Star Fox – Nintendo Switch 2 – Complete Walkthrough (Step-by-Step Strategy Guide)

Star Fox – Nintendo Switch 2 – Complete Walkthrough (Step-by-Step Strategy Guide) Star Fox – Nintendo Switch 2 – Guide to unlocking all game endings Star Fox – Nintendo Switch 2 – Guide with all alternative routes in the game

Star Fox, released on June 25, 2026 for the Nintendo Switch 2, is a completely remade version of Star Fox 64, which was originally released for the Nintendo 64 on April 27, 1997. In the game, the Lylat System is the central map, and understanding how Lylat works is important to fully enjoy the game. Instead of following a linear and fixed path, the game organizes its stages into seven mission areas, and in each one you need to complete at least one planet or sector to advance to the next. This means that your gameplay can be completely different depending on the choices you make along the way.

Therefore, before we delve into the details of each phase, let’s provide a quick explanation in the table below about the possible paths you can take in your game. Note that some routes are more difficult than others. Check the table below, and then we’ll begin the complete walkthrough (step-by-step strategy guide).

CORNERIA Everything starts in Corneria, which is the only stage of the first mission. There’s no choice here: you must go through it. What happens next, however, depends on how you perform during this stage. Depending on your actions in Corneria, you can proceed to Sector Y or Meteo in the next mission. MISSION 2: SECTOR Y & METEO In the second mission, the two possible destinations are Sector Y and Meteo. Sector Y is considered an alternate route, while Meteo is part of the standard path. Completing one or the other will determine where you go in the third mission. MISSION 3: AQUAS, KATINA, AND FICHINA The third mission presents three planet options: Aquas, Katina, and Fichina. Aquas is accessible via the alternate route from Sector Y. Katina can be reached from either Sector Y or Meteo, depending on the route. Fichina, in turn, is on the standard path from Meteo. Each of these planets leads to different destinations in the fourth mission, so it’s worth thinking carefully before moving forward. MISSION 4: ZONESS, SOLAR, AND SECTOR X The fourth mission introduces three new destinations. Zoness is reached via the alternate route from Aquas. Solar can be reached by both Katina and Fichina. Sector X also has multiple connections, being accessible via various routes, including paths starting from Fichina. This stage is crucial because the choices made here will define which of the game’s most challenging phases will be available to you. MISSION 5: SECTOR Z, MACBETH, AND TITANIA The fifth mission features three very distinct planets in terms of difficulty and challenge. Sector Z is an alternate route, accessible from Zoness, and leads directly to Area 6 in the following mission. Macbeth is the default destination for those who have passed through Solar or certain routes in Sector X, and also opens the way to both Bolse and Area 6. Titania, in turn, is on the most accessible route, being reached through Sector X, and leads to Bolse in the following mission. MISSION 6: AREA 6 AND BOLSE The penultimate mission presents two destinations: Area 6 and Bolse. Area 6 is considered one of the most difficult phases in the entire game and can only be accessed by those who have followed more challenging routes previously, such as Sector Z or Macbeth. Those who reach it will face intense waves of enemies before proceeding to Venom 2. Bolse, on the other hand, is the default destination and leads to classic Venom, which is the most common path to the end of the game. MISSION 7: VENOM AND VENOM 2 The seventh and final mission has two possible endings: Venom and Venom 2. Venom is accessed by those who have completed Bolse and represents the simpler ending. Venom 2 is the more difficult version of the final stage, reserved for those who have completed Area 6, and features a much more elaborate confrontation. Finishing the game with Venom 2 is considered the true complete ending of the campaign.

Complete Walkthrough (Step-by-Step Strategy Guide) of Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2:

Corneria

Corneria is the planet that opens every campaign in Star Fox. It’s where General Pepper has his headquarters, and it’s also where you’ll learn, in practice, everything you need to know about the controls and the game’s rhythm. Because it’s the mandatory opening stage, every time you start a new campaign you’ll go through it again, which ends up being a huge advantage: over time, you’ll learn every section, every group of enemies, and every opportunity to score points, becoming progressively more skilled in this stage.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Corneria offers two possible paths at the end of the stage, a standard one and an alternate one, and to access the alternate path you need to fulfill two specific conditions during the journey. The first occurs right after a checkpoint inside the city: Falco will warn you that he is being pursued by enemy ships, and you need to eliminate all three before they shoot him down. He is indispensable for the second part, so don’t let him fall.

After saving Falco, continue until you reach a lake with seven stone arches. Falco will comment that it looks like a good obstacle course, and you need to pass through all seven arches, one by one, without skipping any. If you succeed, he will “praise” you in his own way and guide you to the alternate route, which is hidden behind a waterfall just past the arches.

BOSS FIGHT: GRANGA (NORMAL ROUTE)

In the normal route, the boss of Corneria is Granga, a humanoid-looking robot that you face in free flight mode, where you can move in all directions with much more freedom than during the main stage. He may seem imposing at first glance, but he is one of the simplest bosses in the game.

Granga has several body parts that can be destroyed individually. The recommendation is to start with the legs, as eliminating them prevents him from moving around the battlefield, making the rest of the combat much easier. After the legs, focus on the arms, which function as homing rocket launchers. These projectiles chase your squad members and can be annoying, but you can lock onto most of them using charged shots, which helps protect your teammates. Finally, the head fires energy balls with slight tracking, so avoid flying directly towards the boss when trying to hit it.

There’s also a quicker way out: Granga has an opening on its back that acts as a central weak point. Directing your attacks there causes considerable damage and can end the fight faster. But remember, if you’re trying to complete the challenge of destroying all parts of its body, don’t attack its back before you’ve accomplished that.

BOSS FIGHT: ATTACK CARRIER (ALTERNATIVE ROUTE)

Those who followed the alternate route will face the Attack Carrier instead of Granga. This boss is completely different, operates in two phases, and requires you to pay attention to what it’s doing at every moment.

Observe the ship’s hull: it has a long side on its left and a shorter side on its right. The right side opens an exit from which enemy ships emerge to pursue your squadron, not you. The left side launches missiles with the same objective. In the first phase, the Attack Carrier alternates between opening the right and left sides, and it is precisely during these opening moments that its weak points lie. Attack with everything you have when they open, as this will destroy both the boss’s structure and the threats it is releasing at the same time.

After eliminating both sides, the second phase begins. Now only the central part of the ship remains, and it will start to approach you while firing its front cannons. Dodging is simple: just move to one side and vary your altitude. When the Attack Carrier gets too close, it turns and retreats to repeat the pattern. Throughout this time, attack any point on the ship without stopping, as the entire ship is considered a weak point in this stage.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Corneria medal requires you to accumulate 150 hits during the level. The number seems high, but it’s quite achievable if you know where to focus. The groups of enemies scattered throughout the course, both on the ground and on the roads and floating along the sides, are your biggest sources of points, as hitting several at once with a charged shot counts as one hit for each enemy struck.

The Garuda robots, the ones that knock down buildings and hurl metal beams, are well worth destroying calmly because each one contributes a generous number of hits. In the lake with the stone arches, the Ski Bots along the banks are also great sources of points: each one is worth four hits, and since there are four in total, you’re already guaranteed sixteen hits just with them.

If you take the alternate route, take advantage of the moment when the screen is full of enemies and use a bomb to clear everything at once, quickly racking up several hits. As for the boss, regardless of which one you face, it’s worth eleven hits. The ships and missiles launched by the Attack Carrier don’t count towards the score, so it’s not worth trying to “farm” hits with them.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge asks you to eliminate three or more enemies with a single charged shot. Right at the start of the stage, while you’re still flying over the water, two groups of ships approach, converging towards the center of the screen, totaling five enemies. A well-placed charged shot easily solves this challenge.

The second challenge is Falco’s, which consists of passing through the seven stone arches in the lake, the same ones that open the alternative route. Nothing different from what has already been described: pass through all seven without skipping any.

The third challenge asks you to destroy all six Garuda robots scattered throughout the city. The first appears as soon as you enter the urban area and begin to see General Pepper’s holograms, attempting to block your path towards the laser upgrade. The second is right after, pushing a building towards you; the building itself hides it until you get close, so brake slightly when the building starts to tip over to have a comfortable window of attack. The third and fourth appear together, one on each side of the screen, right after the second. Use a charged shot to eliminate the one on the left and immediately aim at the one on the right manually. The fifth and sixth also appear in pairs, right after you help Falco and leave the city, in the area where Peppy mentions the barrel roll. They are the ones throwing the metal beams.

The fourth challenge requires you to destroy the four Ski Bots on the lake before the arches. Ideally, you should focus on them instead of trying to do everything at once, but if you want to combine it with the arch challenge, use charged shots fired from a distance while the robots are still on the edges of the screen, so that the projectile reaches them while you still have time to maneuver around the track.

The fifth challenge is to complete the stage in three minutes or less. The strategy here is simple: use the turbo non-stop throughout the entire stage. Whenever the boost meter fills up, use it again. Don’t worry about destroying enemies or even saving Falco in this case. Follow the normal route because Granga is defeated much faster than the Attack Carrier. To give you a sense of pace: when the timer reaches two minutes, you should be between the first and second Garuda in the city; at one minute and fifteen seconds, you should be hearing Peppy’s phrase about the barrel roll; at forty-five seconds, you should be passing the lake of arches; and with thirty seconds remaining, you should be arriving at Granga’s arena.

The sixth challenge requires you to destroy all of Granga’s vulnerable parts: the two shoulders with the missile launchers, the head with the enormous lens, and the two legs. Destroying just one leg will take it down, but you need to eliminate the second one as well. The crucial point here is not to attack the back or the front before completing all the parts, as the frontal shield forces you to attack the limbs anyway, and destroying the weak point on the back can end the fight too early. Eliminate all the limbs first and the combat will become even easier than it already is.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge requires you to accumulate one hundred hits without taking any damage. This makes up approximately two-thirds of the level, and the more you know it, the easier it becomes. Use barrel rolls constantly to deflect projectiles and avoid being surrounded by groups of enemies.

The second expert challenge is to complete the archway before Falco does. As soon as the challenge begins, Falco performs a somersault that slightly slows him down. Take advantage of this moment and use the turbo immediately, without stopping. The time window is small, so don’t hesitate. Use the Arwing’s ability to move laterally quickly to make the tightest turns without losing speed.

The third expert challenge asks you to prevent all the buildings from being destroyed by the Garuda. There are four buildings at risk. The key is to treat this challenge like completing the level in under three minutes: use turbo from the start to reach each area two or three seconds before the Garuda starts acting. The first is on the right and a charged shot will take care of it. The second is hidden behind the building, but a charged shot can still lock onto it, or you can throw a bomb behind the building. The third and fourth appear simultaneously from opposite sides: lock onto the one on the left with a charged shot, fire, and immediately turn to destroy the one on the right before it pushes the building.

The fourth expert challenge is to destroy all the satellite dishes in the city. The first appears as soon as you enter the urban area, visible to the right just after an archway with a golden ring. The second and third are hidden behind a destructible door located in the central Garuda area. The fourth is just after the checkpoint, visible to the right after Falco calls for help. The fifth, finally, requires a bomb to destroy an entire row of antennas at once; further on, in the same area where the bomb and laser upgrades are located, there are three more grouped antennas that complete this challenge.

The fifth expert challenge is to defeat the Attack Carrier in thirty seconds. To do this you need fully upgraded lasers. The right side of the ship opens first, then the left: drop a bomb into each opening to destroy them quickly. From there, fire non-stop while the ship retreats. By the time it’s turning to return, it should be almost destroyed. This challenge is basically a test of speed, reflexes, and firing speed.

The sixth and most difficult expert challenge is to defeat Granga in ten seconds. Here, the strategy changes completely compared to normal combat: forget about the limbs and go straight for the back. As soon as the free flight mode starts, quickly destroy one of the legs to take down the boss, fly a little past him, then use the brake combined with the yaw button to turn faster, and attack the back with everything you have. If you fail, restart from the checkpoint before finishing the mission to try again without losing your progress.

Meteor

Meteo is the second planet you can visit in Star Fox, and it’s only available to those who completed Corneria via the standard route, meaning without rescuing Falco or passing through the seven stone arches in the lake. The scenery here is completely different from Corneria: you’ll traverse a vast asteroid field filled with floating rocks, irregular structures, and enemies appearing from all sides. Prepare to use the barrel roll frequently and dodge obstacles often. Your performance during this stage will determine whether you proceed to Fichina or unlock the alternate route to Katina.

As soon as the mission begins, you enter the first asteroid field. Initially, there are no enemies, but you can start destroying asteroids to accumulate points. Pay attention to three rocky rings along the way: if you fly inside all three, a diamond-shaped cluster of rocks at the end of the area will release a laser upgrade. There’s also a golden ring just to the left of this formation, so it’s worth maneuvering to grab both.

Soon after, as you approach the second group of asteroids, luminous, butterfly-like creatures will emerge from behind the rocks. You can lock onto them while they are still attached to the asteroids, and by positioning your charged shot intelligently, you can hit several at once with a single shot.

Next, you’ll enter the interior of a large, excavated asteroid. A small, bouncy robot appears at the entrance, followed shortly by two long, snake-like robots. Aim for their heads to inflict damage. These enemies are quite resilient and can be challenging, so using a bomb at this point is a great way to quickly eliminate both of them.

Upon exiting this asteroid, three items will appear in front of you. Grabbing all three at once is possible, but requires precision. The recommendation is to prioritize the bomb and the golden ring using a somersault. Right after these items, there’s another diamond-shaped rock formation; pass through it to obtain another laser upgrade.

In the next section, large asteroids will move and close in around your trajectory. Listen to Peppy’s warnings and react using the turbo or brake as he indicates. Between the last pair of asteroids there is one more bomb, so don’t miss it.

After that, four armored Flip Bot ships will appear in front of you. Their armor deflects your lasers normally, but when they turn to fire at you, their rear side is exposed and vulnerable. You can wait for this moment to attack, or simply blow them all up at once with a bomb if you don’t want to waste time.

Once you deal with the Flip Bots, Great Fox will contact you. Press the left directional pad to answer the call, and a supply crate will appear in front of you. Shoot it to get another laser upgrade.

Right after the crate, a group of enemies will appear behind you. Perform a somersault or brake to put them in front of you and eliminate them. Shortly after, Peppy will appear being chased by a formation of ships: lock onto one of the middle ones and fire to destroy as many as possible at once.

Next, four formations of ships will appear in front of you, one after the other. Use the lock-on targeting system to hit as many enemies as possible per shot in each formation.

As you approach a newly excavated asteroid, a group of four ships will emerge from behind you in a spiral pattern, leaving persistent laser trails in their path. If you fly into these trails, you will take damage. Stay in the center of the spiral or use a bomb to eliminate these ships before the pattern becomes too complicated.

Inside this new asteroid tunnel, there are several cannons scattered along the walls. Dodge the shots and destroy as many as you can. Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, more ships with persistent lasers will create an energy grid in front of you. Observe the spaces between the beams and pass through them without touching them.

After overcoming the grate and a few more floating cannons, you’ll encounter a more dangerous version of the butterflies from the beginning of the stage. This variant shoots spiral lasers at you and cannot be locked onto with auto-aim. Use continuous laser fire or a bomb to take it down. When defeated, it drops a golden ring.

Next, Slippy will appear being chased by Flip Bots. Just like with Peppy, eliminate the ships as quickly as possible. Also, pay attention to the checkpoint ring that appears in this section and make sure to pass through it.

After the checkpoint comes one of the most important sections of the level. Groups of butterflies will appear clustered together and then disperse as you approach, and ships will create laser grids along the way. Most importantly, however, are the orange warp rings that appear in this area. These provide access to the alternate route.

After the rings, the journey continues through another asteroid field with new robotic snakes circling and more asteroids with built-in cannons. If you have a bomb available, this is a good time to use it. After this area, you reach the confrontation with the mission boss.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Meteo’s alternate route becomes available just past the checkpoint ring, in the section where the butterfly clusters and the ships that create laser grids appear. The orange warp rings that appear in this section are the key to changing destinations.

If you pass through the seven warp rings in sequence, you’ll be launched onto a completely different alternate route, full of vibrant colors, a large number of easily destructible asteroids, and many items and bombs scattered along the way. It’s a route generous in rewards and much easier than the normal route. Completing this alternate route unlocks access to Katina as your next destination. If you miss any of the seven rings or simply ignore them, you’ll follow the standard route and arrive at Fichina.

BOSS FIGHT: METEO CRUSHER

The Meteo Crusher is a large ship with multiple attack systems. In the first phase of combat, it displays a rotating shield on the front. Warning: shooting at this shield causes it to absorb energy and return it all in the form of lasers against you. Avoid hitting the shield.

The objective in this phase is to destroy four luminous weak points protected behind the shield. The shield has an opening, and as it rotates and stops, one of the weak points is exposed through that opening. Concentrate your attacks on this point until you destroy it, then wait for the shield to rotate again and repeat the process for the other three. When all are eliminated, the boss discards the shield completely.

In the second phase, the Meteo Crusher begins charging a powerful laser blast that comes out of a central, luminous door. While it’s not charging or firing, attack this door, which is the new weak point. When it starts charging, dodge to the side and wait for the blast to pass, then return to your position and continue attacking.

In the third phase, the ship rotates and begins using lasers with a purple ring launched from its wing weapons. These projectiles can track your position, so you need to actively maneuver to evade them. In the intervals between attacks, two yellow weak points become visible on the ship. Attack them repeatedly. In this phase, the boss also fires homing missiles at your squadmates, which you can take down using charged shots with a locked-on sight. Destroy the two weak points to end the combat.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Meteo medal requires one hundred and fifty hits, which seems like a lot, but there are strategic points where it’s possible to accumulate many hits at once. Right after the checkpoint, the groups of butterflies that start clustered together and then disperse are golden opportunities: a charged shot with a locked-on target on a well-formed group can yield a combo of seven more hits, totaling fifteen hits per group. If you follow the alternate route of the warp rings, you’ll find asteroid fields where dropping a bomb destroys a large number of targets at once, and since there are many bombs available on this route, accumulating hits becomes much easier. The yellow butterflies are worth three hits each, and the boss, if you face him via the normal route, is worth eleven hits. Note that there is no boss fight on the alternate route. The ships and projectiles that the boss launches do not count towards the score.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The challenge of scoring one hundred and eighty hits is directly linked to what was described in the medal tips. Exploring butterfly clusters with charged shots and taking advantage of the alternate route with bombs are the best ways to achieve this number.

To complete the challenge of flying through the seven energy rings, simply locate and pass through the seven warp rings that appear after the checkpoint. These are the same rings that open the alternate route to Katina.

The challenge of destroying eight asteroids before reaching the first large tunnel is simple: right at the beginning of the level, while traversing the first asteroid field, shoot the ones that appear along the way and destroy eight of them before the entrance to the first excavated asteroid appears.

To eliminate the three robotic snakes, the first two appear upon entering the first asteroid tunnel. They come from behind, making it difficult to hit them individually. A bomb takes care of both at once. The third is in the asteroid field that appears after the warp rings, before the boss. As this area is busy and full of cannons and obstacles, once again a bomb is the most reliable solution. Warning: if you follow the alternate route of the rings, you will not have access to the third snake.

The five Flip Bots that need to be eliminated are in two distinct groups. The first group of four appears right after the section where Peppy tells you to brake and boost through the large asteroids. The second group of three appears next to Slippy in the checkpoint area. You only need to eliminate five in total, so destroying all seven is not mandatory.

To defeat the Meteo Crusher using hyper lasers, you need to collect two laser upgrades during the stage and reach the fight with both wings intact. The upgrades are available in three locations: after passing through the three rocky rings in the starting area, a diamond formation releases the first; after exiting the first asteroid tunnel, another diamond formation in the upper right corner releases the second; and the supply box sent by the Great Fox, which appears after the Flip Bots, delivers the third. Collect at least two and keep your wings undamaged to reach the boss with your lasers at maximum level.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

For the challenge of eliminating thirty enemies with charged shots, simply hold down the laser button, lock onto groups of enemies, and release the shot. Throughout the level there are more than enough enemies to reach this number, especially if you’re already racking up hits towards a score of one hundred and eighty.

The challenge of destroying one hundred large asteroids in the warp channel requires you to follow the alternate route of the seven rings. Inside the channel are two large asteroid fields, one at the beginning and one at the end of the route. Use bombs and fire continuously to destroy as many as possible. Asteroids with the starting symbol at the beginning of the channel cannot be destroyed, but everything beyond them can. In the sections between the two large fields, there are asteroids on the sides of the path; if you are focused on this challenge, ignore the other elements and concentrate only on the asteroids.

Completing the mission without breaking a wing is self-explanatory: play carefully, use barrel rolls to dodge projectiles, and avoid collisions with asteroids throughout the level.

To eliminate twenty butterfly-shooter type enemies, look for them in four locations: the first large group appears right at the beginning of the level hidden behind the asteroids; in hard modes, more groups appear inside the two asteroid tunnels; and after the checkpoint there are several clustered groups that disperse, all vulnerable to charged shots with locked-on aim. There are more than twenty available, so the challenge is quite accessible.

To beat the first phase of Meteo Crusher without hitting the absorption shield, the secret is patience and only firing when you’re sure the shot will hit one of the weak points through the shield’s opening, not the shield itself. Wait for the shield to rotate and stop, visually confirm that the weak point is exposed through the opening, and only then fire. With practice, it becomes easy.

For the challenge of destroying thirty web ships while they activate persistent laser technology, the alternate route via warp rings has a much higher concentration of these ships than the normal route. It’s perfectly possible to achieve the thirty kills on this alternate route alone, without needing to rely much on those that appear on the standard route.

Sector Y

Sector Y is accessible to those who completed Corneria via the alternate route, meaning they rescued Falco, passed through the seven stone arches in the lake, and followed him down the waterfall to confront the Attack Carrier. Upon arriving here, you’ll encounter a completely different scenario from the previous environments: a space battle in full swing between General Pepper’s fleet and Andross’s forces. Allied and enemy ships crowd the space around you, and lasers crisscross the environment in all directions. Depending on your score at the end of the mission, you can proceed to Aquas or Katina.

As soon as the mission begins, you’re already in the middle of the allied fleet and will soon encounter the first Shogun Troopers, robotic soldiers equipped with shields and plasma weaponry. They are more resilient than common enemies, but a single charged shot with a locked-on sight will take down any of them. After eliminating the first groups, you’ll fly over an allied ship where a golden ring is available.

Soon after, a lone Shogun Trooper will appear in your path. Next come missiles that can be shot down or simply dodged, followed by several waves of smaller enemy fighters. Shortly after, a large warship will open its hangars on the sides, releasing swarms of fighters from each side simultaneously. This is the perfect moment to use a bomb in the center and eliminate as many enemies as possible at once.

After dealing with this battalion, pass over or under the large ship, destroying the additional fighters that appear along the way. On the other side, more warships will appear, firing their cannons. Try to destroy the turrets positioned on each one as you pass by them. Next, a group of enemies will appear behind you: perform a roll to bring them to the front and eliminate them. Another salvo of missiles follows, followed by another cruiser which you can fly over to collect a golden ring. The checkpoint ring is also in this area.

After the checkpoint, a pair of ships will block the path and force a choice of route: you can go over or under. The upper route has several waves of enemy aircraft in formation, which is great for chaining charged attacks and racking up hits. Slippy will also appear on this route being chased by a large group of enemies, so be careful. The lower route has more warships with turrets and Shogun Troopers, making it the best choice if you are focused on certain specific challenges.

When the routes meet again, you’ll encounter more warships with cannons firing, a lone Shogun Trooper, and then a pair of large ships that separate, making way for you to pass through. Next come several formations of enemy fighters as you descend between the warships with their cannons firing. A golden ring appears during this descent.

During this section, the Great Fox will contact you. Press the left directional pad to answer, and a supply crate will appear at the end of the lower ship. Go through the arch of this ship to pick up a golden ring, then shoot the crate to receive a bomb or a laser upgrade.

Soon after, the stage changes to free flight mode and you’ll face a pair of Shogun Troopers in open space. They behave the same as the ones you’ve encountered before, but the auto-aim doesn’t work here. Even so, they aren’t a major obstacle. When both fall, the main combat begins.

BOSS FIGHT: SHGUN WARLORD

The Shogun Warlord is essentially a much larger and more powerful version of the Shogun Troopers you faced throughout the mission. He carries a shield and plasma weaponry, and combat takes place entirely in free flight mode. Just like in the previous encounter, auto-aim doesn’t work against him, so you’ll be relying on direct fire and bombs to deal damage.

The boss’s attack pattern is relatively simple: he stops, shoots at you, or charges towards you with a shield charge. The charge is quick, and you must dodge with a barrel roll. The biggest challenge isn’t the damage itself, but keeping track of the boss after he speeds up, because he can disappear from view quickly. Whenever this happens, check the radar immediately to locate his position and use sharp turns to reposition yourself and resume attacks.

There is a particularly valuable moment in this fight: occasionally the Shogun Warlord will land on the ship from which he emerged at the beginning of the encounter. When this happens, he will stand completely still for a few moments, unable to dodge. Take advantage of this moment and unleash everything you have on him, as it is the biggest window of damage in the entire fight.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Sector Y medal requires one hundred and fifty hits. The good news is that among all the fighter formations, turrets on the warships, and Shogun Troopers scattered along the course, it’s quite possible to reach that number. Each Shogun Trooper eliminated with a charged shot is worth two hits.

The most profitable point of the stage is when the large warship opens its hangars and releases swarms of fighters from both sides. Using a bomb in the center at that exact moment clears out the largest number of enemies at once. After the checkpoint, the upper route offers several formations of smaller aircraft that can be chained together with charged shots and locked-on aim, generating very profitable combos. Try to reach the two Shogun Troopers before the boss with at least 131 accumulated hits to ensure the medal is within reach.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

The Sector Y branch occurs only once, around the middle of the mission, when a large battle formation blocks the central passage. You will have to choose between flying over or under this formation. This choice does not alter the final outcome of the mission, but it significantly influences the number of enemies available to take down.

What truly determines where you go after completing Sector Y is your final hit score. If you finish the mission with over one hundred hits, you’ll reach Aquas. If you finish with fewer than one hundred, your destination will be Katina. With this in mind, the upper route at the fork is more advantageous for those who want to accumulate points, as it offers more fighter formations and combo opportunities.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge asks you to find and eliminate a lone red Shogun Trooper. Upon reaching the fork after the checkpoint, choose the lower route. Right at the beginning of this lower area, within Andross’s fleet, this distinctive enemy will appear alone. Be careful not to miss it.

The second challenge requires destroying twelve panels on the sides of enemy ships. The warships have cannons on top, but some also have decorative panels with red and black stripes on the sides of their hulls. You need to shoot and destroy twelve of these panels along the way. Since the ships move quickly, using a bomb near them or activating the brakes to slow down and have more time to aim are good strategies.

The third challenge is to fully upgrade the shields and lasers. To do this, you need three golden rings and two laser upgrades during the mission. The first golden ring is found on an allied ship right at the beginning. The first laser upgrade is dropped by the lone Shogun Trooper that appears in the initial section. The second golden ring appears under the large warship after the hangar opens, and is unlocked by destroying all enemies in that section. The second laser upgrade is dropped by the two Shogun Troopers at the fork in the road. If you still need a third upgrade, the first pair of Shogun Troopers on the lower route also drops one. More golden rings appear between and on the ships in the final section of the stage, when the routes converge.

The fourth challenge, achieving one hundred correct answers, is directly linked to the criteria for reaching Aquas. The scoring tips described in the medals section apply equally here.

The fifth challenge is to eliminate ten or more enemies with a single bomb. The best place to do this is exactly when the large warship opens its hangars on both sides and launches swarms of fighters simultaneously. Position the bomb in the center at that moment and you’ll easily hit that number.

The sixth challenge asks you to form a formation of four ships with your squadron mates and reveal a hidden item. Near the end of the mission, your allies will appear in formation ahead of you. Quickly descend and position your Arwing at the rear of the formation to complete the challenge.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to score one hundred and fifty hits without hitting any teammates. The logic is the same as the tips for the medal, but with extra attention to the position of your allies. When they are on screen, only use shots with a locked aim to avoid hitting them by mistake. In situations where the risk is high, prefer to wait for the right angle instead of firing at will.

The second expert challenge requires thirty turrets from destroyed warships. There are turrets on various ships along the route, but the lower route at the fork has more warships and, consequently, more turrets than the upper route. If that’s your goal, head down at the fork.

The third expert challenge is to eliminate fourteen Shogun Troopers. They appear at various points in the level, but the bottom lane has a higher concentration of them. If you need more targets, this is the way to go.

The fourth expert challenge is to defeat the two Shogun Warriors, the mini-bosses before the final battle, in less than fifteen seconds from when they appear. The free flight mode makes tracking more difficult, so use the radar constantly to know where each one is. Attack the closest one immediately and switch to the second as soon as the first one falls.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy twelve missiles. The missiles appear in two distinct moments during the stage: a first wave right after the initial three Shogun Troopers, and a second wave a little later. Taking down some from the first wave with normal shots and using a bomb in the second wave will yield ten at once. Make up the difference with those you hit in the first wave and the challenge will be complete.

The sixth and most difficult expert challenge is to defeat the Shogun Warlord using only charged shots. Since auto-aim doesn’t work against the boss, you’ll need to charge your shots and aim manually. The best times to hit are when the boss is standing still shooting at you, as he tends to remain motionless for a few seconds in this situation, and especially when he lands on his origin ship and becomes completely still. Be patient, charge your shots well, and only release them when you have a clear angle.

Fichina

Fichina is a strategically important planet for the defense of Corneria, as it’s where classified information from the allied fleet is stored. As soon as you land on this mission, the game immediately enters free flight mode, without any on-rails flight beforehand. The mission is short compared to previous stages, but tense, because you need to act quickly to protect the base from the approaching threat.

The initial objective is to deal with the smaller enemies roaming the area. You don’t need to eliminate them all before the main confrontation occurs: simply destroy some of them or wait about ninety seconds for the real challenge of the level to appear. During this time, thoroughly explore the surrounding environment, as there are several elements scattered throughout the scenery that are relevant to the mission’s challenges. The map is small, but well utilized.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Fichina has an alternate route, which may surprise first-time players. The path you take after the mission depends directly on what happens in the main confrontation. If you manage to defeat the four enemies from the rival group before time runs out and the tower is destroyed, the mission will be successfully completed and you will have access to the planet Solar as your next destination. Otherwise, if they manage to destroy the tower in time, the normal route continues towards Sector X.

BOSS FIGHT: TEAM STAR WOLF

Fichina’s confrontation isn’t exactly a traditional boss fight, but it’s undoubtedly the most intense moment of the stage. The Star Wolf team is the main antagonist of Star Fox, composed of four rival pilots mirroring the structure of their own squadron. Wolf faces Fox, Leon goes after Falco, Pigma pursues Peppy, and Andrew tries to take down Slippy.

The combat dynamics are quite specific. Wolf will constantly be behind you trying to take you down, while the other three chase after your companions. The temptation is to go straight after Wolf, but the problem is that if one of your allies is downed, the enemy who was on top of him will join Wolf, and you will then be chased by two at the same time, which greatly complicates dodging attacks. Therefore, the priority should be protecting your companions before focusing on the enemies chasing them.

A good order in practice is to help Slippy first, then Peppy, and finally Falco, as this is the sequence in which they usually get into trouble. Leon, Pigma, and Andrew are vulnerable to attacks from the side, so try to position yourself laterally to them. When one of them takes a hit, they react with a somersault to try to get away. If you are in a lateral position, you can track the somersault movement with your aim and take advantage of the seconds they are inactive afterward to deliver the final blows. Their health isn’t high, so two or three well-placed hits are enough.

To deal with Wolf specifically, the most efficient technique is to perform repeated rolls when he’s on your tail. Each roll causes you to change position and puts Wolf in front of you for a brief moment. When this happens, wait a second before attacking him so your turbo recharges a bit. That way, when he does his own roll in response to your attack, you can brake and still stay reasonably behind him. Use barrel rolls constantly to dodge shots while maneuvering to reposition yourself.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

Fichina’s medal requires fifty hits, and this is one of the easiest objectives in the entire campaign. The main reason is that each member of the Star Wolf team you personally eliminate is worth eleven hits. Eliminate all four and you already have forty-four hits just from them. The rest come naturally from the smaller enemies that roam the map before and during the main confrontation. You’ll probably reach fifty hits without having to exert much more effort than the mission itself requires.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to defeat all four members of the Star Wolf team. Since Leon, Pigma, and Andrew are busy chasing their allies, you have relatively free access to them. The strategy of approaching from the side and attacking during or shortly after their roll is the most effective. Start attacking from a distance so they take damage before you get close, and keep pressing while they recover from the roll.

The second challenge is to perform a somersault to escape a Star Wolf member who is chasing you. Wolf is the obvious candidate for this, as he’s constantly on your tail. When you notice from the shots coming your way or on the map that he’s right behind you, perform the somersault so he passes you. If the other enemies have already taken down an ally, they will also start chasing you, so keep your teammates alive to avoid complicating the situation.

The third challenge asks you to destroy the eight radar stations scattered across the map. These structures are large black devices visible throughout the area. Each one falls with a single shot. Fly in circles around the map and locate them one by one: some are on open surfaces and others are on or behind rock formations. Even the most hidden ones are relatively easy to identify if you scan the map carefully.

The fourth challenge is to destroy the twenty-six antennas scattered throughout the area. This is the most laborious of the normal mission challenges. The antennas also fall with a single shot each, but there are many of them, distributed throughout the area. The good news is that they appear in groups, so when you find one, look around because there will be more nearby. A useful tip is to count aloud or mentally as you destroy them to know how many are left. Not finding the last one and not knowing how many have already been eliminated is frustrating, so keeping track saves time.

The fifth challenge is to shoot down a squadmate’s target three times. Your allies often chase enemy ships across the map. When you see this happening, intercept the enemy your teammate is chasing and destroy it before they can. They’ll complain that you stole the target, but it’s necessary to complete the challenge. Focus on this in a dedicated round so as not to disrupt the rhythm of the other missions.

The sixth normal challenge is to eliminate all Invader I enemies before completing the mission. These are the smaller fighters that fly around the map at the start of the level. The radar in the corner of the screen shows the position of all of them, which makes tracking them very easy. A charged shot takes down any of them in a single hit. Check the radar constantly and chase down any remaining ones around the map. The challenge indicator will confirm when they have all been eliminated.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to complete the mission without any teammates being downed. The only real risk here is the Star Wolf team. Pay attention to your allies’ calls for help and always prioritize rescuing them before anything else. Protecting the squad is more important than actively pursuing enemies.

The second expert challenge is to save the base without taking damage to your wings. Avoid flying directly into enemy ships, don’t tilt the Arwing vertically close to the ground to avoid crashing, and dodge Wolf’s attacks with constant barrel rolls. Any carelessness can cost you a wing, so keep moving and never stay still in a straight trajectory for too long.

The third expert challenge is to defeat all four members of Star Wolf without performing any flips or U-turns throughout the entire mission. It sounds difficult, but there’s an efficient solution: when Wolf or any other enemy is behind you, repeatedly use the brake until they pass over you. Here, unlike other stages, they don’t brake along with you, so the maneuver works. After braking and letting them pass, quickly move to the side to gain an angle of attack.

The fourth expert challenge is to score sixty hits. Just like with the medal, the Star Wolf members are the main source of points. Focus on taking down all four personally, and the smaller enemies at the beginning of the stage will complete the rest.

The fifth expert challenge is to eliminate any Star Wolf member within thirty seconds of their appearance. As soon as the team appears in the area, immediately go after Leon, Pigma, or Andrew, who are the ones chasing their allies. Position yourself laterally and attack with precision from the start. If the enemy rolls, follow the movement with your aim and don’t stop pressing. Thirty seconds is enough if you act without hesitation from the first moment.

The sixth expert challenge is to defeat a Star Wolf member using a bomb. The most reliable approach is to first damage the chosen enemy with a few laser shots to reduce their shield, then charge the laser, lock onto it, and launch the homing bomb towards them. The bomb will follow the target and finish the job. Any of the four members can be the target, so choose the one who is most exposed at the moment.

Katina

Katina is a planet that can be accessed in two distinct ways: via the alternate Meteo route, passing through the seven warp rings, or coming from Sector Y with fewer than one hundred hits at the end of that mission. The entire stage takes place in free flight mode, without any rail sections, and the scenario is an intense battle around a central structure that you must protect at all costs. Depending on how you fare against the stage boss, the next destination will be Solar or Sector X.

As soon as the mission begins, you’ll be in the middle of a chaotic battle between Bill’s allied forces and Husky Squadron against Andross’s troops. There are many ships flying simultaneously, and it’s crucial to be able to distinguish allies from enemies. Andross’s ships have green trails emanating from them, which easily identifies them. Additionally, you can use auto-aim to confirm if a target is an enemy before firing, as it only locks onto adversaries. If you’re still having trouble, restricting yourself to charged shots with the aim locked completely eliminates the risk of accidentally hitting allies.

After a few minutes of fighting enemies in the area, the large Saucerer ship will appear. It’s the mission boss, and how you deal with it will determine which planet you go to next.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Katina has no internal branching paths along the route, but the post-mission destination changes depending on the outcome of the confrontation with the Saucerer. If you destroy the ship’s core before the timer runs out, you will proceed to Solar. If you fail to destroy it in time, the next destination will be Sector X.

BOSS FIGHT: SAUCERER

The Saucerer is a massive mothership that appears in the area and positions itself above the central structure you are defending. It remains in this position throughout the combat and, by itself, will not directly attack you. The danger lies in what it does periodically: opening the four hatches on the underside of its hull to release enemy reinforcements into the battle area. For the sake of the medal challenge, this is actually convenient for a while, as it ensures a constant stream of enemies for you to take down.

When you’re satisfied with your accumulated score, focus your attacks on the open hatches. You can only damage them while they’re open, so wait for the right moment and fire with everything you’ve got. Destroy all four hatches and the ship’s central core will be revealed, starting a one-minute countdown. At this point, completely ignore any other enemies in the area and direct all your shots at the core until you destroy it.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

Katina’s medal requires one hundred and fifty hits, which may seem like a lot, but in practice it’s one of the most accessible in the game. The secret is simple: as long as the Saucerer is active and you don’t destroy the hatches, it will continue releasing reinforcements indefinitely. This means you have a virtually unlimited source of enemies to take down. Ignore the boss, accumulate your hits, and only then focus on destroying the hatches to complete the mission. There’s no rush until you activate the countdown.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to collect three golden rings during the mission. They appear scattered throughout the area, and some are released by defeating enemies. Keep your eyes open while fighting and collect them as they appear along the way.

The second challenge is to score one hundred and twenty correct answers, which is directly aligned with the score needed for the medal. The scoring tips described above apply fully here.

The third challenge asks you to take down a squadmate’s target three times. Follow one of your allies, observe the enemy they are pursuing, and intercept that target before they destroy it. Three such situations will complete the challenge.

The fourth challenge is to eliminate three or more enemies with a single charged shot. Since enemy ships often move independently, you may need patience and to wait for the moment when several of them approach each other before firing. Lock onto one and release the charged shot when there are more targets grouped nearby. The area becomes busy enough that this opportunity will arise frequently.

The fifth challenge is to destroy all four hatches of the Saucerer. This is a step you’ll naturally perform to defeat the boss. Just make sure all four are eliminated, not just enough to reveal the core, which requires destroying them all anyway.

The sixth challenge is to complete the mission without shooting down more than two allies. The key is to exclusively use charged shots with locked-on auto-aim. This way you’ll never accidentally target an ally. Avoid firing simple lasers in areas with many ships mixed together and always prioritize confirming the target before firing.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to eliminate all Invader II enemies present in the area before the Saucerer begins releasing reinforcements. As soon as the mission starts, immediately focus on locating and destroying all enemy ships in the initial area. Use the radar constantly to identify remaining red dots and pursue each one. When their numbers begin to dwindle, track the last ones across the map and eliminate them before the large ship appears and begins sending more troops.

The second expert challenge is to eliminate five or more enemies with a single bomb. Since the ships tend to disperse across the map, you’ll need patience to identify when a larger group is concentrated in one spot. Once you find this concentration, drop the bomb in the center of the group. Near the central structure and during the most intense waves of reinforcements released by the Saucerer, the chances of encountering larger groups increase considerably.

The third expert challenge is to score one hundred and sixty hits without hitting any allies. The same logic as the medal applies, but with zero tolerance for friendly damage. Rely exclusively on charged shots with locked-on targeting, do not use simple lasers in highly chaotic situations, and wait for the Saucerer to continue releasing reinforcements long enough to accumulate the necessary hits before ending the battle.

The fourth expert challenge is to complete the mission without breaking any wings. Keep moving constantly, use barrel rolls to dodge projectiles, and avoid dense concentrations of enemies unless you’re ready to dodge. With attention to positioning and the defensive use of maneuvers, it’s not difficult to get through the mission unscathed.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy the Saucerer’s core before the timer reaches fifty, meaning in less than ten seconds. Once the four hatches are destroyed and the core appears, move away slightly, perform a U-turn to align directly with the core, and fly towards it firing continuously. Ideally, you should have upgraded lasers to maximize damage, but even with the basic laser it’s possible if the angle of attack is good and you don’t waste firing time.

The sixth expert challenge is to eliminate ten Invader II type enemies within the first twenty seconds of the mission. As soon as the game starts, immediately go after the nearest enemies and attack them in quick succession. Use the radar to locate groups and prioritize those that are more closely packed to maximize kills in the shortest possible time. Twenty seconds is a short window, but enough if you don’t waste time with unnecessary maneuvers right at the beginning.

Waters

Here you don’t pilot the Arwing; instead, the entire mission takes place underwater, and the vehicle you control is the Blue-Marine, the Star Fox team’s submarine. It’s the only level in the entire game that uses this vehicle, making the experience completely different from anything you’ve seen so far. There’s no need to protect teammates during this mission, which takes a considerable weight off your shoulders. Regardless of how you fare, completing Aquas always leads to the planet Zoness as your next destination.

Before getting into the action, it’s worth understanding how the Blue Marine works. It’s slower and less agile than the Arwing, but it can still perform barrel rolls, boost, and brake. The lasers function the same way, can be upgraded, and the auto-aim locks onto enemies automatically. The big difference is that there are no bombs or charged shots: instead, the Blue Marine has unlimited torpedoes mapped to the bomb button. These torpedoes automatically track the enemy in the crosshairs. A valuable tip: the ocean floor gets very dark in several sections, and launching torpedoes ahead serves both to illuminate the path and to damage or push away obstacles and enemies.

The initial part of the mission takes place in clearer water, providing a good introduction to the types of enemies you’ll encounter throughout the level. Giant Clams lie on the ocean floor and open up to fire electric spheres when you approach; destroying them often reveals hidden items and upgrades. Smaller Squids move from side to side or towards you, firing lasers. Giant Squids spin in place and fire lasers in multiple directions simultaneously. In this initial area, there are also three submerged stone arches, and passing through all three unlocks a laser upgrade just below the third arch.

As you progress, the environment gradually darkens. New enemies appear: Fusiform Shells, which rise from the bottom and launch themselves towards you like projectiles, and Starfish that do the same. A fourth stone arch appears shortly after the first encounter with these two types of enemies. Armored Lobsters also appear in this area, and the strategy with them is to use a torpedo to remove the armor and then attack with the laser to finish them off. Giant Yellow Eels swim in the upper part of the area and are quite resistant, but they are worth three hits each, so it’s worth taking the time to destroy them.

Soon after, you’ll enter an area of ​​underwater ruins with stone columns lining the path. You can lock onto them with your scope and destroy them; one of them hides a golden ring. Pay attention and check each column. Near the end of this section, more moving shells appear, along with a different type of enemy: small octopuses that rise from the bottom, float for a moment, and then advance towards you. It’s also in this area that you’ll have your first encounter with a Giant Lanternfish, a very resilient enemy that requires several laser and torpedo hits, but rewards you with three hit points when eliminated.

After leaving the ruins, groups of squid come from both sides, and then a Giant Squid guards the checkpoint ring. Right after the checkpoint, Slippy will warn you that enemies are approaching from behind. At that moment, go down to the bottom to let a Giant Lanternfish pass over you without hitting you. Another one appears a little further ahead with the same pattern. Octopus, squid, and shellfish continue to appear along the way as well.

The next section involves navigating a canyon inhabited by Circuit Jellyfish. Each group consists of three jellyfish connected by a blue electrical wire. Contact with this wire causes damage, so you need to maneuver between or around them. Shooting them makes them turn red and stop moving, making passage much easier. Starfish also appear here to complicate things.

After the jellyfish, the environment becomes extremely dark. Slow down with the brake, climb a little to avoid the bottom, and continuously launch torpedoes ahead to illuminate the path and destroy the rocks that begin to fall from the ceiling. After this section, return to the bottom where there are more clams, lobsters, and Lanternfish. The fifth and final stone arch of the stage is here. Shortly after this area you reach the boss fight.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Aquas is one of the few stages without any internal alternate routes or destination variations. Regardless of what you do during the mission, the next planet will always be Zoness.

BOSS FIGHT: BACOON

The Bacon is a giant clam transformed into a war machine, and combat requires you to work from the outside in, destroying its defenses layer by layer. Initially, the boss keeps its shell closed, and you’ll notice three luminous barnacles on top of the shell. These are the initial weak points. Lock onto the torpedoes and combine laser attacks simultaneously to destroy them more quickly.

During this process, the Bacoon will periodically open its mouth to launch spherical mines in your direction. Destroy them as they approach or dodge them. Barnacles can also spawn snake-like creatures that emerge and swim towards you; shoot them or dodge them.

Once all the barnacles are destroyed, the shell opens, revealing two luminous pillars, one on each side of the central core. Attack each pillar with lasers and torpedoes until it turns gray, then finish it off with a torpedo to destroy it. You can only break one at a time before the boss closes the shell again, so be quick and efficient with each opening. After both pillars are eliminated, the central core is exposed and vulnerable. Throughout this phase, the boss will send a huge number of mines your way, but if you stay close to the center of the screen and keep shooting, you’ll destroy a good portion of them while still managing to damage the boss. Destroying the core ends the fight.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

Aquas’ medal requires 150 hits, and this is probably the most challenging to achieve for those getting used to Blue Marine. Several strategies make a big difference here. The first is to use torpedoes non-stop: they are unlimited, so there’s no reason to conserve them. The second is to brake frequently to have more time to aim at enemies, especially in dark areas. The third is to prioritize Yellow Eels and Lanternfish, which are worth three hits each. The fourth is to try locking torpedoes onto groups of squid to hit several at once. The boss is worth 23 hits in total, so if you reach him with less than 127 hits accumulated, it’s better to restart than continue. Fortunately, restarting doesn’t cost lives and you keep all the upgrades collected.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to destroy all fourteen Giant Clams in the level. They are located at the bottom of the ocean and cannot be ignored without failing the challenge, so always keep an eye on the bottom as you advance. The first two appear just before the first stone arch. The third is between the first and second arches. The fourth is under the third arch and hides a laser upgrade. The fifth and sixth appear just after the fourth arch, one directly ahead and the other to the left of the path, requiring you to brake and move to the side to find them. The seventh and eighth appear in the area with the first Armored Lobster and the first Yellow Eel, one on each side of the path. The ninth is just after the checkpoint, behind a cloud of octopuses rising from the bottom. The tenth is in the Jellyfish Circuit area. The last four are at the bottom of the dark section after the jellyfish, one before the fifth arch and the other three after it.

The second challenge is to get through three groups of Jellyfish Circuit without taking damage. Remember that shooting them paralyzes them, making it easier to cross. You have more than three groups available to try, so you don’t need to be perfect in all of them, just three.

The third challenge asks you to destroy twenty pieces of branching pink coral. They are located on the ocean floor and in the darker areas are identified by the blue glow at the top of the branches. A single laser shot breaks each one. There are more than twenty throughout the level, so it’s possible to miss some, but pay attention to the seabed throughout the mission so as not to compromise the challenge.

The fourth challenge is to destroy five stone columns in the underwater ruins area. Lock onto the target and shoot five of them as you move through the area. It’s simple and can be done naturally while you explore the location.

The fifth challenge is to pass through the five stone arches of the stage. The first three are at the beginning of the mission, in the most illuminated area. The fourth appears before the ruins, after the first encounter with Fusiform Shells and Starfish. The fifth is in the dark section after the Jellyfish Circuit, near the end of the stage.

The sixth challenge is to score one hundred and twenty-five correct answers, which is directly linked to the medal score. The tips described in the medal section apply fully here.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to reach Bacoon without using any lasers or torpedoes throughout the entire level. This means you cannot attack any enemies. Constantly maneuver to dodge projectiles, keep an eye on each enemy’s attack patterns, and use barrel rolls whenever shots are approaching. It’s one of the most demanding challenges in the mission because you are completely vulnerable throughout the entire course.

The second expert challenge is to accumulate one hundred hits before taking any damage. Apply the same scoring tactics as for the medal, but pay extra attention to dodging. Barrel rolls, sideways maneuvers, and slowing down in the most dangerous sections are crucial to maintaining integrity while still accumulating hits.

The third expert challenge is to defeat Bacoon in under seventy seconds. With a few tries, you’ll learn the boss’s patterns and be able to react more quickly in each phase of the fight. Combine lasers and torpedoes simultaneously on all weak points to maximize damage in each attack window.

The fourth expert challenge is to destroy all twenty-one Fusiform Shells in the level. They rise from the bottom in groups and advance towards you without the possibility of automatic aiming, so you will need to use the manual laser to destroy them. They appear in four different locations: after the first Giant Squid in a narrow canyon, near the beginning of the ruins, near the end of the ruins, and in the Jellyfish Circuit gorge.

The fifth expert challenge is to defeat all twenty-five Glowing Squids. There are two types: smaller ones that appear in groups and move sideways or towards you, and larger ones that remain relatively stationary and rotate, firing lasers in various directions. The larger ones are worth two hits each. None of them are in hidden locations, so simply don’t let any pass by without being destroyed throughout the entire level.

The sixth expert challenge is to eliminate the four Giant Lanternfish. The first appears halfway through the ruins area. The second appears right after the checkpoint. The third appears shortly after, coming from behind as Slippy warns. The fourth is in the dark section after the Jellyfish Circuit, before the boss. When each one appears, temporarily ignore the other enemies around you and concentrate all your attacks on it until you eliminate it.

Sector X

Sector X can be reached in two ways: completing Fichina via the standard route without eliminating enemies before the bomb explodes, or coming from Katina without destroying the Saucerer before the timer runs out. The setting for this mission is an old, destroyed Andross base, filled with asteroids, shipwrecks, and debris floating everywhere. Sector X is special within the campaign because it’s the only stage that offers three different destinations at the end: Titania, Macbeth, and Sector Z, and the path you take depends entirely on your actions here.

As soon as the mission begins, enter through the door in front of you and prepare yourself: a large wave of fighter jets will appear immediately. Then, smaller groups will begin to emerge from behind you. Upon reaching the next door, another swarm will appear from behind; turn to deal with them before continuing. The next tunnel is full of proximity mines that explode when you approach. A bomb dropped in the middle of the minefield resolves the entire situation at once, and also completes one of the mission’s challenges.

As you progress through the tunnel, you’ll encounter the first SX Lasers, turrets mounted on the walls, and Spy Eyes, octopus-shaped ships fixed to the structures. After this tunnel, the level opens into a larger area where you need to maneuver around large fragments of wreckage. When the debris is left behind, a golden ring appears in the upper left corner, and Spy Eyes emerge on both sides of the path. Golden, bee-like ships may also appear in this area if you advance quickly enough; they are worth three hits each, so it’s worth the effort.

Upon reaching the end of this area, the doors ahead close and a giant robotic arm bursts open, creating a passage. This arm belongs to the level’s boss, whom you will encounter shortly. The checkpoint ring is located here.

After the checkpoint, Peppy will get into trouble and advance ahead of you. Destroy the enemies that are chasing him. In the next section, debris blocks the center of the path, with Spy Eyes on both sides and a golden ring on the right. Soon after, the level splits into two paths, left and right. If you destroy the three Spy Eyes at this fork, they will release a laser upgrade.

The choice between left and right does not determine the destination planet after Sector X, but it does influence the possibility of accessing Sector Z and has a direct impact on the number of enemies available for scoring.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

The fork in Sector X is the most important point in the entire stage. The left path is less crowded with enemies, but it’s the only one that provides access to the alternate route to Sector Z. Following the left path, you’ll find a route with moving metal walls and doors that close, blocking the passage. The highlight is four large metal portals: shoot each one to open it and then go through them. If you go through all four portals in sequence, you’ll be launched into a warp drive corridor that leads directly to Sector Z. There are golden rings just before the second and fourth portals. Immediately after the fourth portal, the routes rejoin.

The path to the right doesn’t provide access to Sector Z, but it has a much larger number of enemies in small formations and turrets on the walls and platforms, making it the best option for those who want to rack up hits. On this route you will also receive a call from Great Fox, and if you answer, a supply crate will be sent. Peppy will also need help in this section. The two routes converge at the same point shortly after another breach by the robotic arm.

In summary, the three possible destinations are: Sector Z, if you go left and pass through the four portals; Macbeth, if you defeat the stage boss quickly before he hits Slippy; and Titania, if you take too long in the fight against the boss and Slippy is knocked down.

BOSS FIGHT: SPYBORG

Spyborg is a gigantic robot described as a rogue artificial intelligence. It consists of a head, a torso, and two arms, the latter of which have appeared earlier in the level breaking down doors, making it clear that they function independently of the main body. How long it takes you to defeat it determines which planet you go to next: if you defeat it before it hits Slippy, the next destination is Macbeth; if you take too long and Slippy is defeated, you go to Titania.

In the first phase of combat, Spyborg has two main attack patterns. He will try to hit you with his arms in sequence, first one and then the other, or he will extend both arms forward and fire them at you like projectiles. Dodge both situations. The weak point in this phase is the bright yellow eyes on his head. No other part of his body takes damage, so concentrate all your shots there. When the head spins, stop trying to damage it and focus only on dodging until it stops again.

After depleting the first health bar, the boss will appear defeated for a few moments before respawning for the second phase. New attacks are introduced here: he can grab a large piece of debris and throw it at you, occupying a good portion of the screen; move quickly to the edges to dodge. He can also approach by spinning both arms in vertical circles; position yourself between his arms to avoid being hit. Another attack involves extending his arms to the sides and spinning his body; in this case, you need to move up or down to get out of his reach.

In the second phase, the original head disappears and a smaller head with a central red eye appears in its place. This eye is the new weak point. Continue attacking it until the battle ends.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Sector X medal requires 150 hits, and there’s plenty of room to accumulate them throughout the level. Right at the start, a bomb in the large wave of fighters and another in the minefield generate a huge volume of hits in just a few seconds. Also take advantage of the golden bee-shaped ships, which are worth three hits each. Using the brake to slow down in sections with many enemies gives you more time to aim and allows you to use charged shots with locked-on targeting in entire formations, multiplying your hits. At the fork in the path, the right path is much more advantageous for those aiming for a high score, as it concentrates many more enemies in smaller formations, ideal for chained charged shots. The boss is worth eleven hits, so try to reach him with at least 139 accumulated hits. Restarting doesn’t cost lives, and you keep the upgrades you’ve collected.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to defeat Spyborg using hyper lasers. To do this, you need to collect two laser upgrades during the stage and keep both wings intact until the boss fight. The first upgrade is dropped by the three Spy Eyes in the tunnel just after the minefield. The second is dropped by the three Spy Eyes at the fork in the path. Collect both, preserve the wings, and reach the boss with the lasers at maximum level.

The second challenge is to find the hidden wormhole. It’s the same warp drive portal described in the alternate routes: take the left path at the fork, shoot the four metal portals to open them, and go through all four in sequence to be launched into the warp corridor.

The third challenge is to score one hundred and twenty correct answers, which is directly aligned with the criteria for the medal. The tips above apply fully here.

The fourth challenge is to collect five golden rings during the mission. There are more than five available along the way. The first is in the starting area, inside a specific wave-shaped formation of ships: destroy all the ships in this formation to release the ring. The second is behind debris in the upper left corner of the large room after the mine tunnel. The third is released by destroying the golden bee-shaped ship in the same room. The fourth is on the right side of the debris column in the center of the path just after the checkpoint. The fifth and sixth are on the left path at the fork, one before the first portal and the other before the fourth portal. The seventh appears just before reaching the boss, after defeating another golden bee-shaped ship.

The fifth challenge is to destroy ten proximity mines with a single bomb. After the first waves of enemies, you will enter a tunnel with reddish lighting, and Peppy will warn you about the mines ahead. Drop a bomb in the center of the minefield, and the challenge will be completed automatically.

The sixth challenge is to destroy twenty SX Laser turrets in a single attempt. Although there are turrets on both paths, the right side of the fork has a much higher concentration than the left. If that’s your goal, choose the right path at the fork to ensure you get the required number.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to find a hidden item in a secret corridor. To access it, take the left fork and at the beginning of that path look for an opening in the right wall. It’s difficult to spot, but a flickering light inside indicates its presence. Enter and follow the narrow corridor to the end to find a laser upgrade.

The second expert challenge is to defeat Spyborg before Slippy is taken down. This is the same criterion that leads to the Macbeth fate. The solution is to go straight for the boss’s weak point in each phase of the fight without wasting time, using the best lasers available and attacking relentlessly in the windows where the weak point is exposed.

The third expert challenge is to complete the left-hand path in sixty seconds or less without breaking any wings. In expert mode, any contact with walls causes wing loss, making the obstacle course with moving doors especially demanding. Use turbo in open sections and turn it off for precise maneuvering in closed sections. Time the doors perfectly and pass through them at the right moment.

The fourth expert challenge is to complete the entire mission without taking any damage. Keep moving constantly, use barrel rolls to dodge projectiles, and plan each maneuver in advance so you’re not surprised by enemies or debris along the way.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy fifteen Spy Eyes. They are present in various parts of the level, and there are many more than fifteen in total. Simply destroy them as they appear along the way until you reach the required number.

The sixth expert challenge is to eliminate thirty ships within the warp corridor. To do this, you need to go left at the fork and pass through the four portals to be launched into the warp corridor towards Sector Z. This corridor has a generous number of enemies, more than enough for thirty kills, but the environment is chaotic with moving obstacles. It may take a few tries to learn the route and manage to eliminate all thirty without losing momentum.

Solar

Solar is the magma planet of the Lylat System, and it’s also the sun of that system, which explains why it’s positioned right in the center of the map. There are no alternative routes here: anyone who reaches Solar always goes to Macbeth at the end of the mission. The environment is absolutely hostile from the first to the last second, and you’ll need constant vigilance to survive.

The main characteristic of Solar that sets it apart from all other stages is the continuous damage your ship suffers simply by being in the environment. The planet’s heat damages the Arwing constantly, without pause. To make matters worse, the lower you fly, the faster this damage accumulates. Therefore, the number one rule in Solar is to fly as high as possible throughout the entire stage, staying close to the top of the screen.

To compensate for the constant damage, Solar will continually hurl volcanic rocks at you. Destroying them causes them to drop silver rings to replenish your shield, and sometimes a gold ring also appears. In addition to the rocks, enemies called Gores, magma birds, also drop items when eliminated, including bombs. Therefore, destroying rocks and taking down Gores is not just a matter of scoring points, it’s a matter of survival.

There are two additional dangers that require extra caution. The first are the plasma waves that periodically rise from the surface. They cover almost the entire screen, leaving only a small space where you can safely position yourself. Always be prepared to move quickly when a wave appears. A bomb thrown onto a plasma wave will completely dissolve it, but use this feature judiciously as bombs are valuable in other situations. The second danger are solar flares, thin trails of plasma that rise and fall vertically across the screen. They are difficult to see because they have an almost transparent, light red color, so they require constant attention. Do not touch them.

Gores fly towards you at low speed, making them not very threatening individually, but they often appear in large groups emerging from within the plasma waves, which can catch you off guard if you’re near the surface during a wave. One of the great advantages of encountering a swarm of them is that a bomb dropped into the middle of the group causes several of them to drop bombs as they fall, easily replenishing your stock.

BOSS FIGHT: VULCAIN

Vulcain is a colossal, praying mantis-like monster made of magma, and it’s one of the most unpredictable bosses in the game. Its attacks have a surprising range, as the area hit is often larger than the visual movement suggests.

The most common attack at the start of the fight is the arm sweep. Vulcain raises one arm and strikes in your direction; when this happens, move to the opposite side of the arm being used. The boss’s initial weak points are precisely its arms, especially the thinner parts. Focus your attacks there. During the fight, it will also spit rocks at you; destroy them to recover shield points.

Periodically, Vulcain will dive back into the magma and reappear further down. In this position, it attacks from a distance, spitting rocks and firing those thin, stream-like solar flares you’re familiar with from the level. Wait for it to re-emerge and resume attacking its arms.

When both arms are destroyed, the boss’s weak point becomes its mouth. Without its arms, the attack pattern changes: Vulcain begins to spin endlessly, launching orbs of magma around itself. Position yourself in the spaces between the orbs to avoid damage while continuing to attack the mouth each time it faces you.

When the boss is low on health, he unleashes two final attacks. The first is a dive: he retreats, jumps high, and falls back into the magma, creating a gigantic wave that sweeps across almost the entire screen. The only safe position to survive this attack is the upper right corner of the screen, as close to the edge as possible. Moving to the left side is not enough to avoid the impact. The second attack creates a magma spiral with a long range, but it mainly hits the center of the screen. Stay near the edges when you see this pattern.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

Solar’s medal requires one hundred hits, and although that seems like a reasonable number, the stage doesn’t have as many enemies as previous ones. The secret lies in taking advantage of Gores’ moments of heightened concentration with charged shots to hit several enemies at once.

Two moments are crucial for scoring. The first is right after the checkpoint: Falco will appear being chased by a huge horde of Gores. Use a bomb immediately to clear the entire group at once. Shortly after, Slippy will need help, so take care of that before continuing. The second moment is right after receiving a message from the Great Fox: a huge horde of Gores will come up from the bottom of the screen. This is the point with the highest concentration of enemies in the entire level. Have bombs ready and use them as soon as the horde appears to guarantee a large number of hits at once. Taking advantage of these two moments with well-placed bombs is the most efficient way to reach the goal of one hundred hits.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to score eighty correct answers, which is a lower number than required for the medal. The same strategies described above work here, and you will likely complete this challenge automatically when going for the medal.

The second challenge is to complete the level without taking damage from direct contact with the plasma surface or the waves. This means you cannot touch the magma or be hit by the waves rising from the ground. Thin stream solar flares do not count towards this challenge, so don’t worry about them in this specific context. Always fly high, anticipate the waves, and move to safe space when they appear. Using bombs to dissipate the waves is an option, but carefully consider whether bombs are more necessary at other times.

The third challenge is to destroy twenty-five enemies or rocks using bombs. You start with three bombs, and the Gores drop more as they are eliminated. The two large Gore swarms described in the medal tips are the best times to throw bombs and rack up eliminations. There’s also a moment right after the Great Fox makes contact where a swarm appears on the right side of the screen: take advantage of this instant to use a bomb and add more targets to your tally.

The fourth challenge is to complete the mission without letting your shield meter reach zero. This requires you to constantly destroy rocks and Gores to collect the recovery rings they drop. Fly high to reduce passive damage and never let your shield drop to a critical point without taking immediate action.

The fifth challenge is to collect forty supply rings. They are dropped by both Gores and volcanic rocks. If you reach the boss without having collected all forty, take advantage of the fact that Vulcain spits out many rocks during the fight. Destroy them calmly to collect the remaining rings while the fight is happening, without rushing to end the battle.

The sixth challenge is to dissolve five plasma waves using bombs before reaching Vulcain. When a bomb hits a wave, it dissolves from the inside out, starting at the point of impact and spreading outwards. You start with three bombs, so you’ll need to collect two more throughout the level to complete the challenge. Taking down groups of Gores is the most reliable way to replenish your bomb supply.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to destroy forty rocks using only simple laser shots, without charged shots or bombs. This challenge requires a round dedicated exclusively to it. Do not use bombs on the rocks during this attempt and save your charged shots to help your teammates when needed. An important detail: some larger rocks, when destroyed, fragment into smaller pieces that also count towards the goal. Do not stop shooting when this happens.

The second expert challenge is to collect six bombs during the level. Gores are the main source, and sometimes rocks also drop a bomb when destroyed. Shoot down flocks of birds frequently and collect the bombs that fall. It’s not necessary to collect them all at once, just get past the mark of six collected in total during the level.

The third expert challenge is to defeat Vulcain in fifty-five seconds or less. To do this, you need to enter the fight with fully upgraded lasers. Attack the arms relentlessly, destroy them as quickly as possible, and immediately move to the mouth as soon as both fall. Use all available bombs to maximize damage. During the boss’s spin, continue shooting at the mouth every time it faces you, without pausing.

The fourth expert challenge is to reach Vulcain without collecting any supply rings, except when the shield meter is in the red zone. This requires constant attention to the meter throughout the entire stage. You’ll want to let the shield drop to the red zone before picking up any rings, which is risky given the continuous environmental damage. Dedicate an entire round to this challenge alone, without trying to complete others simultaneously.

The fifth expert challenge is to eliminate twenty-five Gores. Since they appear in large groups throughout the entire level, simply using bombs on the larger groups will allow you to reach this number with relative ease.

The sixth expert challenge is to defeat Vulcain without taking any damage during the fight. This directly complements the fifty-five second challenge: be quick, precise, and always move to a safe position before any of the boss’s attacks reach you. Memorize the patterns of each attack, especially the dive that requires the upper right corner, and react in advance instead of at the last moment.

Zones

Zoness is accessible after completing the Aquas mission. The planet is an aquatic world just like Aquas, but this time you return to the cockpit of the Arwing and fly above the ocean’s surface, making the experience much more familiar than the dive in the previous stage. The destination after Zoness, whether it’s Sector Z or Macbeth, depends entirely on how you deal with the radar buoys scattered along the way.

The mission begins with a storm-torn sea. Right away you’ll encounter mechanical birds that cross the area without directly attacking, but serve as environmental landmarks. More important are the small robots that leap out of the water, fire energy spheres, and dive back in: each one is worth five hits and also releases a bomb when destroyed, so don’t let them get past you. Shortly after, there’s a crane arm with a cargo container hanging from it; destroy it to release a golden ring. Immediately following that, the first Kani appears, a giant crab that glides across the water’s surface without attacking you, but is worth two hits for doing so.

At this point in the course you will encounter the most important element of the entire mission: the radar buoys with spotlights. They are distributed throughout the entire level, and each one destroyed is worth two hits. But their role goes far beyond scoring. If you are detected by any of them or leave one undestroyed, your destination after the mission will be Macbeth. If you destroy them all without being detected even once, you open the path to Sector Z. Therefore, use the brake frequently to have more time to aim, lock the charged shot, and eliminate each buoy before it shines its beam of light on you.

After the first group of buoys, there are more around metal platforms, along with two more Kani coming from the sides. Next, Slippy will need help: destroy the creatures that are following him before continuing. Z-Shrimp, small shrimp that jump out of the water for brief moments, also appear in this area. If you don’t act fast, they disappear before you can aim. Use charged shots as soon as the auto-aim locks onto them to increase your chances of hitting two at once.

One of the birds will appear behind you in this section. Perform a somersault to get over it and then destroy it: three items will appear lined up in front of you: a bomb, a silver ring, and a gold ring. With a well-timed somersault, it’s possible to collect two or three of them at the same time.

As you approach the second group of radar buoys, an ally named Katt will appear to help. She will assist in destroying the buoys, but if you want to maintain complete control and avoid detection, keep an eye out and eliminate the buoys yourself before any beam of light reaches the Arwing.

Soon after, Todora appears, a huge creature resembling a sea dragon. There’s no way to defeat it, so don’t waste ammunition trying. It will appear as an obstacle at least three different times throughout the level: carefully pass under it and move on. During the section with the buoys where Todora appears repeatedly, Katt will also call for help. Help her when she crosses in front of you.

Immediately after this section is the checkpoint ring. Next comes a new buoy zone, and it’s in this area that the boss’s periscope will first appear above the water. Shoot it to knock it away. There’s also a door with wheels on the sides: shoot the wheels to raise it and collect the laser upgrade behind it. In the next pair of doors, there’s another buoy hidden behind the right side, and a silver ring is behind the next one. Destroy the cargo container right after to release another golden ring. The Great Fox will make contact in this area; respond with the left directional pad and a supply crate will appear ahead. Shoot it to get an extra bomb.

The next section has several cargo barges with containers on deck. Destroy them to collect hidden items. The last ship in this formation has a golden ring. Small formations of enemy fighters also appear in this section, good targets for chained charged fire.

When Slippy flies ahead and dives under the metal platforms ahead, follow him. A laser upgrade will appear as a reward for keeping up with him. On the surrounding platforms there are more containers, parked fighters that can be hit with charged shots or bombs, and the first patrol boats, which will appear in greater numbers as you advance.

Beyond the platforms, there’s another crane with a container and a golden ring inside. Keep destroying the patrol boats that keep appearing. The last radar buoy zone is the densest, and right after it, the ocean becomes full of red barrel mines. You can shoot them, but they don’t award points. The boss fight begins shortly after.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

The allocation of destinations in Zoness doesn’t happen during the mission itself, but is determined by the outcome of your entire journey. The criterion is simple and absolute: destroy all radar buoys throughout the mission without being detected by any of them to proceed to Sector Z. If any buoy detects you or if you leave one standing at the end, the destination will be Macbeth. There is no middle ground: perfect performance with the buoys is necessary to guarantee the alternate route.

BOSS FIGHT: SARUMARINE

The Sarumarine is a naval vehicle with diving capabilities. Its central structure is connected to two lateral sections, each equipped with a cannon and a mine launcher that fire continuously while above the surface. The central section also has a heavy iron ball that is periodically launched in its direction.

From time to time the boss dives, leaving only the periscope visible. In this position, he throws the iron ball several times in succession before emerging again.

The key to this fight lies in the bombs. The Sarumarine is practically immune to direct laser damage, but vulnerable to explosions. The good news is that shooting the cannonballs it fires almost always results in a bomb for you, so you can replenish your stock while fighting. The mines it launches sometimes release silver rings when destroyed.

The initial target is the exhaust pipes on top of the ship’s central section. Destroy them with bombs while dodging the iron ball and shooting the cannonballs to protect yourself and resupply. After the pipes, go after the cannons and mine launchers in the side sections. The boss will also spin and use the crane to attack; a bomb will resolve this situation.

With the cannons, crane, and two side assemblies destroyed, the central armor falls, and the core begins firing rapid laser bursts and launching the iron ball in accelerated sequence, with very short intervals between throws. In this final phase, continue shooting down the cannonballs to accumulate bombs and use them directly on the core until the combat ends.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Zoness medal requires two hundred and fifty correct answers, the second highest requirement in the entire campaign. The stage is one of the longest in the game, offering plenty of room to accumulate points, but demands an active approach throughout.

Radar buoys are worth two hits each, and there are over thirty scattered throughout the level, totaling more than sixty hits with them alone, provided you are not detected. If detected, this value drops to one hit per buoy and more enemies appear, but the gain from the extra enemies does not compensate for the loss in buoy points. Kani are worth three hits each. The small jumping robots at the beginning are worth five hits each and also drop bombs, so they are a top priority. Use the brake frequently to have more time to aim, especially in sections with many enemy formations, and use chained charged shots on these formations. In the cargo barge area, use bombs freely as the containers often hide more bombs to replenish your stock. The boss is worth eleven hits, so try to reach him with at least two hundred and thirty-nine accumulated hits. If you don’t reach that number, restart without losing lives or upgrades.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to hit the Sarumarine’s periscope every time it appears. If you stealthily destroy all the buoys without being detected, the periscope will only appear once, just before the gates with rotating wheels. Hit it at that moment and the challenge will be completed after the third gate. Combining this challenge with destroying all the buoys without detection is the most efficient strategy, as it simplifies both at the same time.

The second challenge is to destroy all the cargo containers in the mission. They appear hanging from cranes over the ocean, stacked on barges, and scattered across metal platforms. None of them are in a hidden position, but there’s quite a lot going on around some of them. When focused on this challenge, ignore distractions and prioritize the containers.

The third challenge is to destroy all the radar buoys without being detected by any of them. This is precisely the criterion for opening the path to Sector Z. The only buoy that is more difficult to reach is behind one of the rotating wheel gates: shoot the top of the wheel to lift it, and the buoy will be accessible from the other side.

The fourth challenge is to collect two supply rings and a bomb with a single somersault before reaching Sarumarine. Near the start of the mission, one of the birds will appear behind you. Shortly after, three items—a silver ring, a gold ring, and a bomb—will appear lined up vertically in front of you. Perform a somersault at the right moment to pass through all three and collect them simultaneously.

The fifth challenge is to follow Slippy and reveal a hidden item. When he flies ahead of you and descends under the metal platforms in the storage area near the end of the level, follow him along that path to unlock a laser upgrade as a reward.

The sixth challenge is to defeat the three Kani. The first appears right at the beginning, near some rocks. The second and third arrive from the left and right as you pass the first metal extraction platforms. Stay alert and shoot each one as soon as it appears.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to pass under three rotating wheel gates without taking any damage. After the checkpoint, you will find a sequence of these gates. For each one, shoot the top of the wheel next to the door to raise it and then pass underneath. Repeat the process on three consecutive gates without taking any hits.

The second expert challenge is to perform a somersault under Todora twice. The creature appears at three different points throughout the mission, so you have more than one chance. When it appears and passes over your path, position the Arwing below it and perform the somersault to pass under the dragon’s body. Repeat a second time on any of the subsequent appearances.

The third expert challenge is to score two hundred and seventy hits, which goes beyond the medal requirement. The same strategies apply here, but with even less room for error. Take advantage of every opportunity for a chained charged shot and don’t let any buoy or enemy get past without being eliminated.

The fourth expert challenge is to destroy all radar buoys using only charged shots with a locked-on sight without being detected. The logic is the same as the equivalent normal challenge, but here the attack method is restricted. Use the brake constantly to have time to charge the shot and lock onto each buoy before the beam of light reaches you.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy thirty patrol boats. They start appearing in the second half of the level and are especially concentrated near the cargo barges at the end of the course. If you need more targets, being detected by the radar buoys will cause more boats to appear, which can be useful exclusively for this challenge in a dedicated round.

The sixth expert challenge is to eliminate ten Z-Shrimp. They leap out of the water quickly at various points in the mission and disappear before you can react if you’re not prepared. In the areas where they usually appear, keep your aim ready and fire with a charged shot as soon as the auto-aim locks on. With good accuracy, it’s possible to hit two at once with a single shot.

Titania

In Titania you pilot the Landmaster, the Star Fox team’s flying tank, and it’s one of the most unique stages in the entire campaign. The planet is a vast desert covered in ruins, with visibility constantly compromised by dust and the arrangement of obstacles. There are no alternative routes here: reaching Titania means you’re on the most accessible path in the game, and the next destination will always be the same regardless of what you do during the mission.

As soon as you land, you’ll immediately notice that the stone columns scattered around the area are falling. They tip to one side, so pay attention to the direction of each fall and position yourself accordingly. Some of them have hidden supplies right behind them: if you want to collect them, quickly power up before the column falls on the item, use the hover to pass over them, or simply go to the opposite side of the column. Another constant danger is the landmines scattered across the ground. They have a very bright red and green coloration, so they are visually identifiable from afar. Destroy them with a laser shot before approaching, pass over them with the hover, or simply avoid their trajectory. The damage they cause is considerable, so don’t underestimate any of them.

After the checkpoint, the environment changes drastically. A sandstorm takes over everything, and your squadmates retreat, leaving you completely alone with extremely reduced visibility. Flying enemies begin to appear in greater numbers in this section. Soon after, you enter a narrow ravine where enemies positioned on the sides throw rocks at you. Keep moving constantly and shoot those you manage to hit. Upon exiting the ravine, you are already in the boss area.

BOSS FIGHT: GORAS

Goras is the boss of Titania, and despite his imposing appearance, the combat is straightforward. He has four arms, and one of them is holding Slippy. If you’re attempting the challenge of not hitting Slippy during the fight, pay close attention before each shot. The recommended strategy is to focus on the other three arms first, as the boss will automatically release Slippy when all three are destroyed. Caution: as soon as Goras releases him, Slippy tends to fly right into your line of fire, so hold your shot for a moment to avoid accidentally hitting him before attacking the fourth arm.

The arms are Goras’ weak point in this first stage. They attack in two ways: the pincer-shaped claws fire projectiles in your direction, and the scythe-shaped arms attempt to impale the Landmaster. Neither is particularly difficult to avoid with constant movement.

Once all four arms are destroyed, the boss changes pattern and begins firing an energy beam from its mouth. The weak point is now the center of the chest, so direct your attacks there while keeping an eye on the beam to dodge. Goras has the ability to regenerate destroyed limbs, so if this happens, destroy the arms again and return to attacking the chest until the fight ends.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

Titania’s medal requires one hundred and fifty hits, a relatively achievable number given the volume of flying enemies present in the stage. Use bombs to deal with the aerial groups, as aiming upwards at the Landmaster requires a control adjustment that can be uncomfortable. Landmines don’t count towards the score, so don’t destroy them thinking about hits; do it only to protect yourself. The large enemies that appear early in the course are worth four hits each, and there are several of them. The laser turrets that appear halfway through the stage are also worth four hits each. These are easy points that accumulate quickly with little effort. If you need to choose between dodging an enemy and shooting at it, always prioritize attacking.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to score one hundred and twenty correct answers, which is directly aligned with the score needed for the medal. The tips above apply fully here.

The second challenge is to reach Goras without touching any landmines. Since they are visually striking with their bright colors, it’s easy to identify them in advance. Destroy them from a distance with the laser when they are in your path, use the hover to pass over them, or simply deviate from their trajectory.

The third challenge is to eliminate twenty flying enemies using only simple laser shots, without charged shots. The Landmaster has a natural tendency to tilt his aim downwards, which makes hitting aerial targets a bit more difficult than usual. Pay attention to aiming and frequently fire at the waves of flying enemies that appear throughout the stage.

The fourth challenge is to defeat Goras without hitting Slippy. As mentioned before, focus on the three arms that aren’t holding him, wait for the boss to release him after destroying the other three, and then be careful when aiming at the fourth arm. Slippy will cross your line of fire shortly after being released, so hold your shot for a moment.

The fifth challenge is to collect all eight golden rings in the stage. The first appears right at the beginning of the stage, behind a falling pillar with a bomb in front of it; look between the two columns to locate it. The second and third appear together: stand on the left side of the passage, grab the first ring and immediately perform a barrel roll to the right to reach the second before it goes out of reach. The fourth appears just after the checkpoint, next to a pillar that will fall right in front of you. The fifth is under a stone arch on the right side, after the area of ​​falling pillars has ended. The sixth is on top of a cliff to your right, just after the fifth. The seventh and eighth appear together outside the ravine, just when Slippy makes contact asking for help.

The sixth challenge is to destroy the three laser turrets. Peppy will warn you about them as you progress. They are large structures that fire energy beams in your direction. Use charged shots and homing bombs to destroy them efficiently. The three appear in sequence, one after the other, so keep the brake pressed to have time to aim at each one without passing too quickly.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is using hover to escape Goras’ tail sweep. This particular attack is easier to do after you’ve destroyed the three arms and the boss has released Slippy, but before destroying the fourth arm. In this situation, keep the fourth arm intact for a moment and wait for Goras to prepare to spin with its tail. As soon as you notice the movement, activate hover immediately to take off from the ground, and the tail will pass underneath without hitting you.

The second expert challenge is to complete the mission without colliding with any falling stone pillars. Maintain a safe distance from each pillar and anticipate the direction of the fall before advancing. Do not attempt to collect items that are too close to the unstable pillars to avoid jeopardizing the challenge. The hover can be used to pass over a falling pillar, but be careful not to collide with it on the way down.

The third expert challenge is to destroy sixty thorny cacti. These are the ball-shaped structures stuck on a stick that appear scattered throughout the stage. There are far more than sixty along the way, so shoot every one you see without hesitation.

The fourth expert challenge is to eliminate forty enemies using bombs. Zones with many flying enemies are the best opportunities for this. Remember that the criterion is forty enemies eliminated, not forty hits, so more resistant enemies still count as a single kill each.

The fifth expert challenge is to defeat the five Desert Crawlers using only simple laser shots, without charges or bombs. They are the large enemies that appear right at the beginning of the stage, and the weak point of each one is the luminous lower part of their body. Freeze to have more time to aim and shoot quickly at the glowing part as soon as it becomes exposed.

The sixth expert challenge is to destroy eight Jumping Bombs. They appear right after the Desert Crawlers and have an appearance reminiscent of a cross between a chest and a frog. When you shoot them, they jump and explode. You can also simply approach them and they will explode on their own upon detecting the Landmaster. Either method counts towards the challenge, as long as all eight are destroyed.

Macbeth

Macbeth is the central world where Andross produces most of his war machines, and it’s also one of the two stages where you pilot the Landmaster. Unlike the Arwing, the Landmaster cannot fly freely, but it possesses unique maneuvers that are fundamental to surviving and completing the stage’s objectives. Holding both triggers simultaneously activates the hover, which lifts the Landmaster off the ground and allows it to pass over obstacles. Pressing only one trigger moves the machine laterally quickly. There’s also a version of the barrel roll, more limited than the Arwing’s, but useful in the right situations.

The central concept of Macbeth is chasing a giant train that dumps tons of rocks and obstacles in your path as it travels along the tracks. These rocks cause damage if you are hit, but each one you destroy counts as a hit, so shoot them continuously. You can use bombs to clear larger groups of rocks at once, but consider saving your bombs for the flying enemies that frequently appear in the first half of the level.

The mission is divided into two clearly distinct parts. The first is dominated by aerial enemies and rocks dropped by the train. The second begins after a tunnel where you need to use the hover to get over the barriers, and it is in this half that the alternate route can be unlocked.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Macbeth’s alternate route is the most elaborate in the entire game. After passing through the tunnel and the checkpoint, you’ll enter a section with gates that open and close. Some open automatically as you approach, others need to be hit with a shot to move, and some alternate between open and closed automatically. Use the turbo and brake to time your passage through each one carefully.

What you really need to do in this section is activate eight rail locks scattered along the course. Peppy will mention these locks as you progress. Each one is large and visible, and a single shot is enough to activate each one. When activated, they turn green. Warning: do not shoot each one more than once to avoid deactivating it again.

The first two locks are on the right side of the tracks and are easy to spot. The third appears just after on the left, and the fourth is on the right, above some boxes. If possible, brake a little to have time to hit both without passing through them. The fifth is on the left, just after a gate on the right. The sixth is on the right, behind a gate that needs to be opened with a shot. Be careful not to shoot it twice when opening the gate. The seventh and eighth are the most difficult. Both are behind barricades, one on each side of the tracks. The one on the left can be hit when the train moves forward and clears the view. The one on the right requires you to destroy the barricade first to hit the lock behind it. If you saved Falco during the level, he will help you hit this last one, which makes it much easier. Otherwise, use the brake to slow down, destroy the barricade quickly, and hit the lock.

With all eight locks activated, proceed to the final mechanism, a box with eight green circles indicating that all locks are active. Wait for it to open and then fire to activate the lever. A cutscene will show the train being diverted directly to the enemy base. Using this lever grants fifty hits at once, making the alternate route essential for those seeking the medal. Completing this path leads to Area 6 as the next destination.

BOSS FIGHT: MECHBETH

If you don’t activate the rail locks, you’ll face Mechbeth, the boss from Macbeth, who appears in the second half of the level while you’re still chasing the train. The combat takes place in motion, which makes everything more dynamic and slightly chaotic.

Mechbeth’s most frequent attack is with its tail. It projects it towards you, attempting to lift you off the ground, causing double damage: first from the impact, then from grabbing the Landmaster and causing further injury. To escape, perform a barrel roll the moment the tail approaches. You’ll know the attack is coming when the tail becomes clearly visible below its body before the strike.

The second type of attack consists of spears raining down in front of you. They appear in series and can be destroyed with the laser, so shoot them as soon as they appear to clear a path before you reach their position. Besides these two, the Mechbeth simply moves around the battlefield a lot, making it difficult to keep the laser on it. There is no specific weak point: any part of its body takes damage normally. Be persistent and shoot whenever you have a good angle.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Macbeth medal requires one hundred and fifty hits, and there’s some crucial information to achieve that number. The first half of the level is where you’ll accumulate the vast majority of your hits, as that’s where the flying enemies and the train’s rocks are located. In the second half, enemies are scarce, so you need to reach the tunnel with at least one hundred hits accumulated. Destroying the train carriages and the cargo they drop generates many hits, especially if you use bombs directly on the train.

The most important aspect of the medal is the final lever on the alternate route: activating it is worth fifty instant hits. This means that the alternate route is not only strategically superior for the game, but also mathematically necessary for those seeking the medal. If you choose to face Mechbeth instead of using the lever, you will lose those fifty hits, and the boss is only worth eleven, making the math much harder to complete. If you are short of hits before facing the boss via the combat route, make sure to destroy all the flying ships around you before finishing the fight.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first typical challenge is to activate the track lever to divert the train. This is exactly the process described in the alternative routes section: activate all eight locks and trigger the final mechanism.

The second challenge is to take down twenty-five flying enemies. They appear mainly in the first half of the level. Right at the beginning, when the train drops the first rocks and the camera tilts upwards revealing a large number of aerial enemies, this is the best time to use a bomb and eliminate many at once. Charged shots are essential here because the Landmaster has difficulty aiming upwards accurately with normal shots.

The third challenge is to score one hundred and twenty correct answers, which aligns with the score required for the medal. The tips above apply directly here.

The fourth challenge is to collect five golden rings. Near the start of the stage, when the camera tilts upwards showing the flying enemies, there are two turrets below, one on each side. Destroy the one on the right to release a golden ring and a silver ring. Immediately afterwards, in a narrower section with a group of five enemies, destroy all five so that a golden ring appears; you will need the hover effect to reach it. After this group, a series of rocks will roll towards you: after the second wave of rocks, a golden ring will appear in your path. After the checkpoint, in the second part of the stage with the gates, the fourth ring is behind the long gate with three walls that automatically rise. The fifth is under the gate just after the main lever.

The fifth challenge is to defeat Mechbeth without being lifted by its tail attack. Perform barrel rolls consistently whenever the tail becomes visible below the boss to avoid impact.

The sixth challenge is to save your companions from pursuits five times. Your allies will eventually appear being chased by enemy ships. Charge the laser, lock onto the pursuing ships, and fire. You will need to do this five times throughout the level.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to pass through ten gates without being hit by the sliding doors. The gates appear in the second half of the level while you’re chasing Mechbeth. Some are open, others need to be opened with a shot, and others move automatically. Use the turbo and brake to adjust your pace. You can be hit by Mechbeth itself during this challenge without failing; what counts is not being hit by the doors.

The second expert challenge is to take down all thirteen barricade walls in the stage. Six of them are at the beginning of the stage, four on the right side of the tracks and two on the left. The remaining seven appear in the combat area against Mechbeth: two appear right after the fifth locking point, one on each side. After those, five more appear on the right side after the sixth lock, with Falco helping with one of them if you rescued him previously, and one is on the left side.

The third expert challenge is to destroy twelve train carriages. This is equivalent to practically all the carriages before the Mechbeth appears. Most can be destroyed with laser fire, but some require bombs. There are two critical moments: in the narrow section after the ramp with rolling rocks, a carriage will be on top while you descend. Destroy it before descending. Right after descending, drop a bomb on the carriage above with the turret that is firing at the wall; this allows you to destroy two carriages at once.

The fourth expert challenge is to destroy fifteen defense towers. They appear both at the beginning of the stage and in the combat area against Mechbeth. To access those in the boss area, you need to choose not to use the lever and face Mechbeth directly.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy all thirty-eight stones in the level. Initially, there are fifteen stones, distributed among three carriages with five stones each; a bomb on the train eliminates those in each carriage. In the narrow section, five stones roll towards you, and then four more appear; use the brake to gain more reaction time or a bomb. Upon descending after the rolling stone section, four more fall, two in sequence and two more just before helping Falco. After saving Falco, five more fall from the left wall when the turret opens the passage. The last five are inside a carriage in the tunnel.

The sixth expert challenge is to defeat Mechbeth before it reaches the 300-meter mark. To do this, ignore the rail locks and focus exclusively on attacking Mechbeth from the moment it appears. The 300-meter mark is visible next to the rails as you advance, and there is plenty of space between the boss’s appearance and this mark, making the challenge feasible if you are aggressive and consistent in your attacks from the start of the fight.

Sector Z

Unlike the other two sectors of the Lylat System, there are no rail-based flight segments here: the entire mission takes place in free flight mode from the first second to the last. This also makes the stage relatively short compared to most other planets, but the intensity makes up for the short duration.

The central objective is simple and clear: protect the Great Fox while Andross’s forces launch a surprise attack. The mission begins in the pattern of free-flying combat, with smaller enemy ships circling the area in all directions. Your squadron mates will frequently need assistance during this initial phase, so keep an eye on the radar and come to their aid whenever someone is being pursued.

After you deal with the first wave of enemies, the real threat of the stage begins: the Copperhead missiles. They will be launched towards Great Fox in three sequences: first a single missile, then two at the same time, and finally three at once, totaling six missiles. These projectiles are quite resistant and require multiple hits to destroy. The most efficient approach is to position yourself laterally to each missile and use the brake to slow down and stay beside it for longer, landing as many hits as possible during each pass. The screen shows markers indicating the origin and position of each missile, which facilitates tracking.

If you went to Zoness before and rescued Katt, and destroyed all the radar buoys in that stage, she will appear here to help intercept the missiles. This is useful for your survival, but it’s a problem if you’re counting hits for the medal or challenges, as each missile she destroys won’t count for you. When Katt appears, focus on reaching the missiles before she does.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

The destination after Sector Z depends on the outcome of your defense. If you manage to destroy all six missiles before any hit the Great Fox, you will unlock access to Area 6, which is the most difficult and challenging route to Venom. If one of the missiles manages to hit the ship, you will be redirected to Bolse, which is the standard and much more accessible route.

BOSS FIGHT

Sector Z has no leader. The mission consists only of smaller enemy ships and six Copperhead missiles that need to be shot down before they hit the Great Fox.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Sector Z medal requires one hundred hits, which is fairly easy to achieve if you know where to focus your attention. Each of the six Copperhead missiles is worth eleven hits when destroyed, totaling sixty-six hits from them alone. Scattered around the Great Fox are blue salvage containers floating among the debris. Each of these is worth three hits and are stationary targets, therefore easy to hit at any time. Combine the sixty-six hits from the missiles with those from the crates and smaller enemy ships, and you’ll comfortably surpass one hundred hits.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first typical challenge is to be responsible for the final shot on all six Copperheads. To do this, make sure you are always close to each missile and destroy it personally before Katt or any other ally does. The side-to-side approach with constant braking is the most efficient way to maintain prolonged contact with the target and secure the final shot.

The second challenge is to eliminate fifteen Invader III, the smaller enemy ships that roam the battlefield. They are difficult to locate visually because their coloration blends into the environment, but the radar identifies them as red dots. Use charged shots with a locked-on sight to eliminate them more efficiently before missiles start appearing.

The third challenge is to destroy five salvage containers. These are the blue boxes floating in the wreckage around the Great Fox. They appear in fixed positions and can be destroyed at any time during the mission with normal or charged shots.

The fourth challenge is to collect fifteen supply rings. Virtually everything in the stage drops silver rings when destroyed: enemy ships, containers, and even missiles. Collecting them naturally while playing should be enough to reach all fifteen without additional effort.

The fifth challenge is to enter the Great Fox’s repair bay with the shield meter in a critical state, indicated by the color red. There is an opening at the rear of the ship that allows you to enter it during combat. Let yourself be hit by enemies until the shield goes into the red and then fly directly into the opening at the rear of the Great Fox to complete the challenge.

The sixth challenge is to eliminate an enemy while performing a somersault. The most reliable trick is to charge a shot, release the charged shot towards an enemy, and then perform the somersault immediately before the projectile hits the target. The timing requires a bit of practice but isn’t difficult after a few tries.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to eliminate seven Invader III ships within ten seconds. The key is to identify moments when several enemy ships are grouped together and drop a bomb into the center of the group. Charged shots with a locked-on sight also help to chain together quick eliminations. Use the first moments of the mission, when the enemies are concentrated before the missiles appear, to look for this window of opportunity.

The second expert challenge is to destroy a Copperhead missile when it is two hundred meters or less from the Great Fox. The strategy is to attack it throughout its trajectory to leave it with very little health remaining, and only finish with the last shot when it is extremely close to the ship. It is recommended to do this with the first missile, because when two or three are active simultaneously, controlling the situation becomes much more difficult. Wait to identify how many shots the missile can withstand before exploding and then calibrate your approach in subsequent attempts.

The third expert challenge is to destroy all twelve save crates before the ROB64 detects the first incoming missile, that is, before the combat phase against the Copperheads begins. You have approximately one minute at the start of the mission to do this. As soon as the stage begins, a crate will appear on your left: destroy it immediately and turn right to find two more right after. From there, fly around the Great Fox clockwise, destroying all the crates you find along the way. Use charged shots to make aiming easier and don’t use turbo so you don’t miss a crate. Small, controlled bursts are enough to maintain the pace.

The fourth expert challenge is to complete the mission and defend the Great Fox from six missiles without taking any damage throughout the entire stage. The most dangerous part is the beginning, when smaller enemy ships are circling and can surprise you. Monitor the radar constantly and use somersaults to evade any approaching pursuers. In missile combat, a side-to-side approach with constant braking reduces exposure time to other threats while you focus on the target.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy all six missiles before any of them get within a thousand meters of the Great Fox. This requires reaction speed and constant precision. Locate each missile as soon as it appears on the radar, fly to it via the most direct route, position yourself laterally, and use the brake to increase firing time. Bombs are valuable for groups of two and three simultaneous missiles. A laser upgrade collected during the mission helps to inflict more damage per second on each pass.

The sixth expert challenge is to clear the entire map, eliminating both all Invader III ships and all six missiles. In the initial stages, focus exclusively on enemy ships, using charged shots and bombs to eliminate them in groups before the missiles arrive. Reserve the bombs for the ships in this initial phase and only use them for the missiles if absolutely necessary. When the Copperheads appear, you should have already eliminated most or all of the Invader III ships, allowing you to concentrate all your attention on the missiles. Collect the laser upgrade available in the stage to ensure sufficient firepower to complete both tasks.

Bolse

Bolse can be accessed after completing Titania, after finishing Macbeth without diverting the train, or after failing to defend the Great Fox in Sector Z. It’s an entirely free-flight stage, with no sections on the tracks, and regardless of how you play, the destination after this mission will always be Venom. There are no route variations here.

Upon starting the mission, you find yourself in orbit around a large circular structure protected by a red energy shield. The entire platform is rotating, and you can choose to fly in the same direction as the rotation or against it; both work well. The initial objective is to destroy the glowing red pillars fixed to the outer edges of the structure. Each pillar supports the energy shield protecting the core, so eliminating them all is the first mandatory step. While destroying the pillars, also destroy the turrets positioned in pairs next to each one. Besides yielding extra hits for your score, eliminating them now prevents them from becoming a bigger concern while you’re trying to deal with the core later on.

When the last pillar is destroyed, a cutscene reveals the Bolse Core, the central structure that is the true target of the mission. It sits in the center of the arena, continuously rotating and periodically releasing enemy ships as you attempt to destroy it. The glowing yellow panels on its exterior are the points that need to be eliminated, and each panel destroyed early on is worth ten hits, but this bonus diminishes over time. As panels are destroyed, the core begins firing lasers from the openings left in their place, making the approach progressively more dangerous as the battle progresses.

BOSS FIGHT: BOLSE CORE

Bolse Core is the main boss of the mission and remains static in the center of the arena throughout the combat. Initially, it doesn’t attack directly, only releasing enemy reinforcements into the area, but as you destroy the yellow panels, it begins to use the holes as rapid-fire laser cannons. The fewer panels remaining, the more intense and constant the crossfire becomes. Use barrel rolls frequently when approaching to dodge projectiles and adopt an approach-and-retreat rhythm: get close, hit one or two panels, and retreat to the edges of the arena before returning for another attack. Destroying all the panels ends the mission immediately.

BOSS FIGHT: TEAM STAR WOLF

If you haven’t passed through Fichina on your current route, the Star Wolf team will appear here in Bolse to confront the squad. They don’t need to be defeated to complete the mission, just destroy the Bolse Core, but eliminating them earns ten hits per member and can be valuable for your score.

Their combat pattern is the same as Fichina’s: Wolf will stay on your tail while Leon, Pigma, and Andrew chase their teammates. The priority is always to protect the squad before going after rivals individually. Slippy and Peppy usually get into trouble first, so rescue them before anything else. To get away from Wolf, perform repeated rolls to position yourself behind him and then attack with precision, using the brake to maintain your position after each of his counterattacks. When he performs his own roll in response to a hit, wait for the moment when he is incapacitated to finish you off.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Bolse medal requires one hundred and fifty hits. The most efficient strategy is to destroy the initial pillars and turrets to accumulate hits right at the beginning, then, when the Bolse Core appears, destroy most of the yellow panels, taking advantage of the ten-hit bonus each, but deliberately leave one or two intact. With the core partially damaged and temporarily ignored, continue eliminating the enemy ships it releases, and the Star Wolf team if it appears, until you reach the goal. Then just finish off the remaining panels to complete the mission. If you manage to accumulate sixty-two hits before the core appears, you can destroy all eight panels at once at the maximum cost of ten each, bringing the total to exactly one hundred and fifty.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to score one hundred and thirty correct answers, which is a lower goal than winning a medal. The same strategies described above apply with an even greater margin of comfort.

The second challenge is to complete the mission without any teammates being eliminated. Always pay attention to the arrows indicating that an ally is calling for help and respond immediately. When the Star Wolf team appears, prioritize Pigma and Andrew over the others, as Slippy and Peppy are usually the first to get into critical situations, and those two are exactly the ones they pursue.

The third challenge is to collect three golden rings. When you destroy the turrets next to the shield generators at the start of the mission, some of them will drop items when they fall, and three of them specifically will release golden rings. Collect them as they appear during this first phase of the mission.

The fourth challenge is to eliminate five enemy fighters using only simple laser fire, without charged shots. The ships released by Bolse Core circle the arena in relatively predictable trajectories. Simply aim and fire normally at five of them during combat.

The fifth challenge is to defeat all four members of the Star Wolf team. Be sure to personally deliver the final blow to each of them before a teammate or another element of the arena finishes them off for you.

The sixth challenge is to complete the mission in four minutes or less. The key is to act quickly on the initial pillars and not waste time with secondary enemies after the Bolse Core appears. Focus directly on the yellow panels as soon as the core emerges and destroy them in sequence without diverting your attention. It may take a few tries to develop an efficient rhythm, but the four-minute time is achievable with total focus on the main objectives.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to complete the mission without destroying any laser cannons. These are the turrets positioned next to the red pillars at the start of the mission. Simply ignore them completely throughout the entire level and focus only on the pillars, leaving the cannons intact until the end.

The second expert challenge is to destroy the Bolse Core in less than sixty seconds of its appearance. When the core appears, ignore absolutely everything around you and direct all your shots at the yellow panels in rapid succession. Sixty seconds is enough if you don’t waste time with any distractions. Having upgraded lasers helps considerably to speed up this process.

The third expert challenge is to complete the entire mission without breaking any wings. Keep moving, use barrel rolls to dodge core projectiles, and take extra care when approaching panels when their count is low and the crossfire is more intense.

The fourth expert challenge is to score one hundred and ninety hits, forty more than the medal requires. Maximize every scoring opportunity: destroy all pillars, all turrets, take advantage of the ten hits per core panel while the bonus is still high, and don’t let any enemy ship pass without being shot down. The Star Wolf team, if it appears, is worth ten hits per member, which is a significant bonus.

The fifth expert challenge is to complete the mission without being hit even once by the Bolse Core’s lasers. This is one of the most difficult challenges in the entire game. Before the core appears, eliminate the Star Wolf team and as many enemy ships as possible to reduce distractions during the main combat. When the Bolse Core is active, keep your distance and adopt a quick attack and retreat approach to the edges of the arena: approach, hit one or two panels from afar, and retreat before the lasers start converging on you. Never stand still near the core and use barrel rolls defensively throughout the attack sequence.

The sixth expert challenge is to destroy all six power towers within the first eighty seconds of the mission. These are the red pillars that support the initial shield. As soon as the mission begins, fly in a circle around the platform destroying each pillar as quickly as possible. Eighty seconds is a reasonable window if you maintain a steady movement and efficiently target each pillar without unnecessary deviations.

Area 6

Area 6 is the most difficult stage in all of Star Fox, without a doubt. The environment is densely populated with enemies of all types and from all directions, with shots crisscrossing the space in quantities that can be disorienting for first-time players. There is no alternative route here: those who reach Area 6 always proceed to Venom 2 at the end. The recommendation for the first playthrough is to focus on defensive maneuvers, use barrel rolls frequently, and gradually increase your aggression as you become more familiar with the rhythm and disposition of the enemies.

Right at the start of the level, you’ll encounter proximity minefields scattered throughout the area. One or two bombs dropped on these minefields will generate a huge number of hits at once, proving extremely useful for both the medal and the mission’s challenges. Also early on, defensive satellites appear, shaped like discs with pointed rods protruding from their ends. They can withstand several shots before being destroyed, but each one is worth a considerable number of hits. Use the brake constantly to slow down and have more time to fire while passing them. Some remain stationary, but others rotate and fire lasers at you, so stay alert.

Your teammates will be attacked much more frequently than in any other stage. Falco is the first to call for help and the easiest to rescue: a single charged shot with the targeting reticle locked onto the pursuing enemies quickly resolves the situation. Peppy presents a different problem, as he is pursued by missiles that cannot be locked onto with auto-aim. You will need to aim manually and take them down with direct fire.

After the checkpoint, the environment changes and large warships full of turrets appear. Respond to the Great Fox’s call when she makes contact, as her support is crucial to destroying these ships, and each one destroyed counts towards your score. Enemies also appear, grouping together in circular rings: a charged shot doesn’t destroy them immediately, but it generates valuable hits. Two charged shots are needed to eliminate them completely, and in total they are worth about ten hits per group.

BOSS FIGHT: GORGON

The Gorgon fight is lengthy, but the combat pattern is repetitive and predictable once you understand the logic. The boss begins the encounter as a closed sphere that soon opens, revealing three golden orbs of energy spinning around the core. Destroy these orbs with precise shots before anything else. While you do this, tentacles are extended by the boss as a form of attack, but they move from side to side in a relatively slow pattern, giving you time to dodge when one prepares to strike.

After destroying the orbs, the boss closes again, exposing its tentacles as targets. The weak point of each tentacle is the claw at the tip, not the long body of the limb. Furthermore, the claw only takes damage when its lighting is yellow; if it’s red, the shots have no effect. Destroy the claws of all three tentacles before time runs out, because if you take too long, the Gorgon launches homing missiles and disappears, reappearing only after the missiles are eliminated. The missiles can be dodged by flying in circles around the arena.

After destroying all the tentacles for the first time, the boss fires a new wave of homing missiles. Dodge them in the same way, in circles. Then the cycle begins again: golden orbs and tentacles again. In the second repetition, instead of missiles, the Gorgon releases combat ships that actively attack. Use charged shots to eliminate them quickly. After the ships, he performs an energy beam attack: he approaches, charges the shot, and then releases the beam. Fly in circles around the arena during the charging and during the shot, and the beam won’t be able to reach you.

After this attack, another cycle of orbs and tentacles will follow. This time, when the orbs are destroyed, the shield protecting the central core will disappear. Attack the center relentlessly with everything you have available until you completely destroy it. This is the ultimate window for damage, so don’t hesitate.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Area 6 medal requires three hundred hits, the highest requirement in the entire game. To achieve this number, every element of the stage needs to be used to its fullest potential.

The proximity mines at the start are an excellent starting point. Two well-placed bombs in this area easily yield over eighty hits at once. The defensive satellites also contribute significantly to the count, so constantly brake to have more time to shoot at each one. In sections with groups of enemies, use charged shots with a locked-on aim to chain combos and multiply your hits per passage. After the checkpoint, take advantage of each destruction of the large warships that the Great Fox helps eliminate, as each one is worth several hits. The ring-shaped enemies, which require two charged shots to take down, are worth about ten hits in total and appear in large numbers in this second half. The boss is worth eleven hits. If you reach him with less than two hundred and eighty-nine hits, restart without losing lives or upgrades and try again.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to destroy fifty proximity mines. Right at the beginning of the level, the minefield is vast. Two bombs strategically placed in this area usually exceed the number of seventy mines destroyed, making the challenge quite accessible if you act early on.

The second challenge is to destroy the five Ninjin Missiles from the initial salvo. After two large ships attempt to block your path and the Great Fox eliminates them, five missiles appear in front of you while your companions begin firing at them. You need to be responsible for destroying them, so act quickly. If you have bombs available, use them. Otherwise, brake to slow down and fire continuously at each missile before your allies shoot them down for you.

The third challenge is to destroy Gorgon’s three arms before he disappears in the first tentacle cycle. This is surprisingly one of the hardest in the entire mission. Remember to aim exclusively at the claws at the tips of the tentacles and only when they are illuminated in yellow. The good news is that the boss regenerates his arms in subsequent cycles, so you can try multiple times in the same round without having to restart.

The fourth challenge is to reach Gorgon with fully upgraded shields and lasers. You need two laser upgrades and three golden rings. The rings appear in various locations; a good example is the area after the five missiles, where three moth-like enemies appear in sequence, and the first and third each drop a ring when destroyed. The laser upgrades are in specific locations: one appears after destroying a group of enemies on the right, just after a rotating satellite that appears when Falco is being chased; another appears accompanied by a golden ring in an area where Falco is chasing an enemy; and a third appears behind the ring-shaped enemies that appear just after the checkpoint.

The fifth challenge is to destroy a Zeram-class cruiser with a bomb. These are the large turretized ships that appear after the checkpoint. The weak point of each is the bridge on top of the hull. You can’t destroy a cruiser with a bomb alone; you need to inflict considerable damage beforehand with the laser and then finish with the bomb. Since the checkpoint is just before this area, you can try to calibrate the amount of damage needed without much replay cost.

The sixth challenge is to complete the mission without any squadmates being shot down. Given the number of threats in Area 6, this is a task that requires constant attention to the radar. Consider dedicating a round exclusively to this challenge, without worrying about scoring or other side objectives.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to take down five Zeram-class cruisers. Unlike the normal challenge where you needed to use a bomb, here the method of destruction is free; lasers and bombs are equally valid. The weak point remains the bridge on top. Brake constantly to have more firing time on each cruiser, and remember that those destroyed by the Great Fox during support also count towards the total.

The second expert challenge is dodging Gorgon’s beam attack. As described in the boss fight, he approaches, charges the attack, and fires a central beam. Fly in circles around the arena during this process, and the beam won’t be able to track your movement. It’s one of the simplest challenges in the entire game.

The third expert challenge is to score three hundred and twenty hits, twenty more than necessary for the medal. The same strategies apply, but with less room for error. Destroying the Zeram-Class Cruisers is a good complement, as each one is worth six hits.

The fourth expert challenge is to reach Gorgon without collecting any supply rings or upgrade items during the entire level. This includes silver rings, gold rings, laser upgrades, and bombs. Avoid flying over any items that appear along the way, no matter how tempting it is to collect them.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy two Ninjin Missiles with charged shots. Since auto-aim doesn’t work on these missiles, you’ll need to aim manually. The recommended strategy is to first weaken each missile with a few simple laser shots and then finish with a well-placed charged shot. The missiles in the center of the formation and those in the lower right corner are the easiest to hit without needing to adjust your aim much. Your teammates will also be firing at them, so act quickly to ensure that the final hit on at least two of them is yours with a charged shot.

The sixth and final expert challenge is to destroy the first twelve Umbra Class Defense Stations. These are the disc-shaped satellites with pointed rods that appear at the very beginning of the stage. They are quite resistant and require many shots to take down. Hold the brake almost the entire time to slow down as much as possible and dedicate every second of firing to them. You can shoot at any part of the satellite, whether it’s the rods or the central disc, so aim where it’s most comfortable to maintain the highest possible rate of fire.

Venom

You can reach Venom after completing Bolse. This is the final destination of the easiest route in the game. The planet represents Andross’s headquarters and reflects this in every second of the mission: enemies appear from all sides, obstacles block the path, and defenses are designed to make your advance as difficult as possible. Completing Venom ends the campaign. There are no alternative routes here, only the final confrontation that you had to traverse the entire Lylat System to reach.

The mission begins with a barrage of Venom Fighters immediately attacking your position. There are so many that trying to take them down individually before they pass is unfeasible. The best response is to drop a bomb directly into the center of the group as they advance towards you, which can eliminate about thirty of them at once. An excellent start both for your score and for one of the stage’s challenges. Next, two more waves appear, one on each side of the path, accompanied by turrets on the ground. A third wave descends from the turrets, creating another perfect opportunity to use a well-placed bomb.

After overcoming the initial waves, you enter a canyon. Right at the beginning, there are stone beams crossing the path horizontally, requiring you to climb up or down to avoid them. One of these beams has a laser upgrade on one side and a golden ring on the other: perform a somersault to collect both at the same time. Further on, after two more waves of enemies, the canyon splits into three paths.

The left path, where Falco is going, has two groups of butterfly-like enemies: destroying each group unlocks a laser upgrade, totaling two upgrades on this route. There are also two golden rings and a supply crate sent by the Great Fox when you answer her call. Obstacles on this route include pillars that fall vertically in front of you and others that materialize out of nowhere and move towards you.

The central path is the only one of the three that contains a bomb item. There are also flying birds and more Venom Fighters, as well as a pair of golden rings. Near the end of this route, rock spikes begin to erupt from the ground in series, requiring quick maneuvers to pass through the gaps between them.

The path to the right, where Peppy is going, has more ground enemies than the other two. It also has two golden rings and a Great Fox supply crate. The obstacles here are rocky pillars that emerge from the ground and others that appear ahead, creating blocking walls.

When the three paths converge, the temple of Andross appears in the distance. Rotating pillars emerge, blocking the passage, and your companions destroy one of them, revealing the checkpoint ring. As you approach the temple, an introductory message appears: Andross will taunt you if you answer. Then, you advance through the temple’s entrance corridor, where statues with arms move up and down and pillars emerge from the walls and floor. This is where the first boss fight of the mission takes place.

BOSS FIGHT: GOLEMECH

Golemech is a humanoid robot covered in stone armor that runs away from you throughout the fight, throwing obstacles in its path to hinder your pursuit. Your objective is to destroy all the stone sections covering its body: legs, arms, shoulders, and torso. Once all the armor is removed, attack the stone head. After the head falls off, the robotic body is exposed, and the weak point is a luminous area in the center of its back. Focus all your shots there to end the fight.

As you chase the boss down the corridor, he’ll ram into the walls, causing horizontal pillars to emerge from the sides: climb up, descend, and use sideways tilts to traverse the gaps. When he jumps, pillars erupt from the ground, and you can tilt the Arwing to pass through the gaps between them. When only his head remains intact, his jumps will knock pillars from both walls into the corridor simultaneously. Use the brake or dodge quickly up or down. The statues on the corridor’s side walls also swing their arms up and down: observe the rhythm of each one and pass at the right moment. Defeating Golemech triggers a transition scene.

After the fight, you advance through a second corridor filled with items and laser emitters fixed to the walls. A single charged shot with a locked-on sight can destroy a pair of emitters at the same time, earning extra points. Reaching the end of this corridor, a larger area opens up and a cutscene begins the confrontation with Andross.

BOSS FIGHT: ANDROSS

Andross is the final boss, and the fight has two clearly distinct phases. The first is the more dangerous of the two.

In the first stage you face Andross’s giant face and his two hands. The hands are the first target: the weak point of each is the yellow circle on the palm. Repeatedly attack each palm until you destroy both. You can hit Andross’s eyes during this process to temporarily stun him and create an opening to attack the hands, but destroying the hands must come before finishing off the eyes to end the stage.

The hand attacks include straight punches alternating between one hand and the other, a downward slap with an open hand, and a two-handed strike that causes very high damage. Destroying one of the hands permanently eliminates the attacks associated with it.

Andross’s most notable attack in the first phase is his inhalation: he opens his mouth and begins to forcefully suck in air, pulling in debris and attempting to swallow you. If you are sucked in, you will lose both wings at once. To protect yourself, brake and move to the upper left corner of the screen, which is the safest position. Alternatively, you can throw a bomb directly into his mouth while he is inhaling: it will be swallowed, explode from the inside, and immediately stop the attack. After the inhalation attack, Andross spits out the debris in the form of blue boxes. Many of these boxes contain items when destroyed, such as bombs, so shoot them as they approach.

When both of Andross’s eyes are destroyed, the first phase ends and the second begins. Andross transforms into a mechanized version of the head, much more agile. He will accelerate towards the screen at high speed, attempting to bite it with his moving mouth. When this happens, move to one of the corners of the screen to stay out of his reach. The eyes remain the weak point, now glowing mechanically. Attack them in the intervals between charges, and the combat will end quickly.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

Venom’s medal requires one hundred and fifty hits. The early waves of the mission offer the best opportunity for quick point accumulation: well-placed bombs in these initial waves can generate a large number of hits in seconds. Use the brake frequently in the canyon to have more time to fire at each group of enemies, and prefer chained charged shots on formations to multiply your hits. The left path in the canyon has many grouped enemies that are ideal for this type of approach. Golemech is worth eleven hits, and the laser emitters in the next corridor are worth between ten and twelve hits in total. Andross does not contribute to the score. If you reach the temple with fewer than one hundred and thirty hits, restarting is more efficient than trying to make up the difference inside the temple.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to eliminate the thirty Venom Fighters of the first wave with a single bomb. As soon as the mission begins and the group advances towards you, throw the bomb into the center of the formation to wipe them all out at once.

The second challenge is to exit the canyon with fully upgraded shields and lasers. This requires three golden rings and two laser upgrades. The first ring and the first upgrade are on either side of the horizontal beam right at the start of the canyon: perform a somersault to grab both. The second upgrade and the second ring are on the left path, unlocked by destroying the butterfly clusters. The third ring is at the end of the left path, between the falling pillars.

The third challenge is to defeat Golemech without taking damage from any obstacles in the corridor. Observe the rhythm of each pillar and statue, and only proceed when the path is clear. Prioritize dodging over attacking whenever an obstacle is forming ahead.

The fourth challenge is to disable all the laser emitters in the corridor leading to Andross. Brake a lot in this section to have time to lock onto each pair of emitters and destroy them in sequence before passing through them.

The fifth challenge is to make Andross swallow three bombs during the first phase of the fight. Whenever he starts to inhale, throw a bomb directly into his open mouth. It will be absorbed by the force of the inhalation and explode from the inside, interrupting the attack. Repeat this three times throughout the fight.

The sixth challenge is to defeat Andross in seventy seconds or less. After a few rounds learning the attack patterns of the two phases, it becomes clearer where and when to attack without wasting time. Having upgraded lasers helps to deal more damage in each attack window.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to destroy forty Venom tanks. These are ground enemies that appear in the canyon. The path on the right has significantly more tanks than the other two paths, so prioritize this route in a round focused on this challenge.

The second expert challenge is to reach the temple without breaking any wings. Maintain a steady pace, use barrel rolls to dodge projectiles, and anticipate canyon obstacles in advance to avoid collisions.

The third expert challenge is to accumulate one hundred hits in the canyon without hitting any teammates. The logic is identical to that of the medal, but with extra attention to the position of allies. Use charged shots with locked-on aim only when you are certain that no allies are in the path.

The fourth expert challenge is to defeat Golemech in forty-five seconds or less. Go straight for the armor sections as soon as the fight starts and attack without pausing, always prioritizing the next available weak point as the armor is removed.

The fifth expert challenge is to destroy one of Andross’s hands using only charged shots. This requires patience and precision, as the shots need to be charged manually and the hands move frequently. Wait for moments when the yellow palm is most exposed and release the charged shot with good aim.

The sixth expert challenge is to destroy ten save boxes with a single bomb during the fight against Andross. When he spits out the debris after his inhalation attack, a large wall of blue boxes will advance towards you. Position yourself so that the bomb explodes in the center of the wall, hitting as many boxes as possible at once. With the amount he spits out at once, reaching ten boxes with a single bomb is quite feasible.

Venom 2

Venom 2 is the final stage of the game’s most difficult path, accessible to those who reached this point via the Area 6 route. Unlike all other planets in the campaign, there is no environmental exploration, rail travel, or open-world areas with multiple enemies scattered around. Venom 2 consists exclusively of two consecutive boss fights, with a short corridor section between them. It’s the last stop before the credits and has no alternative routes, either internal or later.

Between the two battles there is a maze of short tunnels where you choose to turn left or right at each intersection. Either path leads you to the final destination, but your choices determine which items you can collect along the way. Turning right at the first intersection and then left gives you an extra life. Going completely left at every intersection reveals bombs and a laser upgrade. Explore according to what you need for the final battle.

BOSS FIGHT: WOLFEN II

The first battle in Venom 2 is against the Star Wolf team for the last time. Free flight mode is activated immediately upon entering the stage, and the confrontation begins without any pause. The dynamics are essentially the same as previous encounters with them, with one important difference: this time they are piloting the Wolfen II, more advanced ships that make each member faster and more resilient than in previous battles.

Wolf will be on your tail for practically the entire fight. Use barrel rolls constantly to dodge his shots and perform somersaults to position yourself behind him and create an opening to attack. After hitting Wolf and him performing his own somersault in response, wait for the moment he becomes inactive and take advantage to continue the attack. Don’t prioritize going after Wolf initially, as Leon, Pigma, and Andrew will be on top of your squadmates, and if an ally is downed, the corresponding enemy will join the chase, making the situation much more difficult. Keep an eye on the radar and rescue your teammates whenever someone calls for help. Attack enemies chasing your allies from a side position to better track their dodging movements and maintain your aim during the somersaults.

Each Star Wolf team member you take down will drop a supply ring. Try to kill the last one in a position close to yours to have time to collect the item before it disappears.

BOSS FIGHT: ANDROSS

Andross is the ultimate battle and has two completely distinct phases.

In the first phase you will face Andross’s colossal face along with his two floating hands. The weak points of the hands are the yellow circles on the palms. Attack each palm repeatedly until you destroy both before focusing on the eyes. You can hit Andross’s eyes during this process to temporarily stun him, preventing attacks for a few moments and making the work on the hands easier.

The hand attacks include straight punches with each arm alternately, vertical downward slaps, and a simultaneous strike with both hands, which is the most dangerous and causes enormous damage. Destroying any of the hands permanently eliminates all attacks associated with it.

The inhalation attack is the most characteristic and dangerous of the first phase. Andross opens his mouth and begins to suck in air intensely, sucking up surrounding debris and trying to pull you inside. If you are sucked in, you will instantly lose both wings. To escape, activate the brake and position yourself in the upper left corner of the screen, which is the safest point during this attack. Another option is to throw a bomb directly into his mouth while he is inhaling: it will be swallowed and explode from the inside, immediately interrupting the attack and causing significant damage. After the inhalation attack, Andross spits out a large amount of debris. Destroy as many of these boxes coming towards you as possible, as they often contain bombs to replenish your stock.

When Andross’s two eyes are destroyed in the initial phase, the combat completely shifts to the second phase. Here you face Andross’s brain along with two floating eyeballs connected to it by energy wires. The eyes attempt to collide with the Arwing, and the wire connecting them to the brain also inflicts damage on contact. Pay attention to both so you’re not caught off guard by either. The eyes are the first target: a few hits are enough to destroy each one.

The Brain’s weak point is the surface on its underside and rear, identified by a set of yellow circles. After taking a few hits in this area, the Brain will teleport and reappear in another part of the arena. The red shots it fires are slow and easy to dodge, but remember that barrel rolls don’t work to block them here, so you need to manually dodge them with movement. Getting too close to the Brain from below can cause it to grab you with the tentacles attached to its base, so maintain a safe distance while attacking the weak point.

After defeating Andross, a character will appear, and you need to follow him to escape the area. Follow him down the escape corridor without hesitation.

TIPS FOR THE MEDAL

The Venom 2 medal requires two hundred hits, a number that seems daunting given that there are no common enemies in the stage. The secret lies in the Star Wolf team members: each one you personally take down is worth fifty-one hits. Eliminating all four yields two hundred and four hits, surpassing the goal with just four kills. The floating eyes in Andross’s second stage are worth six hits in total, which is secondary compared to what the Wolfen IIs yield. Focus on being the one to land the final shot on each Star Wolf member.

NORMAL CHALLENGES

The first normal challenge is to eliminate Pigma as the first member of the Star Wolf team to be defeated. You can attack any other member without problem during the fight, but make sure Pigma is the first to fall. After dealing with him, continue with the others in whatever order you prefer.

The second challenge is to defeat all four members of Star Wolf without any squadmates being shot down. Always prioritize rescuing allies and keep the radar constantly monitored. Since you start challenge mode without a laser upgrade, enemies will take a little longer to fall, but the logic of protecting your squad remains the same.

The third challenge is to collect the four supply rings dropped by the Wolfen IIs when they are destroyed. Each Star Wolf member drops one ring upon landing. The first three are relatively easy to collect, but the fourth and final one requires you to destroy the enemy in a position close to the Arwing to have time to grab the ring before it disappears. Plan the final kill to happen right in front of you.

The fourth challenge is to collect an extra life in the maze of tunnels between the two fights. To reach it, turn right at the first intersection and then left at the next. This path leads directly to the extra life.

The fifth challenge is to destroy Andross’s two floating eyes in the second phase using only bombs. Accumulate bombs during the first phase by taking advantage of the debris Andross spits out after his inhalation attack: destroy the blue boxes with a charged shot to release several bombs at once. When you reach the second phase with enough stock, lock onto each eye and launch the bombs. About three bombs are enough to destroy each eye, but you can weaken them beforehand with laser shots and finish them off with a bomb.

The sixth challenge is to defeat Andross’s true form without being captured by its tentacles. Always maintain a safe distance from the brain and avoid positioning the Arwing directly below it. The tentacles only reach when you get too close to the creature’s underside, so attack the weak point from the rear and bottom without diving towards the center.

EXPERT CHALLENGES

The first expert challenge is to eliminate any Star Wolf team member within thirty-five seconds of the start of combat. As soon as the confrontation begins, go straight for the nearest enemy chasing an ally. Position yourself sideways to them, attack with precision, and follow their dodging somersault, continuing to apply pressure when they are idle. Be aggressive and don’t waste any attack window.

The second expert challenge is to defeat all four members of Star Wolf without breaking any wings. Besides their shots, the main danger is the pillars scattered around the arena: they are not easy to see when you are maneuvering at high speed, and a collision will break a wing immediately. Use barrel rolls constantly to dodge the shots and pay attention to your surroundings even during the fastest maneuvers.

The third expert challenge is to destroy Andross’s two floating eyes in under thirty seconds after transforming into the second phase. To maximize your chances of success, take the path entirely to the left in the tunnel maze to pick up the laser upgrade and some bombs. During the first phase, accumulate as many bombs as possible by destroying the debris spewed by Andross. When the second phase begins, use the upgraded lasers combined with the bombs on the eyes in quick succession, without diverting your attention to anything else.

The fourth expert challenge is to complete the entire fight against Andross without taking any damage. In the first phase, destroy the hands as quickly as possible and use the eyes to stun when necessary. During the inhalation attack, brake and move to the upper left corner without hesitation. Destroy the spit-out debris with charged shots to avoid collisions. In the second phase, avoid the energy wires between the eyes and the brain and manually dodge the red shots, as barrel rolls don’t work against them here.

The fifth expert challenge is to defeat Andross’s true form without him teleporting even once. Teleportation occurs when you hit any part of his body outside of his weak point, which are the yellow circles on the lower back of his brain. This means you need to aim with extreme precision and only fire when you are sure the shot will hit the weak point exactly. Don’t be greedy: shoot once or twice accurately and wait for the next opportunity instead of overshooting and risking hitting the wrong area.

The sixth expert challenge is to complete the final escape sequence without taking any damage. The escape corridor has curves and passages that can catch you by surprise, but the pace is manageable. On the tighter curves, pressing the side tilt button makes maneuvering much easier and reduces the risk of hitting the walls. By paying attention to the trajectory and anticipating the curves a little in advance, completing the escape without damage is entirely achievable.