Star Fox: Assault

Fox McCloud is back in action on GameCube, taking the Star Fox team on an epic quest to protect the galaxy from a new and powerful threat. In addition to the character-based combat introduced in 2002's Star Fox Adventures, Star Fox 2 follows the groundwork established by the original Super NES and later Nintendo 64 game. Players will pilot the Arwing in space and above cities on a planet's surface as well as drive the Landmaster Tank. Fox can get out of the vehicle at any time to continue battles on foot, using a variety of weapons to defend cities under siege from the air and on the ground. Sniper rifles, bazookas, laser pistols, and more are available, as is the specialized help of crew Slippy Hare, Peppy Hare, and Falco Lombardi.

Star Fox 2 also includes a number of new characters that agree to fight alongside the Star Fox team, and players can even enlist their friends in a series of cooperative missions. Both players can go their separate ways using a traditional split-screen format, or they can fight together with one player acting as a wingman to help shoot down foes. The latter option has one player's character literally riding atop a wing or side panel while the other player focuses on piloting or driving. Those not in a cooperative state of mind can engage up to three other like-minded individuals in an assortment of battle modes taking place in the air or on the ground. Star Fox 2 marks the first GameCube game developed by Namco on behalf of Nintendo. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide