Star Fox Adventures Celebrates 20th Anniversary: New Art Shared by Takaya Imamura and Wil Overton

Star Fox Adventures, a flagship title for the Nintendo GameCube, celebrated its 20th anniversary on September 23, 2022.

Known for revitalizing the iconic Star Fox series with an action-adventure twist, the game was developed by British studio Rare and published by Nintendo.

To mark this significant milestone, key figures involved in the game's history have shared new artwork and reflections, shining a spotlight on its enduring legacy within the Nintendo community. Former Nintendo artist and Star Fox character designer Takaya Imamura joined the festivities by unveiling brand-new art featuring Krystal, a notable character introduced in Star Fox Adventures.

Imamura, who retired from Nintendo in 2021, played a crucial creative role across multiple Nintendo franchises since joining the company in 1989.

His portfolio includes art direction for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, the design of memorable bosses in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and significant contributions to the F-Zero and Star Fox series for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Reflecting on his career, Imamura has described Star Fox 64 as "the game of my life" and has publicly expressed his hope for a Star Fox Zero port on the Nintendo Switch. Adding to the anniversary celebrations, Wil Overton—a former Rare artist renowned for his magazine cover work—shared a Christmas card from 2001 that features the core Star Fox crew: Fox McCloud, Krystal, Peppy Hare, Slippy Toad, and General Pepper.

Overton’s illustration, once part of Rare’s official holiday greetings, resurfaces this year as a nostalgic nod to a pivotal era in both Rare’s and Nintendo’s histories. Originally debuting in North America in 2002, Star Fox Adventures stands out in Rare’s portfolio as its final collaboration with Nintendo prior to the developer's acquisition by Microsoft.

The game uniquely merged on-foot and flight gameplay, introducing players to a rich, prehistoric world.

Krystal’s debut in Star Fox Adventures not only expanded the cast but also cemented her status as a fan favorite in the Star Fox universe. The legacy of Star Fox Adventures extends beyond its innovative gameplay and graphical achievements on the Nintendo GameCube.

Its developmental origins as "Dinosaur Planet" and transformation into a Star Fox title have been chronicled extensively, highlighting Rare’s adaptability and creative vision.

To this day, the game enjoys a passionate following, with long-standing calls from its players for remastered releases or spiritual successors on newer platforms like Nintendo Switch. The resurgence of artwork and community engagement for Star Fox Adventures’ 20th anniversary underscores the game’s continued influence and the enduring appeal of Nintendo’s classic franchises.

Fans and newcomers alike can revisit this milestone through digital retrospectives and by exploring the title on legacy hardware.

Nintendo GameCube Rare Star Fox Adventures Takaya Imamura Wil Overton Star Fox Nintendo GameCube