The Arwing as it appears in Star Fox 64.
The Arwing is a single-passenger star fighter employed by the Star Fox Team in the Star Fox series of video games.
Technology[]
The Arwing derives its anti-gravity properties from the G-Diffuser engines, which allow the fighter to move nimbly and perform aerial tricks such as barrel rolls in both outer space and atmospheric conditions. For increased maneuverability in enclosed battlefields, the ship is outfitted with boosters and air brakes, and a pilot may use these systems in all-range mode to perform somersaults and U-turns.
An Arwing enters all-range mode.
The ship is equipped with single and twin T&B-H1 laser cannons and features a bomb bay for carrying up to nine Smart Bombs, which can be triggered from the cockpit. The forward laser cannon is capable of charging and releasing a homing pulse shot that reacts to the ship's on-board lock-on targeting mechanism. Defensively, the Arwing is equipped with shields that, in addition to absorbing and deflecting damage from laser fire and space debris, safeguard the ship from malfunctions due to extreme environmental conditions. In Star Fox 64, the ship is shown to remain functional while traversing the molten planet Solar, where surface temperatures reach 3,500 K (3,226 ºC). The Arwing has a demonstrable resistance to battle damage and is able to fight and stay airborne with one or both wings missing.
Arwing revisions[]
The Arwing II revision.
The Arwing II, an upgraded version of the original Arwing, first appears in the game Star Fox Command. It features an improved forward cannon and is able to accommodate field upgrades such as twin lasers or a multi-lock targeting mechanism. The bomb bay capacity has been lowered to two.
Appearances in other media[]
The Arwing appears as a stage hazard in the Sector Z level of Super Smash Bros. Periodically, the ship will pass by the arena and fire its laser cannons at the players, threatening to knock them off the stage. The ship reappears in Super Smash Bros. Melee as a stage hazard on Corneria and Venom, and in Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Lylat Cruise level. In the latter two games, the Arwing is also featured as a collectible trophy alongside the Wolfen.
The Arwing as a collectible trophy in the Super Smash Bros. series.
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the Arwing was used in developmental stages to test physics and battle properties for airborne enemies. Though the ship does not appear in the campaign under normal circumstances, the Arwing textures were never removed from the game and it is possible to edit the ship back into the overworld with a cheat device.
The Arwing appears in Animal Crossing (Nintendo GameCube) as a raffle prize, and in Animal Crossing: Wild World and City Folk as a spotlight item. In the latter two games, activating the Arwing cues up the Star Fox theme.