STAR FOX (SNES)
LANDMARK LEVELS: CORNERIA
Super Nintendo | June 1993 (Europe) | Flight shoot 'em up | Nintendo | Nintendo EAD
By Chris Weatherley © 2014. Posted 6th July 2014.
By Chris Weatherley © 2014. Posted 6th July 2014.
It’s no secret that the hype surrounding the release of
Nintendo’s venture into 3D gaming reached ridiculous proportions. With the
innovative on-cart Super FX chip providing an environment filled with fully
coloured polygons, Star Fox (known as
Starwing in Europe) blew many peoples’ socks off back in
1993. But, there was an undercurrent of uncertainty with how this would play out
on a humble 16-bit system. The slower nature of older 3D games such as Hard Drivin’ or Driller was expected, but what we got was frantic, fluid and action-packed.
The first taste of this came in the level that all players would start their
campaign, the fight against the invasion of Corneria. Never so much since Sonic the Hedgehog has stage one became
so legendary and recognisable. So, as we scramble into the Lylat System, let’s
revisit what made the planet Corneria so unforgettable.
For starters, the planet Corneria is the starting point for all three courses the game offers the player, so level one is always played with varying difficultly. The stage layout remains predominantly the same however. We are treated from the outset to a glorious opening clip as the Arwings scramble from their base out into the landscape of the planet. It’s a sequence with gets the juices flowing equally with anticipation, excitement and dread. The sirens blare out, the tannoy booms and all of a sudden you are trust into the cockpit of Fox McCloud’s lead Arwing. The transition from cut-scene to game is seamless, and syncs perfectly with the pulse-thumping BGM; a perfect introduction to what lies ahead.
For starters, the planet Corneria is the starting point for all three courses the game offers the player, so level one is always played with varying difficultly. The stage layout remains predominantly the same however. We are treated from the outset to a glorious opening clip as the Arwings scramble from their base out into the landscape of the planet. It’s a sequence with gets the juices flowing equally with anticipation, excitement and dread. The sirens blare out, the tannoy booms and all of a sudden you are trust into the cockpit of Fox McCloud’s lead Arwing. The transition from cut-scene to game is seamless, and syncs perfectly with the pulse-thumping BGM; a perfect introduction to what lies ahead.
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Within seconds, an enemy craft is shooting at you and Slippy
is on the radio giving you hints on how to gain power-ups by flying thought the
arches. This subtle mixture of tutorial and in-your-face action make you react,
and discover that flying the Arwing is something you have to master quickly.
The environment you fly through is beautiful; with gradient blue skies, pastel
green surface, distant looming buildings and approaching enemy craft rapidly
filling your view. Soon enough, your wingman start to get into trouble, and
again you find yourself having to not only fend off your attackers but give
them hand also.
Many first stages of shoot ‘em ups tend to be on the tame side, easing you in gradually without any major hassle. Whilst the latter is somewhat true, Corneria is not easy for the nube. Halfway through the stage you are faced with a ominous flying saucer, dropping hard-to-hit ground robots unless you destroy it quickly. To do this you must flip the Arwing while firing, another lesson learnt early on. When a few seconds of peace do occur, a giant robot appears in an instant, marching across your path with ferocity. Dodging or shooting these is essential to avoid big damage. Sporadic periods of falling pillars, dense built up areas and plasma bolts from hidden enemies are frequent, so the whole level is a fast, hard hitting but extremely enjoyable smack to the face, setting your skills for what is to come.
Many first stages of shoot ‘em ups tend to be on the tame side, easing you in gradually without any major hassle. Whilst the latter is somewhat true, Corneria is not easy for the nube. Halfway through the stage you are faced with a ominous flying saucer, dropping hard-to-hit ground robots unless you destroy it quickly. To do this you must flip the Arwing while firing, another lesson learnt early on. When a few seconds of peace do occur, a giant robot appears in an instant, marching across your path with ferocity. Dodging or shooting these is essential to avoid big damage. Sporadic periods of falling pillars, dense built up areas and plasma bolts from hidden enemies are frequent, so the whole level is a fast, hard hitting but extremely enjoyable smack to the face, setting your skills for what is to come.
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With so much variety included, an easy to defeat end of level boss would be expected, and whilst the Attack Carrier is not too difficult to dispatch, the moment it approaches from behind, casting a shadow over you and looming menacingly gives to a tinge of fear and a “What the F**k?” vocal mime. All the while, the epic Star Wars-ish soundtrack keeps you moving along, one of the most memorable arrangements of any space shooter, with the differing boss music upping the tempo and anxiety. Voice-overs, brilliant SFX explosions and lasers combine to make a truly great first level of Starwing.
Corneria manages to include many teasing glimpses of what the game holds in store for you later on, but also offers a stern test to boot, and a tutorial without the player even noticing. The feel of the game is captured within this single opening stage, with each level giving you more surprises and delights. A level which always makes me smile to play, extremely memorable for many reasons and a masterclass in design from layout to music. One of the finest components of one of the best 3D shooters ever.
Corneria manages to include many teasing glimpses of what the game holds in store for you later on, but also offers a stern test to boot, and a tutorial without the player even noticing. The feel of the game is captured within this single opening stage, with each level giving you more surprises and delights. A level which always makes me smile to play, extremely memorable for many reasons and a masterclass in design from layout to music. One of the finest components of one of the best 3D shooters ever.
MORE 16-BIT LANDMARK LEVELS...
Flashback (SMD) | "New Washington"
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Chemical Plant Zone
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