The Observer, September 8, 2006
Volume XXXIX, Issue 2
StarFox Command disappoints with repetition
If Nintendo DS fans were asked why they are so enamored with the handheld, odds are that most responses would focus on niche titles such as Brain Age and Nintendogs. These oddities would likely have faded into obscurity on a console, but DS owners understand that the platform was made for innovative games. However, just as impressive is Nintendo's ability to make established, yet challenging genres work on the small screen. During the days of the Game Boy Advance, first person shooters rarely aspired to be anything but Doom clones, but with the DS' Metroid Prime Hunters, all of that changed. The touch screen allowed for precise controls more often associated with mouse-and-keyboard PC shooters than their dual analog console cousins. Now, Nintendo has attempted to bring three-dimensional dogfights to the DS in the form of StarFox Command. However, a solid foundation is let down by some horrible design decisions.
StarFox Command has much in common with its classic predecessors on the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64. Just as in previous installments, the player is required to travel from planet to planet, completing stages and choosing various paths that will ultimately decide the outcome of the story. Almost the entire cast from each StarFox game makes an appearance, and most of them are playable. Though some might scoff at the antics of talking woodland creatures in space, the ridiculous space opera has always been part of the series' charm. No complaints here.
The gameplay and presentation are also very strong. The flight controls are handled with the touch screen, and while this takes some time to grasp, I was eventually flying like a pro. The bottom screen displays a map/radar where all of the items and enemies are displayed, which becomes very handy when trying to find a specific target or power-up. One nice touch is that bombs are now dragged onto the map, and will detonate in the exact region in which they are placed. New to the game is the strategy portion, to which the Command part of the title refers. In this segment, you assign paths for each of your ships, while preventing missiles from colliding into your bases and attacking motherships hiding behind the fog of war. Though simple, these strategy elements add some variety to the game, and are a welcome addition.
Graphically, everything runs very smoothly. Visuals are on par with StarFox 64 (a compliment), and the frame rate never stutters. Sounds are reminiscent of the first game, with nonsensical chatter instead of voice acting. I'm not sure if it was just nostalgia, but I appreciated this nod to the series' history.
Unfortunately, despite all of the wonderful features, aesthetics, and controls, StarFox Command has some crippling flaws that will limit the game's appeal. The big offender here is level design, or the lack there of. All of the scrolling levels that StarFox has been known for are missing. Instead, Command is comprised exclusively of boxed arenas that look identical to each other. Sure, one may have lava on the ground and another may have water, but these are more or less the same stages, repeated without any alteration through the entirety of the game. The repetition is truly a shame, because with just a little more effort, we could have had another DS classic on our hands. Instead, what fans find here is merely decent. If that wasn't already a major disappointment, Wi-Fi multiplayer feels very bland as well. While Metroid and MarioKart have had plenty of variety in competition venues, Command's boring levels hold it back online too.
Despite how bland StarFox Command can be, I will admit that I had some fun shooting down monsters and eliminating missiles. I just wish Nintendo had paid more attention to such obvious problems. Though fans of the series will enjoy this installment, the unrealized potential is agonizing.
