Fans creating Star Fox sequel (it doesn't look like a SNES game)

by David Hinkle { Jul 17th 2009 at 7:35PM }

Most of us know the Star Fox 2 saga by now. The sequel to the SNES game that started it all was in production and the Japanese version was all but finished when Nintendo decided to pull the plug in favor of creating a game for its new console, the N64. That hasn't stopped the Nintendo loyal from wanting to play the game, and for the last six years, a small group of fans have been working on their own version of a sequel.

The game is called Shadows of Lylat and will likely not be received so well at Nintendo HQ, though that hasn't stopped SOL Team from planning Windows, Mac OS, and Linux releases. If you're skilled in the ways of Code-Fu and want to lend your talents to the project, the team is looking for you! They can't promise you any money, but we're pretty sure you'll get all the disappointment you could ever want when the cease and desist letters start pouring in.

Gallery: Shadows of Lylat

[Via Ars Technica]

Tags: shadows-of-lylat, sol-team, star-fox

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Nap @ Jul 17th 2009 7:41PM

It's about time!! iunno why Nintendo hasn't thought of this yet

Victoryismine @ Jul 17th 2009 7:51PM

It would be great if this went to XBLA and PSN as kind of a virtual middle finger to nintendo for cancelling the sequal. Although I'm sure there would be some legal issues there.

Roto13 @ Jul 17th 2009 8:41PM

They cancelled the sequel and made a bunch more. >_>

Marrvia @ Jul 17th 2009 8:41PM

This will never see the light of day, unfortunately. Nintendo will shut it down, it's a waste of time.

KaBob799 @ Jul 17th 2009 10:21PM

I doubt Nintendo will try to stop them unless they start selling it. They have a good history of allowing fan projects.

KaptainK @ Jul 18th 2009 1:08AM

really this just pisses me off...why hasn't nintendo already made this game for the wii....?

bm @ Jul 18th 2009 7:44AM

"It would be great if this went to XBLA and PSN as kind of a virtual middle finger to nintendo for cancelling the sequal."

Have you even played this "sequal"? It sucks ass. Nintendo did a great thing by spending their effort on developing the infinitely superior Starfox 64 instead.

"Although I'm sure there would be some legal issues there."

That's like saying murder would involve "some legal issues".

"really this just pisses me off...why hasn't nintendo already made this game for the wii....?"

Because the fickle little "hardcore gamers" would bawww about it being the same thing again? See, teeny hardcore gamers are happy with identical Burly Guy Shooter part 342234 because it makes them feel like big people, but they're so butthurt by the teh kiddeh Nintendo being so successful that they'll give them shit no matter what they do, and especially if they made a Starfox game that was like any of the previous games. "Brings nothing new to the genre" the reviews will go.

Anti-Villian @ Jul 18th 2009 9:17AM

@bm

you make good points, why do you talk like a wanker?

gordo @ Jul 19th 2009 8:35PM

Because wankers speak the truth.

Hydrophobicfish @ Jul 17th 2009 7:41PM

Best of luck to the team! Hopefully they can get the project off the ground and Nintendo doesn't mail them an angry letter.

NoughtSoClever @ Jul 17th 2009 8:06PM

So what would happen if the team was able to distribute this game through free online channels such as mega upload and site builder web sites, using disposable email addresses and uploading the content from various net cafe's around the nation (assuming the team is working remotely). If they could manage to remain completely anonymous, how would the cease and desist be enforced?

AoE @ Jul 17th 2009 9:28PM

Unfortunately, at least as I understand it, if you don't defend your IP from infringement, you effectively lose it. Nintendo will have to send out cease-and-desists if nothing else than to preserve their rights to the property. It's heart-breaking when people put this much time and effort into something based on someone else's intellectual property.

Just think... if they'd just change names and ship models they would have an awesome game that they could sell! Instead they're going the route of apparently 6 years of work so far that will never see the light of day.

Ryoga Vee @ Jul 17th 2009 11:14PM

Anyone remember "Bid For Power"

bm @ Jul 18th 2009 7:50AM

"It's heart-breaking when people put this much time and effort into something based on someone else's intellectual property."

Finally someone with some sense. All these guys wanting to make teh nextgen versions of their favourite games remind me of myself when I was like 10 years old. I'd always want to make a mario game "but better!" When I got older I realized I should instead create something on my own merits.

evenkots @ Jul 18th 2009 11:22AM

@AoE

Wrong. That's trademark...not Intellectual Property. And you still aren't 100% correct. Trademark exists to protect consumers from confusion...not to protect the companies. Nintendo wouldn't have to send out the legal dogs either. They could endorse the project as an official fan project. There are plenty of ways to protect your trademarks from dilution without sending out the lawyers.

snapzprox @ Jul 18th 2009 11:56PM

@evenkots:

Nintendo has a terrible history with fan projects. You remember Chrono Trigger 64?

Lion.P @ Jul 17th 2009 7:42PM

Did the big N ever do anything about that mario kart source? Maybe they'll leave these fan projects alone since their sales are already through the roof. And why harass your hardcore fans that just love your games?

mbbleach @ Jul 17th 2009 7:43PM

i hope they get to release this. ive been waiting for a good starfox game since starfox 64

Mana37 @ Jul 17th 2009 8:03PM

YES!! SF64, the last great Star Fox!

Star Fox on Wii would give me a reason to dust off the Wii, but I'm sure it would suck with motion controls!

edes @ Jul 17th 2009 8:33PM

DO A BARREL ROLL!!!

Mr Khan is over 9000 @ Jul 17th 2009 10:44PM

Ahh, the kneejerk reaction against Motion controls.

They would work great for Starfox, either through tilt commands or through IR pointing (or for separate IR aiming and analogue moving, similar to Sin & Punishment)

bm @ Jul 18th 2009 8:02AM

I'm thinking something like, aiming with the ir pointer, moving with the analogue stick, and rotating sideways and doing barrel rolls by rotating either the nunchuck or wiimote. With the heightened precision for rotation, they could do a lot more with the squeezing-barely-through-opening type sections.

Metal Gear!? @ Jul 18th 2009 12:35PM

Not knee jerk, motion controls just suck. I haven't played one game where the motion controls(Wii and PS3) didn't bother me in some way.

Sly @ Jul 19th 2009 4:27AM

killzone 2 had good motion controls (read: few and well-implemented when implemented). like the motion controlling your sniper scope's sway, and turning valves by turning the controller.

MystileArmor @ Jul 17th 2009 7:43PM

Nintendo should pull a Valve, and pick this up and release it on the virtual console.

Einhanderkiller @ Jul 17th 2009 8:02PM

Those graphics look beyond the capabilities of the Wii.

Sly @ Jul 17th 2009 8:14PM

those graphics look beyond the capabilities of the wii's successor. it's beautiful.

Manly Mcbeefington (Mr. ESC) @ Jul 17th 2009 10:03PM

They should give it a full Wii release.

I personally think the wii could handle it,you only need 2 of them and ducktape *rimshot.

bm @ Jul 18th 2009 7:30AM

Beyond the Wiis capabilities? lol, what are you guys, 12? Maybe you were too young to remember, but the GC Rogue Squadron games looked loads better than this, and those run on the Wii. -At half power.-

i.e. You're idiots who want to believe their own bullshit.

Thanatos @ Jul 19th 2009 2:38PM

Umm the game is being built on the Freespace engine, that came out 10 years ago, yeah i think the Wii could handle it it would just have to be in 480p instead of the higher res shown in the videos.

HDpurist @ Jul 17th 2009 7:44PM

Never liked Star Fox, even as a kid when SNES was king....animal heads on human bodies...just corny crap...

MystileArmor @ Jul 17th 2009 7:47PM

Did a guy in a Mickey Mouse suit rape a family member or something?

ArchiGamer [thephilosophyofgames.wordpress.com] @ Jul 17th 2009 7:51PM

I don't why, but that comment made me laugh Mystile.

fadeoutagain2784 @ Jul 17th 2009 8:01PM

'animal heads on human bodies...just corny crap...'

So you're saying that you saw past everything in a game that matters and decided you didn't like a game that has anthropomorphic animals. That really has very little to do with the series. You see, what I always liked was the unique perspective, graphics, music and gameplay. Star Fox 64 continued that tradition, but since then none of the Star Fox games have come close (I like the DS game, but it's just not the same on a portable... I wanna play on my HDTV). If you didn't like the game, more to ya... but at least give a valid reason aside from the copout 'animal heads on human bodies is corny' reason.

blackknight @ Jul 17th 2009 7:45PM

The sad thing is, the multiplayer in this fan-made creation will be better than anything Nintendo could put together...Awesome stuff, nonetheless! I always love seeing anything Star Fox! :D

TwEE @ Jul 19th 2009 6:40PM

"The sad thing is, the multiplayer in this fan-made creation will be better than anything Nintendo could put together"

HA HA HA thats so true.. Nintendo has never made a fun multiplayer game ever, they're not known for that at all..now this SOL Team on the other hand.

Adv2k1 @ Jul 17th 2009 7:44PM

pretty cool. I wonder how long until Nintendo hears of this and stops it from happening.

I doubt Wii could handle this graphics, so I was going to say they could just buy them off and port it to wii but that's doubtful.

Star Fox is all but dead to me. After n64 version it all fell apart. Dinosaur planet I found boring, ASSault and Command was somewhat ok . I just don't have faith a new and enjoyable Star Fox game can be made.

This game looks badass and I would want to play it but outside of this, I rather play Sin and Punishment 2 instead