With a site named “WingDamage” and a podcast called “Barrel Roll!” it shouldn’t come as any surprise that many here on the site grew up adoring the first couple of Star Fox games. As I’ve written about in the past, the series really hasn’t been able to find a clear direction that works after Star Fox 64. Each game after that point has been a mess of ideas that fail to satisfy the way the core, rail shooting gameplay of the originals did.

Perhaps it’s because of this lack of confidence in the future of Star Fox that I was so eager to revisit the glory days of its past. Star Fox 64 3D may be a remake of a fourteen year old game, but it’s also a remake of the best the series has to offer by a large margin, and one of the greatest gems you’ll find in a genre that barely exists anymore.

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Sometimes, the touch of a new developer can turn a familiar series into something fresh again (Metroid Prime). Other times, new blood can really focus on what made a series great in the first place (Contra 4). And of course, there’s always the chance that they’ll completely miss the mark (Star Fox Adventures).

I’d like to take a moment to discuss some of the collaborations I’d like to see.

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Looking for some dope rhymes and phat beats laid over the top of classic NES and SNES themes? Look no further, for Random (aka Mega Ran) and K-Murdock have been working on just that! The result of their efforts, Forever Famicom, is dropping to the public on June 1st.

Can’t wait a week? You’re in luck. The album is being released early in digital form to members of the Mega Ran message board who pre-order the album. You can join up and place your order here.

On Random’s official site, you can check out preview clips of all 14 tracks. The music samples lots of memorable tunes from games such as Earthbound, Star Fox, Little Nemo, Ducktales, and much more. If you enjoy nerdcore and videogame music, don’t miss it. And be sure to check out the full version of Dream Master (Little Nemo) embedded after the break.

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"Easily importable thanks to Virtual Console"

“Friday Old Games” is a series of articles in which we review a game from the older generations of consoles, share why we picked it, and whether or not it holds up with time.

Sin and Punishment is a Treasure developed rail-shooter for the Nintendo 64. When it came out back in 2000, it was exclusive to Japan. Seven years later, it was released on the Wii’s Virtual Console service, finally making its first appearance in North America and Europe. Was it worth finally bringing over?

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"What have I become?"

I’m a big fan of Star Fox. The name of this site, “WingDamage”, and our podcast, “Barrel Roll!“, are both references to the series. But when I say I’m a big fan of the franchise, what I really mean to say is that I’m a big fan of about two and a half of its games.

Today, I’d like to take you down memory lane and discuss the high points, what went wrong, and what Nintendo could do to save the series.

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