Star Fox Zero

Star Fox Zero is Nintendo's biggest, flashiest game of E3 2015, but this isn't the first time we've seen Fox McCloud's most recent return to the skies. Exactly a year ago, Nintendo legend Shigeru Miyamoto showed off an early build of the game to a few members of the gaming press. The initial playable build of the game didn't make a significant impression on me at the time, which I wrote about after playing (no new word on those strange Star Fox-branded minigames from last year). Today, I had the opportunity to play more of the latest iteration of Star Fox Zero, and walked away far more hopeful than I did from the first showing.

Last year, I got my hands on the new transformable Arwing, which can morph between a tank, smaller walker, and of course its flight form. The E3 2014 demo featured basic gameplay, scant, poorly detailed levels, and overly simplistic objectives. Nintendo showed the game far earlier in its development and in a much rougher state than the company is traditionally known to do. The proof-of-concept demo, which allowed Fox to transform his vehicle and aim in first-person using the Wii U GamePad's screen, was serviceable but unexciting without the greater context of an intergalactic laser battle between talking anthropomorphic animals.

Fast forward to E3 2015 and Star Fox Zero packs layers of Nintendo's signature polish. The colors of the blue and pink laser blasts pop out against the series' signature grey and green backdrops, all conveying a civilization crumbling beneath an Imperial attack. The action scrolls forward at an automatic pace, staying true to Star Fox's on-rails heritage. Dozens of ground-based and aerial enemies crawl about and wreck the city as I target them with my third-person view on the main TV display. When more precision is needed – like blasting a spider robot's weak spot from directly above – I look to the GamePad's display and use motion control for fine aiming. The setup may seem clunky at first, but raising the GamePad into your peripheral view while focusing on the TV makes it easy and fun to swap back and forth.

The E3 2014 demo allowed me to turn the Arwing into a tank, which was pretty useless at the time given I was in the middle of a mostly aerial dogfight. Don't bring a lumbering war machine to a nimble spaceship fight. During today's E3 2015 demo, I was able to morph into a chicken-like walking robot, capable of exploring tight building interiors to find hidden collectibles. This ability even allows players to seek alternate means to take down big enemies and complete missions. For example, my battle against a huge spaceship changed dramatically thanks to transformation. The battle begins by blasting turrets on the huge ship from the skies. A weak spot is visible in the center, but shooting it doesn't appear to do much damage. The camera changes here from auto-scrolling to focusing on the big boss, forcing me to rely on the GamePad more for accurate blaster fire. Eventually I discover a small opening in the side, where I swoop in and morph into the walker. I follow the narrow corridor to the rotating green mechanical heart of the craft. I take out the core with some snappy shooting and nimble footwork. The walker can't do a barrel roll like the Arwing, but the same analog stick flick executes a quick sidestep. The Imperial ship goes down in flames and Fox flies off to fight another day.

Star Fox Zero's shiny layer of polish and the exciting mission I completed now have me feeling positive about the next big thing from Nintendo. At this point in development, it doesn't look like the most complex experience Nintendo has worked on, but the novelty of alternating Arwing views and on-the-fly transformations are enough to land the game on my radar. 

For a more exhaustive dive into Star Fox Zero, read this in-depth preview.