Nintendo's Digitial Event of E3 2015 may have prompted negative reactions for some of its reveals, but the presentation and concept of lovable puppets was a winning approach. Reggie Fils-Aime, Shigeru Miyamoto and the late Satoru Iwata were all represented by puppets, and in a memorable segment to unveil Star Fox Zero they became Fox, Peppy and Falco from the series.
Nintendo of America is bringing the puppets back, sort of. In a TV trailer posted on YouTube versions of the puppets are used as a comedic outro after some flashy clips from the game. Slightly weirdly their voices and general characteristics aren't too much like their in-game equivalents, yet are clearly just there to lighten the mood in a 30-second commercial.
It's cool to see them in action, in any case - check it out below.
Comments 57
Reminds me of the 90s commercials...
Bring back the puppets!!!
I don't know why, but I'm just loving this.
IWATA IS NOW PEPPY CONFIRMED
These kinds of ads sell games to kids!
Slippy's left out again.
This is a funny commercial, well done
There needs to be a Thunderbirds-like Supermarination show with these puppets!
After all, Shigeru imagined the Star Fox team and characters as marionettes.
@Peace-Boy You could say that he, 'slipped' out to do some guard work
Well, that was amusing. Also, glad to see the puppets from E3 get some more use. They were arguably one of the better parts of that presentation.
cute! can't wait for the 22nd.
I love this commercial, but every time I see it it reminds me o Mr. Iwata as a puppet and it still makes me kind of sad.
Nice!
I don't know.....
@NintendoFan64 They were the only good part of an otherwise awful E3 presentation.
@DarthNocturnal No fairly sure they're not which is a little strange.
I prefer the puppets from Star Fox. These look a bit more scary.
April 22 can't come fast enough. Bring on new Star Fox!
Have a gawk at this Star Fox 64 promo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBF3X3ZaS2Q
90's cheesy nostalgia overload.
I assume that Bill is Slippy, it has to be!
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Please...it wasn't that bad! Aside from Federation Force...and Amiibo Festival...and Ultra Smash...and no Wii U Zelda...and Nintendo revealing the Smash 4 dlc and Earthbound Beginnings before the show instead of waiting to use them in it...and the skylanders section that went on for too long...and the Wooly World section that was completely pointless...and the "Let's Super Mario" section (I know it was for a good cause, but that section was pretty cringey)...and the fact that the last game they showed was one we've already known about...and the fact that they didn't even mention stuff like the nindies@home event-y'know what? Let's just take comfort that with the NX, this year's E3 will (hopefully) be better...
A very good avert! The puppet segment in E3 and this are commendable! But it does seem that every UK has puppets in it.
I find it very strange that in the US you guys get Guard with the standard game (and even in a disc?) While in Europe we have to get the special edition I'm really confused what the idea behind that was, I don't mind as I have my special edition pre-ordered but still rather strange. Nice to see the puppets again though even if it was a bit cheesy
@NintendoFan64 Agreed. I felt that out of an okay E3 presentation (for me), the puppets were the stars of the presentation. Glad to see them outside of the E3 presentation
I think I want StarFox to be cooler and more serious. But really, this is still fun and a bit tongue-in-cheek. The puppets are great and I agree there could be a series of shorts with these or something. (Probably not a TV series)
As much as I think I want a more serious StarFox... it is Star Fox. It's a fox and animals flying space ships. This is probably the tone that works best. A little self-aware and having fun. I'd like a series of these little funny skits.
You know... thinking further through this.
If this is how it was going to be marketed.
These muppet performances could/should have been filmed for the cinematics all the way through. Just put these awesome muppets right in the game.
Embrace it, Nintendo. Text-only dialogs should start being something of the past. I don't mind them, but Nintendo, which has been about not having story detract from the game should have been on top of integrating it more naturally and less disruptively. Also, instructional sections of the game shouldn't make you stop and read something on the screen like a manual.
It's a hard, expensive, and tricky step to make, but voice acting and performance solves these problems better than everything else Nintendo has been doing. Time to bite the Bullet Bill and start working with first-class studios to make voice acting a priority and best in the industry. It suits them better than most companies and they have only dabbled for far too long.
It can be done well: Kid Icarus was just about perfect.
And maybe this has happened at Nintendo and we are just starting to see the fruits. This game has voice, right? And Zelda U is at least rumored to have full voice acting. Maybe Nintendo is embracing it and doing it well. I hope so.
@Kreegs07
"These kinds of ads sell games to kids"
And that's exactly who they should be focusing their marketing on. We adults are stubborn and mule headed, and very rarely branch out of our comfort zones.
Kids- they are the future of gaming. If I were in Nintendo's shoes I would be targeting all of my advertisement to the younger generation. Get them to see how fun Nintendo games are now while they still have an open mind.
For us retrofans, it's a nice homage. Does it do good for a standard commercial, though? One geared towards a wider audience...?
I would love to see a Star Fox animated series
@JaxonH
This has some adult appeal as well. We remember muppets better than the kids. It's just a little childish is all. It also takes that overblown Fox-is-the-coolest cliché from the previous games and takes him down a notch in a fun way. It grew on me after watching it a couple times.
Being in the underdog position at this point, Nintendo needs to really hit the target over and over. Splatoon had amazing appeal across young adults and teens and that's a great target for the core gamers Nintendo is starting to go after more. (Not bro gamers but those who want to be challenged) Miitomo is appealing to this old gamer in a surprising way, as well, so NIntendo is doing pretty well so far but that "game" is 500% casual focused. lol. NX is looming, so all these plans to reach gamers who have given up on them are going to unleash at once. Here's hoping.
That was funny. I want to see more of this!
@Shy_Guy Muppets wouldn't be better than animated for you?
How about this:
The muppets introduce the animated section a la the old Mario show.
In my alternate reality vision for this, Iwata is still alive and he and Shiggy and Reggie are also involved in the muppet bit that introduces the animated segments. sigh
Anyway, it would be very cool to have a sort of Universe of Nintendo series of online videos where each of their franchises gets a cool short video unleashed episodic. Some in an anime style, some CG or other styles. Maybe muppet!
Then, you make the whole thing into a game that uses Amiibo!
I like this commercial! Well done NoA!
@Peace-Boy He's the main character in SF Guard right? Guess he got the last laugh...
@JaxonH um.....are you defending the ad or are you actually saying that Star Fox is for kids?
If its a latter.....I love 64 3D......
@Socar
Neither.
I love Star Fox, and like almost all Nintendo games it can be enjoyed by anyone- yes certainly kids (if kids can't enjoy Nintendo's games then Nintendo has serious problems ahead of them) and also adults, and anyone in between.
But what's his name said the ad looked like it was targeted toward kids- I pointed out that's as it should be. Kids are where the money is at and kids are the future fanbase of Nintendo. If the ad seems to target them, it's for good reason. That's who ads should be targeting.
Don't confuse who the game can be enjoyed by with who it's being marketed towards. Cigarettes and alcohol can be marketed toward kids even. Just because the ad may be targeting younger gamers doesn't mean that's exclusively who it's designed for.
Nintendo games are designed to encompass as broad a spectrum as possible for a core game. But there are certain segments of potential customers who are more easily influenced, and who hold greater value for future generations. Kids are undeniably the future. And Nintendo rightfully should be targeting them. Because if they don't get kids playing their games now, they won't have an adult fanbase in the coming generations.
@DoctorOverbuild From what I gather it's the same as the Bayonetta 2 situation. In the US, each physical copy of Bayonetta 2 came with a download code of Bayonetta 1 meanwhile the First Print edition doesn't exist.
...yeah,we are gonna need a 22 minute weekly series with the Star Fox puppets now.
i can imagine slippy saying "i don't get it"
"It's his sky, you're just flying in it." (smug face) LOVED IT!!!
This really reminded me of the early 90's game commercials that I grew up with. Totally hokey, but kinda awesome!
Puppet looks better than in-game Fox. :/
@JaxonH My thought exactly. You could not have phrased that any better!
....There better not be a Foxy DLC in this game. lol
@JaxonH I love your figure of speech here....Infact, that's exactly the whole point of Pokemon and Mario....IPs that are meant to be played for anyone.
But what about in the case of Fire Emblem though? I mean, unless a kid happens to like chess, how can they be targeted to play TRPGs like FE?
@Socar
I loved chess as a kid- used to read Bobby Fisher books all the time and study his moves in his greatest games.
Kids like a good mental challenge. Their minds are growing and because of school they're used to intellectual stimulation. I think Fire Emblem kinda sells itself to a kid- if you can get them to try it. Otherwise, sell it on the story. Which I think Ninty did a pretty fine job of with the Fates launch trailer.
Did I mention already how Henson magic + starfox was a fantasy of mine?
I wish there was more..
Some good snark! Makes me hopeful for the in-game banter.
Nicely done Nintendo! Very funny commercial.
Such an amazing trailer, makes the Wii U look so cool... Should keep releasing games for it for many years instead of moving to NX.
Nice ad. If only they'd show it on prime time TV.
@DoctorOverbuild Nothing to get confused about, NOE and NOA are separate entities under the Nintendo corporate brand. There are only so many copies being made for the American market as Nintendo have pretty much stopped Wii U production. Once they're gone, they're gone.
I want more!!! Make this an actual show!
@liveswired Oh I know haha it's just the idea that with one it's available no matter hat and the other it's only through a Limited edition I know they're separate but they must've seen what each other were doing. I'm just interested in ow the decision was made that's all This is Nintendo's last real flagship wii u game until Zelda so they'll stock high as loads of people want this game!
@Peace-Boy Don't think they had a Slippy puppet...
That is my kind of commercial. Very tongue in cheek. Is it the 22nd yet? Not sure why I'm asking as I'm still playing Xenoblade X....
Nice one Foxy! Has he always had this nickname? I hope it sticks if not. The Foxy Fox McCloud!
Show Comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...