Star Fox Zero was supposed to be Christmas 2015's big Wii U release, but Nintendo took the brave decision to delay the game in order to give it a little more polish. However, we're now hearing reports that despite the extra effort, things are far from rosy with Fox McCloud's latest adventure.

Online sleuth and Nintendo Life contributor Liam Robertson has apparently been speaking to individuals close to the project, and reveals that the game still isn't quite where Nintendo wants it to be. The end result could be another delay.

Re: those Star Fox Zero rumours. I heard all the same disconcerting things about two weeks ago. — Liam Robertson (@Doctor_Cupcakes) February 8, 2016

I heard the QA team at NoE is going through a bit of a nightmare to get it ready. Nobody knows for sure if it'll pass QA with a thumbs up. — Liam Robertson (@Doctor_Cupcakes) February 8, 2016

If Star Fox Zero doesn't pass QA, they can make a recommendation to NCL to delay it. They have about 2 weeks to get it ready for certif. — Liam Robertson (@Doctor_Cupcakes) February 8, 2016

We've since contacted Robertson directly and he's elaborated a little more. He says that Nintendo's QA department is very concerned with how players will react to the "complex" motion controls - which have come under fire in the past - and that the entire project feels "disjointed". Platinum is of course involved, but Robertson has heard that the bulk of development is being handled by Shigeru Miyamoto's team. The team responsible for Mario Kart 8's maligned battle mode is in charge of multiplayer, according to Robertson's sources.

Robertson's track record for this kind of thing is solid - he was the one who leaked Mini Mario & Friends a month before it was officially announced and broke the news that Burnout creator Criterion almost did an F-Zero title, and he's done amazing work uncovering unreleased titles such as Project H.A.M.M.E.R. and Factor 5's Kid Icarus reboot. In short, he's a source we trust.

Could Star Fox Zero be hit with another delay, and will Nintendo be forced to scale back those motion controls to ensure the game is accessible to a wider audience? Let us know your thoughts by posting a reply below. In the meantime, check out Alex's (actually rather positive) impressions of the motion controls from last year's post-E3 event in London.