Thanks to a post from Nintendo’s former PR lead, we now know what Star Fox creator Shigeru Miyamoto thinks about that ever-popular fan theory about the titular space pilots all having robotic legs. Fox McCloud recently rocketed back into the public consciousness thanks to his confirmed appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie – where he will be voiced by Twisters and Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell.
This came as a total surprise for most Nintendo fans, given that Fox isn’t usually associated with Mario and company (Super Smash Bros. notwithstanding) and Star Fox hasn’t really gotten much in the way of new media since the long-awaited release of Star Fox 2 back in 2017. Still, many Nintendo fans have been quick to point out that Star Fox shares a creator with the Super Mario franchise in the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto.
Shigeru Miyamoto Thinks Star Fox Theory Is “Nuts”
Some Twitter users have also recalled an old internet theory stretching back the early 2010s, which claims that Fox McCloud and the rest of Star Fox have had their legs amputated and replaced with mechanical ones to help them withstand stronger G-Forces while flying in their Arwing starfighters. This idea stems from an old Nintendo Power cover that seems to depict Fox with robotic legs.
This recently caught the attention of former Nintendo PR lead Kit Ellis, who shared Shigeru Miyamoto’s reaction to hearing this theory. According to Ellis, Miyamoto had a look on his face that “was a combination of ‘wait, what?’/’get me out of here’/”are you nuts’.” So no, Fox and his crew probably don’t have robotic legs.
This isn’t the first time that the subject of Fox’s legs has come up, as Miyamoto was also asked about it around the time that Star Fox Zero launched on the Nintendo Wii U back in 2016. There, he explained that the main focus of his design team was “take[ing] these animal characters and make[ing] them seem more human,” and that he had no knowledge of the supposed blood flow issues that spawned the robot leg theory in the first place.
If anything, Shigeru Miyamoto was reportedly more worried about how Fox’s tail would fit in the seat of his Arwing – a question that many undoubtedly share.
Whether he has mechanical legs or not, Fox McCloud will finally make his big-screen debut when The Super Mario Galaxy Movie blasts into theaters on April 1. Some are already coming up with new theories about Fox’s appearance, leading to a standalone Star Fox adaptation or even a Super Smash Bros. crossover movie down the line, but only time will tell if there is indeed a Nintendo Cinematic Universe in the works.
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