Nintendo tried something new with this Star Fox game. Unfortunately, I think they went in the wrong direction.



My problem with the game is the dual-screen nature of it. It's hard to keep track of two screens at the same time. Constantly having to switch between the gamepad and the main display is disjointing. It becomes frustrating when you realize the main display targeting cursor is frequently wrong. The cursors on the main display are the same ones used for the cockpit view. Since the main display is always behind the vehicle there is always a parallax error. If Nintendo were to fix this it would make the game significantly better.



I don't really have a problem with the motion controls. In fact, I like that you can aim at something other than where you're pointing! The developers could have accomplished this with the right stick instead of the motion controls, but it's really not too bad when it works. Unfortunately, the gamepad has to be frequently recalibrated in the middle of a map. The frequency of recalibration means that you'll be fighting against the motion controls or surprised by what they're doing more often than you should. Recalibration is so fast it's not a big deal, but it does harm the experience.



I'd like to see Nintendo focus on the core Star Fox game next time they make one. I feel like Zero was designed by committee to showcase Wii U tech, not take advantage of it in a meaningful way. Zero is not a bad game, but it is a mediocre game marred by a lack of focus and too many things going on at the same time. Star Fox 64 is a much tighter experience. The only part of Zero that I enjoyed was Sector Omega.