7 Best Star Fox Games Ranked by Sales

Star Fox is a series that has suffered from bad luck after its first few releases, much like the Wario Land games. Though there are still many fans of the action-packed space battles found within, some games focused too much on experimental features while others suffered from a lack of innovation. Currently, there’s no word on if or how the series will continue from here. But the unfortunate decline of the franchise doesn’t erase its previous successes. It’s still possible to look back on how all Star Fox games are ranked amongst each other based on copies sold, which can give a pretty good idea as to what worked and what fell flat.

All information was taken from VGSales. Star Fox 2 and Star Fox Guard will not be included in this list due to being primarily available as part of a bundle with other games.

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The Entire Star Fox Series Ranked by Copies Sold

• 7. Star Fox Zero
• 6. Star Fox Command
• 5. Star Fox Assault
• 4. Star Fox 64 3D
• 3. Star Fox Adventures
• 2. Star Fox
• 1. Star Fox 64

7. Star Fox Zero — ~440,000 Copies Sold

Star Fox Zero was the latest Star Fox title to be released. It featured a return to form for the franchise as a pseudo-reboot, incorporating gameplay elements found throughout prior titles while adding some features of its own. From the polish provided by PlatinumGames to the numerous gameplay additions, Star Fox Zero really should have been the game to put the series back in the spotlight.

Unfortunately, this game was released near the end of the Wii U’s lifespan, making it an unpopular pick for an already unpopular console. What’s more, it also required the Wii U Gamepad as its main control scheme, forcing players to look at two bulky screens to get a good view of their environment. It would be interesting to see a new port of Star Fox Zero, but if they aren’t able to resolve the issues with controls, it’s unlikely that even a port would save it from being the worst-selling Star Fox game of all time.

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6. Star Fox Command — ~456,000 Copies Sold

Star Fox Command is similar to Zero in many ways. For a long time, it stood as the last Star Fox game that wasn’t a remake or a port of an older title. It was also very experimental, subjecting players to strategy-based battles and free-flying ship-to-ship confrontations. There were many odd aspects to the game, from its numerous endings to its strange implementation of multiplayer. This new take on the franchise was certainly interesting, but the features Command lacks make it a hard sell for long-time fans of older entries.

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5. Star Fox Assault — ~899,000 Copies Sold

While it builds off of the foundations laid out by Adventures, Star Fox Assault didn’t manage to gain the same popularity of its predecessor. A likely reason for this is the fact that it kept many qualities from Star Fox Adventures that fans didn’t find much enjoyment in, such as on-foot sections and a lack of alternate paths. Even so, Assault brought renewed focus on the classic space battle gameplay from prior Star Fox titles, making it a great bridge between what everyone loved from 64 and the new elements from Adventures.

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4. Star Fox 64 3D — ~1.06 Million Copies Sold

Star Fox 64 3D is a remake of the original N64 title with quite a few additions and improvements. Gyro controls and stereoscopic 3D are the new additions here, and unlike in Zero, the gimmicks are completely optional to use. The game’s main draw is its improved graphical quality. Despite being on the 3DS, the models and textures were noticeably better than their original counterparts.

64 3D was one of the first games to launch on the 3DS, both improving and hurting its sales in different ways. Like Ocarina of Time’s port, it stood as one of the few first-party titles on the system. But as a remake of the N64 title, it offered very little in the way of new content while also lacking much-needed improvements like online multiplayer. In fact, it outright removed the ability to battle in the Landmaster or on-foot during multiplayer battles. While this 3D port is still an improvement in many ways, you’re unlikely to get a lot more out of it that you couldn’t get from the original.

It’s still possible to purchase this game on the 3DS itself. Just be aware that the 3DS eShop will close on March 27th, 2023, so anyone interested should check it out while they still can!

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3. Star Fox Adventures — ~1.82 Million Copies Sold

Star Fox Adventures was the first of the franchise’s many experimental titles. It retained the original gameplay of shooting at foes through space in an Arwing, but the game’s overall focus shifted towards on-foot adventuring. The change was controversial for many long-time fans, but this game still managed to get quite a bit of popularity from its introduction of the character Krystal. It might be far from the best Star Fox game out there, but it’s one of the most unique experiences you’ll find from the series.

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2. Star Fox — ~2.99 Million Copies Sold

The original Star Fox was a technical marvel of its time. This was mostly thanks to its usage of the Super FX chip of the SNES, allowing it to use a polygonal style that almost no other game could manage until then. The game managed to combine simplicity with depth, featuring on-rails shooting with alternate pathways towards the final boss. The original Star Fox is a piece of Nintendo history, even if it’s not the biggest reason the franchise is still well-known today.

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1. Star Fox 64 — ~4 Million Copies Sold

When compared to its successors and even its remake, Star Fox 64 is unmatched in terms of success. The game introduced voice acting alongside new characters and even new vehicles to battle foes with. It’s arguably the definitive Star Fox experience, partially thanks to its impressive depth and surprisingly detailed worldbuilding. This was the game that cemented Star Fox’s true potential as a heavy-hitter for Nintendo, even if the franchise wouldn’t manage to recapture its success since then.

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Final Thoughts

Star Fox is considered to be a classic by many, though it currently lacks the success most other Nintendo properties share. It’s a shame to see this fact brought to light, as even the experimental titles had quite a lot to offer. If the franchise does find itself with a brand-new game as part of a revival, fans can only hope it will manage to join the first two titles to reignite interest in the series.