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Nintendo 3DS: Nintendo Explains Why Star Fox 64 3D Didn’t Feature Online Multiplayer, Next Star Fox Probably Will

Nintendo’s Yusuke Amano has explained to the Official Nintendo Magazine why Nintendo neglected to include an online mode for Star Fox 64 3D on the Nintendo 3DS. Amano cited cost and time constraints as the reasoning behind the lack of online multiplayer support, but he says future iterations of the franchise could include online multiplayer.

“Personally, I play a lot of online FPS games,” began Amano. “This leads me to think that just making multiplayer parts of existing games playable online isn’t enough to create a satisfying experience for users. The popular online games work in lots of things, so they play well online – and if we wanted to satisfy everyone who bought the game, the costs required for including online support would be vast.”

“For this project what we needed to do was use Star Fox to provide users with a game that shows the appeal of Nintendo 3DS as quickly as possible. We put a lot of effort into the graphics, and if we had included online support then we couldn’t have reached this level in the time allowed.”

“We didn’t cut any corners for the multiplayer mode in this game. We did lots of experimentation for the normal wireless local multiplayer and included lots of new features. Working on the multiplayer part was a nice, satisfying challenge, and if I get the chance to work on another Star Fox title, I would definitely consider an online multiplayer mode.”

62 thoughts on “Nintendo 3DS: Nintendo Explains Why Star Fox 64 3D Didn’t Feature Online Multiplayer, Next Star Fox Probably Will”

  1. Balls. Most people would have been happy with the local multiplayer feature being available online, which code wise, wouldn’t have beeb that much effort for an established company. I’m a huge Nintendo fan, but they massively dropped the ball on this one. They’re just making excuses because of the sheer amount of complaints and disapointment shown by their fans.

    1. I dont think u know the sheer cost of infrastructure for Nintendo, they have to buy servers, get network techs, get a service that works, security (no psn fail here) and other things, and xbox live is a service that Microsoft made with ease, but they rake in HUGE profits compared to Nintendo.

      so yes it would be a huge effort, probably not in difficulty, but in time and $ needed, especially when the money can be used for something better.( llike my hdHD zelda for wii_U)

  2. So just because the 3DS fails they released star fox ASAP just so people could justify the 3DS purchase?

    Should have WAITED, added some form of online (I mean I’m not the biggest nintendo fan but star fox multiplayer would be AMAZING)

    And what do they mean COSTS ARE TOO VAST?!? The game itself should have been dirt cheap to make, no to mention your charging 40$ for a game worth maybe 10$ at the most, so they are already making out big on that one. (as with most 3DS games)

    Reminds me of call of duty. They won’t add dedicated servers for online just because they would only make $999 million instead of 1 billion.

    1. Man, you don’t really need to be knocking on Nintendo like that. They’re working on multiple projects at once. It’s understandable why this one didn’t have online.
      Atleast he bothered to explain it to us.
      No, we don’t want to WAIT for any more releases thanks though.

    2. I don’t really care if has online or not I probably wouldn’t of played it anyways….uncharted 2 had online multiplayer but it sucked IMO it was a waste of time doing it looks like they are trying to fo more with u3s multiplayer but again it’s just something I’m not interested in same with reddead….now if a game like gears, halo, cod or battlefield came out without online co-op or multiplayer I would never even consider buying it.

    3. Do you know computers and what it takes for websites like this one to run. You need servers, domain names, good network programmers, etc. Star fox 64 was remade from the ground up with a huge graphical improvement to new added features. It takes time and money to do these things…….idk who told you they were cheap and super easy to do. Maybe you should do it then

    1. Remake doesn’t mean it’s easy to do. The entire game was reconstructed from the ground up. This DOES take time. Online doesn’t make or break a game. Gameplay does and starfox has some good gameplay.

  3. halo 1 is being remade to include xbox live.

    so why couldn’t starfox 64 be remade with online?

    nintendo keeps making excuses.

    1. Because xbox live is a service that exists, Nintendo has no online service that is up and running at the level of xbox live, and rakes in way bigger profits per year than Nintendo(through windows 7/office sales and such, we all know wii sold more than 360, that is over), its a way bigger company, for Nintendo to establish a program like xbox live would be an astronomical project, that would require a lot of resources and people.

  4. Now I’m particularly happy I didn’t get it. I thought with the commercials and other buzz that it had this, apparently not. I would have played the game like 3-10 times to do each route. I don’t have enough friends with the 3DS to play local, so that feature would have been lost. The reason I was looking to get it was the anonymous online multiplayer, but with it not there, it makes this a firm no to the game. Now I can put that cash towards Mariokart 7 (Mario 3D land already paid 100%).

    1. 100% Agree. MAYBE just MAYBE I’ll get the game later if there is a lack of good games at a certain period of time.
      IF they’ve just included the ORIGINAL StarFox as a playable remake, withe these great graphics it would have been an instant buy too. BUT NOT -__- bad, bad, bad…

        1. That’s pushing it for me, I really don’t go back after making a decision. With the 3DS games on the raise (Luigi’s Mansion, Kid Icarus, etc), Wii’s swan song games to get and the Wii U, I don’t have a reason to put more than $5 towards this.

          I’ve already got the next platinum status in the bag (50 coins away with Skyward, Mario 3D land and MK 7 to add).

  5. I was going to buy SF643D thanks to it’s multiplayer game… I assumed it was online, damned that was absolutely OBVIOUS it was online, I just know it!! However I was wrong… I just couldn’t believe it ¬¬
    OK it’s a great game, no doubt about it, OK the graphics are improved, no doubt about it BUT it’s a must buy for players who haven played i BEFORE!!
    I’ve played this game in the original N64, I’ve played it emulated in a PC, I’ve played it in the Wii’s Virtual Console, etc… I JUST WON’T BUY THE VERY SAME STUFF AGAIN!

    With the online multiplayer I would have bought the game without a doubt, but i dismissed it just because I’ve played it long enough

  6. Star fox 64 is a perfect game that doesn’t need online. Its a shame really that people need online play now to have fun. Gaming was great before without online.

    1. I agree with you, but just as I say in my previous post, I’ve already played the game to it’s most MULTIPLE TIMES so, I’m a veteran let’s say, so for me (and many many others) there is no new content.
      BUT YES It’s a GREAT game and should be enjoyed even without online, that’s certainly true too ;)

      1. Games need online multiplayer to extend the replay value of the game. Would people continue to play through Halo, Gears, COD without multiplayer? Likely not.

        I like Metafaniel played the N64 one to death figuring out the routes and what needed to be done to access those levels. I also enjoyed the 4 player split screen with my friends and family. Now years later, I have the Wii Virtual console one and I’ve only played it a handfull of times. Now the game basically gets updated graphics and uses the Gyro-sensor for ‘3DS controls’? That’s it? Not worth $40, worth more like $10 to me. I would have considered it more with anonymous online play — since as I stated extends the life of the game. Adventure/RPGs are hard to play multiple times, you learn the routes/quests/objectives, and it’s hard to play again since you know where to go.

        I was considering passing on OOT as well, the reason I did get it was mainly:
        1. Have a 3DS game (I purchased late May, had no games other than the pre-installed apps)
        2. Free Zelda CD – seriously was a deciding factor, free VG music is always appreciated, the game does have fantastic music.
        3. Portable version of a classic that I can be replay. Since I didn’t play the N64 one to death (let’s be honest we played Goldeneye to death instead), I didn’t have the VC game (got the free GC disc). Master Quest inclusion helped having an alternate way to play the classic, which I only beat once.

        Classics and remakes are good to a sense, but need to have abilities to expand on the foundation of the game. To me, Star Fox 64 needed online multiplayer since the story mode isn’t completely engaging to replay multiple times.

        1. Don’t get me wrong, I love the solo adventures and which is why I get every Zelda/Metroid game there is. Sometimes the game is more fun when you can compete with others for “who is the best” type of thing. When you can compete against anonymously and local are 2 different things. When you are online, you can find those that challenge you more frequently than just playing your friends.

          Perfect example, I played Mariokart Wii to death in 2008 unlocking stuff and played online for a pretty long time. Come to end of 2008, I was done. Now (today) at work someone is saying they are the “best” at it. So I picked it up again 3 years later and now competing. Normally once the game is unlocked and done, it is set aside for a while. This has extended the life of the game and not just a shelf game like my RPGs are.

          I’m looking to reply Twilight princess and Mario Galaxy, they just needed time to let the adventure mode settle before replaying these great titles.

        2. You’re right indeed. And the main difference between OoT and SF64 it’s the quite difference between it’s exploration rate and durability. As you’ve mentioned, in RPG games the exploration and the unknown tasks to be done make you explore everything. In OoT this is also true and because I’ve only beaten the game once in the past too ( well, two actually: one in the N64, another one in an emulator) years later it’s hard to remember every task to be done, every skulltula to be found, every single chest to be found, and as you say, the Master Quest and other factors are worth the bought.

          Unfortunately StarFox 64 was not as long as OoT or many other examples. The main game just focuses (in synthesis) in courses with a variation. Everyplanet and course can be beaten in very little time compared to larger titles so, the playability it’s much more limited. So in summary Anyome who haven’t played it before buy it, If you’ve played it many times in the past, just lei it go. Period.

    1. It’s been 7 years since The last F-Zero

      It’s been 13 years since the last Earthbound

      It’s been 6 years since the last proper star fox game.

      Nintendo JUST REVIVE THOSE CLASSIC GAME SERIES!

  7. I just want online in kid icarus uprising, thats and mario kart 7 but i’d rather have kid icarus, mario kart seems to be the same everytime for me.

  8. What are you talking about? The multiplayer is already awesome. Sure, it could have a few more courses, landmaster, and on-foot like in assault, but it’s still really fun the way it is. I like the fact that they experimented with new items and gameplay modes.

    As for the article, I’m just glad people are looking forward to making another Star Fox game. Especially after Miyamoto sarcastically (or diabolically) claimed that the series would depend on 64 3D’s reception.

    My highest hopes would be for something like a mix between assault and command. :o

  9. Pingback: Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D and Mario Kart 7 On eShop | My Nintendo News

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