Star Fox 2

Unlike the pure rail shooter structure of the first Star Fox, Star Fox 2 contextualizes its missions within a larger real-time strategy framework. The player is tasked with protecting their home world, Corneria, from the villain Andross and his forces, and must defeat him to win the game. Corneria and Andross are located on opposite sides of an overworld map. The overworld map continuously operates in real-time; as the player is fighting missions, enemies spawn in the overworld and make their way towards Corneria.

As the game progresses, Corneria can be damaged. If Corneria reaches 100% damage before Andross is defeated, the player will lose. If the player defeats Andross first, they win the game and are given a score.

After his defeat in the original Star Fox, the antagonist, Andross, returns to the Lylat system and launches an all-out attack against Corneria, using his new fleet of battleships and giant missiles launched from hidden bases to destroy the planet. General Pepper again calls upon the Star Fox team for help. Armed with new custom Arwings, a Mothership, and two new recruits (Miyu and Fay), the Star Fox team sets out to defend Corneria by destroying Andross's forces before they can inflict critical damage on the planet. Along the way, Star Fox must also combat giant bosses, bases on planets throughout the Lylat system, members of the Star Wolf team and finally Andross himself.

Star Fox 2 features six playable characters, more than any game in the series until Star Fox Command (2006). These include Fox McCloud, fearless leader of the Star Fox team; Falco Lombardi, the ace pilot with a headstrong attitude and Fox's best friend; Peppy Hare, longtime mentor to Fox who served under James McCloud, Fox's late father; and Slippy Toad, the team's young tech analyst and Fox's childhood friend. The two new playable characters are Miyu, a tomboyish lynx, and Fay, a white dog and part of an aristocratic family. Star Fox 2 also introduces a team of rival mercenary pilots, Star Wolf, which includes Wolf O'Donnell, leader of Star Wolf and a despicable criminal; Leon Powalski, an inscrutable and sinister chameleon; Pigma Dengar, an arrogant and selfish pig who is a former member of the Star Fox team before betraying them; and Algy, a devious creature with incredible precision aim.

Like Star Fox (1993), Star Fox 2 was co-developed by Nintendo EAD in Japan and the British company Argonaut Software. Development began shortly after work was finished on the European and competition versions of Star Fox. Argonaut had a contract with Nintendo to create three games; after Star Fox, Argonaut programmers Giles Goddard and Dylan Cuthbert worked on Stunt Race FX (1994) and Cuthbert on Star Fox 2. Cuthbert worked in Nintendo's headquarters in Kyoto and had little contact with Argonaut during development.

He served as the lead programmer and was assigned two Japanese Nintendo programmers to work under him. The team was overseen by the designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Katsuya Eguchi, with Eguchi as the director. Edge reported in December 1993 that development on a sequel to Star Fox had begun.

Star Fox 2 received generally positive reviews on the Super NES Classic Edition. Polygon's Ross Miller found it ambitious and fun. Destructoid's Chris Carter complimented the constant swap between viewpoints and playstyles, minimal "RPG-like" exposition between levels and the introduction of Star Wolf, finding that they added character, but noted its short length and criticized the low framerate. Eurogamer's Christian Donlan described it as an unusual but "wonderfully surprising and inventive" sequel that builds upon the first Star Fox, due to its more roguelite nature. GamesRadar+' David Houghton praised the evolution of the franchise's core ideas and free-roaming 3D planets, but criticized its uncohesive game mechanics, overambitious ideas and "choppy" technical performance.

IGN's Samuel Claiborn complimented the "janky-yet-plucky aesthetic" but complained of severe frame-rate drops and found it difficult to control the ships. He felt Star Fox 2 was the worst game included with the Super NES Classic Edition, and that it "probably deserved" to have been cancelled, but was happy to see it released. Nintendo Life's Damien McFerran praised the depth, complexity and challenge, and called it a good reason to own a Super NES Classic Edition. Nintendo World Report's Neal Ronaghan and John Rairdin praised the distinct structure and design, challenge, strategy and roguelike elements, audiovisual presentation, replayability and depth.

Star Fox 2 inspired the design of later Star Fox games. Free-range flying and grounded vehicle gameplay were implemented into Star Fox 64, as was the Star Wolf team. Star Fox 2 also drove ideas for other Nintendo 64 games. Cuthbert believes the platforming experimentation in Star Fox 2 gave Miyamoto confidence for Super Mario 64.

Although Argonaut's contract with Nintendo ended after Star Fox 2, Cuthbert and his new company Q-Games collaborated with Nintendo in 2006 for Star Fox Command, and again in 2011 for Star Fox 64 3D. Nintendo and Q-Games played Star Fox 2 to gather inspiration for the strategic gameplay elements for Star Fox Command. Miyamoto asked Cuthbert to make Command closer to Star Fox 2 than the original Star Fox. The Arwing's ability to transform into the Walker was re-introduced in Star Fox Zero (2016).