In an excellent feature interview published on IGN, the outlet spoke to Takaya Imamura about his career at Nintendo following his retirement from the company earlier this year. For decades he worked under Shigeru Miyamoto, and his vital contributions shaped the look and gameplay of various Nintendo classics.
Originally an artist with no technical expertise, he was nevertheless heavily involved in shaping the look of the original Star Fox; this involved overcoming the challenge of the language barrier when working with Dylan Cuthbert and Giles Goddard, at the time young British devs that had produced the technology that drove the project.
Although he wasn't officially the producer of much loved follow-up Star Fox 64, it sounds like Imamura-san played a key role in its development.
Star Fox 64 is the game of my life. It was a bit like a reboot, but by using a lot of ideas we couldn’t implement in the original, we managed to enrich the game’s scale. From planning to writing the plot, coming up with the gameplay mechanics and graphics, I really worked hard on this game. I also instructed composers on what kind of music I wanted for it.
...As we continued to work on the prototype, more and more people joined and it started to become serious. From modelling the characters, mechs and enemies to working on effects and backgrounds, I really worked on a lot of things. In those days, it was normal to work beyond your official responsibility. For Star Fox 64 I was credited as art director, but in reality I worked on a wide array of tasks.
His last time working with Shigeru Miyamoto was on Star Fox Zero, in particular the anime "The Battle Begins".
The last time [Miyamoto and I] really worked together was during the production of Star Fox Zero. I was supervising the project, and Miyamoto wanted to create an anime. I worked on the anime very hard together with Production I.G and Wit Studio. I wrote the scenario and storyboard in the early phases of the project, which the professionals then made a really great anime out of. Miyamoto was heavily involved and gave detailed instructions. He was there when we recorded the dialogue, too, so he really cared about the project.
Imamura-san worked on and influenced some of Nintendo's most iconic games, so we certainly recommend reading through the whole interview.
[source ign.com]
Comments 48
Would happily pay full price for a remastered version of this on Switch
If only the Star Fox series was as important to Nintendo as it is to Imamura.
Star fox zero was a good game. Fight me!
Oh and before you go.... but the controls. Who here bothered to press the select button and see what that does? Instant cockpit view right on your tv eliminating the need to aim with the gamepad. Even this sites own review on the game failed to mention that.
Oh and since I'm guessing alot of you never finished it there's a nice tribute to Iwata in the credits. It reads, "This game is dedicated to our wingman who fell in battle" That was really sweet!
game of my life = balan wonderland
@Zeldafan79 I finished it. Good game. Never did the post-campaign mop-up to 100% it, but the story was good and the final boss battle was excellent.
@Zeldafan79 i too enjoyed Zero, and you are right about getting the cockpit up on the main screen, it helps so much with co ordination.
I can flick between the gamepad and main screen, but having a button do it manually helped so much to acclimate to the action of the game. Zero has perhaps the best "dogfight", i have ever experienced in video games. I'd highlight Freespace 2 and Il 2 Sturmovik as being some of my favourites, and the dogfight against Wolf blew them out of the water for me. If Zero had gone full Space, and had inertia it might well have been the greatest space game ever made in my opinion, as the dual screens would have been perfect for lining in up strafing runs, then maneuvering out of danger.
Shigsies insistance on making it more "Thunderbirds" actually worked against Zero, as you were always trying to learn a new vehicle. It should have had the other vehicles as bonus levels/modes, and focussed down on Arwing and a couple of Battlemaster levels, keeping them as refined and memorable as possible.
Counterpoint: Star Fox Zero was a bad game. I would also like to see a remaster though with fixed controls.
Star fox zero was great. Controls set out to do exactly what they wanted, make you feel like you are piloting the ar wing. Game was great aside from those too. I never had the same love for angcc vc as I did for the n64 or even the original, since I was a kid then. But I still fire up the Wii U to playthrough zero every couple months.
Remake it without garbage controls and maybe people will want to buy it
Star Fox, 64 and Zero are the best games in the series. Zero deserved much more love than it got. Except for the variety of the stages in the branching paths, I thought Zero was superior to 64 in many ways.
Shame they never carried on with that anime, would’ve been a good way to improve brand awareness for Star Fox
@FargusPelagius Those dogfights were fun, I agree, which makes me really wish it had an online multiplayer mode with dogfighting with other people online. It would also make up for the game's ridiculously short length, and I never found it too compelling to replay. I did enjoy it though, even if pressing minus to switch the views doesn't completely remedy the problem of having an inaccurate crosshair on the TV.
Great guy who did some great stuff at Nintendo over the years. Hopefully someone can continue his legacy.
Does SF64 still hold up? What makes it great? I have it but have never been able to get into it
@Yorumi Thanks for that & good info re emulators - I have the n64 cart on CRT. So is the main objective to get high scores on each run? So basically get the most rings possible while prioritising the higher score rings? Or is there another objective as well?
It's a shame he's left, I enjoyed reading the full article. I hope one day the rest of the Star Fox games make it over to the Switch so newer generations can enjoy them. Scary to think Adventures and Assault have never been released on any system since the Gamecube
Indeed, Star Fox 64. Talk about a loved game!!!
Lylat wars remake or a brand new star fox game, I feel like it will never happen and we'll just keep getting either mario, zelda or pokemon but please do a new starfox
@Yorumi perfect thanks - and getting a medal is just a case of getting a high enough score on each level isn’t it? ie getting as many rings as possible
@Yorumi perfect thanks - so do the rings not contribute to the score as well? What are they for if not?
I actually loved Star Fox 64 on the 3DS in particular.
@Zeldafan79 yes. I tried to like it several times, but the controls were bad in my opinion... Just did not click with me.
Star Fox 64 might be my favorite N64 game. It's arcade-style, shoot 'em up fun; but it has depth with multiple paths and high score challenges. Voice acting even! It may be perfect.
Haven't played Zero but I love Star Fox 64, it was one of my most-played games that generation and out of all the great Nintendo and Rare releases on the N64 it easily ranks in my top 3.
@Zeldafan79 There are plenty of people that can attest to the fact that, Star Fox Zero was not a good game. (gasp) Shocking, I know right?
I so want a Zero remaster/re-release
I consider myself a massive/huge fan of Star Fox — almost equal to Metroid/Blaster Master — and those controls really took me out of the game when they were intended to get me closer. it had an opposite effect for me. I loved the graphics and having to limit it down to a small screen and aim and all that really had an opposite effect on me. If they were to release Zero again but give an "Arcade" option with no motion control stuff alongside the original mode, I'd instantly buy it. I'd focus mainly on Arcade mode and dip into the original periodically.
EDIT: I'm going to leave this here.... Anyone remember getting this VHS tape in the mail and watching it over and over and over and over and over? https://youtu.be/G23XtCDDIEM [1997 Starfox 64 Promo VHS Full]
This Star Fox promo even now makes me want to play the game. You know what, I might do just that.
@Zeldafan79 To each their own, but I felt Zero was a poorer rehash of classic Star Fox 64. Poorer for the controls, which were anything but intuitive and clearly forced unto a game that - po phun intended - less than zero need for them. The controls weren't broken. They might not be broken in Zero either, though that is highly subjective, but they were certainly not improved.
Aside from controls, and the game largely rehasing SF64 in terms of content and ideas, I felt that anything outside of the actual A-Wing was uncomfortably close to being hot garbage in terms of SF's hallmark fast-paced arcade'y gameplay, with the Gyrowing basically being antithetical to what makes Star Fox in my mind Star Fox. Plus, sadly, some of the levels were just factualy garbage flying through space, followed by another level with more space garbage to be shot down. It was just obscenely poorly designed in places. Super unlike almost any AAA Nintendo game I have played, truly bizzare.
Did not hate the game per se, but it left me severly disappointed and I figure that from the looks of it, it pretty much killed the franchise, which will not make me look kindly upon in hindsight.
I certainly had different hopes and ideas for the series, where it could and should go.
As for more detailed points I would refer you to Nerrel's recent excellent take on the game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxxxsmIEolI
I can basically undersign anything he argues there.
I still believe Nintendo should enter the VR space. Imagine Starfox VR, F-zero, Mario, pilot wings. Would breathe new life into these franchises, with new ideas and immersion that only VR can offer.
The N64 had few games by comparison to many other Nintendo consoles but the Nintendo first party stuff was some of their best, Star Fox 64 included.
Having played the 3DS version somewhat recently (Missed out on the original), I do agree that this game certainly deserves its accolades. I'm normally not one for on-rails shooters and still got a lot of enjoyment out of Star Fox 64 3D.
I'd love to read the full interview, but I also try to give IGN as few clicks as possible.
Been thinking about getting Star Fox 64 3D. I have never owned a Star Fox game, so I thought this might be good to try. Maybe I will give Star Fox Zero a try as well.
I would pay full price for the original N64 version on Switch with no changes made. My favourite game of all time, so much atmosphere that no remaster or remake could possibly recreate. Really hope we see N64 classics at some point!
@Mips in case you have a 3DS you get their.
Actually Star Fox 64 3D and Zelda link to the past was reason why I purchased a 3DS!
The Switch is missing a Star Fox!
@Ralek85 yeah I hear, it was effort from PlatinumGames Inc. they should have let Next Level develop it. 😝
When I played Star Fox 64, I remember thinking that lots of passion had gone into the game. They'll never be able to make another Star Fox game better than that one.
@Mips just play the 3DS remake. It’s amazing
Zero was a great game! In fact it’s the 3rd best Starfox game.
1) Starfox 64 - 3D
2) Starfox SNES
3) Starfox Zero
4) Starfox Assault
5) Starfox 2
6) Starfox DS
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10) Dinosaur Planet
They got quite a bit from Imura didn't they? I really enjoyed 64 3d (didn't own a n64) but looking at Zero disappointed and failed hard and doesn't seem like a Next Gen Star Fox experience. I have a lot of respect for the original games but riding their coat tails while slapping on gimmicks to them, it isn't healthy and makes the series look stagnant and directionless and not a series that I want to subscribe to and root for. Especially when it showed potential with Adventures, Assault and Command, SF2 and Starlink which while also flawed had something to offer that modern Star Fox games could learn from or take hints about more than Zero ever did. I'd like them either to Port 64 to the online service or a collection with Adventures and Assault, and move on forward. Let the past be the past and trust their instincts.
Get Factor 5’s Rogue Squadron team together and make a new Star Fox game.
Star Fox Zero was more of the same. Felt like a tech demo for something else.
I liked the direction Assault was taking
@Yorumi Thanks! Just going through training mode on the N64 mode, loving it. I didn’t realise it was so nuanced, thanks for the advice 👍
@Scrubicius Nice one
@HamatoYoshi I would begrudgingly pay full price. 😉
Maybe one day there will be a new StarFox worthy of SF64 (and bigger) scaled. Starlink's cameo was a GREAT start, now Fox just needs his own game.
@Yorumi Yeah although that seems to be a problem with Star Fox and 2d Mario. I can't see it with other series as they either aren't often enough to see or feel stagnant and directionless or the style of game works for what it is and just tweaking it is enough, or some of their series have evolved and it worked out.
I used to really like how the characters aged after each entry and even in assault they just killed some characters off, wish they would of carried it on instead of just doing the same game 3 times
I quite liked Starfox Zero, the controls took some getting used to but they were fun.
@Mips I know right? But Nintendo won’t listen.
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