Star Fox
Super FX revolution
Nintendo's 1993 SNES rail shooter that used the custom Super FX chip to bring filled polygon 3D to consoles, created in partnership with Argonaut.
Overview
Star Fox (1993)—known as Starwing in Europe—was Nintendo’s groundbreaking SNES rail shooter. Using the custom Super FX chip co-developed with Argonaut Software, it brought 3D polygon graphics to a 16-bit console, proving dedicated hardware could extend a platform’s capabilities dramatically.
Fast Facts
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Nintendo EAD / Argonaut |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| Designer | Shigeru Miyamoto |
| Programmer | Jez San, Dylan Cuthbert |
| Innovation | Super FX chip |
The Super FX Chip
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Processor | 21 MHz RISC |
| Designer | Argonaut Software |
| Function | Polygon rendering, scaling, rotation |
| Cost | Increased cartridge price |
The SNES CPU couldn’t handle 3D mathematics. The Super FX chip—designed by Argonaut’s engineers—sat inside the cartridge and handled rendering, feeding finished frames to the SNES.
Gameplay
| Element | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Perspective | Behind-ship rail shooter |
| Routes | Three difficulty paths |
| Team | Fox, Falco, Peppy, Slippy |
| Powerups | Laser upgrades, bombs, shields |
The Argonaut Story
British developer Argonaut had impressed Nintendo with their Game Boy 3D demo. Nintendo flew Jez San to Kyoto, where:
- Argonaut proposed a 3D Mario game
- Nintendo wanted original characters
- Shigeru Miyamoto designed the Star Fox universe
- Argonaut built the Super FX chip
Technical Limitations
| Constraint | Workaround |
|---|---|
| Low polygon count | Stylised flat-shaded graphics |
| Frame rate | Variable, sometimes choppy |
| Resolution | Reduced display area |
The limitations became aesthetic choices—the chunky polygons defined the Star Fox look.
Legacy
Star Fox proved hardware add-ons could extend console life. The Super FX chip powered Doom, Yoshi’s Island, and other technically ambitious SNES titles. The franchise continues today, though the original remains a technical landmark.