Star Fox 2
Encyclopedia
was an unreleased video game for the Super Famicom/Super Nintendo Entertainment System
. It was to be the second of the Star Fox series and the direct sequel to Star Fox
. Both Argonaut Games
and Nintendo developed the game, with Nintendo planning to publish it. The Japanese version was completely finished except for minor debugging tools that weren't yet removed. It is unknown if there are any complete English versions. This game was scheduled to be released in 1995.
Star Fox 2 continued the battle against Emperor Andross who seeks to conquer the Lylat system, with the Star Fox team assembled once again to defeat him. The game introduces a new semi-real time game play system, featuring new ship types and two new Star Fox team members. It also features a more advanced 3D game engine thanks to a new improved version of the Super FX
chip.
The game was held due to the impending release of the Nintendo 64
and the desire to use the most advanced system available for a new Star Fox game.
The premise of Star Fox 2 was very different from the original Star Fox: Instead of following mostly linear
paths inside predefined missions, the player moves a team of two ships freely around a map screen that represents the Lylat system. When the player's ships make contact with enemy forces, the game went into an action perspective, piloting the Arwing ship directly with controls and game play similar to the first Star Fox. When the player cleared the specified objectives in that encounter (destroying all fighters in the vicinity, for example), the game went back into the main map screen, where the player could select a new destination for his craft.
The objective of the game was to destroy all enemy forces present in the map while defending planet Corneria (located in the lower left corner of the map), preventing its damage level from reaching 100% due to enemy attacks. To protect Corneria the player would have to intercept fighters and incoming missiles, called IPBMs (Inter-Planetary Ballistic Missiles) in the game, while also dealing with the sources of these attacks: battleships, which will deploy more fighter squadrons, and planetary bases which would fire more missiles towards Corneria. To assist the player, General Pepper would employ an immobile space station that could shoot down enemies on a limited basis — the player also had to defend this installation from special enemy ships called viruses that could take over the satellite, and use its cannon to fire at Corneria.
If a player's ship makes contact in the map screen with a captured planet they would be transported into another action sequence located on the planet's surface. There they would have to open the enemy's base entrance through different means depending on the level (by pressing a switch, defeating a boss, etc.) Once the player had been able to gain access to the base interior, he/she would have to go through a complex and destroy the base's generator at the end. The planet would be then liberated and no more missiles would be fired from it. Starfighters from the Star Wolf mercenary team would be defending some captured planets, and they will have to be fought if the player wants to liberate one of those planets. They would eventually go after the player's Arwings when some time has passed. Bosses will also be dispatched to chase the player's ships at some point in the game.
The game ran in semi-real time — when the player took an action, time started counting and enemies would perform actions as well. This occurred whether the player was moving around on the map screen or has engaged an enemy in battle, making it possible for enemies to damage Corneria or new enemies to launch during that time. This forced the player to think tactically and defeat their enemies as quick and efficiently as possible. At times the player may even have to leave a battle to take on other enemies that are getting too close to the planet. In this way, Star Fox 2 bears considerable similarity to many real-time strategy
games.
Once the player has cleared all enemy forces present on the map, his ships would then travel to Andross' base, located on the top right corner of the map, to face one last level and fight Andross himself at the end of it. Once Andross is defeated the player won the game, and his performance would be scored and ranked in a debriefing screen.
Difficulty levels had a great impact on the game, changing the layout of all levels and presenting stronger and more numerous enemy forces on each successive difficulty level. Each difficulty level also contained its own bonus items called "Pepper Coins", which would be hidden inside the game's levels for the player to find and collect.
Star Fox 2 takes place in the Lylat system, the home system of the series's protagonists. During the course of the game, the Star Fox team gradually penetrates the defense of Andross's forces and reaches his floating base, Astropolis.
Star Fox 2 features six playable characters, the highest number of any game in the series until Star Fox Command
. Primary characters include Fox McCloud
, a fox who leads the Star Fox team; Falco Lombardi
, the cocky expert pilot with a sometimes contentious relationship with Fox; Peppy Hare, mentor to Fox and the wisest member of the team; Slippy Toad
, the team technician and childhood friend of Fox; Fay, a white poodle with a pink hair bow who is a new member of the team; and Miyu, a tomboyish lynx
who is also a new addition to the team.
Most of the main characters in the game have an intensely positive or negative relationship with Fox McCloud and his team, particularly Andross, the game's main antagonist who has repeatedly organized invasions of Fox's home, the Lylat system. The supporting character Wolf O'Donnell and his Star Wolf team serve as secondary villains throughout the game. Most of these characters have reappeared in later games in the series, such as Star Fox 64
or Star Fox: Assault
, and also in other franchises, such as Super Smash Bros.
, the game's antagonist, Andross, returns to the Lylat system and launches an all-out attack against Corneria, using his new fleet of battleships and giant missiles launched from hidden bases to destroy the planet. General Pepper again calls upon the Star Fox team for help. Armed with new custom Arwings, a Mothership, and two new recruits (Miyu, a lynx, and Fay, a dog), the Star Fox team sets out to defend Corneria by destroying Andross's forces before they can inflict critical damage on the planet. Along the way, Star Fox must also combat giant boss enemies, bases on planets throughout the Lylat system, members of the Star Wolf team and finally Andross himself.
. Early in development, Fara Phoenix from the Star Fox comic (called "Lady" in the alpha) and the Andross look-alike "Saru" (Japanese for "monkey") were in place of Miyu and Fay. Fay replaced a female sheep character from the game's early development.
exists of an early alpha version of the game, which came from a source code archive dating to when the game was in early development. Another ROM, compiled from the latest known source code before the project was cancelled, can also be found—this version is nearly complete and contains minor bugs, debug code, and unfinished features such as a rudimentary multiplayer mode. These ROMs can be played using a SNES emulator
and can be run on real hardware if burned to a cartridge with a Super FX
chip. Additionally, a fan-made
patch can be added to the near-final ROM—this fixes most of the bugs, removes the debug code and the unfinished features, and translates the game's dialog into English
(a version of this patch also exists without the language translation).
's Virtual Console
or the Nintendo DS, Star Fox designer Takaya Imamura
said "Probably not."
While Nintendo never disclosed the official reason for its cancellation, Star Fox 2 programmer Dylan Cuthbert shares the reasons for its cancellation:
According to Dylan Cuthbert, some programming elements done for the game, such as the camera programs, were adapted and reused for the development of Super Mario 64
. Shigeru Miyamoto
also stated that ideas such as All-Range mode, Multi Player mode, and Star Wolf scenarios came from Star Fox 2. He estimated that 30% of Star Fox 64 came from Star Fox 2. Additionally, several game concepts have been reused in Star Fox Command
for the Nintendo DS
— among these are the map screen gameplay element and the ability to choose from multiple characters, each with their own fighters and statistics.
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. It was to be the second of the Star Fox series and the direct sequel to Star Fox
Star Fox (video game)
, released as Starwing in Europe and Australia due to a game of the same name and subsequent trademark issues in those regions, is the first game in the Star Fox series of video games. It was released in the spring of 1993 for the SFC/SNES...
. Both Argonaut Games
Argonaut Games
Argonaut Games plc was a British video game developer. Founded as Argonaut Software by teenager Jez San in 1982 the company name is a play on his name and the movie title Jason and the Argonauts. It had its head offices in Edgware, London....
and Nintendo developed the game, with Nintendo planning to publish it. The Japanese version was completely finished except for minor debugging tools that weren't yet removed. It is unknown if there are any complete English versions. This game was scheduled to be released in 1995.
Star Fox 2 continued the battle against Emperor Andross who seeks to conquer the Lylat system, with the Star Fox team assembled once again to defeat him. The game introduces a new semi-real time game play system, featuring new ship types and two new Star Fox team members. It also features a more advanced 3D game engine thanks to a new improved version of the Super FX
Super FX
The Super FX is a coprocessor chip used in select Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game cartridges. This custom-made RISC processor was typically programmed to act like a graphics accelerator chip that would draw polygons to a frame buffer in the RAM that sat adjacent to it...
chip.
The game was held due to the impending release of the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
and the desire to use the most advanced system available for a new Star Fox game.
Gameplay
Linearity (computer and video games)
A video game with nonlinear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each player sees only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played in a different order. A video game with linear gameplay will confront a player...
paths inside predefined missions, the player moves a team of two ships freely around a map screen that represents the Lylat system. When the player's ships make contact with enemy forces, the game went into an action perspective, piloting the Arwing ship directly with controls and game play similar to the first Star Fox. When the player cleared the specified objectives in that encounter (destroying all fighters in the vicinity, for example), the game went back into the main map screen, where the player could select a new destination for his craft.
The objective of the game was to destroy all enemy forces present in the map while defending planet Corneria (located in the lower left corner of the map), preventing its damage level from reaching 100% due to enemy attacks. To protect Corneria the player would have to intercept fighters and incoming missiles, called IPBMs (Inter-Planetary Ballistic Missiles) in the game, while also dealing with the sources of these attacks: battleships, which will deploy more fighter squadrons, and planetary bases which would fire more missiles towards Corneria. To assist the player, General Pepper would employ an immobile space station that could shoot down enemies on a limited basis — the player also had to defend this installation from special enemy ships called viruses that could take over the satellite, and use its cannon to fire at Corneria.
If a player's ship makes contact in the map screen with a captured planet they would be transported into another action sequence located on the planet's surface. There they would have to open the enemy's base entrance through different means depending on the level (by pressing a switch, defeating a boss, etc.) Once the player had been able to gain access to the base interior, he/she would have to go through a complex and destroy the base's generator at the end. The planet would be then liberated and no more missiles would be fired from it. Starfighters from the Star Wolf mercenary team would be defending some captured planets, and they will have to be fought if the player wants to liberate one of those planets. They would eventually go after the player's Arwings when some time has passed. Bosses will also be dispatched to chase the player's ships at some point in the game.
The game ran in semi-real time — when the player took an action, time started counting and enemies would perform actions as well. This occurred whether the player was moving around on the map screen or has engaged an enemy in battle, making it possible for enemies to damage Corneria or new enemies to launch during that time. This forced the player to think tactically and defeat their enemies as quick and efficiently as possible. At times the player may even have to leave a battle to take on other enemies that are getting too close to the planet. In this way, Star Fox 2 bears considerable similarity to many real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
games.
Once the player has cleared all enemy forces present on the map, his ships would then travel to Andross' base, located on the top right corner of the map, to face one last level and fight Andross himself at the end of it. Once Andross is defeated the player won the game, and his performance would be scored and ranked in a debriefing screen.
Difficulty levels had a great impact on the game, changing the layout of all levels and presenting stronger and more numerous enemy forces on each successive difficulty level. Each difficulty level also contained its own bonus items called "Pepper Coins", which would be hidden inside the game's levels for the player to find and collect.
Setting and characters
Star Fox 2 features six playable characters, the highest number of any game in the series until Star Fox Command
Star Fox Command
is the fifth game in Nintendo's Star Fox series which was published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006 and 2007. Released in Japan on August 3, 2006 and in North America on August 28, 2006, it was first announced at the E3 2005 conference, under the name Star Fox DS...
. Primary characters include Fox McCloud
Fox McCloud
is an anthropomorphic video game character and the main protagonist of the Star Fox series. He was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and designed by Takaya Imamura. As his name implies, he is a red fox and the main player character of the series....
, a fox who leads the Star Fox team; Falco Lombardi
Falco Lombardi
Falco Lombardi, known as in Japan, is an anthropomorphic falcon or pheasant character from the Star Fox series of video games. He was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and designed by Takaya Imamura. Falco acts as the wingman and friend of title character Fox McCloud for the majority of the...
, the cocky expert pilot with a sometimes contentious relationship with Fox; Peppy Hare, mentor to Fox and the wisest member of the team; Slippy Toad
Slippy Toad
is a player character in the Star Fox series of video games published by Nintendo, debuting in the 1993 game Star Fox.-Design and characteristics:...
, the team technician and childhood friend of Fox; Fay, a white poodle with a pink hair bow who is a new member of the team; and Miyu, a tomboyish lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
who is also a new addition to the team.
Most of the main characters in the game have an intensely positive or negative relationship with Fox McCloud and his team, particularly Andross, the game's main antagonist who has repeatedly organized invasions of Fox's home, the Lylat system. The supporting character Wolf O'Donnell and his Star Wolf team serve as secondary villains throughout the game. Most of these characters have reappeared in later games in the series, such as Star Fox 64
Star Fox 64
, known in Australia and Europe as Lylat Wars, is a scrolling shooter video game for the Nintendo 64 video game console. It is a reboot of the original Star Fox, and the only game in the Star Fox series to be released on the Nintendo 64....
or Star Fox: Assault
Star Fox: Assault
Star Fox: Assault is a third-person shooter video game for the Nintendo GameCube developed by Namco and published by Nintendo. It is the fourth released title in the Star Fox series. It was released on February 14, 2005 in North America, on February 24, 2005 in Japan, on April 29, 2005 in Europe,...
, and also in other franchises, such as Super Smash Bros.
Plot
After his defeat in the original Star FoxStar Fox (video game)
, released as Starwing in Europe and Australia due to a game of the same name and subsequent trademark issues in those regions, is the first game in the Star Fox series of video games. It was released in the spring of 1993 for the SFC/SNES...
, the game's antagonist, Andross, returns to the Lylat system and launches an all-out attack against Corneria, using his new fleet of battleships and giant missiles launched from hidden bases to destroy the planet. General Pepper again calls upon the Star Fox team for help. Armed with new custom Arwings, a Mothership, and two new recruits (Miyu, a lynx, and Fay, a dog), the Star Fox team sets out to defend Corneria by destroying Andross's forces before they can inflict critical damage on the planet. Along the way, Star Fox must also combat giant boss enemies, bases on planets throughout the Lylat system, members of the Star Wolf team and finally Andross himself.
Development and cancellation
The game was extensively covered by the various gaming magazines of the time, with many screenshots provided by Nintendo to generate interest in the sequel. Since the leaking of the unfinished beta code, some individuals have managed to take and compile a large variety of screengrabs. These were taken using an emulator. The lack of media coverage about the compiled beta may be due to a fear of legal action from either NCL or NOANintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
. Early in development, Fara Phoenix from the Star Fox comic (called "Lady" in the alpha) and the Andross look-alike "Saru" (Japanese for "monkey") were in place of Miyu and Fay. Fay replaced a female sheep character from the game's early development.
ROM image
On the Internet, a ROM imageRead-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
exists of an early alpha version of the game, which came from a source code archive dating to when the game was in early development. Another ROM, compiled from the latest known source code before the project was cancelled, can also be found—this version is nearly complete and contains minor bugs, debug code, and unfinished features such as a rudimentary multiplayer mode. These ROMs can be played using a SNES emulator
Emulator
In computing, an emulator is hardware or software or both that duplicates the functions of a first computer system in a different second computer system, so that the behavior of the second system closely resembles the behavior of the first system...
and can be run on real hardware if burned to a cartridge with a Super FX
Super FX
The Super FX is a coprocessor chip used in select Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game cartridges. This custom-made RISC processor was typically programmed to act like a graphics accelerator chip that would draw polygons to a frame buffer in the RAM that sat adjacent to it...
chip. Additionally, a fan-made
Fan translation
A fan translation, in video gaming, refers to an unofficial translation of a computer game or video game.The fan translation practice grew with the rise of video game console emulation in the late 1990s. A community of people developed that were interested in replaying and modifying the games they...
patch can be added to the near-final ROM—this fixes most of the bugs, removes the debug code and the unfinished features, and translates the game's dialog into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
(a version of this patch also exists without the language translation).
Legitimate release potential
When asked about whether or not the game would be released on the WiiWii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
or the Nintendo DS, Star Fox designer Takaya Imamura
Takaya Imamura
is a Japanese artwork designer for Nintendo. He designed the characters from the F-Zero and Star Fox series of video games. He is credited for creating many of the characters, universe, and overall concept of those franchises. He is the original designer of Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud in Super...
said "Probably not."
While Nintendo never disclosed the official reason for its cancellation, Star Fox 2 programmer Dylan Cuthbert shares the reasons for its cancellation:
According to Dylan Cuthbert, some programming elements done for the game, such as the camera programs, were adapted and reused for the development of Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
. Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
also stated that ideas such as All-Range mode, Multi Player mode, and Star Wolf scenarios came from Star Fox 2. He estimated that 30% of Star Fox 64 came from Star Fox 2. Additionally, several game concepts have been reused in Star Fox Command
Star Fox Command
is the fifth game in Nintendo's Star Fox series which was published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS in 2006 and 2007. Released in Japan on August 3, 2006 and in North America on August 28, 2006, it was first announced at the E3 2005 conference, under the name Star Fox DS...
for the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
— among these are the map screen gameplay element and the ability to choose from multiple characters, each with their own fighters and statistics.