Nintendo announced plans for a new Star Fox game for the Wii U, tentatively called Star Fox or Star Fox 2015, at the world’s largest annual video game exposition, E3 2014. Also included in their unveiling of the epic news was some very rough game footage and a video of Shigeru Miyamoto using the Wii U GamePad to play the game. Very little information was released, and the gameplay we see on the video could go through some very radical changes prior to its 2015 release. Despite being kept in the dark by Nintendo, the folks here in the Nerd Bacon office are extremely excited for this upcoming extension of yet another classic Nintendo franchise… one that has been M.I.A. for far too long, if you ask me.

Recently, at The Game Awards 2014, Nintendo shed more light on Star Fox 2015, opting mainly to announce smaller things such as how they are searching for some development/programming assistance to get the game out during 2015. Unfortunately we have yet to receive the really exciting news from Nintendo regarding how this game will play, what it will look like, detailed information about how it will interact with the GamePad, or what online gameplay will be like (if there is any). Despite having a lack of knowledge of how the game will ultimately turn out, we can tell you exactly what the fans want and what we hope to have!

What Nerd Bacon Wants

Being a major Star Fox fan since the original was first released on the Super Nintendo back in 1993, I can’t even tell you how thrilled I am to see Nintendo finally bring the series back. A short 3 years ago Nintendo re-released Star Fox 64 for the 3DS, but that wouldn’t be nearly enough to satiate fans of the series who have been begging for more since Star Fox: Assault was released on the GameCube. Through the eyes of nearly any fan, Star Fox 64 is the pinnacle of the series, establishing itself as the sole basis for comparison when referring to every other Star Fox game or similar rail-shooter games.  The reality? Neither Star Fox Adventures or Star Fox: Assault could stand up to their cartridge-based precursor. And despite a single handheld release in 2006 and the 64-bit re-release on the 3DS, the series has remained dormant for nearly 10 years, failing to see a release on the super successful Wii. But all of that is in the past as Nintendo is pulling out all the stops for their upcoming release of a much-loved franchise.

Shigeru Miyamoto – E3

I would love to see Star Fox 2015 do more than simply “give a nod” to their rail-shooter roots and actually find a way to bring back a lost genre in a new way.  Genres come and go, sometimes due to technological advancements making games/genres obsolete. Other times genres lose their appeal due to changes in the video gaming landscape as a whole and the way it creates gaming fads and such.

Instead of simply conforming to what everyone else is doing, something that Nintendo never seems to consider, I believe fans would love to see a unique blend of Star Fox SNES and Star Fox 64, with a little Star Fox: Assault peppered in. Now that would be one helluva recipe. I want to see these 3 classic concepts working together to create a unique experience that does more than just “remind you of the days of old,” instead making you say, “Wow, this feels familiar, yet I’ve never experienced anything quite like this.”

Star Fox 64

We fell in love with the on-rails shooter concept, yet the game that followed Star Fox 64, Star Fox Adventures, failed to provide fans with what they wanted: another Star Fox 64 on a newer more badass system with better graphics, better music, cooler options, and enhanced everything! It wasn’t until Star Fox: Assault came around that fans were finally given a little bit of what they had been waiting for since 1997. But something about Star Fox: Assault was a little off. Perhaps it was the high expectations? Or the lack of depth, character development, or emotion? What Star Fox: Assault DID get right, however, is bringing the series back to its roots. Whether they nailed it or not, that decision is on you. All I know is I was happy to have something more familiar to get involved in.

But then… enter the emptiness and vast dessert known as 2006 to 2014… A time when Nintendo chose to take a break from many of their classic and most beloved franchises. Fast forward to today, and here we are holding our bladders so we don’t piss ourselves with excitement. I hope Nintendo finds a way to seamlessly blend the exciting and fun elements of the on-rails gameplay from Star Fox SNES and Star Fox 64 with some of the free-range gameplay from Star Fox: Assault. I can honestly live without any on-foot gameplay. Although Star Fox Adventures was a pretty damn good game, it never felt like a real Star Fox game to me (technically it was just Star Fox painted over a game titled Dinosaur Planet). Fox didn’t belong in that game. He belongs in an Arwing taking on Wolf and Andross!

Sure, new is good. Why create an entirely new game that looks, plays, and feels just like the old ones? That would be silly. Nintendo is riding high right now, so the last thing they need to do is alienate and piss off fans. Just give us something really badass, amazing, and extremely exhilarating with a classic feel. Just don’t forget the games that made Fox McCloud one of Nintendo’s most recognizable and elite mascots, as well as making Star Fox one of Nintendo’s many premiere acts. You’ve got big shoes to fill Nintendo… Can you handle the heat?

Oh, and one more thing… feel free to let Slippy sit this one out. We don’t need to hear him yell, “You did it! I was worried for a moment.” ever again. If you don’t send Slippy on a traditional ceremonial casket jetison from the Great Fox, I’ll put him down myself. Switching to all-range mode. Nerdberry… Out.

Let’s hear your opinion on the matter! What would YOU like to see from Nintendo with this upcoming Star Fox title?? Please leave comments below.