So I got this game from Club Nintendo. I had played it just a little at a friend's house. I didn't realize how antiquated the game is. No save games? No continues? Kind of a drag since I generally like to play games for short little bursts these days. I imagine the 3DS version has remedied these things.

Anyway, I got to the second to last level (on the right-most path) on my first try and should have beaten that level easily but I didn't realize what I was supposed to be doing and ended up wasting a ton of time and life. Then on subsequent tries I didn't have the big life bar anymore and it made it a lot harder. Sad because I would have liked to have beaten it on my first time through, as I'm sure I could have otherwise.

I suppose I should read through the manual, but I don't really understand the branching paths yet. One clear example of beating a level "the right way" is beating all those 4 nemesis guys before the bomb blows up in that one level. I assume that takes you on a different path?

The game at best takes 30 minutes to to an hour to beat any particular path so why would you really need a save? And no the 3DS version didn't add saves.

And the branching paths are usually obtained by either getting a certain score or accomplishing a certain task in each stage. For example in Corneria if you save Falco then fly under the the stone arches Falco will lead you through a waterfall which will allow you to fight a different boss and take the left path.

This is one of the games my child will be required to play before playing any modern system. It's a true classic.

I'd say this game has stood the "test of time" more than most any other, and I still go back to it a lot. The only thing that I don't like is how quickly you lose your wings on hard mode. I don't mind a challenge, but when I'm flying around wingless like half the game... bah.

@Jargon Can't you just save state on virtual console? But yeah, as Chris says, it really only takes an hour or so to get through, although that's after you get good at the game, might take a few hours first time through.

The N64 Virtual console doesn't let you do the interrupt save that most of the other games could do. I'm not sure why exactly.

@Jargon

A lot of stages branch off. The one that I had the most trouble with was one of the later "sewage" looking stages. I believe its overcast, the choppy waves might be green, and there are searchlights? You gotta, like, disable all of the searchlights AND get over 300 kills. Pretty darn tough.

I might be mixing two stages together.

@Mr_Mustache You are. Just gotta get the searchlights there. Also, I think the 300 kill is just for a medal, not a stage branch.

@nate38

Ah, Medals, of course. Yeah, that was one I missed. "294" is popping out in my brain.. I should check soon!

@Jargon Most of the branching path stuff either comes in keeping key people on your team alive for them to do something, killing X enemies in a stage, killing Y enemies before Z happens, or in some cases, like the searchlights / switches, making sure that you hit all of Q that you see in a stage. There may be some other random exceptions but if you stay on top of those four you should find most of the paths.

There are also a few warps hidden around here or there.

@Zero@ Jargon

It should also be noted that you can start on the right most path OR the left most path and end up on the other side. Its not like if you start one way you're stuck that way. I think Solar (right?) is an important stage for that?

Zero said:

I'd say this game has stood the "test of time" more than most any other, and I still go back to it a lot. The only thing that I don't like is how quickly you lose your wings on hard mode. I don't mind a challenge, but when I'm flying around wingless like half the game... bah.

Fly better, stop crashing.

All Expert mode medals, booyah.

Fun fact: I got this game about a decade ago and have never played it. I also have every Star Fox game (including SF643D) except Assault and have never played any of them.

@Mop it up

Sad Fact: You are depriving yourself from hours of awesome sauce.

@Shadowlink Everyone has all expert mode medals. But when I haven't played in years and start playing again, I crash and lose my wings, fast.

chrisbg99 said:

The game at best takes 30 minutes to to an hour to beat any particular path so why would you really need a save? And no the 3DS version didn't add saves.

INCORRECT.

The 3DS version has saves. You can stop after any completed stage, save, and continue where you left off at a later time. No need to go through the game "all in one go" anymore. At least, not when playing the portable remake version.

@GameDadGrant

Yeah I realized that when I played earlier today. Didn't think to correct it because screw it.

@Mr_Mustache

Must. Ignore. Irony!



@Zero

So...no Expert medals on the 3DS game? I see .

I don't rebuy games that I already own.

@GameDadGrant

Still sucks that after a couple tries you're forced to go back to the start of any path. That's not appealing IMO.

@DrFinkelstein

What do you mean?

When you run out of lives?