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The short answer: start with Star Fox 64 unless your hardware or preferences point to Zero
These games are related, but they are not interchangeable versions of the same release. Star Fox 64 establishes the classic format: a compact sequence of missions, branching routes, score-conscious arcade action and occasional 360-degree All-Range Mode battles. Nintendo describes the game as having 15 levels and hidden paths, making route discovery part of the experience rather than a side activity.
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Star Fox Zero is a Wii U reimagining rooted in that same Star Fox 64 story framework. PlatinumGames developed it as a 2016 Wii U game, while Shigeru Miyamoto described it in a 2016 TIME interview as returning “to the roots” rather than being a conventional numbered sequel. Zero adds new bosses, alternate route approaches, teleporters and other vehicles, and it asks you to divide attention between the television and the GamePad.
- Choose Star Fox 64 first if you want the most direct introduction to the series’ classic flight-action structure.
- Choose Star Fox Zero first if Wii U is your only available hardware or if motion aiming, dual-screen play and vehicle switching are the main attraction.
- Expect a preference-based trade-off, not a universal quality verdict. Players who dislike motion aiming or managing two screens may find Zero tiring, while others may enjoy its experimental design.
What Star Fox 64 teaches you about the series
A compact arcade campaign with meaningful routes
Star Fox 64 is built around short, replayable missions rather than a long role-playing progression. Nintendo’s official description lists 15 levels, with hidden paths that lead to different encounters and destinations. The route system gives a first playthrough a clear objective—survive and reach the next stage—while giving repeat runs a reason to experiment with alternate entrances, exits and performance goals.
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This structure is why 64 works as a baseline. You learn the basic rhythm of piloting the Arwing, locking onto targets, managing threats and reading a mission’s visual cues before the game asks you to process additional screens or vehicles. The game’s changes of pace are still present: some missions use conventional forward-scrolling flight, while others switch to All-Range Mode, where the action takes place in a 360-degree arena.
All-Range Mode is a distinct encounter type
All-Range Mode changes how you orient yourself. Instead of simply advancing toward the horizon, you must turn, locate enemies and keep track of threats from multiple directions. Because these encounters appear within a broader campaign structure, they feel like a variation on the core format rather than the entire game’s control philosophy. That contrast helps a newcomer understand what the series means by arcade flight action.
A documented four-player option
Nintendo lists a VS mode supporting up to four players. The exact way to access that mode depends on the version and hardware you are using, but the important comparison point is that Star Fox 64 has an officially documented four-player competitive option. Do not assume that the same feature set exists in Star Fox Zero simply because both games carry the Star Fox name.
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A reimagining, not a conventional numbered sequel
Zero uses the Star Fox 64 story framework as a foundation, but it is not presented as “Star Fox 4” or “Star Fox 5.” Miyamoto’s explanation in TIME in April 2016 was that the “Zero” name signals a return to the series’ roots. In practical terms, that means you will recognize the broad premise and cast, yet the missions are arranged around a different design agenda.
Two screens are part of the control model
Zero assigns different jobs to the television and Wii U GamePad. One view supports the broader flight and movement picture, while the other provides a separate aiming perspective. Motion aiming is central to that arrangement. You may need to steer with one view while directing your reticle through the other, then glance back and forth as targets move around you.
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This is not simply an optional camera gimmick layered onto a conventional game. The split-view arrangement is the reason Zero feels unlike 64 even when a mission resembles a familiar Star Fox scenario. It can make precision attacks more immediate for players who enjoy motion input, but it can also create friction if you prefer a single screen and a fixed control scheme.
New vehicles, bosses and route approaches
Zero expands the series beyond the straightforward Arwing format. Its documented additions include other vehicles, new bosses, teleporters and different approaches to routes. These changes alter how you read a stage: instead of memorizing only enemy waves and turns, you may also be deciding which vehicle or control mode suits the next section.
The result is best understood as an experiment built on familiar material. If you want a strict continuation of 64’s exact mission feel, Zero will not provide that. If you want to see how the same story foundation can be rebuilt around new hardware and control ideas, it is the more revealing game.
Star Fox 64 and Star Fox Zero compared
| Category | Star Fox 64 | Star Fox Zero |
|---|---|---|
| Original platform | Nintendo 64; Nintendo also lists a Wii U Virtual Console edition. | Wii U. |
| Release information | Original Nintendo 64 release; the cited Nintendo product page is undated. | April 22, 2016 in North America, according to developer PlatinumGames. |
| Campaign structure | 15 levels, hidden paths and missions that can switch to 360-degree All-Range Mode. | Reworks the Star Fox 64 story framework with new bosses, route approaches, teleporters and other vehicles. |
| Control emphasis | Direct, single-screen classic flight-action baseline. | TV and GamePad serve different views, with motion aiming and changing control or vehicle contexts. |
| Multiplayer documented by the cited source | VS mode for up to four players. | Cooperative play is described; details should be checked for the exact edition and setup. |
| Best reason to start here | Learn the series’ core format and branching-route logic. | Experience the Wii U control experiment, or play the Star Fox game available on your hardware. |
The table explains the recommendation better than a simple “old versus new” label. Star Fox 64 is the cleaner teaching tool because its central ideas are easy to isolate. Zero is the more specialized choice: its appeal depends heavily on whether the dual-screen, motion-controlled presentation feels engaging rather than distracting to you.
Which control scheme is a better fit?
Pick 64 for immediate, conventional flight action
Star Fox 64 is the safer choice if you want to look at one screen, learn a straightforward flight-action vocabulary and improve through repetition. Its All-Range missions already provide a change from the standard forward-flight format, but the game does not make screen management or motion aiming the defining challenge.
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That makes 64 especially suitable for a first Star Fox game. You can concentrate on route decisions, enemy patterns, boss behavior and the distinction between ordinary stages and All-Range encounters. Those concepts carry over when you later try Zero, even though the controls themselves do not map one-for-one.
Pick Zero if the control experiment is the point
Zero is a better match for players who enjoy learning an unfamiliar input system and using a second display as an active part of play. The GamePad is not merely a menu screen; it supplies a separate viewpoint and participates in aiming and movement tasks. Motion input and vehicle changes are therefore central to the game’s identity.
There is no documented controlled comparison proving that one scheme is objectively easier or more accurate. Treat this as a taste decision. If you normally avoid motion controls, dislike looking between screens or want every mission to use the same vehicle logic, Zero may be a poor fit for you even if you appreciate its ambition. If you enjoy experimental interfaces, those same features may be the reason to play it.
Check your physical setup before choosing Zero
- Confirm that you have a functioning Wii U console and GamePad, not just a compatible television.
- Make sure the GamePad can hold a charge and register motion input reliably.
- Allow enough space to use motion controls comfortably without twisting your viewing position.
- Expect to adjust your attention between the TV and GamePad rather than treating one display as optional.
How the games differ in route design and pacing
64 makes route discovery the main replay hook
In 64, hidden paths are an explicit part of the campaign’s identity. A first run can follow the route you naturally find, while later runs can focus on discovering alternatives and improving how you reach them. Because the game has 15 listed levels rather than an enormous campaign, replaying a stage to test a different branch is practical.
The alternating mission types also create a readable rhythm. Forward flight teaches positioning and target priority; All-Range Mode asks you to reorient in open space. The contrast is easy to recognize, which helps new players understand the game’s structure quickly.
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Zero makes route approach part of its remake concept
Zero keeps the recognizable story framework but rebuilds the journey around new route approaches, teleporters, bosses and vehicle roles. A familiar objective can therefore lead to a different kind of encounter, with the control context changing along the way. The game’s identity comes from that mixture of recognition and disruption.
If you play Zero before 64, you can still follow its plot framework, but you lose the useful comparison point. You may interpret every unusual control demand as simply “how Star Fox works.” Playing 64 first lets you identify which elements are series conventions and which are Zero-specific experiments.
Multiplayer: do not assume the modes are equivalent
Nintendo’s Star Fox 64 page explicitly lists a VS mode for up to four players. That is a concrete multiplayer distinction and one reason 64 remains attractive for a group that wants competitive play.
The cited Star Fox Zero material describes cooperative play, but it does not establish an identical four-player VS feature. Multiplayer support can also depend on the exact edition, controllers and local setup. Verify the mode and hardware requirements for your copy before buying or planning a session. The safe conclusion is that the games should not be treated as having the same multiplayer offering.
Platform and availability in 2026
Star Fox 64 access varies by version
Nintendo lists Star Fox 64 for Nintendo 64 and also lists a Wii U Virtual Console edition. Nintendo Life’s current guide identifies Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack as an access route, but subscription catalogs can change. Check the catalog in your region at the time you want to play.
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Nintendo ended new Wii U and 3DS eShop purchases on March 27, 2023. Existing purchases, physical cartridges and regional availability are separate issues, so do not treat the former Wii U storefront as a current purchasing option. If you already own the digital edition, access conditions may differ from those of someone trying to acquire it now.
Star Fox Zero remains a Wii U game
PlatinumGames gives Star Fox Zero’s North American release date as April 22, 2016. It was developed for Wii U and is not a current-system release. Avoid assuming that a modern Nintendo console runs it simply because that console can provide access to other Star Fox games. Used-copy stock and prices change by region and date, so check live listings if you need a physical copy.
The 2026 Switch 2 remake is a separate option
Nintendo lists Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2 with a June 25, 2026 release date and describes it as a remake of the Nintendo 64 game. For someone who owns Switch 2, that may be a more accessible way to experience the 64 foundation. It does not replace this comparison: it is a newer remake, while Zero remains the Wii U reimagining with its own control design.
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Use this decision guide if you are unsure
Choose Star Fox 64 first when…
- You have access to a Nintendo 64 version, a supported Virtual Console edition or a current subscription catalog listing.
- You are new to the series and want to understand its core route-and-mission structure before trying variations.
- You prefer one-screen play and conventional controls.
- You want the officially documented option for up to four-player VS play.
- You enjoy replaying compact campaigns to find hidden paths and alternate routes.
Choose Star Fox Zero first when…
- A Wii U is the only Star Fox-capable system you currently own.
- You specifically want motion aiming, dual-screen viewpoints and vehicle changes.
- You are comfortable treating the controls as the main design experiment rather than a minor option.
- You would rather start with a reimagining than establish a historical baseline first.
Wait or choose another version when…
- You do not have access to the required hardware and are unwilling to buy a console for one game.
- You strongly dislike motion controls and cannot use a comfortable Wii U GamePad setup.
- You want a modern release with straightforward availability; the Switch 2 remake of Star Fox 64 may be the more practical route if you own that system.
The best order for playing both
- Play Star Fox 64 once without chasing every branch. Learn the Arwing’s basic handling, the forward-flight mission rhythm and the purpose of All-Range Mode.
- Replay selected 64 stages to see the route system. Look for hidden paths and note how alternate routes change the campaign’s progression.
- Move to Star Fox Zero with the right expectations. Treat it as a reimagining built around Wii U hardware, not as a conventional numbered sequel or a simple graphical update.
- Give Zero’s control scheme a fair setup. Calibrate your physical position, keep both displays visible and expect to learn motion aiming separately from 64’s habits.
- Decide on preference, not inherited reputation. If the dual-screen design works for you, Zero offers a distinct interpretation of the familiar framework. If it does not, 64 remains a complete experience rather than a prerequisite you failed to outgrow.
Playing in this order also clarifies what you are evaluating. You can distinguish the enduring Star Fox ideas—branching routes, arcade flight and All-Range encounters—from Zero’s specific choices about screens, motion and vehicles.
Final recommendation
For a newcomer with a choice of systems, Star Fox 64 is the best first game. Its 15-level structure, hidden paths, All-Range missions and documented four-player VS mode provide the clearest picture of the series’ classic design. Follow it with Star Fox Zero if you want to see that foundation rebuilt around Wii U’s TV-and-GamePad control experiment.
For a Wii U-only player, start with Zero without feeling that you are playing the “wrong” game. Just know that its dual-screen motion aiming, alternate vehicles and changing route approaches are the point, and that they will suit some players far better than others.
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