Nintendo has unveiled its latest Star Fox title. Announced only in passing at last year's E3, Star Fox Zero will be out this holiday, making it just one of Nintendo's big games for Christmas (the other being Xenoblade Chronicles X, officially launching on 4th December 2015).
Billed as reimagining of Star Fox rather than a sequel or prequel to any existing entries in the series, Star Fox Zero has been specifically designed to take full advantage of the Wii U's unique control system. While the main action plays out on the TV, the GamePad gives you an inside view of the cockpit, letting you aim more precisely with the GamePad's gyro controls.
While much of the action play out on-rails as with previous Star Fox games, the 360 degree All-Range mode has received several key improvements. Far more cinematic in scope than older titles, you can zoom out for a wider view or hone in on individual enemies. The controls have also been simplified, as you can use both analogue sticks to fly, while the buttons are used for shooting, initiating transformations and executing U-turns and loop-the-loops.
It's not all about aerial dogfights, though, as Star Fox Zero introduces several new takes the game's familiar set of vehicles. The Arwing, for instance, can now land and transform into a robotic bird called the Walker, while the Land Master tank can hover for short periods of time to traverse short gaps. New to Fox's arsenal is the Gyrowing, a kind of helicopter for steadier all-range precision shooting. Of course, you can still do a barrel roll in all three vehicles, allowing you strafe across the screen to safety while repelling enemy fire.
The Walker is a particularly interesting addition, as it lets you do something no other Star Fox has done before: stand still. What's more, as a land vehicle, it also gives you the opportunity to explore areas you wouldn't normally be able to fit through in your Arwing. It's only available in All-Range mode, which gives you full 360 degree movement in large open arenas, but we can't wait to try it out when it launches later this year.
