Summary
Before Star Fox, there was a developer in Britain building copy protection tools, a dinner party that opened the right door, and a Game Boy prototype game that could do something it was never supposed to do. Jez San's Argonaut Software caught Nintendo's attention at CES and was invited to Japan. The meeting led to a two million dollar deal to build a custom chip to bring real 3D to the SNES. A team of Argonaut programmers moved to Japan and worked alongside Shigeru Miyamoto and Katsuya Eguchi to build one of the most technically ambitious games on the system. The Super FX chip made it possible, and a Kyoto fox shrine gave it its identity. Star Fox sold well, but its late arrival in the SNES lifecycle meant a nearly completed Star Fox 2 was shelved and not released until the SNES Classic. The collaboration that made it all possible did not end on the warmest terms. Nintendo retained some of Argonaut's programmers, and San walked away feeling the partnership had given Nintendo far more than it had given Argonaut.
Show Notes
TCW 017 - The British 8-bit Computer Market - Hardware: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW017-the-british-8-bit-computer-market-hardware
TCW 018 - The British 8-bit Computer Market - Software: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW018-the-british-8-bit-computer-market-software
TCW 049 - Old and Elite: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW049-old-and-elite
Skyline Attack (C64): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXb1IlVOTVM
Star Wars (Atari - Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJv94FPRddA
StarGlider (ZX Spectrum): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0nxTSc-4os
TCW - 130: Uncle Clive's Radionics: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW130-uncle-clives-radionics
TCW 131 - Sir Clive of ZX: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW131-sir-clive-of-zx
Sinclair C5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjiiayrKiuk
Micro Men: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXBxV6-zamM
TCW 244 - The History of Commodore Pt 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW244-the-history-of-commodore-pt-1
TCW 245 - The History of Commodore Pt 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW245-the-history-of-commodore-pt-2
TCW 246 - The History of Commodore Pt 3: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW246-the-history-of-commodore-pt-3
TCW 247 - The History of Commodore Pt 4: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW247-the-history-of-commodore-pt-4
Nintendo president Yamauchi gives a speech at Spaceworld 95: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V8tUea4Hbs&t=36s
TCW 198 - The History of Handheld Games Part 1: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW198-the-history-of-handheld-games-part-1
TCW 199 - The History of Handheld Games Part 2: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW199-the-history-of-handheld-games-part-2
TCW 200 - The History of Handheld Games Part 3: https://www.theycreateworlds.com/episodes/TCW200-the-history-of-handheld-games-part-3
Pilotwings (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A1hX1rGRfY
X (Game Boy): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LETr1NoteMM
Scmuplations - Star Fox 1993 Developer Interview: https://shmuplations.com/starfox/
Starblade (Arcade): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqWhFddNopM
Starglider 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg3uQM83dl8
Thunderbirds S1E1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLiH4xrCITI
Starfox SNES Box Art: https://gamesdb.launchbox-app.com/games/images/1659-star-fox
Fushimi Inari Shrine: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html
StarFox Coms (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkjR_9WVAHc
Starfox Prototype: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rsRTCExBLA
StarFox (SNES): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EkVHxE0Y8I
New episodes are on the 1st and 15th of every month!
TCW Email: feedback@theycreateworlds.com
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Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theycreateworlds
Alex's Video Game History Blog: http://videogamehistorian.wordpress.com
Alex's book: http://bit.ly/TCWBOOK1
Intro Music: Josh Woodward - Airplane Mode - Music - "Airplane Mode" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/song/AirplaneMode
Outro Music: RoleMusic - Bacterial Love: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Rolemusic/Pop_Singles_Compilation_2014/01_rolemusic_-_bacterial_love
Copyright: Attribution: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/