Star Fox Adventures

Fox McCloud is back, but he's left the on-the-rails shoot-'em-up larks of his previous two games behind--this all-new Star Fox adventure sees the super furry animal in a very Zelda-esque bid to save Dinosaur Planet.

Star Fox Adventures is the first, and sadly last, GameCube game from Nintendo stalwarts Rare, who previously created such N64 classics as GoldenEye 007 and Conker's Bad Fur Day. It's their last game for the GameCube because Nintendo have recently sold their shares in the company to Microsoft, which has caused an unholy stink from fans around the world and created even more anticipation for this game.

Although the control system is very similar to The Legend of Zelda's, Star Fox Adventures is no simple clone. It's your job as the mercenary mammal to find all the spellstones that will rejoin the splintered planet and defeat the evil General Scales. This entails much exploring of ancient temples and completing of sub-quests to help everything from Yorkshire-accented woolly mammoths to pterodactyls who've lost their babies.

The game may lack the epic scale and endless invention of Zelda but it has plenty of new ideas of its own, including a fully interactive dinosaur sidekick, some cool shoot-'em-up sections in Fox's spaceship, and lots of ways to upgrade your magical staff. To add some icing to the cake the graphics are absolutely amazing, particularly the super-realistic fur effects. So don't feel down that Rare are leaving, just enjoy their parting shot and let it whet your appetite for the new Zelda game coming from Nintendo in 2003. --David Jenkins

"Looks beautiful and has hours of play time. 8/10."

After piloting the Arwing starfighter in the first two Star Fox games, Fox McCloud touches down on Dinosaur Planet for his first adventure outside the cockpit. Many missions still involve the aerial Arwing combat and dogfighting that the sly Star Fox series is known for, but the game pumps up the variety by allowing you to explore on foot and use magical attacks. Armed with an enchanted staff, Fox will be able to battle against the mutated dinosaurs led by local tyrant General Scales. But not all of the planet's dinosaurs are enemies; Fox will also team up with the prehistoric Price Tricky. As Fox jets across the skies or traverses the vast planet on foot, his showdowns with the planet's enemies offer an action-packed gaming experience.

Star Fox Adventures is an epic action-adventure game with great gameplay variety and cutting-edge graphics. As the mysterious Fox, players will try to save the prehistoric paradise known as Dinosaur Planet from the evil General Scales. Eight years after the defeat of Andross chronicled in StarFox 64, the Star Fox team has moved on to new roles: Slippy in Weapon Tech Development, supplying Fox with the latest gadgets and equipment; Peppy in Mission Support, always ready with a welcome word of advice; and Rob The Robot, a cyborg quartermaster in charge of mission supplies. Still unknown is whether Falco will return from his hot-shot solo career to lend Fox a hand.

New characters like sidekick Prince Tricky add to the depth of the Star Fox universe. A small triceratops with a big mouth, Prince Tricky is determined to help out, whether Fox wants him or not. Prince Tricky can perform certain tasks that Fox cannot, such as digging holes and breathing fire. Most intriguing of all is Crystal, a mysterious female character captured by a primeval force known only as Krazoa. Dinosaur Planet teems with many other dinosaurs with whom Fox must interact in his epic quest.

Some portions of the game deliver classic Star Fox action, in which players pilot Fox's Arwing through dangerous asteroid fields and dog-fight with other ace pilots. When Fox deplanes for the uncharted wilds of Dinosaur Planet, he wields the Crystal Staff in martial-arts battles with ferocious foes. Fox can also use his staff to fire long-range magical attacks.