Star Fox & Metroid making a comeback in 2016?

[acatfrommars]

Metroid is one of the most iconic Nintendo games, which we simply don't see enough of any more. I don't know why Nintendo will keep making games like The Legend of Zelda and Mario, which yes do sell well, but not more Metroid, Star Fox, F-Zero, Earthbound games. I believe that more customers would buy these types of games, mainly because of nostalgia reasons if none else. This year Nintendo is releasing both a new Star Fox and Metroid game! Star Fox Zero is set to release in April of this year, and Metroid Prime: Federation Force has no set date as of yet.

Spoiler:

The first trailer is of Star Fox Zero, then the next is of one of the games in Metroid Prime: Federation Force. Star Fox Zero looks okay, I would get bored of it in 20 minutes. At least it's making an attempt to kinda look like the original games. On the other hand, Metroid: Prime: Federation Force looks downright awful! Like what is this supposed to be, a crappy version of Rocket League with guns? I would definitely not dish $40 for this. I hope both of these games are still in early development because they both fail to impress me. What are your thoughts, do you plan on purchasing either in the future?

 

[pkmin3033]

There is no way, in any reality, that Federation Force could be considered a proper Metroid title. It's the Metroid equivalent of Triforce Heroes, and a swift kick in the sensitive areas of fans who have been asking for a proper Metroid game since Corruption was released. It might herald a proper Metroid title being released - at least, I hope it does - but as for being a worthy instalment in the franchise itself? Not even Nintendo could pull off a miracle of that magnitude.

...so, yes, as you can tell, I am NOT pleased with Federation Force. I think it's the last thing Metroid needs, after it was damaged almost irrevocably by Other M. It needs another game like Prime; a memorable, iconic experience that makes the series relevant again. A crappy multiplayer based spinoff - which will probably be region locked if Triforce Heroes is anything to go by - is NOT what it needs. It's the last thing it needs. The only way it could be worse would be if it were free-to-wait software.

Star Fox Zero...hrmn, I'm not too sure about it. On the one hand, there hasn't been a proper Star Fox game since Lylat Wars on the N64 - Adventures was alright, but it didn't feel like Star Fox, and Assault was forgettable - and the delay has definiely improved the game: the more recent footage looks a hell of a lot better than what they first showed at E3 did. Nintendo have definitely upped the quality of the game. But have they upped it enough? I'm still a bit iffy about it; I think I'm going to want to watch a few LP videos - something I very rarely do - before I decide one way or the other. I think I'll probably wait for a price drop or even until my birthday, just to avoid a potential waste of money. They definitely get points for trying, but I'm not interested in how much they tried. I'm only interested in getting my money's worth, since games cost so damn much these days.

tl;dr I'd sooner buy Splatoon than I would Federation Force - at least I'd have people to play it with - and I might get Star Fox Zero.

 

[Spinosaurus]

We're doubting a Platinum Games developed Star Fox game now?

 

[Morkula]

We're doubting a Platinum Games developed Star Fox game now?

Because not everything Platinum touches is gold. Korra, for example. Plus, they're not the main developer of the game - they're co-developing and I'm honestly not even sure that it's not their "B-team" that's doing so.

Everything we've seen points to it being a fairly low-budget, quick-turnaround game just to placate people who've wanted another Star Fox game, and to pad the Wii U's library until the NX. It's basically Star Fox 64 with apparently-clunky Gamepad integration, a short campaign, no online multiplayer (despite the freaking DS game having it), mediocre graphics/art style, and a quick development time, being sold for a full $60. I just don't see the game being a good value proposition at all. I think people would be a lot more open to it if it weren't a full $60 game, because the content on display just isn't worth it.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Star Fox has already made a comeback back in 2011 with Star Fox 64 3D, since everyone else is counting the remakes and HD ports of the 3D Zelda games as being relevant to their series. And Metroid has experienced a long hiatus before, between the SNES and GCN, so there really isn't anything to worry about its future. There's some hypocrisy in your first post, you question why Nintendo hasn't made more Star Fox games, but once you mentioned Star Fox Zero, you said you'll get bored of it for 20 minutes, so now you know why there aren't as many Star Fox games as you desire. Metroid Prime: Federation Force is being developed by Next Level Games, who has also made the Mario Strikers series, the Punch Out!! reboot, and the long-awaited Luigi's Mansion sequel. I have every faith in them that they'll do a good job at not only expanding the Metroid universe to more than just Samus, but also make it fun. But no, the Metroid fanbase had to call it worst thing ever made, even when it's just a spin-off, and they even made a petition to cancel its production. I'm telling you, the Metroid fanbase is close to reaching the Sonic fanbase's levels. And you wonder why these two franchises never become system sellers like Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon.

 

[pkmin3033]

Star Fox has already made a comeback back in 2011 with Star Fox 64 3D, since everyone else is counting the remakes and HD ports of the 3D Zelda games as being relevant to their series.

Remasters are lazy stopgaps between full releases of new titles, nothing more. Sure, they give older players a chance to revisit games and newer players the chance to experience them, but the fact is that they're just old titles with a new coat of paint. There is a huge difference between a remake and a remaster; the two terms are not interchangable no matter how much people might confuse them. Star Fox 64 3D is a remaster, not a remake, and is therefore irrelevant and in no way a comeback.

And Metroid has experienced a long hiatus before, between the SNES and GCN, so there really isn't anything to worry about its future.

Did you play Other M? There is a huge, HUGE cause for concern regarding Metroid's future, because if it puts out another title like Other M then it doesn't HAVE a future. That title systematically destroyed Samus' personality and character, combined two fantastic styles of gameplay into a convoluted and awkward mess, and was a mediocre experience all around. Nintendo REALLY dropped the ball letting Team Ninja of all people develop a Metroid title, and coming off the excellent Prime series it looks even worse.

Federation Force is not what anyone asked for or even wanted, and as a spinoff it does little to inspire confidence, especially considering Triforce Heroes, which was a disappointment on all fronts and isn't hugely dissimilar from what Nintendo plan to do here. If it's region-locked for online multiplayer in the same fashion it's going to be an unmitigated disaster; Nintendo's policy of region-locking its console is already antiquated and ridiculous, but to do it for online play as well? What next, region-locked online for Pokemon? It sets a bad precedent and it ruins what could otherwise be a passably fun title. Federation Force already isn't off to a good start, whatever goodwill it can garner is probably going to hinge on its online multiplayer.

No cause for concern for Metroid? Hell, I wish. Metroid went from being one of the better Nintendo franchises in the Gamecube era to being one of the worst in the Wii era, and Nintendo have not shown anything thus far that suggests they're going to turn it around.

...but I will agree with you that it was both pathetic and extreme for the Metroid fandom to launch a petition to cancel Federation Force. I mean, really? The franchise might be going to hell, but cancelling a title isn't going to accomplish anything.

 

[Taemin]

tbh Starfox 3DS was enough of a comeback for me, buuuut I know I'll still be tempted to play Zero when I can. I'm a sucker for Starfox games, have been since I was like 8.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Remasters are lazy stopgaps between full releases of new titles, nothing more. Sure, they give older players a chance to revisit games and newer players the chance to experience them, but the fact is that they're just old titles with a new coat of paint. There is a huge difference between a remake and a remaster; the two terms are not interchangable no matter how much people might confuse them. Star Fox 64 3D is a remaster, not a remake, and is therefore irrelevant and in no way a comeback.

You do realized that Star Fox 64 3D was made from the ground up, so much so that the models and environment were remade, the soundtrack was re-orchestrated, the voice acting was re-recorded, and the multiplayer was revamped. A remaster would be something like leaving the whole game entirely what it was originally. Meaning the models and environment look exactly how it was on the N64, the soundtrack would still sound 64-bit, the original voice acting would still be there, and the multiplayer would be exactly the same as it was in the 64 version. By this logic, should we call FR/LG a remaster as well, because unlike the later Pokémon remakes, it falls under the same category as Star Fox 64 3D?

Did you play Other M? There is a huge, HUGE cause for concern regarding Metroid's future, because if it puts out another title like Other M then it doesn't HAVE a future. That title systematically destroyed Samus' personality and character, combined two fantastic styles of gameplay into a convoluted and awkward mess, and was a mediocre experience all around. Nintendo REALLY dropped the ball letting Team Ninja of all people develop a Metroid title, and coming off the excellent Prime series it looks even worse.

Yes I have played Other M, and I do agree that it has major problems with the story, considering that Super Metroid has a super simple story yet is widely considered as one of the GOAT (greatest of all time) in the industry. It could've been better handled where it involves Samus suffering from PTSD from her near-death experience during her battle against Mother Brain in Super Metroid, only to eventually overcome it near the end of the game.

Federation Force is not what anyone asked for or even wanted, and as a spinoff it does little to inspire confidence, especially considering Triforce Heroes, which was a disappointment on all fronts and isn't hugely dissimilar from what Nintendo plan to do here. If it's region-locked for online multiplayer in the same fashion it's going to be an unmitigated disaster; Nintendo's policy of region-locking its console is already antiquated and ridiculous, but to do it for online play as well? What next, region-locked online for Pokemon? It sets a bad precedent and it ruins what could otherwise be a passably fun title. Federation Force already isn't off to a good start, whatever goodwill it can garner is probably going to hinge on its online multiplayer.

So was SMT x FE, and you do realize that Nintendo isn't the only company that practices region-locking, so why pick on them only rather than every other non-video game company that have been using region-locking for their products?

 

[Alita]

I have every faith in them that they'll do a good job at not only expanding the Metroid universe to more than just Samus, but also make it fun. But no, the Metroid fanbase had to call it worst thing ever made, even when it's just a spin-off, and they even made a petition to cancel its production. I'm telling you, the Metroid fanbase is close to reaching the Sonic fanbase's levels. And you wonder why these two franchises never become system sellers like Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon.

You said it yourself, it's just a spin-off. It's been six years since Other M, which is a contentious subject in itself, and we get a spin-off. It's been nearly a decade since Corruption, the last good game in my opinion, and I think most of the fanbase would agree. I think it's reasonable for people to be irritated or upset at Nintendo's actions if you consider how long people have been waiting. I do agree however, the petition was childish and stupid, although I wouldn't compare it to Sonic fanbase level. ^^

Metroid has experienced a long hiatus before, between the SNES and GCN, so there really isn't anything to worry about its future.

Well, during that hiatus, Nintendo gave the franchise over to a no-name developer in the US. We just happened to get lucky they made a game that was true to the spirit of the series. I'm very worried about the series and its future if the next main title isn't a success like Prime was.