What you may not come back for too often, though, is the multiplayer mode. Basically a complete mirror of the N64 version, you and up to four friends can battle it out in a few arena style maps, partaking in a Survival (last man standing), Point Battle, or Time Battle. There are a few pickups unique to the versus mode that add a little flare to the matches, and requiring only one game card makes for an easier assembly of friends.

Another multiplayer addition is the video/photo feature, a highly touted inclusion that plants a live feed of your foe's face (via the front camera) onscreen, displaying their anger or elation over how they fared in the matchup. Yet the fact that your challenger will usually be sitting right across from you makes this element seem tacked on. It would have been more interesting if your opponent was playing from Japan or Australia. The lack of any online component is a big misstep for a modern game, even with the defense of being a remastered port of a decades old title. The social world has become digitally interactive, and gamers as a whole are more attuned to online battles than local wireless ones. Without so much as a leaderboard, Star Fox 64 3D certainly missed an opportunity to strike a chord with the core gamer.

The notes that do strike true are the refined audio, filtered several times from the original to present clean, crisp sounds. The voiceover work is from the N64 version; every line is delivered exactly as you remember, just without the scratchy white noise. Also, the music has been remastered, and even adds a nicely composed second credits track. The simple yet addictive melodies of the menu screen were always a personal favorite of mine, which I had to listen to several times before starting my first campaign.

Star Fox 64 was certainly on the short list of classic games that fans were yearning for a rerelease of. The game technically holds strong with the revamped 3DS version, and the challenging gameplay hearkens back to a time when skill was a necessity for reaching the credits. The motion controls are an interesting alternative, but would have fared better on the Wii, where the screen remains fixed. And the multiplayer, while still enjoyable with friends, begs to be played with unknown adversaries. However, with so many reasons to replay each and every level a hundred times, you'll definitely get your money's worth out of this game.

By Sean Engemann
CCC Contributing Writer

Game Features:

A complete graphical update brings a Nintendo classic into the era of portable 3D fun. The game makes effective use of the Nintendo 3DS system's dual screens: The top screen features 3D aerial combat, while the bottom screen displays characters and dialogue.

There are two control methods for the player to experience. The Nintendo 64 Mode offers original controls, while the new Nintendo 3DS Mode uses the motion controls of the built-in Gyro Sensor of the Nintendo 3DS system.

Trusted wingmen Peppy, Slippy, and Falco are along for the ride – if one of them is chased of captured by an enemy, players must act to protect them in order to keep their team strong.

Each mission takes players through a different planet of the Lylat system as they blast enemies, collect power-ups, and fight powerful bosses on their way to the final battle.

A new multiplayer option lets up to four players engage in fierce aerial combat via local wireless connection (using four systems and one game card via DS Download Play). The multiplayer mode also includes new power-ups and special weapons. Players can use the Nintendo 3DS system's inner camera to display a live video feed of their faces as they battle, bringing a new level of fun and personalization to the multiplayer experience.