History VideoGame / StarFox2

''Star Fox 2'' is the direct sequel to the original ''[[VideoGame/StarFox1 Star Fox]]'' for UsefulNotes/{{SNES}}. It is also the only other ''Star Fox'' game within that continuity; the following entry in the series, ''VideoGame/StarFox64'', would serve as a ContinuityReboot for the franchise that would [[LighterAndSofter lighten the tone]].

* DoABarrelRoll: It wouldn't be ''VideoGame/StarFox'' without the ability to roll to deflect enemy attacks.

* GlobalAirship: The Star Fox team has a [[AirborneAircraftCarrier mobile space carrier]] that can transport their entire team to any planet in the Lylat system [[FasterThanLightTravel at warp speed]]. It's the predecessor to [[Videogame/StarFox64 Great Fox]].

* OrchestralBombing: ''VideoGame/{{Star Fox|1}}'' and ''Star Fox 2'' both have a very differently styled orchestra soundtrack than ''VideoGame/StarFox64'' or its sequels, with a heavier emphasis on {{Fanfare}}. Even though Hajime Hirasawa, the original ''Star Fox'' composer, left Nintendo after ''Videogame/StarFox1'', the composers for this game, Kozue Ishikawa and Yumiko Kanki, deliberately styled their music after his work.

* TheUnfought: According to both the [[AllThereInTheManual Mission File Printout]] and [[Videogame/StarFox1 Star Fox's]] [[ComicStrip/StarFox tie-in comic]], the giant face that Fox faced on Venom in ''Star Fox 1'' was actually a [[MyselfMyAvatar remote-controlled computer designed to allow Andross to oversee Venom's army without actually being there himself.]] This is also implied by his trophy description in ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''. He is still unfought in ''Star Fox 2'', as the only thing that appears is [[ActuallyADoombot just another control computer.]] It's worth noting that the control unit is [[HeartDrive the cube]] ''[[HeartDrive inside]]'' [[HeartDrive the face,]] and not the face itself, which is more like a [[TheKidWithTheRemoteControl robotic guardian.]]

* CameraScrew: The camera occasionally veers too far to the left or right while flying in corridors, forcing you to switch to the walker to fix it.

* SecretLevel: Collecting all Mysterious Medals (also known as Pepper Coins) in each difficulty level (13 on Normal, 19 on Hard and 20 on Expert) [[spoiler:unlocks the Secret Base on that difficulty. It's an area full of power-ups and healing area. And it also has the homing charge shot power-up, which was available in the leaked beta from the start, but not in the final game.]]

* SphereOfPower: The [[DeflectorShields Super Sheild item]] takes the form of a large sphere that surrounds the ship. It's separate from the ship's normal shielding and functions as an InvincibilityPowerUp.

** [[spoiler:The Secret Base level,]] as point out in the Secret Level entry.

* FragileSpeedster: Fay and Miyu's Type-B Arwings are the fastest, and [[MoreDakka take the shortest time to fire a charged shots]] but they have the [[GlassCannon least amount of healths]]. This is made up for by their default special weapon being an InvincibilityPowerup. The final beta build of the game even have them equipped with Twin Blasters by default, which in the final game [[NewGamePlus can be unlocked for everyone in future playthroughs]].

* HomingProjectile: The Homing Charged Shot power-up, which you need to unlock the access for it in this game. [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness All later games give you this from the start]]. [[NintendoHard Star Wolf also starts with these]].

* NewGamePlus: The access to the homing charged shot only needs to be unlocked once on each difficulty. (You still needs to collect the item to enable it at every playthroughs, however.) In addition, beating the game with a high enough score unlocks twin blasters for that set of two pilots on all future playthroughs.

Originally completed in 1995, Creator/{{Nintendo}} proceeded to make the interesting decision of '''''not''''' releasing the game. The reason? The UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn and UsefulNotes/PlayStation were already on shelves, their own UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 was chugging along in development, and 3D graphics in video games had developed so rapidly that they didn't want to release a title that would feel outdated within mere months. [[ScrewedByTheNetwork So they tried to pretend it didn't exist]]. Despite the fact that the game had been [[{{Vaporware}} heavily advertised already]]. After the release of ''Star Fox 64'', Nintendo was content to quietly let ''Star Fox 2'' fade into distant memory. The game did not go to complete waste internally, though; two-thirds of its code was recycled for ''64'', and some of its gameplay ideas would be revisited by ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' and ''VideoGame/StarFoxZero''.

Originally completed in 1995, Creator/{{Nintendo}} proceeded to make the interesting decision of '''''not''''' releasing the game. The reason? The UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 was coming out in a year, and they didn't want to risk downplaying that console's impressive new 3D technology by demonstrating any sort of 3D graphics on their last-gen system. [[ScrewedByTheNetwork So they tried to pretend it didn't exist]]. Despite the fact that the game had been [[{{Vaporware}} heavily advertised already]]. After the release of ''Star Fox 64'', Nintendo was content to quietly let ''Star Fox 2'' fade into distant memory. The game did not go to complete waste internally, though; two-thirds of its code was recycled for ''64'', and some of its gameplay ideas would be revisited by ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' and ''VideoGame/StarFoxZero''.

It also didn't quite get as forgotten by the gaming community as the company may have hoped, as ''Star Fox 2'' actually managed to snag an ''unofficial'' release in the late 90s thanks to two of the Japanese [[UsefulNotes/BetaTest testing ROMs]] getting [[ContentLeak leaked online]]: a 1993/1994 early-development Alpha, and a 1995 late-development Beta. The latter — originally thought to be virtually complete — was missing some features, but was otherwise entirely playable using an [[UsefulNotes/{{Emulation}} emulator]]. In 2004, Aeon Genesis (of ''VideoGame/CaveStory'' fame) made a FanTranslation [[https://agtp.romhack.net/project.php?id=starfox2 patch]] for the Beta ROM that doubled as a GameMod to fix up the bugs, and [[CultClassic the game soon gained a reputation]]. So much so, that the system producer behind the SNES Classic Edition plug-and-play console [[https://www.nintendo.com/super-nes-classic/interview-star-fox-2 requested it to be released]].

And so the game finally received an official release on September 29, 2017... [[TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment a whopping 21 years after its original projected release date]], usurping a 1998 port of ''VideoGame/{{Frogger}}'' as the final licensed SNES game ever released by 19 years.[[note]]In Japan, the last game to be released officially for the Super Famicom was ''Metal Slader Glory: Director's Cut'' in 2000[[/note]] December 12, 2019 would see the game added to the Nintendo Switch's SNES library via its online service, allowing one to play the game legally on a full-fledged console.

''Star Fox 2'' directly follows the events of previous game. The planet [[TheGoodKingdom Corneria]] is still licking its wounds from the first Lylat War; however, though [[EmperorScientist Emperor]] [[MadScientist Andross]] was defeated by the [[PrivateMilitaryContractors Star Fox mercenaries]], he [[NotQuiteDead survived]]. Now, with a renewed armada and [[LensmanArmsRace new, more powerful weapons]], he plans to get his revenge by [[OmnicidalManiac killing everyone on Corneria]] that [[DisproportionateRetribution wasn't killed in the first Lylat War]]. As added insurance, he's hired the [[CarnivalofKillers Wolf Team]] [[note]][[AdaptationNameChange Star Wolf]][[/note]] to keep Star Fox out of the way.

And so the game finally received an official release on September 29, 2017... [[TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment a whopping 21 years after its original projected release date]], usurping a 1998 port of ''VideoGame/{{Frogger}}'' as the final licensed SNES game ever released by 19 years. [[note]]In Japan, the last game to be released officially for the Super Famicom was ''Metal Slader Glory: Director's Cut'' in 2000[[/note]] December 12, 2019 would see the game added to the Nintendo Switch's SNES library via its online service, allowing one to play the game legally on a full-fledged console.

!!''Star Fox 2'' provides examples of:

* RealTimeWithPause: This is the main aspect of the game. You are allowed to survey the Lylat system before you move (either from the start of the game, or after you have completed a location), to determine where you should go, and what the best plan of defense or offense is. However, once you begin to move, events begin to progress without stopping, ''even in levels'' (unless you press the Start button to pause, of course), meaning you may have to make a choice to abandon your current objective to check on something else. Even more, two rarities can happen: The first is that even if a missile ''does'' reach Corneria, you can follow it into the upper atmosphere and destroy it just before it strikes the planet. More dynamically, two events can meld together on-the-fly; Namely, while you are destroying planetary missiles or fighting robotic enemies, a Wolf Team member can enter the area, upping the stakes against you.

* VehicularTurnabout: Andross's Battlestation, Astropolis, will send out the "Brain Spoiler" virus-machines to take control of your KillSat, requiring you to visit it yourself when it becomes hijacked and remove the threat.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Events that affect Corneria and the Defense Satellite Platform do not progress if you have arrived at their location before they have fired. This means that as long as you stay alive at each individual location, while you are traveling-towards or are inside the Cannon Battleships, or you are confronting the Virus Injectors on the Defense Satellite, you still have a chance of stopping them before they do major damage to Corneria.

* RealTimeWithPause: This is the main aspect of the game. You are allowed to survey the Lylat system before you move (either from the start of the game, or after you have completed a location), to determine where you should go, and what the best plan of defense or offense is. However, once you begin to move, events begin to progress without stopping. (unless you press the Start button to pause, of course) Even more, two rarities can happen: The first is that even if a missile reaches Corneria, you can follow it into the upper atmosphere and destroy it just before it strikes the planet. More dynamically, two events can meld together on-the-fly; Namely, while you are destroying planetary missiles or fighting robotic enemies, a Wolf Team member can enter the area, upping the stakes against you.

* ArtificialBrilliance: Wolf Team will [[HomingProjectile fire charge shots]] and [[DoABarrelRoll roll to defect your weapons]], and [[DodgeByBraking evade you by breaking]] to show you that they're not like the other enemies or bosses that you're fighting against.

* RealTimeWithPause: This is the main aspect of the game. You are allowed to survey the Lylat system before you move (either from the start of the game, or after you have completed a location), to determine where you should go, and what the best plan of defense or offense is. However, once you begin to move, events begin to progress without stopping. Even more, a rarity in this type of game, two events can meld together on-the-fly, namely, while you are destroying planetary missiles or fighting robotic enemies, a Wolf Team member can enter the area, upping the stakes against you.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: The Planet Cannon doesn't fire as long as you have arrived at a battleship before they have fired, meaning that as long as you stay alive while traversing it, you still have a chance of destroying it before it does major damage to Corneria.

* AnyoneCanDie: As in the [[VideoGame/StarFox1 first game]], any of the Star Fox pilots can be shot down, and they will [[https://youtu.be/3wj270Wvhcc?t=454 stay down]] for the rest of the playthrough. Unlike the first game, this includes whomever you're currently playing as (your co-pilot becomes [[JustifiedExtraLives your extra life]]), so even [[TheHeroDies Fox himself is as vulnerable to this as anyone else]]. [[http://www.glitterberri.com/star-fox/message-from-god/ According to Takaya Imamura]], the reasoning behind this element of the game is to make the player ''[[PlayerPunch feel]]'' the tragedy when they lose a wingman [[VideoGameCaringPotential they've grown attached to.]]
--> '''Takaya Imamura:''' It's pretty tragic when your allies are defeated, so players ought to realize at some point that they’ve begun to feel empathy towards them.

** Land battle: Some times when storming a base or carrier, you will have to fight a boss along the way. They may or may not be accompanied by normal enemies.

* CriticalAnnoyance: You'll have General Pepper often screaming at you Corneria's under assault. Which is constantly if you play on Expert difficulty.

* EvolvingTitleScreen: After collecting all medallions across all difficulty levels, Fox replaces Andross' face in the title screen background.

* OddballInTheSeries: The distinct quality that makes ''Star Fox 2'' stand out is that it has a completely non-linear design which is a radical contrast to the other games in the series which are Linear by tradition.

* StoneWall: Peppy's and Slippy's Type-C Arwings, combined with the negatives of MightyGlacier. They have the highest amount of shield points, and a [[UpToEleven special multiple uses self-repair item.]] The drawback is their low speed, slow blaster charge rate, and poor boost.

* CompanyCrossReferences: In the June 1995 prototype build, there was a "Golden Mario" insignia that was used in the records screen to denote a exceptionally high score. In the 2017 final build, this was apparently felt to be too blatant of a cameo insert and was replaced by a "Big Star" insignia.
* ContinuingIsPainful: At the start of the game, you choose two pilots to control and can switch between them freely to mitigate damage. "Continuing" means [[AnyoneCanDie when a pilot got shot down]], the remaining pilot [[InTheEndYouAreOnYourOwn must continue alone]]. Continuing also means you will not get an extra 10,000 points add to your final score if you beat the game afterward.

* EasyModeMockery: The "Normal" difficulty (the easiest mode in the game) lacks a lot of the content found in Hard and Expert. Despite this, it's a relatively minor example, as the game does not punish you for playing the Normal difficulty in any way. Except that you can't get a higher rank than the C rank.

* HomingProjectile: The Secret Base contains a power-up that makes the charged shots become this. [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness All later games give you this from the start]]. [[NintendoHard Star Wolf also starts with these]].

* NewGamePlus: The access to the homing charged shot only needs to be unlocked once on each difficulty. (You still needs to collect the item to enable it at every playthorughs, however.) In addition, beating the game with a high enough score unlocks twin blasters for that set of two pilots on all future playthroughs.
* NintendoHard: The released game is far more difficult than the leaked beta version. This is because the homing charge shot - instead of being available at the start - [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness needs to be unlocked on each difficulty]]. The decision to give this players from the beginning in all future titles [[AntiFrustrationFeatures likely saved many controllers from being thrown through TV sets]].

* SecretLevel: [[spoiler:Collecting all Mysterious Medals (also known as Pepper Coins) in each difficulty level (13 on Normal, 19 on Hard and 20 on Expert) unlocks the Secret Base on that difficulty. It's an area full of power-ups and healing area. And it also has the homing charge shot power-up, which was available in the leaked beta from the start, but not in the final game.]]

** Getting all Mysterious Medals on one difficulty unlocks [[spoiler:the Secret Base, which contains Twin Blasters, a Shield Square to refill your health, one of every Special Weapon, and the homing charged shots upgrade. Getting the Star Rank unlocks an automatic Twin Blaster upgrade for the two pilots who got the rank; since Star Rank is only feasible on Expert, the upgrade is applied to the pilots regardless of difficulty.]]

''Star Fox 2'' directly follows the events of previous game. The planet [[TheGoodKingdom Corneria]] is still licking it's wounds from the first Lylat War; however, though [[EmperorScientist Emperor]] [[MadScientist Andross]] was defeated by the [[PrivateMilitaryContractors Star Fox mercenaries]], he [[NotQuiteDead survived]]. Now, with a renewed armada and [[LensmanArmsRace new, more powerful weapons]], he plans to get his revenge by [[OmnicidalManiac killing everyone on Corneria]] that [[DisproportionateRetribution wasn't killed in the first Lylat War]]. As added insurance, he's hired the [[CarnivalofKillers Wolf Team]] [[note]][[AdaptationNameChange Star Wolf]][[/note]] to keep Star Fox out of the way.

* GuideDangIt: Good luck finding all Mysterious Medals, considering some are located [[spoiler:off the map's boundaries]] and the only indication of where they are is the unique sound it makes.

* CompanyCrossReferences: In the June 1995 prototype build, there was a "Golden Mario" insignia that was used in the records screen to denote a exceptionally high score. In the 2017 final build, this was apparently felt to be too blatant of an cameo insert and was replaced by a "Big Star" insignia.

* BackgroundMusicOverride: Thanks to the game's RealTimeStrategy element, it's possible to encounter a member of Wolf Team while fighting other enemies. If that happens, whatever theme was playing prior will change to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beNPTyi5vME Surprise Attack]], Wolf Team's theme music.

* DarkerAndEdgier: While the first game wasn't exactly bright and happy, this game trumps it by virtue of Andross trying to [[AxCrazy utterly destroy Corneria instead of conquer it]] - and that ''can'' happen [[ShootTheShaggyDog if you play poorly enough]]. In addition, rather than playing as Fox and having three companions, you choose two pilots to fight Andross - [[FinalDeath both of whom may very well die]]. Wolf Team, rather than being treated as specific evil counterparts to the Star Fox's pilots, fight separately and - [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere except for Wolf]] - [[EverybodysDeadDave all of them are killed in battle]].

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: In an awkward inversion of PlotlineDeath, even if you lose a pilot and continue with the partner ship you selected, the game's ending cutscene will still show the Arwing you lost returning to the Great Fox, completely undamaged. This happens in spite of the fact that downed pilots [[FinalDeath are treated as dead]].

* QuirkyMinibossSquad: The Wolf Team, [[LensmanArmsRace who were hired and armed specifically to counter Star Fox]]. Unlike most versions of this trope, they're are taken quite seriously - while later games portray Star Wolf as [[PsychoRangers direct counterparts to the Star Fox pilots]], in this game, they are [[CarnivalOfKillers morally corrupt killers for hire with entirely unique personalities]]. They're also [[DavidVersusGoliath stronger than the heroes]]: unlike Arwings, the Wolf Team's weakest fighters come standard with [[HomingProjectile homing charge lasers]] and have tougher shields than the standard Arwing. With the [[FinalDeath way this game handles death]], that makes each one of them a potential HeroKiller.

* BoringButPractical: Fox and Falco don't have the additional shields Peppy and Slippy have, nor have the speed of Fay and Miyu, but compensate for having smart bombs in their arsenal, allowing for easy base or emeny clear provided the right usage.