Miyamoto says Star Fox Zero’s style was made with a purpose, games look the same these day

Nintendo finally unveiled Star Fox Zero during its Digital Event that aired on Tuesday. In creating the game, Shigeru Miyamoto has said that the team decided to focus on the gameplay and a purposeful visual style.

[Cindy-rella]

Lol. Same old Nintendo that likes to make excuses for bad graphics and archaic decisions. The new star fox game looks like a game cube game

[eyeofcore]

Keep living in your own little world and I see you never saw a Gamecube game in your life ;)

[Hoffmann]

To be honest, the graphics and especially the game environment design really look not too different from PS2/Xbox/Gamecube Era games.

[stuna1]

I know you'd like to think everyone is singling Nintendo out, but the truth of the matter lately Nintendo has done nothing to receive the praises its fanbase has been giving them! Their responses to their E3 offering has been nothing but what I call misdirectional excuses.

They just are not performing on the level that they are known to perform on! End of story.

[Gamer777]

LOL No. The environmental textures were flat and bland,models looked low poly and the effects such as the explosions looked pasted onto the environment.

[Doodleburger]

I have my gamecube still hooked up. Mario sunshine looks better than this game, even at 480i.

[ritsuka666]

The graphics look pretty awful. It's clearly rushed and it looks like it need another year+ of development.

[StarLord_Who]

bad graphics???

Say that about Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros and wait for the laugh...

Those games look better than most current gen games.

[Doodleburger]

Yeah? Mario kart looks ok, but definitely not better than other current gen games. Just because they use a childish art style, you think it's better. This is why wind waker looked like finger paint garbage, people like you.

[Gh05t]

Yeah and Starfox doesnt look anything like them so what is your point?

[hulk_bash1987]

So your defense for the bad graphics in Starfox is to bring up two games that have nothing to do with Starfox?

[ShinMaster]

No.

Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros. 4 look great.

Star Fox doesn't, in comparison.

[Man_Marmalade]

It's looks like that SNES game, Vortex. The style I mean, not the graphics lol

[pcz]

''Miyamoto says Star Fox Zero’s style was made with a purpose, games look the same these day''

what utter BS. the game is obviously made on a very low budget and with the emphasis on putting as little investment in, and getting maximum profit out. i have said it time and time again but it has been an obvious shift in nintendo's attitude towards its tech and software. i mean, the new super mario bros series is also another game made with this 'economic' philosophy, it has absolutely no artistic flair, it is merely functional. and this starfox game has that same 'merely functional' graphic style. its repulsive and offensive.

i remember right from the get go, nintendo pitched the wiiu as a next gen console capable of handling the graphics rich experiences gamers expect in the hd era. so to keep dishing up these horribly bland, gamecube-esque games is insulting and infuriating. its spitting in the face of all the wiiu owners who purchased the console on that promise.

starfox zero is an embarrassment, nintendo should be ashamed of themselves, having the audacity to serve that up after fans have patiently waited for damn near a decade for a next gen starfox game.

and to put the icing on the cake, the controls are said to be dismal. i predicted they would be as soon as they announced they would be using motion controls. so after all this waiting, nintendo delivered an ugly, broken mess.

great way to drive away more fans.

[LonDonE]

U nailed it mate, that was just on point!
wish more people wake up and realise how niintendo is treating us old school fans like dirt and trolling us! seriously no way i will support them.

Its insulting and sad to see them self destruct.

[Knushwood Butt]

Pretty funny how Nintendo say they didn't show Zelda in case it disappointed the fans, yet showed this steaming pile.

[N4g_null]

Of course we are all assuming a lot here. Maybe people won't like what we though starfox can be. Yet they should offer old starfox level as an incentive to this. Revising the old and offering it as free dlc could teach the team what starfox fans really like. The up roar is about an opportunity not an over arching complaint about nintendo. Starfox can be bigger if they exicute

Miyamoto need to learn better communication. Sure starfox looks different yet the style they are using is very forgettable.

Some one needs to show him some Pixar movies... they have realistic rendering and all the cartoon-ness we love. Splatoon even has a better visual style. Mk8 has a better visual style.

The first starfox had a certain style... Miyamoto wants to believe n64 starfox was better style wise and it wasn't. Even the music was better.

This is what happens when you are not using the same art team.

So far casuals and the hard core are not impressed by miyamoto. He needs a break. Some one else has to step up. Let miyamoto be the concept guy but nintendo needs a stronger visual team.

I think this is the true reason why nintendo gets flake for not being powerful.

Everyone loved the snes because of the power. They choose not to be too powerful so it would be cheap for customers yet the price is high again because of high ideas, gamepad. Yet we could really use some physical based shaders in starfox... I mean even some normal maps man.

If you want the design to stand out more then design it better. Make it striking then you at least don't need shaders but hold up. Can miyamoto actually make a eveangle, macross, or even an xenolade like creation?

Starfox fans are at least 30 now. We are getting a new star wars. Just got mad max. We want better. If he can't do it then find someone that can. I mean platinum mad vanquish... the design in that was great. If they want to change the colors then fine. Miyamoto needs to start listening and some one needs to say no sometimes.

[pcz]

its a good idea licensing IPs out to other devs, but nintendo are doing it all wrong.

why did they let Platinum make starfox? yes, platinum are great, but at what they do- action hack and slash! platinum would have been a better choice for a metroid action game, or zelda, but instead they put zelda in the hands of temco to produce hyrule warriors. what next, EA making f zero?

starfox assault was made by namco, which made sense since they make ace combat games... i think starfox zero would have been better in the hands of treasure, who made sin and punishment... just imagine what they could do with starfox!

@scissor-runner

yes, in theory it could have been good to make a retro looking starfox- but in the right style. when i first saw starfox zero, it did actually cross my mind that they might have went for a retro look, but then i realised they were simply bad graphics.

it could have been so cool if they added some visual flair, even if it were in a retro fashion. but im not buying what miyamoto said at all, the graphics are not stylish, they are just unpolished graphics from 2 generations ago.

[marloc_x]

..or unpolished graphics months away from release?

[GordonKnight]

This game may not have the best graphics, but two screens with different perspectives is really cool. The game is a buy for me.

[ShadowWolf712]

Having to focus on two separate screens in a dogfight is a terrible idea.

[Big_Game_Hunters]

The style is fine, the graphical fidelity is the problem.

[-Foxtrot]

I don't think an updated Star Fox game with great graphics would look like every other game

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

"All games look the same these days, so we made a conscious effort to make our games look worse so we are different."

That's some sound logic there nintendo, you really know how to not sell something.

[eyeofcore]

You like many others like you love to intentionally misinterpret and take it out of context and then force a premise that is detached from reality.

People claim that Star Fox Zero graphics aren't good and are awful and claim that it is on Gamecube level while they never obviously played any Star Fox games on Gamecube or saw it at least in action.

By their logic Killzone PS3 looks like Killzone on PS2.

EDIT: I love dislikes, I know that people want to believe that I am a Nintendo fanboy and thus unintentionally lie about me or maybe even intentionally.

The truth hurts as these morons cherry pick.

[fanboysmackdown]

whoa, whoa, whoa there big guy. An ugly game no matter how you slice it is still an ugly game. Defend this polished turd of a game all you want....all I see is one ugly game.

[Toiletsteak]

I gave you a dislike seeming as you love them.

[Darkwatchman]

Umm what? Have you seen how good GAMECUBE games can look? Resident Evil 4 ring a bell? Star Fox Zero is easily a GAMECUBE era looking game. It doesn't even look like a last gen PS3/Xbox 369 game. It's far below even that.

[Bimkoblerutso]

I won't argue that SF Zero looks like a Gamecube game, but when you compare footage, it is hard to imagine that a decade separates these two games:

Star Fox Assault:
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Star Fox Zero:
https://www.youtube.com/wat...

And to be honest, SFA was not the prettiest game when it came out to begin with.

[Testfire]

Wow eyeofcore lol, just quit now. You're making yourself look bad (worse).

[Revengeance]

So when they gonna give this game some online multiplayer?

[TheColbertinator]

If it plays good,fine with with me. Gears and COD are about to release in the fall and I am bored of those two.

[Hoffmann]

Games look the same these days?

Stop living under a rock Miyamoto and Nintendo.

[Mr_Writer85]

No idea why you have a disagree, Journey, Flower, The Last Guardian, Bloodborne, LBP, they all look different.

He is talking out of his backside but fanboys who still think that Nintendo are relevant don't force them to rethink as they support them and their blinkered and backwards views.

In fact does Miyamoto ever give credit to none Nintendo games? This is the second time he has bad mouthed other games.

He is almost as embarrassing as his fanboys who claim only Nintendo games are "fun". As if any other game isn't fun.

Edit:
He has praised angry birds, bright colours, simple and bland gameplay, if these are his standards then his opinion is even more irrelevant then I thought.

[MWH]

indeed.

they are trying to hide the sun with their fingers and they have a very small fingers.

Nintendo are being outplayed and no amount of excuses will hide the light of truth.

[rashada07]

I was expecting the game to look similar to the bayonetta starfox easter egg. I think that looked better graphically...

[rashada07]

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[joel01]

It ain't so much about being colorful and cartoony , this game just looks unpolished as hell and really really bland flat textures from gamecube era..look at Rachet and Clank or Sea of thieves , those games don't boast realistic graphics yet they look so good.
Even the zelda u trailer that they showed proves wii u can do so much better than this.

[lemoncake]

Same people hating on this games graphics are same people singing the praises of the last guardian, last guardian is far worse graphically then this game. At least star fox has depth and not just fog everywhere, if you are going to excuse that as artistic visual style you can easly accept this also.

[Sm00thNinja]

Just No....... Stahp

[sonic989]

did you just compare the last guardian a game that looks fantastic in my opinion did you look at the creature moving with the boy .
the boy himself looks different from the environment which gives a heart warming affect i dont know but i felt it the game looked amazing and calm .
on the other hand star fox is trying to look edgy its an action game and it looks bad so bad ratchet and clank a crack in time on ps3 puts this star fox to shame .

[GordonKnight]

@sonic989

Both games could have better graphics. IMO The devs are spending more time on gameplay elements instead of graphics. This makes both games a buy in my book.

[sonic989]

how did you know they are for a fact ico and shadow of colossus had their art style which looks very comparable with the last guardian also the game doesnt look bland empty and also it promotes it self as an artistic game .
star fox looks cheap even my brother who is a nintendo fan sees it as a cheap game .
lets wait for the reviews shall we .

[Sm00thNinja]

You GOTTA START questioning the decisions made by Ninteno and wonder if they need a new figure head? Change is good and Miyamoto and the Iwata regime have led Nintendo into the dark ages. Theyre getting left behind because their a bunch of old men afraid of change

[pompombrum]

Miyamoto and Iwata both have so much to offer still but Nintendo could definitely do with some promising young blood to help lead Nintendo into the future.

[WheatBread]

Miyamoto tries too hard to be different.

[Kos-Mos]

And he still creates the best video-games.

[TuxedoMoon]

How are the graphics bad and ugly?
Is it because it looks just like Starfox 64 3ds?

Honestly I was expecting platinum to get full control of this game and make it with their style rather than nintendo renting out a few members to finish this game. I really liked Assault's ship designs (not so much the jump suits, but whatever). That game looked very different when it was shown and it too got luke warm reception.

People begged for Starfox, Nintendo gives you Starfox, those same people complain about it. The game isn't even finished, so maybe they'll upgrade the graphics or something? As for its style, it's fine. It's suppose to be a reboot anyway, so it looking close to starfox 64/snes makes sense.

The only complaint I got are the gyro controls. I really hope i don't have to use it all the time. Then there's the actual controls. Face buttons NOT to shoot? WUT?! What if I want to rapid fire N64 style to beat bosses in seconds (literately)?
I'll still buy the game either way, but the only thing urking me are the controls.

[Scatpants]

People begged for Starfox circa 2015. They didn't beg for Gamecube Starfox. This is like asking for a steak and being served McNuggets.

[TuxedoMoon]

That's the thing, people never actually specified what they wanted with starfox directly to nintendo. All nintendo probably heard from fans was "MAKE STAR FOX!" And they're all, "ok then"

You can go to a restaurant and tell the waiter "I WANT FOOD!" and expect them to bring you a steak. Plus, this is the wiiu we're talking about. The thing isn't a graphical powerhouse at all. So of course the game will look like a last generation game.

I'm sure nintendo will add trees and better grass textures for the final release.

[Exodecai]

That's why the storyline in the Mario games are always new and exciting! I totally never expect Bowser to kidnap Peach

[iSuperSaiyanGod]

I'm a Nintendo fan a big one at that . I just honestly don't know what their even doing . In this world & time it makes no since that their thinking logically at all.

[tigertron]

No online multiplayer and first generation PS2 graphics. Way to go, Nintendo.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Jesus, so much salty antagonism in here.
Whether he's hypocritical or not, Reggie isn't wrong about a lot of games looking the same these days.

Also, stop being graphics elitists over Star Fox Zero.
It looks fine, and will keep getting improvements for a while since it's still not out of development yet.

[jmc8888]

It's not graphic elitest. This game is a definite step back from any other Nintendo made Wii U title.

You are right, Reggie isn't wrong that alot of games look the same these days, but that doesn't mean it's ok to make a game that look like a lot of games that came out 15 years ago. Because that's what Starfox Zero looks like. A ton of games that were out way back then.

It's unlikely to be getting ANY significant graphical improvements.

Why? Because..
A) This game is supposed to be out this fall, it's almost July. At this point the game isn't in Alpha, but Beta stage, which means it's tweaking, not addding new features or anything else to the bedrock.

B) Because of the Wii U's low power, and what they are asking it to do...two screens with two different viewpoints, even if they wanted to, that 2nd screen they are rendering is holding them back.

Think of it like split-screen in modern days. Just like any game with split-screen usually is say 30 FPS instead of 60 FPS...same thing applies to Starfox and the 2nd screen.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

It's not a step back; it's a difference in aesthetics.
People are trying to treat this like it's in sub-HD when that's just not the freakin' case.
People are bitching over the graphics instead of giving the gameplay fair credit, as well.
If that's not considered being a graphics elitist, then this community is in need of an intervention/reality check.

[-Foxtrot]

"about a lot of games looking the same these days"

Mostly FPS but the point is a lot of them don't

Last of Us to Fallout

Shovel Knight to Child of Light

Final Fantasy 13 to Kingdom Hearts

GTAV to Borderlands

and so on

There is a lot of games that don't look like others and it's about time Nintendo actually saw that instead of living under their huge rock.

[MWH]

"Also, stop being graphics elitists over Star Fox Zero. It looks fine"

it looks like ape sh1t and every monkey knows it, including you.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Except no, it doesn't look shitty.
Not to anyone giving it a fair critique.

[Knushwood Butt]

It was Miyamoto, your other god.

Wasn't he supposed to be working on a bunch of personal game projects, not churning out yet more stretched franchise crap?

[jmc8888]

That comment by Miyamoto makes no sense. Looks the same? So if Nintendo made a Call of Duty circa 2000, it would be different?

One of things I wondered about when they announced Starfox was how they would try to keep it 'Starfox' while updating it to look modern.

I thought they might use those extreme angles to keep the ship similarly shaped, but add in more detail...that way it looks like the old Starfox ships, but not look like dog excrement.

Sadly instead they simply made it look all the way like a gamecube game, while what looks to be a bad use of the gamepad in an attempt to justify it's existence.

It's absolutely weird when you think how underpowered the Wii U is, they also are the only ones trying to do all this other stuff that sucks up power. So as underpowered as it is, it has to make even greater sacrifices, just so they can use the gamepad.

Not a good situation.

Will it be fun? I don't know. I wanted to get it day 1, but I need much more info now before that happens, and it has to be good info, because from what they've shown, it's been a let down.

[Heavenly King]

A rail shooter in this age is kind of dull.

[Big_Game_Hunters]

The reason it looks bsd is because they are rushing it so they can say " we listend to the fans". Also to make the NX seem powerful when itreleases on NX with updated graphics in a year.

[Aloy-Boyfriend]

Ayy Lmao

Iwata: Every game looks the same. How do we counter that?

Miyamoto: By making Star Fox Zero look worse and outdated

[paddy95]

Hahahaha.

[Elda]

I love Star Fox but for a Wii-U game the production & graphics look cheap,it doesn't look next gen at all it looks like Gamecube graphics.

[flyingwombat33]

The problem is that if you aren't trying to be cutting edge, you have to have a really compelling art style. Bayonetta pulled that off, so did Okami, Viewtiful Joe etc. The New star Fox just looks like a bland, 10-year-old tech demo. Nothing about the style holds up to the originals in any way. Hopefully it will still be really fun, but I agree that the look didn't really impress me.

[deathtok]

I think this game looks like fun. While the graphics could be improved, I'm not sure it deserves the hate. Gameplay is king.

[Acquiescence]

The graphics are crap. It looks like a Gamecube game, and the reason for that is probably because Nintendo are making it on the cheap and rushing it out to have something, anything, for the holiday season.

[Darkfist]

“A lot of games nowadays look so realistic that they all look the same,”

lol, that one hell of a damage control, he should look at games like ratchet & clank which is a cartoony-looking game, and star fox on the gamecube looks better than this s**t, and its funny seeing the fanboys defending this when they praise xenoblade graphic until they downgrade it then it doesn't matter.

[Scatpants]

It looks like shit and is disappointing. Was that the purpose?

[Realplaya]

Ok everyone needs to R E L A X take a moment to chill. Of all the developers in the 8th Gen who has done the most with the least? Who have we seen not downgrade the games that are shown early but instead upgrade the looks.

I am going to list 5 games that show Nintendo's track record.

1. pikmin 4
2. Wind Waker Wii and Wii U
3. Super Mario 3d world
4. Mario Kart 8
5. Super smash bros wii u

Many will say your a fan or fan boy but truth be told if you look at the Game prior to the directs in where they showed the before release build they get raked across the coals. Then when the game is showed off in it's final form you see people saying oh these games look better than some of the other companies games. Yep Everyone one remember what you are writing and saying because just like everyone thought Splatoon would not sell well you might be wrong about Starfox. They have 6 moths left so lets enjoy the ride.

[N4GJD]

To everyone complaining about the graphics: Stop!

This is exactly what makes Nintendo great and is one of my soul reasons for purchasing a Wii U. Because they prioritize gameplay, and not graphics (which are intentionally cartoony for good reason). I am so tired of all the generic, photorealistic shooters, grounded in reality, oversaturating the market today.

And Star Fox Zero is doing everything right! You haters!

[chronoforce]

Did you see FireWatch,Recore, Ratchet and clank or heck even some of Nintendo's own games?. Its ok if Ninty want to use the retro triangular style but the game needs more detail, density and creative design. It is designed the way starfox 64 was designed.

IMO the worst era to parrot for design would probably be the 6th gen. I agree with those who think starfox looks embarrassing visually.

but starfox is back so one can't really complain.

[Ch1d0r1]

This game looks great for a 3DS title.

[FallenAngel1984]

The Star Fox stage in SSBU looks better than Star Fox Zero

[OneAboveAll]

"somewhat cartoony" You mean like the majority of Nintendo first party games?

Yawn.

[phozon]

if they would have used the original star fox grphics as a style but make it current gen i would have been pleased but this is just boring and ugly. and im not even talking technically, the architecture and art look horrible and with bad proportions..

[sypher]

That purpose being hampered by the Wii U Gamepad halving any graphical/cpu output

[MrSmith]

Lazy, Nintendo.. Lazy

[benji101]

They showed real graphics of a real working build 6 months before it ships. We have no idea when this build was finished. People could play this on the show floor. There is probably a build with more graphic effects already finished. Nintendo build games up not down. Too many gamers actually believe the crap they see at e3 is real.

[DanBal76]

“A lot of games nowadays look so realistic that they all look the same.”

More like: “A lot of games nowadays look so realistic that they all are very pleasant to look at, and we clearly can't wait for the death of Wii U and birth of the NX, so we can be in the same league as our competitors. But we have to feed Wii U owners with something, but don't expect a lot of effort from us, because even the 2006 comparable harware of the Wii U can do much better, but we just don't care that much anymore.”