaceship being able to fire off lasers and bombs while moving along fixed paths where players steer, accelerate or brake. To reach Andross, players can choose various routes on the map. During the stages, Fox is accompanied by team Star Fox members Falco, Slippy and Peppy, contributing in-battle chatter and supportive action.
Upon release, Star Fox quickly became a million-seller and one of Nintendo’s flagship titles, praised for its groundbreaking technical aspects and cinematic presentation, though its low frame rate and simple polygonal visuals make it harder to revisit today. Given the effort invested into the Super FX chip's development, Nintendo quickly wanted to capitalize further with a sequel.
New Friends And Foes
Star Fox 2 was co-developed by Nintendo EAD and Argonaut Software using the enhanced Super FX 2 chip developed to push the SNES' polygonal capabilities even further. From 1993 onwards with a target release date of 1996, the team experimented with parallelization, texture mapping, and more dynamic engine design to support freer movement in 3D.
The narrative picks up as Andross renews his offensive against the Lylat System, aiming to destroy its main planet Corneria via missiles fired from hidden bases. The Star Fox team, bolstered by playable newcomers Miyu and Fay, must thwart Andross' forces across multiple planets while also confronting the new mercenary rival team Star Wolf.
The missile attack on Corneria is realized via a semi-real-time strategic map in which enemy forces and missiles move as the playable ships traverse sectors. Upon encountering enemies there, gameplay shifts to classic on-rail Arwing action. There, innovations include an all-range mode as well as platforming sections where the Arwing transforms into a walker.
A Roundabout Mission
Although Star Fox 2 was completed by mid-1995, Nintendo opted not to release it due to concerns that its graphics would appear outdated next to the upcoming 3D titles for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64, damaging their reputation in the 3D gaming space. Instead, they chose to develop Star Fox 64 without Argonaut, leading to the end of their relationship.
Some of Star Fox 2's features were incorporated into Star Fox 64 (1997), including the all-range mode for free-flight battles and the rival team Star Wolf. Elements such as the real-time mission structure and character switching also influenced later entries like Star Fox Command (2006), whereas the Arwing walker would only return in Star Fox Zero (2016). Argonaut Games saw only limited success with their own titles and would eventually be liquidated in 2004.
In the meantime, early development builds leaked online, but Nintendo staff such as Shigeru Miyamoto declined to release the title officially on their classic gaming services, stating he preferred players focus on newer Star Fox entries instead. When the Super NES Classic Edition launched in 2017, however, the console’s developers persuaded Nintendo that Star Fox 2 would make for an ideal bonus title, leading to the eventual inclusion of the game's completed ROM.
Well-Deserved Retirement
Upon its 2017 debut via the SNES Classic Edition, Star Fox 2 was generally well received: Critics praised its ambition, strategic systems, and inventive approach to the franchise, while also noting its technical shortcomings, especially the inconsistent frame rate. The fairly brief runtime of about one hour would've likely made it a disappointment for customers in the 90s.
Soon after the 2017 release, hackers successfully extracted the Star Fox 2 ROM from the Classic Edition system, allowing modders to alter the title. Examples include the Starfox 2 Restoration Hack (2021) restoring some of the cut features found in the previously-leaked builds like the two-player battle mode and the Star Fox 2 60FPS builds (2022) to remedy the low frame rate.
In December 2019, the game was added to the SNES Nintendo Classics lineup on Nintendo Switch, increasing its availability even further. The Star Fox series as a whole has, however, fallen into dormancy, with the 2017 release of the 90s ironically constituting the final "new" title as of the time writing this.