@@NA1c158 Haha even if you're not a speedrunner its possible to just do it that fast casually too! Hyper laser button mashing makes quick work of this guy.
Can confirm for the hidden ending for Katina there is no penalty if Peppy shoots down an ally. You'll still get it as long as you don't register a friendly fire death.
Area 6 is definitely my favorite! They throw everything at you! An armada to invade a planet to stop four fighters and they're panicking because it's not working and Venom gets bigger and bigger as you progress. And the music is awesome! Katina is probably second!
First time I played Venom's 'Easy' path, I didn't realize those were stone columns coming out of the ground, I thought Andross was digging his fingers through the planet's surface.
This video taught me three things about Star Fox 64, a game that I thought I had every secret memorized beforehand: · The secret no-fighters lost Katina run (the dialogue between Fox and Bill later being used in Zero). · The hidden searchlight that spawns more enemies for a higher score in Zoness. · The kill-cap for Area 6 on certain game cartriges. But you forgot one *_very_* important secret when you are on Macbeth. If you choose to skip hitting the 8 switches and let the boss fight play out, if you take way to long to kill the boss and the train makes it past the supply depot, the conductor will yell out, *_"You're too slow, time to end this!",_* and the Mechbeth glider will do a suicide ram attack, killing you instantly. I thought I knew everything about this game, but even now there is still so much to learn...but you've earned a subscription from me, just so you know.
There is a bug in macbeth that if you barrel roll *very agressively* and then do a hovering when the boss do the suicide attack,you can Dodge his attack,and the level will continue,but its like a loop,after when you pass the supply depot,the level Will repeat itself,as if you had gone around the planet,and it Will repeat and repeat until you restart the level
Actually, the kill counter cap affects all levels of Star Fox 64 for younger versions of the game. First edition Star Fox 64 cartridges let the kill counter go all the way up to 999. I know this because I messed around in the All-Range mode ending segment of the Training course and racked up the kills to confirm this (I own both an older copy of the game and a younger copy [marked by having copyright year 1997 and 1998 on the back]. As for why this is, I suspect Nintendo found a glitch regarding the kill counter and its memory addresses, and so limited the max kill count to 511 (which corresponds to allocating 9-bits of RAM to the value to store data).
I remember as a kid I was at one point so good at mashing the A button I I skipped the Star Wolf cutscene on Fortuna and just mowed them down while they were STILL in formation. They were all down before Pigma could even talk.
they always spawn in the same spot so if you are behind them it is pretty easy to knock out at least 1 before they break formation. I have killed Wolf and Leon in first pass a few times... the other two are easy to hunt down as well.
"Andross is insane..." One of the best lines in the game. It doesn't even sound like Falco's heartbeat changes at all. It's just a flat, stunned, almost-driven-to-speechless response to how far Andross is willing to go. The responses to Spybot aren't literal, as in they can't make out the words. They're wondering what he's talking about. They find it creepy or eerie, like the statements are foreboding or existential. It's a robot wondering about it's existence and creation.
As much as I absolutely love the way Bolse-Venom1 and Area6-Venom2 routes are separated for each of its plot, I wish there was an alternate version where I could go through some of the best/most hectic levels in a row. For example, Corneria-Meteo-Katina-Zoness-Macbeth-Area6-Venom1 or reallly any route that the player wants to take
I'll agree that Aquas wasn't my personal favorite but for a different reason, when I was younger I had a desperate fear of game water during the n64 age mainly cause of Banjo-kazooie (screw you Treasure Trove Cove and screw you Snacker in particular) so Aquas was a bit scary for me but I thought I could handle it... UNTIL I GOT TO THE BOSS! (Freaking worms, they had scary, nightmare inducing faces when I was a kid)
I hope you never played Shadows of the Empire then. There's this sewer level with giant tentacle type creatures that scared me so bad I'd turn the game off and just restart from the beginning.
Solar is probably my favorite because of the Atmosphere alone, it was so crazy difficult as a kid that Vulcan even gave me nightmares so bad I pissed myself.
honestly aquas is my favorite level. it may not be as fun to control and it being almost pitch black at points is annoying, but it’s so much more atmospheric and tense than the other levels; it feels the most like a real explorable location to me out of all the levels
Man I love this game, I got into it because my uncle has a old n64 with a copy of star fox and a rumble pack, and I've been recently getting into the game trying to beat his high score of 1584 or something like that. I didn't even know there were secrets in the levels that let you get more hits, like holy shit this game has so much in it for a n64 game, I'm still learning something new about it and I practically play this game every day. Also yeah Area 6 is the absolute best level in this entire game, I wish I can just replay it over and over again because of how good it is.
The 3DS version of this game has a score attack mode where you can play any individual level you want! I definitely got my fill of Zoness and Area 6 doing that.
I wish I had known about the whole fly through the arches in the 1st level path trick way earlier. As a kid I played almost solely the easy path with avoiding Titania with a quick boss kill being the only path change I knew about. The secret level paths blew my mind years later when me and my bro discovered them.
I checked out your channel to find those LoZ: MM 3 Cycle run vids when I noticed your Star Fox level-ranking videos. I had to see them. I loved your in-depth critique of the different aspects and even secrets of each individual level from 64. Extra points for mentioning different pro strats to get high scores.
For me, MacBeth (and the trains final section specifically) were the coolest and most fun sections in the entire game. That’s the only star Fox 64 level I’d still enjoy playing even today, with better graphics out there. That plus the final boss with the brain and the tunnels being my #2
Fun fact about the v1.0 carts that don't limit your hits, if you go past 511 hits then it will cause it to overflow when calculating your total score. A score of 512 will actually subtract 256 from your total score instead of adding 512 to it. You won't be able to start adding again until your hit counter goes past 767, at which point it will start counting from 1 hit to add to your total score lol. The v1.1 revision fixed this by simply capping your hits to 511, so that it doesn't cause the overflow issue when calculating your total score. This was probably easier than trying to find more room to assign more bytes to the hit when it can only really happen in a few certain circumstances.
This is my list, if anyone cares for some reason (WARNING! OPINIONS AHEAD!) 16: Aquas One of the few popular opinions I have for this entire franchise. It's dark, the Blue Marine is slower than molasses, and there's not much to do other than spam torpedos and occasionally brake. It's honestly the only level in the game that I can say I truly dislike; as a matter of fact, it's occasionally even painful to play. It just.... doesn't feel like Star Fox because of how sluggish and mindless it is. 15: Zoness I'm just not a Hard path person, am I? Fortunately, the other ones are really fun to me. I don't even know why I don't really like this level, other than I just find it boring, but even that I can't explain. Plus all the stuff that gets tossed in front of the searchlights and enemies make the level feel more like a cheap hard rather than a skillful hard, which is funny, because I can breeze through this game without issue, but this level in particular just makes me feel like I'm gonna mess up, even though I don't very often, which, like Aquas, can actually make it physically hurt me to play. 14: Bolse " Oh no! " - Slippy, Bolse 13: Venom 1 Another level that just bores me sometimes, probably because of how short it feels because of all the branching paths with completely different enemies in them, which SHOULD make it more interesting, but it just doesn't do it for me. The Golemech is just awkward to fight (I don't think they ever explain why he runs away from you), too. Speaking of which, why is there a temple on Venom? It's just hilariously out of place, and if Andross wanted that built, I no longer take him seriously. 12: Venom 2 " You're good, but I'm better! " - Wolf every 2 seconds on this planet 11: Corneria Trying to hit every single enemy (which I have actually successfully done) is the only really fun thing about this level, in my opinion, otherwise it's a bore, especially because you play it every route and there's no variety up until the very end near the bosses, making it overstay its welcome. In addition, it's pathetically easy because it's the first level so it plays out like it's a tutorial, and that just makes me mad since I always hate having instructions shoved in my face even though I've been playing for an eternity and know the game inside-out because it makes it look like the game thinks I'm an idiot. It's more interesting in Expert mode, for sure. 10: Fichina Winter is my favorite season and the only one that doesn't always give me unending weather anxiety (it storms here in Ohio all Spring, and I have a huge fear of tornadoes, which pop up in my area annually, often even more than once), so this level is rather soothing both aesthetically and for personal reasons. I also love absolutely mauling Star Wolf here since overpowering your enemies without contest is always something I enjoy doing. 9: Titania One big thing that all my favorite levels have is lots of stuff to shoot at. Titania has lots of stuff to shoot at. 'Tis a shame most of it comes way too quickly and the biggest points are missed because of background objects that absorb your hits, forcing you to use bombs instead, which is unsatisfying because I know I could've gotten way more points if my charged shots just landed on the enemy ships instead of the pillars. 8: Solar Not the most interesting level, but it makes me feel good for being able to consistently obliterate everything without issue, especially with its unique gimmick of draining your shield gauge constantly, more severely so the lower you're flying. The boss is pretty sweet, too, and his attack patterns are fun. 7: Sector Y Sector Y is basically Area 6 Jr., with lots of stuff to shoot at, featuring you and your wingmen blasting through a giant wall of enemies. And, like Area 6, I think the first half is more fun than the second, because I guess once you've realized you're mostly done, you start to feel less powerful when there's less enemies to potentially get in your way. I like the slight replayability in the up/down segment (although why would you ever not go up if you want points). I'll admit the boss can be a bit boring, although his quotes are really fun, but your wingmen complaining when they're hit just irks me.... how do they think I feel, huh? 6: Katina This is THE level if you want that sweet army vs. army goodness, it feels awesome to have a bunch of allies alongside you (useless as they may be) shooting down the enemy together at the same time, and the mothership, granted a reference and an overused Sci-Fi trope, is just downright iconic. Also. most I've talked to found getting 200+ points on this level very simple and can't get Sector Y's hit medal to save their lives, when for me it's the other way around, so that's pretty funny. 5: Macbeth Chasing down a slow-moving train in a tank is shooter brilliance. Slowly but surely destroying the train bit by bit is very satisfying (especially if you can actually destroy every car), and the enemies constantly coming at you in groups for your charged shots to have a field day and rack up extra points just adds to that. Unfortunately, once you get to the switch section, it becomes less fun. I want more enemies, game! I also love it when the train drops down boulders in front of you, because spamming charge shots on them gives you a bunch of points. Sadly, I've overplayed this level so many times that it's mostly lost its value for me, but that won't change the sheer bliss this level gave when I was a rookie player. 4: Sector Z Bet you thought this level would be lower, eh? Well, ironic to the situation in the level, I actually find this stage very relaxing. Making a loop and shooting all of the crates is good fun, and then just obliterating enemies during the breaks from the missiles makes me feel like a god. Not to mention, for some reason, I almost always get this level's hit medal, even if I lose a missile to one of my comrades. When that doesn't happen, I'm usually netting 110+ points. Considering most others seem to struggle with this level's hit medal, it makes me feel top tier at the game (even though I'm still not awesome at it). 3: Area 6 Yep. Blasting through an entire enemy force is good fun, especially if you feel like getting hand surgery later. As I said earlier, though, I think the first half is much more fun than the second. The boss also isn't that interesting, frankly. 2: Meteo Blasting through a bunch of rocks and through a load of enemies is awesome; man, it makes it feel like you've got two different threats at the same time (which you do, I guess). The music is just an icon of the series (love the Zero version the most), and the fact that BOTH exits are an absolute blast is legendary; shooting through both real and robotic enemy rocks as well as regular enemies or racking up points like you've never seen in the warp to Katina are both tons of fun to do. 1: Sector X This is THE Star Fox level for me. The incredible music, all the stuff to shoot at (unless you went for the left path to the Sector Z warp, in which case, I'm so sorry), and just the idea of invading a construction base with a defense force to get rid of the enemy's secret weapon that your force knows next to nothing about making it all the more scary only to find out that said secret weapon is destroying its own birthplace is just amazing. The Spyborg itself is downright iconic, and the fact that there are THREE exits, with all of the finishers present, being the warp, the victory, and the unfortunate failure, makes the level feel all the more special. The three exits combined with the only way you're forced to go to Sector X being through critical failures, either at Fichina or Katina, gives the vibe that this is simultaneously the most depressing and the most hopeful level, in my opinion, and to top it all off, I can easily net 300+ points every single time I play this stage, and since I can't get 300 points in Zoness to save my life, this level is crucial in my point runs, and yet it never bores me.
Great list! Mine varies some from yours, which I just posted on the comments section. Though our tastes differ some, you make excellent points and I enjoyed reading your rankings
Very surprised you didn't make any mention of the Venom-Easy miniboss. Dodging those pillars it would punch out of the walls was always a nail-biter for me.
I was in the first grade when this game came out and still playing it to this day. Me and my cousin spent years trying to figure out how to unlock the hard path and finally did it. Sector Z disappointed me the most because Sector X is my personal favorite level and I was expecting it to be just like X but 100 times more difficult with a cooler boss. We should have gotten a spyborg like boss that attacked great fox and we had to stop it rather than just lame missles.
On Area 6, Star Fox must save all 3 teammates from enemies, especially Slippy who has only one butterfly shaped enemy on his tail and must shot it down quickly before Slippy will retire for the rest of the game. It is also to use one of the bomb in your inventory to blast that enemy who is chasing Slippy across the screen on the right side, when going for a speed run method, especially near the end of this level.😂
Fun fact: Fortuna is actually Fichina. The name was mixed up due to translation errors. For reference, Fortuna is the jungle planet, and Fichina is the snowy planet.
Wish I could remember my record for Area 6. 711 seems to be the number that jumps out to me, but it could've been as high as the 720's. For the longest time it sat around 680, so cracking 700 was a big deal.
Getting my cheeto dusted mitts on this at nine years old was life changing. Especially because my dad's name was James. I got the tee from Nintendo Power, too.
I would move Aquas up a few spots in Star Fox 64 3D solely for being prettier. My least favorite level is Titania, but I agree with Area 6 being the best. I love hearing Caiman and the Commander freak out as you tear through Venom's defenses, the Great Fox providing cover fire, and Andross himself sending you a transmission.
16:solar 15:Titania 14:aquas those damn rocks always hit me 13:macbeth 12:sector X 11:sector y 10:corneria 9:area-6 8:zoness 7:bolse 6:sector-z 5:meteo 4:venom 1 3:Katina 2:the warps 1:venom 2 cause of star wolf
Sector Y is one of my favorites for the team dialogue and the boss fight at the end. I like the idea that the shogun bosses here use the darkness of space to their advantage as they maneuver around erratically. It can be pretty exhilarating but not too hard if you know when to brake since they have very low health compared to most bosses.
Honestly its baffling how Nintendo either just doesn't realize or outright refuses to acknowledge that this is the quality/gameplay we want back in the Starfox series again.
Rodrigo Santana, getting a medal in Titania is no too difficult like it expected to be. My highest score is 168 points in Titania and a medal, since 150 points is required to get a medal in Titania, and besides saving Slippy from the clutches of the boss, Goras, must have Falco and Peppy to accompany with Star Fox. If you lose Peppy in the previous stage, Sector X, Peppy will not join in the next level, and no medal even if you score 150 or more points in Titania.
I knew you would put area 6 in the 1st place and i agree, the most epic level in all game with an entire defense army trying to stoping you with no results and the great fox helping pass trought the enemy ships, simply amazing
Zoness was always my favorite because it's so satisfying getting a high score in that stage. I used to roll my eyes every time I had to play Aquas to get there, despite the fact that I still like every stage in the game, including Aquas. Honestly, I think Titania is my least favorite. Very difficult stage, considering it's on the easy route.
Most folks would say they dislike Titania because going there meant you failed at saving slippy Earlier, and its your last chance to go a different path route before Venom.
Grear video and very true an all time great game because this is a game you can reply forever and never have the same experience. Best example is the secret ending of Katinia given I have been playing this game sense it first released and still have my original cart and only recently discovered the ending showing all fighters in full view and Bill giving new dialogue that I had never heard before.
I personally hate all range mode missions. Katina was kind of underwhelming and pressed for time while Fichina (Fortuna was a mistranslation, which was fixed in the 3DS version) was very short and the worst stage for point value. it is still a very easy level nonetheless. Bolse I found to be the only good one. star wolf on Venom was also pretty annoying because if you fail to down Wolf at the beginning, then you will have a difficult time going for the medal. also skipping the cutscene will save time. Aquas was annoying because it was slow and too many explosive enemies. I do agree where Zoness is placed. Meteo would have been much higher if it was not so empty during most of the first half. now to make up for it, the warp point was awesome.
the problem I have with meteo is the lack of destructible targets for a long period of time. I like zoness for the music and the it value. Bolse is fun and star wolf does make the fight more interesting. Venom 1 is good, but I cannot find a map that displays all the routes.
@MapleTreeXZ I like the sad tune from zones. I agree that area 6 will really bust your hand, but it is worth it after clearing such a challenging level and it is a good challenge where it is fun to play despite the intense difficulty.
"Let's rank the levels from worst to best!" --- Proceeds to praise every level!---- Not bashing the video, but its really a testament to how amazing this game is!
rw:the polluted sea in Zoness the graphics on this one kinda reminds me of the graphics used when you face off the 3rd and final Bowser in SUPER MARIO 64 especially when he does a shockwave to the battlefield ,later on the whole stage is a shape of a star.
I’m with you on the first three, but pretty much opposite for the rest of them. Sector Y was always my favorite, and some of the later ones like area 6 and macbeth frustrated the ever loving hell out of me, but I was never great at the game so that probably factors in
Some of these worlds were really hard to get to for some reason, i never got to play Aqua. :( Can't remember if there is any other level i never got to play. I def had my preferred ones though. The Lava one was awesome, and i loved driving the tank..
Macbeth is probably the best level which is funny because it’s a Landmaster stage and they’re not as fun as the Arwing levels. But there’s nothing more fun than barrelling in and taking down the tank and watching it take down the entire weapons factory in the process. Second place is either Corneria because it’s a classic or Area 6 for how grandiose and climatic it is before touching down on Venom. Great game; really gotta replay it
Sorry, mate, but you lost me RIGHT at #1. Aquas was one among me and my friends' FAVORITE levels, because the environment was SO unique, because: just like one WOULD experience underwater, there is less of a way to stop yourself when you start moving and you can't just u-turn. Everything about the level is very unique: from the craft to the type of weapon to the environment to the fun added canon both in that it is one of only 2 other crafts in the game and in that we learn that slippy is actually really useful at SOMETHING (being the crew's mechanic). Not every level has to be the same space environment with (basically) the SAME exact enemy ships :P. Aquas and Solar are 2 of the most interesting environments, even if their mission goal isn't quite as unique and fun as some others.
1st thing: I hate you for putting Solar so low. 2nd: On Katina, Slippy saying it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad is a scripted dialogue. He didn't kill any ally at this point. Peppy, however *can* kill an ally and will say something like "One down... wait, that was one of ours!" when he does.
I’m mostly agree with this ranking, but I probably would’ve put zoness at one and area 6 at two, but for me sector Z easily goes to the bottom. Your teammates always take out the missile and you get deprived that 100 point metal.
Fox: All-Range mode!
Boss: Ah, so this is Star Fox?
Slippy: Enemy shield ana-
Boss: My emperor... I've failed you!
Fox: Made it! 😎
Said the speedrunner.
Hahaha
@@NA1c158 Haha even if you're not a speedrunner its possible to just do it that fast casually too! Hyper laser button mashing makes quick work of this guy.
Can confirm for the hidden ending for Katina there is no penalty if Peppy shoots down an ally. You'll still get it as long as you don't register a friendly fire death.
Same for Slippy's line in the beginning, her never shoots down a good guy, he says that every time
Area 6 is definitely my favorite! They throw everything at you! An armada to invade a planet to stop four fighters and they're panicking because it's not working and Venom gets bigger and bigger as you progress. And the music is awesome!
Katina is probably second!
"These guys are crazy! "
Every level in this game is at least good, which is really impressive and is a testament to the quality of Star Fox 64!
Yep, to me the "worst" level is Bolse, and stills a good level...
except Aquas :D
I still hate the submarine and titana, even though I haven’t played in years💀
i hate sector z the most
sector z sucks
The best level in my opinion i
s macbeth
Bill's my favorite character in the entire starfox saga. he's such a bro.
Slippy’s line after Mission Accomplished on Macbeth was always my favorite line of the game.
“I can see the look on their stupid faces…”
I gotta go with Macbeth. It's the best combination of story and gameplay pretty much ever.
"They're not takin' me seriousleh..."
@@Atylonisus YOR VERREH LUCKEH
@@birdofterror6628 STEP ON THE GAS
First time I played Venom's 'Easy' path, I didn't realize those were stone columns coming out of the ground, I thought Andross was digging his fingers through the planet's surface.
Exactly what I thought too!!
I never thought about it honestly. If that’s what you got out of it, then you’ve got a great and fun imagination
They do look like it, right?
i always thought they were fingers too lol
This video taught me three things about Star Fox 64, a game that I thought I had every secret memorized beforehand:
· The secret no-fighters lost Katina run (the dialogue between Fox and Bill later being used in Zero).
· The hidden searchlight that spawns more enemies for a higher score in Zoness.
· The kill-cap for Area 6 on certain game cartriges.
But you forgot one *_very_* important secret when you are on Macbeth.
If you choose to skip hitting the 8 switches and let the boss fight play out, if you take way to long to kill the boss and the train makes it past the supply depot, the conductor will yell out, *_"You're too slow, time to end this!",_* and the Mechbeth glider will do a suicide ram attack, killing you instantly.
I thought I knew everything about this game, but even now there is still so much to learn...but you've earned a subscription from me, just so you know.
There is a bug in macbeth that if you barrel roll *very agressively* and then do a hovering when the boss do the suicide attack,you can Dodge his attack,and the level will continue,but its like a loop,after when you pass the supply depot,the level Will repeat itself,as if you had gone around the planet,and it Will repeat and repeat until you restart the level
In Venom 1, when fighting the Golemech, if you take too long, a 1up will appear and then you'll crash in a wall and die
Oh wow did not know that bad Macbeth ending
Actually, the kill counter cap affects all levels of Star Fox 64 for younger versions of the game.
First edition Star Fox 64 cartridges let the kill counter go all the way up to 999.
I know this because I messed around in the All-Range mode ending segment of the Training course and racked up the kills to confirm this (I own both an older copy of the game and a younger copy [marked by having copyright year 1997 and 1998 on the back].
As for why this is, I suspect Nintendo found a glitch regarding the kill counter and its memory addresses, and so limited the max kill count to 511 (which corresponds to allocating 9-bits of RAM to the value to store data).
What! I didn’t know this and I’ve been playing this game since ‘97!
I remember as a kid I was at one point so good at mashing the A button I I skipped the Star Wolf cutscene on Fortuna and just mowed them down while they were STILL in formation. They were all down before Pigma could even talk.
That sounds hilarious 😂
they always spawn in the same spot so if you are behind them it is pretty easy to knock out at least 1 before they break formation. I have killed Wolf and Leon in first pass a few times... the other two are easy to hunt down as well.
@@davidlewis5312 I do the same thing on Venom hard even with the better ships its pretty easy to get one or two of them before the fight even starts
"Andross is insane..." One of the best lines in the game. It doesn't even sound like Falco's heartbeat changes at all. It's just a flat, stunned, almost-driven-to-speechless response to how far Andross is willing to go.
The responses to Spybot aren't literal, as in they can't make out the words. They're wondering what he's talking about. They find it creepy or eerie, like the statements are foreboding or existential. It's a robot wondering about it's existence and creation.
Area 6 and Zoness are definitely my favorites, so much action and a ton of points to pick up, not to mention the music and atmosphere.
Concur with you and GODG 100%
Definitely not a bad level! All are absolutely fun to play. Surprised people don’t like the Aqua level. It was different and fun to do.
I was just shocked that there even was a 3rd vehicle 😮
Area 6 is top of the list in my book.
Without a doubt!
As much as I absolutely love the way Bolse-Venom1 and Area6-Venom2 routes are separated for each of its plot, I wish there was an alternate version where I could go through some of the best/most hectic levels in a row. For example, Corneria-Meteo-Katina-Zoness-Macbeth-Area6-Venom1 or reallly any route that the player wants to take
I'll agree that Aquas wasn't my personal favorite but for a different reason, when I was younger I had a desperate fear of game water during the n64 age mainly cause of Banjo-kazooie (screw you Treasure Trove Cove and screw you Snacker in particular) so Aquas was a bit scary for me but I thought I could handle it... UNTIL I GOT TO THE BOSS! (Freaking worms, they had scary, nightmare inducing faces when I was a kid)
I'll bet you loved Jolly Roger's Lagoon in Banjo-Tooie then hahah
@@cameronaveritt7402 Oh yeah, those scary faced puffer fish were just PLEASNT to look at up close.
I hope you never played Shadows of the Empire then. There's this sewer level with giant tentacle type creatures that scared me so bad I'd turn the game off and just restart from the beginning.
Solar is probably my favorite because of the Atmosphere alone, it was so crazy difficult as a kid that Vulcan even gave me nightmares so bad I pissed myself.
honestly aquas is my favorite level. it may not be as fun to control and it being almost pitch black at points is annoying, but it’s so much more atmospheric and tense than the other levels; it feels the most like a real explorable location to me out of all the levels
Can't get enough of you Bill, become too personal to your content and I'm so thankful I've found your stuff. I hope this finds you on the perfect day
I do agree with your list and Area 6 is my favorite level of all time and the music is phenomenal!
Man I love this game, I got into it because my uncle has a old n64 with a copy of star fox and a rumble pack, and I've been recently getting into the game trying to beat his high score of 1584 or something like that. I didn't even know there were secrets in the levels that let you get more hits, like holy shit this game has so much in it for a n64 game, I'm still learning something new about it and I practically play this game every day. Also yeah Area 6 is the absolute best level in this entire game, I wish I can just replay it over and over again because of how good it is.
The 3DS version of this game has a score attack mode where you can play any individual level you want! I definitely got my fill of Zoness and Area 6 doing that.
I love Katina!!
" The hatches are open"
I wish I had known about the whole fly through the arches in the 1st level path trick way earlier. As a kid I played almost solely the easy path with avoiding Titania with a quick boss kill being the only path change I knew about. The secret level paths blew my mind years later when me and my bro discovered them.
I checked out your channel to find those LoZ: MM 3 Cycle run vids when I noticed your Star Fox level-ranking videos. I had to see them. I loved your in-depth critique of the different aspects and even secrets of each individual level from 64. Extra points for mentioning different pro strats to get high scores.
For me, MacBeth (and the trains final section specifically) were the coolest and most fun sections in the entire game. That’s the only star Fox 64 level I’d still enjoy playing even today, with better graphics out there. That plus the final boss with the brain and the tunnels being my #2
cringe
Solar is one of my favorite levels, but so are Macbeth and Area 6
Fun fact about the v1.0 carts that don't limit your hits, if you go past 511 hits then it will cause it to overflow when calculating your total score. A score of 512 will actually subtract 256 from your total score instead of adding 512 to it.
You won't be able to start adding again until your hit counter goes past 767, at which point it will start counting from 1 hit to add to your total score lol.
The v1.1 revision fixed this by simply capping your hits to 511, so that it doesn't cause the overflow issue when calculating your total score. This was probably easier than trying to find more room to assign more bytes to the hit when it can only really happen in a few certain circumstances.
Very memorable moment when you flip the switch and send that trash talking train into that base on the right.
This is my list, if anyone cares for some reason (WARNING! OPINIONS AHEAD!)
16: Aquas
One of the few popular opinions I have for this entire franchise. It's dark, the Blue Marine is slower than molasses, and there's not much to do other than spam torpedos and occasionally brake. It's honestly the only level in the game that I can say I truly dislike; as a matter of fact, it's occasionally even painful to play. It just.... doesn't feel like Star Fox because of how sluggish and mindless it is.
15: Zoness
I'm just not a Hard path person, am I? Fortunately, the other ones are really fun to me. I don't even know why I don't really like this level, other than I just find it boring, but even that I can't explain. Plus all the stuff that gets tossed in front of the searchlights and enemies make the level feel more like a cheap hard rather than a skillful hard, which is funny, because I can breeze through this game without issue, but this level in particular just makes me feel like I'm gonna mess up, even though I don't very often, which, like Aquas, can actually make it physically hurt me to play.
14: Bolse
" Oh no! "
- Slippy, Bolse
13: Venom 1
Another level that just bores me sometimes, probably because of how short it feels because of all the branching paths with completely different enemies in them, which SHOULD make it more interesting, but it just doesn't do it for me. The Golemech is just awkward to fight (I don't think they ever explain why he runs away from you), too. Speaking of which, why is there a temple on Venom? It's just hilariously out of place, and if Andross wanted that built, I no longer take him seriously.
12: Venom 2
" You're good, but I'm better! "
- Wolf every 2 seconds on this planet
11: Corneria
Trying to hit every single enemy (which I have actually successfully done) is the only really fun thing about this level, in my opinion, otherwise it's a bore, especially because you play it every route and there's no variety up until the very end near the bosses, making it overstay its welcome. In addition, it's pathetically easy because it's the first level so it plays out like it's a tutorial, and that just makes me mad since I always hate having instructions shoved in my face even though I've been playing for an eternity and know the game inside-out because it makes it look like the game thinks I'm an idiot. It's more interesting in Expert mode, for sure.
10: Fichina
Winter is my favorite season and the only one that doesn't always give me unending weather anxiety (it storms here in Ohio all Spring, and I have a huge fear of tornadoes, which pop up in my area annually, often even more than once), so this level is rather soothing both aesthetically and for personal reasons. I also love absolutely mauling Star Wolf here since overpowering your enemies without contest is always something I enjoy doing.
9: Titania
One big thing that all my favorite levels have is lots of stuff to shoot at. Titania has lots of stuff to shoot at. 'Tis a shame most of it comes way too quickly and the biggest points are missed because of background objects that absorb your hits, forcing you to use bombs instead, which is unsatisfying because I know I could've gotten way more points if my charged shots just landed on the enemy ships instead of the pillars.
8: Solar
Not the most interesting level, but it makes me feel good for being able to consistently obliterate everything without issue, especially with its unique gimmick of draining your shield gauge constantly, more severely so the lower you're flying. The boss is pretty sweet, too, and his attack patterns are fun.
7: Sector Y
Sector Y is basically Area 6 Jr., with lots of stuff to shoot at, featuring you and your wingmen blasting through a giant wall of enemies. And, like Area 6, I think the first half is more fun than the second, because I guess once you've realized you're mostly done, you start to feel less powerful when there's less enemies to potentially get in your way. I like the slight replayability in the up/down segment (although why would you ever not go up if you want points). I'll admit the boss can be a bit boring, although his quotes are really fun, but your wingmen complaining when they're hit just irks me.... how do they think I feel, huh?
6: Katina
This is THE level if you want that sweet army vs. army goodness, it feels awesome to have a bunch of allies alongside you (useless as they may be) shooting down the enemy together at the same time, and the mothership, granted a reference and an overused Sci-Fi trope, is just downright iconic. Also. most I've talked to found getting 200+ points on this level very simple and can't get Sector Y's hit medal to save their lives, when for me it's the other way around, so that's pretty funny.
5: Macbeth
Chasing down a slow-moving train in a tank is shooter brilliance. Slowly but surely destroying the train bit by bit is very satisfying (especially if you can actually destroy every car), and the enemies constantly coming at you in groups for your charged shots to have a field day and rack up extra points just adds to that. Unfortunately, once you get to the switch section, it becomes less fun. I want more enemies, game! I also love it when the train drops down boulders in front of you, because spamming charge shots on them gives you a bunch of points. Sadly, I've overplayed this level so many times that it's mostly lost its value for me, but that won't change the sheer bliss this level gave when I was a rookie player.
4: Sector Z
Bet you thought this level would be lower, eh? Well, ironic to the situation in the level, I actually find this stage very relaxing. Making a loop and shooting all of the crates is good fun, and then just obliterating enemies during the breaks from the missiles makes me feel like a god. Not to mention, for some reason, I almost always get this level's hit medal, even if I lose a missile to one of my comrades. When that doesn't happen, I'm usually netting 110+ points. Considering most others seem to struggle with this level's hit medal, it makes me feel top tier at the game (even though I'm still not awesome at it).
3: Area 6
Yep. Blasting through an entire enemy force is good fun, especially if you feel like getting hand surgery later. As I said earlier, though, I think the first half is much more fun than the second. The boss also isn't that interesting, frankly.
2: Meteo
Blasting through a bunch of rocks and through a load of enemies is awesome; man, it makes it feel like you've got two different threats at the same time (which you do, I guess). The music is just an icon of the series (love the Zero version the most), and the fact that BOTH exits are an absolute blast is legendary; shooting through both real and robotic enemy rocks as well as regular enemies or racking up points like you've never seen in the warp to Katina are both tons of fun to do.
1: Sector X
This is THE Star Fox level for me. The incredible music, all the stuff to shoot at (unless you went for the left path to the Sector Z warp, in which case, I'm so sorry), and just the idea of invading a construction base with a defense force to get rid of the enemy's secret weapon that your force knows next to nothing about making it all the more scary only to find out that said secret weapon is destroying its own birthplace is just amazing. The Spyborg itself is downright iconic, and the fact that there are THREE exits, with all of the finishers present, being the warp, the victory, and the unfortunate failure, makes the level feel all the more special. The three exits combined with the only way you're forced to go to Sector X being through critical failures, either at Fichina or Katina, gives the vibe that this is simultaneously the most depressing and the most hopeful level, in my opinion, and to top it all off, I can easily net 300+ points every single time I play this stage, and since I can't get 300 points in Zoness to save my life, this level is crucial in my point runs, and yet it never bores me.
Great list! Mine varies some from yours, which I just posted on the comments section. Though our tastes differ some, you make excellent points and I enjoyed reading your rankings
@@Cycyc_See-Sick Thank
Very surprised you didn't make any mention of the Venom-Easy miniboss. Dodging those pillars it would punch out of the walls was always a nail-biter for me.
My favorite part abt area 6 was feeling so badass when you were taking down the battleships by yourself while Great Fox provides fire support
I was in the first grade when this game came out and still playing it to this day. Me and my cousin spent years trying to figure out how to unlock the hard path and finally did it. Sector Z disappointed me the most because Sector X is my personal favorite level and I was expecting it to be just like X but 100 times more difficult with a cooler boss. We should have gotten a spyborg like boss that attacked great fox and we had to stop it rather than just lame missles.
8:20 I actually like the alternate ending actually when you don't take out the core
On Area 6, Star Fox must save all 3 teammates from enemies, especially Slippy who has only one butterfly shaped enemy on his tail and must shot it down quickly before Slippy will retire for the rest of the game. It is also to use one of the bomb in your inventory to blast that enemy who is chasing Slippy across the screen on the right side, when going for a speed run method, especially near the end of this level.😂
Fun fact: Fortuna is actually Fichina. The name was mixed up due to translation errors. For reference, Fortuna is the jungle planet, and Fichina is the snowy planet.
Wish I could remember my record for Area 6. 711 seems to be the number that jumps out to me, but it could've been as high as the 720's. For the longest time it sat around 680, so cracking 700 was a big deal.
Getting my cheeto dusted mitts on this at nine years old was life changing. Especially because my dad's name was James. I got the tee from Nintendo Power, too.
I would move Aquas up a few spots in Star Fox 64 3D solely for being prettier. My least favorite level is Titania, but I agree with Area 6 being the best. I love hearing Caiman and the Commander freak out as you tear through Venom's defenses, the Great Fox providing cover fire, and Andross himself sending you a transmission.
This StarFox game was so fun
It's not my favorite n64 game but it's definitely top 5 and has arguably aged the best
16:solar
15:Titania
14:aquas those damn rocks always hit me
13:macbeth
12:sector X
11:sector y
10:corneria
9:area-6
8:zoness
7:bolse
6:sector-z
5:meteo
4:venom 1
3:Katina
2:the warps
1:venom 2 cause of star wolf
Macbeth has always been my favourite level, which is why I usually opt for the Hard Route and change course after Zoness, or take the Medium Route.
Sector Y is one of my favorites for the team dialogue and the boss fight at the end. I like the idea that the shogun bosses here use the darkness of space to their advantage as they maneuver around erratically. It can be pretty exhilarating but not too hard if you know when to brake since they have very low health compared to most bosses.
Do you know that Fortuna is a mistranslation? It is Fichina in Japan
I like how Assault addressed that by making it two separate planets.
Honestly its baffling how Nintendo either just doesn't realize or outright refuses to acknowledge that this is the quality/gameplay we want back in the Starfox series again.
MacBeth was always my favorite. So much so that I wished I could pilot the Forever Train as a kid.
My two worst levels on Star Fox 64 are: Sector Z, and Area 6. The best are: Corneria, Sector X, and Macbeth.
My favourites are zoness,sector z,and titania
Rodrigo Santana, getting a medal in Titania is no too difficult like it expected to be. My highest score is 168 points in Titania and a medal, since 150 points is required to get a medal in Titania, and besides saving Slippy from the clutches of the boss, Goras, must have Falco and Peppy to accompany with Star Fox. If you lose Peppy in the previous stage, Sector X, Peppy will not join in the next level, and no medal even if you score 150 or more points in Titania.
@@davidtosh7200 well i still like it
I knew you would put area 6 in the 1st place and i agree, the most epic level in all game with an entire defense army trying to stoping you with no results and the great fox helping pass trought the enemy ships, simply amazing
Zoness was always my favorite because it's so satisfying getting a high score in that stage. I used to roll my eyes every time I had to play Aquas to get there, despite the fact that I still like every stage in the game, including Aquas. Honestly, I think Titania is my least favorite. Very difficult stage, considering it's on the easy route.
Most folks would say they dislike Titania because going there meant you failed at saving slippy Earlier, and its your last chance to go a different path route before Venom.
I always found the Wolf dogfights the hardest fights in the game. I almost lost all my lives in Venom hard without making it to Andross
Macbeth was always my favorite level. Love that cutscene with the train!
I knew Area 6 was gonna be first. The level is the dog fighter dream. And the music is amazing for it and sets the tone.
I would have probably swapped Macbeth and Area 6. Great list! I really want to pick up Starfox 64 again.
Sector Z was the last level in SF64 that I reached, and I still delight in saying that I reached every level in the game.
I think that one Macbeth ending features possibly the biggest explosion in the game!
Awesome video! I love starfox!
Area 6 being the number one was as obvious as the presence of ice in the North Pole.
Area 6 gives you a workout unlike any other
Grear video and very true an all time great game because this is a game you can reply forever and never have the same experience. Best example is the secret ending of Katinia given I have been playing this game sense it first released and still have my original cart and only recently discovered the ending showing all fighters in full view and Bill giving new dialogue that I had never heard before.
Sector y was my favorite as a kid because of the mechs but I do like the list, very good job.
Solar scared the shit out of me when I was a kid
this game deserve a remake thanks you
It has one
definitely agree with area 6. I place secotr z at the bottom because of the gold medal situation and low point value. Katina is much lower on my list.
I personally hate all range mode missions. Katina was kind of underwhelming and pressed for time while Fichina (Fortuna was a mistranslation, which was fixed in the 3DS version) was very short and the worst stage for point value. it is still a very easy level nonetheless. Bolse I found to be the only good one. star wolf on Venom was also pretty annoying because if you fail to down Wolf at the beginning, then you will have a difficult time going for the medal. also skipping the cutscene will save time. Aquas was annoying because it was slow and too many explosive enemies. I do agree where Zoness is placed. Meteo would have been much higher if it was not so empty during most of the first half. now to make up for it, the warp point was awesome.
the problem I have with meteo is the lack of destructible targets for a long period of time. I like zoness for the music and the it value. Bolse is fun and star wolf does make the fight more interesting. Venom 1 is good, but I cannot find a map that displays all the routes.
@MapleTreeXZ I like the sad tune from zones. I agree that area 6 will really bust your hand, but it is worth it after clearing such a challenging level and it is a good challenge where it is fun to play despite the intense difficulty.
Well well well, I just found this video but I'm already ready for a fight
What is the remake of the Corneria music that’s played in the first part of the video?
Your top 5 is the exact same as mine 👍
I feel like all the Venom levels are the best.
Great video
"Let's rank the levels from worst to best!" --- Proceeds to praise every level!---- Not bashing the video, but its really a testament to how amazing this game is!
That was very nice choices. I agree with you. I remember one summer we’d do rounds to see who had the most hits. Good times…!!!!!😂
My emperor! I’ve failed you!
rw:the polluted sea in Zoness the graphics on this one kinda reminds me of the graphics used when you face off the 3rd and final Bowser in SUPER MARIO 64 especially when he does a shockwave to the battlefield ,later on the whole stage is a shape of a star.
I’m with you on the first three, but pretty much opposite for the rest of them. Sector Y was always my favorite, and some of the later ones like area 6 and macbeth frustrated the ever loving hell out of me, but I was never great at the game so that probably factors in
I loved Macbeth, but man is it nice to see another Area 6 hater. That boss fight goes on for forty years...
Some of these worlds were really hard to get to for some reason, i never got to play Aqua. :( Can't remember if there is any other level i never got to play. I def had my preferred ones though. The Lava one was awesome, and i loved driving the tank..
Your scripted stuff is awesome, man. Been watching since 2018. Keep it up
i only realise just now how many references there are to this game in henry stickmin
I had to pick up the remake on the Ds cuz I don't think my cartridge works anymore unfortunately but I love this game
Bill literally gives you healing and a bomb.
He is absolutely not useless in Solar.
The lowest in the list Aquas Sector Z and Solar are still pretty good.
Truly Star Fox 64 was the Star Fox Team's Greatest Adventure.
Macbeth is probably the best level which is funny because it’s a Landmaster stage and they’re not as fun as the Arwing levels. But there’s nothing more fun than barrelling in and taking down the tank and watching it take down the entire weapons factory in the process. Second place is either Corneria because it’s a classic or Area 6 for how grandiose and climatic it is before touching down on Venom. Great game; really gotta replay it
I just got Bill’s special ending a couple hours ago.
Wow. Just realized I never played the desert level that looks like saturn. Holy shit.
There's a hidden ending on Katina? I've played this game countless times...how do I not know about this!?!
Sorry, mate, but you lost me RIGHT at #1. Aquas was one among me and my friends' FAVORITE levels, because the environment was SO unique, because: just like one WOULD experience underwater, there is less of a way to stop yourself when you start moving and you can't just u-turn. Everything about the level is very unique: from the craft to the type of weapon to the environment to the fun added canon both in that it is one of only 2 other crafts in the game and in that we learn that slippy is actually really useful at SOMETHING (being the crew's mechanic).
Not every level has to be the same space environment with (basically) the SAME exact enemy ships :P. Aquas and Solar are 2 of the most interesting environments, even if their mission goal isn't quite as unique and fun as some others.
This game was unforgettably good, loved it
I agree with Area 6 being the best. It’s an incredible stage. So much action
1st thing: I hate you for putting Solar so low.
2nd: On Katina, Slippy saying it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad is a scripted dialogue. He didn't kill any ally at this point. Peppy, however *can* kill an ally and will say something like "One down... wait, that was one of ours!" when he does.
My stage list:
16: Aquas
15: Sector Z
14: Fortuna
13: Solar
12: Sector Y
11: Katina
10: Corneria
9: Titania
8: Bolse
7: Sector X
6: Venom 2
5: Meteo
4: Venom 1
3: Macbeth
2: Zoness
1: Area 6
This video was awesome, even for the 7th time
Wait what was the one with the snake things? Where ya had to shoot that big UFO in the center?
Gorgon?
All are perfect!! Its the greatest challenge and fun. Even after dying a trillion times.
Wasnt there a bonus level where you use fox and shoot his pistol?
rw:alien mothership oh man ID4 definitely inspiration right there.^_^
definitely surprised katina is so high. i always found that level a bore. i'd maybe bump up sector y as well, but overall this is a pretty good list.
I can't believe I lost to this scum!
Pretty memorable quote that I haven't heard in a long time.
Little surprised how low Sector X was rated. It has to be in top 3 for me easily. But to each their own. Good list.
Area 6 and Sector z are my top favorites
I’m mostly agree with this ranking, but I probably would’ve put zoness at one and area 6 at two, but for me sector Z easily goes to the bottom. Your teammates always take out the missile and you get deprived that 100 point metal.
My ranking:
16 - Aquas
15 - Sector Z
14 - Katina
13 - Solar
12 - Bolse
11 - Titania
10 - Fortuna
9 - Macbeth
8 - Venom 2
7 - Sector Y
6 - Meteo
5 - Corneria
4 - Sector X
3 - Venom 1
2 - Zoness
1 - Area 6
Katina is nothing but a blatant Independence Day rip off.
And I love it.