- “General Pepper's Flight Log, pg 34
Our probes have picked up enemy activity in the Meteo planetoid system. It looks like Andross has built a planetoid crusher to clear a way through the belt for his invasion fleet. We need to have the Star Fox team check it out. Keep your eyes peeled as you move through the planetoids. Their movement is usually predictable, but if any of theses rocks collide, it could send them careening off in wild directions. We've also scanned some unusual warp energy readings in the sector. If you find the source of to explore it to find out if it is part of Andross's attack.” - —
Meteo, also known as the Asteroid Field, the Asteroid Belt or just Asteroid, or even Outer Space, is a dense field of planetoids located in the Lylat system between Corneria and Fichina. It is the site of a number of battles during the Lylat Wars, as well as the Aparoid and Anglar invasions years later.
Overview
- “Planetary Compendium
Scientists speculate that the dense planetoid field of Meteo is all that remains of a fifth planet in the Lylat system. The planetoids here contain many minerals, but the depth of the field has not yet been explored. Space travel in this sector is not recommended.” - —
Meteo is an unusually dense field of more than a hundred thousand planetoids. Scientists have speculated that such density was a result of what might once have been Lylat's "ninth planet", but something happened to it, leaving behind Meteo as its remains. Though the belt is rich in minerals, its depths have yet to be fully explored because of the extreme danger of traversing it. Travel through the field is not done often, despite being the fastest way from Corneria to other planets.
History
Lylat Wars
Meteo was the site of a major battle between the Star Fox Team and Andross's Empire during the Lylat Wars. Andross ordered the Meteo Crusher to clear a path through the asteroids for Androssian invasion forces to reach Corneria. Fox McCloud also discovered a naturally-occurring Warp Portal that allowed direct access to Katina.
Aparoid Invasion
The abundant natural resources also presented great interest to the Aparoids. While occupying the body of Pigma Dengar, the Aparoids started construction on a large base and multiple wings of starfighter defenses. However, before it could be completed, the Star Wolf Team infiltrated the asteroid field, but were repulsed, only to be followed by the Star Fox Team who invaded the base and destroyed Pigma, who was infected by the Aparoids.
After the events of the Aparoid invasion, the disposal of the abandoned base was deferred to a later date, and that it's to be placed under observation due to the fact that trying to get a quick and comprehensive understanding of the region is difficult because of the complex topography. The destruction level was a B+ and the Aparoids were expunged.
Anglar Blitz
The asteroid belt was visited again during the various events of the Anglar Blitz. The asteroids make clearing the fog of war on the players screen very difficult and enemies will be harder to locate while defending the Great Fox. Biobrain is one example of bosses within this level.
Other appearances
Star Fox Nintendo Power Comics
The Asteroid Belt referenced in the Nintendo Power Comics is either Meteo or Meteor, referenced by General Pepper when he goes on to talk about Andross's past. In those days, he was head of the academy, and a scientist. He was "brilliant but unstable," making many odd inventions. When Andross developed the Gravity Bomb, Fox Sr. "volunteered to deliver it to the Asteroid Belt for testing. He went out alone, not knowing the risks that Andross had built into the bomb.
Lylat Wars Comic
Meteo appears in the Lylat Wars Comic, where events are both similar and different to the game's continuity.
At the asteroid belt, the Meteo Crusher waits for Star Fox, but it is quickly destroyed and dismissed shamelessly by Fox. Warned by Peppy not to be over confident, Fox misses his readings of a UFO craft approaching and is attacked by a disrupter torpedo. Ambused by Andrew Oikonny and the Star Wolf Team, Star Fox enter a dogfight. Beaten back, Star Wolf retreat with Fox hot on Pigma Dengar's tail for his treason towards his old team. Wolf O'Donnell intervenes Fox's pursuit, threatning him to leave Pigma be, or be sent to join his late father, thus Fox confirms rumours surrounding Wolf's involvement with James McCloud's disappearance. Later in the Great Fox's hangar, Slippy asks about Fox's actions as Peppy retells the story of Pigma's treason, blaming himself for the disappearance of his best friend, calling himself a coward and hoping that he'll see Jimmy again someday. Furious about the state of his uniform, Fox takes a quick break with his friends to cool down.
Trivia
- During the working stages of "Star Fox 64", when reaching the area where the Meteo Crusher was fought, a planet different from Fichina was visible from space.
- The Sargasso Hideout and Beltino Orbital Gate may be stationed somewhere nearby the asteroid belt, for there are asteroids in place around those regions.
- The "Star Fox 64" Meteo leitmotif was remixed into three different variations during Star Fox Adventures. The first being used as the main Arwing space mission and Dragon Rock tower defenses, the second when Andross is destroyed and the third "Great Fox rock" version played during the credits and when the Star Fox team first appear. The Meteo theme also returned for Star Fox: Assault, Star Fox Command and Star Fox 64 3D.
- Star Fox Adventures's Great Fox Rock song and the song that plays upon Andross's defeat are the only Meteo leitmotif remix to be in 4/4 time.
- Although there wasn't much of a change between the Japanese Star Fox 64 guide and Nintendo Power Official Player's Guide lore-wise regarding Meteo (outside of the Japanese guide claiming it to be the remains of Lylat's fifth planet rather than its ninth planet), the former gives a bit of elaboration on the warp point's background, citing it was earlier used once by accident via a survey team of the Cornerian Defense Forces led by Desslar Coba where his fighter was discovered to have crashed on Katina the moment they lost contact with him in a scouting survey 10 years prior to the events of the game.
Names in Other Languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| Japanese | Meteo (メテオ) Asteroid Field (アステロイド・フィールド) Asteroid Belt (アステロイドベルト) Asteroid (アステロイド) |
References
- NINTENDO POWER Star Fox 64: Official Nintendo Player's Guide. Redmond, WA, Nintendo of America. 1997.
- Star Fox 64.com
- http://sfc.krystalarchive.com/text/missionList.html
- Star Fox 1993; Instruction Booklet
| Lylat System | ||
| Planets | Aparoid Homeworld • Aquas • Cerinia • Corneria • Eladard • Fichina • Fortuna • Grippia • Katina • Kew • Macbeth • Papetoon • Sauria • Secret Base • Solar • Titania • Venom • Zoness | |
| Star | Lylat | |
| Sectors | Sector α • Sector β • Sector γ • Sector Ω • Area 6 • Meteo • Sector X • Sector Y • Sector Z • Warp Zone • Out of This Dimension | |
| Artificial Objects | Black Hole • Orbital Gate • Bolse • Meteor • Sargasso Hideout • Space Armada • Satellite Defense Platform • Astropolis | |
| Cities | Corneria City • Katina Frontline Base • Katina Outpost • Fichina Base • Fichina City • Climate control center • Aquas Ruins • Area 3 | |
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| Main Characters |  |-| |-| |-| |-| |-|
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| Bosses |  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  •  • 
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| Enemies | 
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Corneria • Asteroid • Black Hole • Out of This Dimension • Sector X • Space Armada • Titania • Fortuna • Meteor • Sector Y • Sector Z • Macbeth • Venom | |
| Navigation | Plot • Missions • Gallery • Videos • Script | |
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| Characters |                        
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| Supporting Characters | Vivian Hare • General Pepper • Marcus • Slippy's son • Peppy's granddaughter | |
| Bosses | ZaZanga 9 • Splitter • Devil Shark • Octopod • Biobrain • Star Wolf (Wolf, Panther and Leon) • Death Crab • Pigma Dengar • Solar Satellite • Killer Bee • Dune Worm • Monarch Dodora • Grunner • Arrow Head • Anglar Emperor | |
| Enemies | Anglar Starfish • Elite Fighter • Anglar Missile • Anglar Mothership | |
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| Navigation | Plot • Missions • Gallery • Videos • Script | |
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| Protagonists |       
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| Antagonists |     
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Arwing • Armoured Arwing • Light Arwing | |
| Bosses | Mirage Dragon • Tektron • Hunter Fantron • Space Blade • Algy • Pigma • Leon • Wolf • Andross | |
| Enemies | Moth Glider • Planet Missile • Night Fang • Hal Bird • Skull Toad • Sky Kicker • Spread Missile • Brain Spoiler • Spiral Kite • Cannon Bomber • Prison Bow • Turtle Missile • Station Missile • The Spinners • Metal Boomerang | |
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Corneria • Satellite Defense Platform • Titania • Meteor • Fortuna • Macbeth • Venom • Eladard • Cannon Betrayer • Secret Base • Astropolis • | |
| Navigation | Plot • Missions • Gallery • Videos • Script | |