"Star Fox Goes Strategic"

Presentation:
The story of SFC is much deeper than my previous Star Fox experience, Star Fox 64. Characters interact in between missions, and the path you take determines the outcome. SFC has nine different endings! Some of the endings are more satisfying than others, but you'll want to complete every one. The dialog is very entertaining. It is easily the best component in SFC's presentation.

The graphics of SFC vary. The strategy phase of SFC uses very simple 2D graphics, and the combat phase uses 3D graphics. The strategy phase's graphics doesn't mesh very well: the map is very simple, but other portions of the phase use nice artwork and even 3D renderings. The map's simplicity isn't bad in itself, but it seems out of place--like a mix of conflicting themes. The 3D portion has no such problems. The top screen shows a 3rd-person view of the level from behind and slightly above your ship. The bottom screen shows an instrument panel with a large radar screen. The 3D models are well done, and slowdown usually does not happen, except occasionally in Wi-Fi play. Effects like smoke are done well, but the explosions are underwhelming. The underwater levels don't quite feel like a sea adventure.

The music in SFC has a few pieces that stand out, but it is mostly forgettable. During the strategy phase, the planet's music is played--there are about 8 different tracks for the planets--and in the combat phase, the pilot's theme is played. Not much of the music sticks in my mind. This is because most of the tracks sound the same: a snare banging, some strings playing, and maybe a trumpet blowing. The best tracks are the ones that were composed for past Star Fox titles. I have no complaints about the sound effects: the battle sound effects have no noticeable faults, and although the DS cartridge does not have enough space for voice acting of the huge amount of dialog, the characters' voices have different pitches when they are talking. There's a feature to use your own voice for the gibberish, but it's difficult to tell the difference from the default voice.

Game Play:
My only previous Star Fox experience was Star Fox 64, so I was a little surprised by SFC's game play. A mission consists of a number of turns, and each turn consists of a strategy phase and, if conflict results, a combat phase. During the strategy phase, the player examines the map and draws a flight path for each available pilot. When the player is finished, all fighters move. Items can be picked up and if an enemy gets close to a pilot, combat will ensue. When all objects have finished moving, the player begins the combat phase. In combat, the player flies around a square area with boundaries in pursuit of the enemy ships containing cores. The layer loses a life when the pilot takes too much damage and when the time runs out. When all cores are collected, the game moves on to the next conflict, or if there are none, to the next turn. When all cores in the mission are collected, the mission is complete.

To my knowledge, Star Fox has never been a strategy series. It might frustrate players who just want to fly around and shoot things, but it is enjoyable to some. The combat phase is quite repetitive, and gets boring after a while. The bosses, on the other hand, are mostly very creative.
The controls are devoted almost entirely to the touch screen. Slide your stylus on the screen to move, rub it back and forth to roll, and tap icons to perform boosts and loops. The buttons have just one purpose: shooting. Using the touch screen allows for smoother control, but the touch screen is not quite as precise as the D-pad and buttons. Beginning players will be frustrating occasionally by the controls.

The game starts out at a comfortable difficulty for learning to play, and progresses nicely. After the first completion of the story mode, players can take different paths through the game to find harder levels.

Value:
The story mode isn't long, but it can be replayed many times thanks to the different paths and endings available. Unfortunately, it's quite possible that you'll get bored of the game play before you finish all the endings. The different dialog and endings was enough to keep me going, but players who care less about the story might put it down after the fifth or sixth time through.

In SFC's multi-player, players shoot down each other and collect their stars. The player with the most stars at the end of the match wins. The local multi-player mode can be played with up to six, and the Wi-Fi mode with up to four. The Wi-Fi mode is very well put together, except that if one player drops out, the match is canceled. Lag is kept to a minimum, but when it does lag, slowdown occurs. All players are ranked with a letter from A to Z, with A being the best. Players level up by winning matches and collecting stars.

Intangibles:
My heart is saddened because SFC refers to a "barrel roll" as just a plain "roll." You'll understand someday.

Overall:
Some of Star Fox's trademarks like linear levels and voice acting are sorely missed, but SFC makes up somewhat with Wi-Fi connectivity and an entertaining story. Star Fox Command has its faults, but it's a solid game.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/24/08

Game Release: Star Fox Command (US, 08/28/06)