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What's it like to barrel roll in Star Fox Zero

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Star Fox Zero E3 2015 Gameplay Demo Screens 23 IMAGES

Honestly, my negative response to the Gyrocopter could be the byproduct of a demo environment. Sometimes it's hard to gauge what a game wants from you at home, let alone at a crowded E3 event. But when I compare the plodding experience I had to the four other levels I played, I can’t help but feel disappointed. Nintendo wanted me to stealthily sneak by enemies in the slow Gyrocopter, and I didn't enjoy my time doing it.The most exciting stages in Star Fox unfold like a rollercoaster, and I saw that in the other levels I played. I could zip under arches and between buildings, shoot down enemies, and do a barrel roll with precise control. But, for the first time, all range mode -- where you fight other enemies in open arena -- stood out more so than in previous games because I could transform my Arwing into a Walker at any time.The change to a bipedal mode is instant, and it transformed the battlefield into a playground where I could experiment with how I want to engage enemies. I could swoop in as an Arwing, clear out a few land tanks, transform into a Walker and steamroll a group of Strider enemies. It makes the open areas feel dynamic and more interesting than they've ever been in the past.The Walker isn’t always available from the start; it's available in Arwing stages after you complete the mission. Nintendo wants to incentivize players to replay stages by introducing other vehicles. It says the change gives players a different experience.An important thing novice pilots need to grasp is that Star Fox unfolds on two screens, and that could be the most divisive part the new game. It uses both the TV and the Wii U GamePad to display two views at once. The TV displays a standard view behind the Arwing spacecraft. Meanwhile, the GamePad shows a see-through cockpit view and a reticle. I could look around by using motion controls and aim at enemies independently of the direction I was flying in. In cutscenes, this perspective lets you playfully look around, shoot other pilots, and potentially spot other Easter eggs while a cinematic scene plays out on the TV.Keeping track of two screens can feel a little intimidating, but I always felt in control. There was the occasional accident, but I had more successes at the controls of the Arwing in the end. It provides an additional layer of control, but one you have to get used to. Nintendo is rendering two complementary views, but only by bouncing between both of them could I get the most out of it.I did have one near-disaster with the Landmaster tank. Star Fox Zero has a lock-on mechanic similar to Z-Targeting in Zelda. It allows you focus on a boss or an important target while moving around it. In flight, since I had 360 degrees of freedom, it was easy to change directions, line up potential targets, and fire. In the Landmaster, I had the opposite experience with a large worm-like robot boss. I had a hard time driving and shooting because I was on a flat plane of movement. I could briefly use rockets to float out of danger, but my tank still got beat up pretty badly in that encounter.Star Fox Zero might be one of the most demanding Nintendo games I've ever previewed, but it's a game I want to play again. I appreciate challenge of piloting the Arwing and Landmaster using two screens. I just hope the next time I get behind the controls of a Gyrocopter or fight a boss in the Landmaster, that I will like it.

Jose Otero is an Editor at IGN and host of Nintendo Voice Chat . You can follow him on Twitter