Awesome / Star Fox

Moments pages are Spoilers Off. You Have Been Warned.

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Star Fox

• As with most video games from the era this game came from, this one has little plot, so there aren't that many moments like this. However, defeating Andross gives you a very nice and satisfying ending, with Fox escaping Venom with triumphant music playing in the background. While leaving, the rest of the team follows and Fox radios General Pepper, who congratulates Fox. You see your final score and go through a Boss Montage, then the credits roll. Also, the alternate ending. Fox survived a completely messed-up dimension and defeated a giant Slot Machine that was causing the distortion in the level. It's partially Bittersweet and may even be considered a Downer Ending because of the implications that Andross ultimately wins, but Fox just saved an alternate dimension from an evil Slot Machine.
• Defeating the Great Commander. The first time because it's That One Boss, the second time because you made sure it's/they're never coming back. The first fight itself is pretty spectacular as it turns into a match of Space Jousting between you and an AI-controlled dreadnought with the game's equivalent of All-Range Mode as you turn around for each pass.
• Managing to get through all of Path 3 is a massive undertaking. The game does not let up as it throws the most difficult stages and bosses at you without mercy. Many still consider this to be the greatest challenge in the whole series. It takes a lot of practice and skill to get through, even more if you try to get a high score. You even get one of the few mentions of plot where Andross will admit he is impressed, and that Fox's father was also a reckless fighter. Once you've conquered Path 3 you truly have become a master Arwing pilot.

Star Fox Comic

• In chapter 8, Slippy is still captured by Andross. Luckily, he starts getting an escape plan into motion by getting a lizard mook to loosen the choker. The lizard mook then says that Slippy is a victim of his own vanity, but then the Knockout Gas activates when part of the choker explodes, and Slippy replies, "No, you're a victim of my sleeping gas!" Then, Slippy proceeds to overhear two lizard mooks, but just as they are about to send the Dodora out, after the second lizard mook says "Engage invaderssss!", Slippy replies, "Engage this!" and then throws the choker, which explodes and knocks out both of the two lizard mooks, and Slippy escapes.

Star Fox 64

• Fox establishes how Badass he and his wingmen are when he defeats the Attack Carrier at the end of the first level.
  Attack Carrier Captain: WHO ARE YOU GUYS?!
  Fox: We're Star Fox!
  Attack Carrier Captain: You'll never defeat Andross!!!
• Sector Y is One-Man Army personified, as the condition to accomplish the mission is to kill 100 enemies. Seeing the counter tick over 100? Immensely satisfying.
• Katina has you defending a friendly base from the Saucerer: a giant mothership right out of Independence Day. Best of all, if you manage to check your fire and not shoot down any allied fighters, the ending cutscene is of the Star Fox team flying in perfect formation with the entire Redshirt Air Force.
  Bill Grey: I'm glad we're on the same team, Fox!
  Fox: You owe me one.
• Some bosses are so hard (Gorgon, I'm looking at you), that killing them is its own Moment of Awesome.
• The Star Wolf battles, a formidable hybrid between Wolfpack Boss and Mirror Boss.
• Any time one of your wingmen takes out a member of Star Wolf or one of the missiles in Sector Z. Unless you're aiming for the medals, in which case it's Annoying Video Game Helper.
• Falco's "I'm here to rescue you!" in Macbeth and "I'll cover you, Fox!" in Bolse. His Badass Boasts are especially good since he's the only team member who legitimately helps you out during the missions.
• Slippy of all people saying "Your carcass is mine!" He may not be the most liked character, but he also comes off as Badass Adorable.
• One of the routes you can take is a shortcut past Solar, one of the freakin' suns of the Lylat System! Your Arwing constantly takes damage from flying over a sea of boiling plasma. Getting through Solar is quite a challenge.
• Successfully completing the mission on planet Macbeth will show an amazing scene of the train crashing into a fuel bunker and the whole place going up in flames. No words can truly describe the Catharsis Factor. We can try, but it has to be seen to be believed.
  Conductor: NO! HIT THE BRAKES!
  (Forever Train slams into over a dozen barricades before coming up on the fuel bunker)
  Conductor: I can't STOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!!!!
  (A massive explosion erupts from the bunker, followed by dozens of more equally massive explosion before climaxing in a gargantuan fireball swallowing the entire base whole in the horizon as the scene cuts back to Fox)
  Fox: All aircraft report!
  Slippy: I can see the look on their stupid faces!
  Peppy: I'm sure we hurt 'em this time!
  Falco: Now it's our turn to kick some tail!
  • It's even better with the Rumble-Pak, which was bundled with the game.
  • Even more badass, this is one of the two paths (alongside destroying the missiles in Sector Z) that leads to Area 6, and by extension, guaranteeing a chance to fight the True Final Boss and get the Golden Ending.
  • The best part is that the train crashes and there's a small explosion inside the base. There's a slight pause... then there's a bigger explosion that blows the top off the base. Then there's about four or five more explosions that completely incinerate the base. There Is No Kill Like Overkill.
• Area 6 is a strong candidate for the game's Best Level Ever. If you approach Venom by way of Bolse, you're sneaking in the back door. In this stage, you, your three wingmen and your support ship are flying directly into the teeth of the Big Bad's defenses and straight through his reserve forces. They throw everything at you - swarms of fighters, gun platforms, cruisers, minefields, experimental missiles, even some crazy planet-killing boss creature. And all the time you hear the Enemy Chatter growing more and more desperate as none of it stops you. One-Man Army doesn't begin to describe it. The Awesome Music is just the icing on the cake.
  • The C-messages you get in this level also stand out. By now you're probably used to answering them to get a supply drop from ROB. This time, it's-
    ROB: Great Fox will cover you.
  • Cue Star Fox's carrier pulverizing enemy capital ships with its cannons. Surviving the Sector Z ambush certainly paid off, eh? (unless you're trying to get the medal, in which case ROB is accidentally kill-stealing, but it's the thought that counts)
  • Other times, it's not ROB on the line when the messages pop up, but Andross himself hacking your communications to taunt you. Annoying until you think - is he doing so because you've finally caught his attention, or is he getting worried?
    Andross: I'm looking forward to this...
  • Best of all, the 3DS remake has a stage select so you can keep coming back!
    Area 6 Commander: These guys are crazy!
• Venom, by way of Area 6. The other times you battle Star Wolf it's roughly an even match, but this time they're in Wolfen-IIs that are simply superior to your Arwing. Winning the dogfight against them — especially if you do so without losing any wingmen — is the ultimate proof of your skill as a pilot, and a near-surefire way to win the stage's medal.
  Wolf: No WAY! I DON'T believe it!
• Killing Andross on the Hard Path is immensly satisfying. After blowing off his head to reveal his face, you are confronted with his gigantic BRAIN. He's probably the most unpredictable boss, too, since he can teleport, but when you do strike that final blow, the satisfaction of avenging Fox's father washes over you, and it feels so good.
• Fox's escape from Venom after defeating the real Andross. The freakin' ghost of James McCloud helps Fox find his way out, encouraging him along, and right before the base explodes, as fire is roaring behind you and endless explosions go off all around you:
  James: You've become so strong, Fox...
  • Makes the tears form...

Star Fox Adventures

• The boss battle with King RedEye. Not only is Fox fighting a friggin' HUGE T-Rex, but it also ends with a cutscene of Fox wedging the Spellstone out of the king's head, doing a backflip, and impaling him in the head just before he could attack.
• Falco coming back to help Fox fight a reincarnated Andross.
  Falco: Hey, McCloud! Different time, different planet, and you still need Falco's help. It's good to see ya, buddy.

Star Fox Assault

• Falco saves Fox AGAIN on Fichina. Afterwards, Fox takes down more of the Aparoids while riding on the wing of Falco's Arwing.
• At the mission in Corneria, Fox gets trapped by Aparoids. Suddenly, on the sky, a Wolfen appears. It's Wolf! He fires the building where Fox is standing, making Fox jump off thinking that he is being shot. As he falls, Wolf flies past to save him. While he excuses himself that he wants to be the one to bring Fox down, Panther clearly doesn't believe it.
  • At the end of the boss fight, General Pepper’s flagship falls towards the city and towards certain doom. Cue Peppy swooping in an Arwing just in time to cushion the general’s fall, to both Fox’s and Pepper’s shock.
  • At the end of the mission, Wolf gives Fox some advice that helps him in the final mission.
    Wolf: Fox. Let me give you one piece of advice: Don't hesitate! When the time comes, just act!
• In direct relation to the above two moments, if you perform well enough, Falco and Wolf will give you honest praise!
  Falco: Unstoppable! Way to go!
  Wolf: You got some skills, pal!
• Again in Assault, after infiltrating the Aparoid homeworld hive on Mission 9, we see the shields reappearing. However, Peppy sacrifices himself and Great Fox by ramming the (already doomed) ship towards the shields while giving a speech, allowing Star Fox and Star Wolf to enter the enemy base, giving the mourning teams a chance to fight the enemy. It's revealed that he survived by ejecting the Great Fox's entire bridge. It's entirely possible that he pulled a Revenge of the Sith and landed the whole thing.
• Killing Pigma. The monster undoubtedly crossed the Moral Event Horizon by the time of his assimilation, and you finally get to kill him. The only thing that weakens this is that Pigma has become an Aparoid, his mind and free will stolen from him, but Peppy is more than willing to cheer you on anyway to help kill Pigma. Still, whether Pigma is still self-aware at that point, destroying him is also satisfying, as you watch the bastard scream in absolute agony before finally turning outer space white in a massive explosion. Justice has been served, indeed.
• One of the multiplayer stages is the Zoness Sea Base. Compared to how inhospitable it was in Starfox 64, it looks MUCH nicer in comparison! Looks like Corneria's efforts in cleaning up the pollution is paying off. This also doubles as a Heartwarming Moment, considering Zoness' tragic backstory.

Star Fox Zero

• One of the many portals in the game dumps the Gravmaster out in space; since the Landmaster is meant for ground combat, Fox is ordered to sit this one out by Peppy, who flies right at the nearby enemy carrier as Fox withdraws. For those of you who doubt his ability as James' wingman, Peppy then proceeds to, without even a hint of backup, usher the carrier to its final destination.
  Salvadora Commander: ONE ship?! What an insult. Ready the main cannons! Destroy that little pest!
  (combat, pwnage, and barrel rolls ensue)
  Salvadora Commander: How could one ship take us down?!
  Peppy: It never pays to underestimate Star Fox! *kaboom*
• The Attack Carrier and the music that played when you fought it in 64 make a surprise comeback. Then they did it again but harder when the same track made yet another comeback from when it was used in the escape from Andross!
  Attack Carrier Captain: Now, let the TRUE fight begin!
• Before Fox can confront Andross on Venom, he has to deal with Star Wolf. The whole team, by himself. They've upgraded their ships to have walker capabilities and have no problem ganging up on him. One of the most satisfying parts of the game is listening to their statements of utter disbelief as Fox shoots each of them down by himself. Wolf in particular is completely floored, believing that such a feat should have been impossible.
• Killing Andross at the end. After critically damaging his metal exoskeleton, he tries to kill Fox one last time by chasing after him. Suddenly, the ghost of James reappears to distract Andross. Keep going, and Andross will still explode, but you'll be robbed the pleasure of killing him yourself. Make a U-Turn, however, and fire a charge shot at Andross' weak point, however... and Andross will turn back to you as if in complete surprise and total disbelief before shattering in a world-shaking explosion. Then we hear that heartwarming quote from James as you fly to safety...
  James: You've become so strong, Fox...
  • Andross's reaction to James' sudden arrival is itself a crowning moment of awesome.
    Andross: Curse you, James McCloud. Why won't you stay dead?!

Star Fox 2

• The fact that the game is finally getting an official release 22 years after its initial planned release for 1995 via the SNES Classic Edition. This is even more awesome when you consider the (supposed) legal issues involving the use of the Super FX Chip. Either Nintendo now owns the rights to the Chip, or they made a deal of some kind with the people from Argonaut Games. Either way, it's awesome to see this game get the official treatment.

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