No matter what Aesop or the Grimm Brothers say, foxes don’t belong on nature’s “bad guy” list. OK, so they bump off a few chickens, but who doesn’t? In fact, I’d say that they’re relatively good when compared to their elder Lupus brothers, and so gosh-darn cuddly. Don’t be fooled though. Some vulpine characters have been known to throw down, like the daring space pilot Fox McCloud fromStar Fox, or evenSonic the Hedgehog’s two-tailed teammate, Miles “Tails” Prower. Interesting pair, eh? Now let’s see what happens when we throw ‘em in the ring together.
Yes indeed, game fans: you asked for it and now DualShockers is gonna give it you! In one corner, the ace pilot and fearless leader of his ragtag band of mercenaries, and in the other, a faster-than-fast whiz kid with a love for chili dogs. Two very different foxes; only one definitive winner. But before you get all “but that’s whatSmash Brosis for,” cool it. We’re gonna do more than just spam the attack button here. There’s backstory, personality, motivation, and favorite color to think about. That being said, let’s get it on!
Nice Guys Finish Fast
The first category is personality. What is the disposition of a champion? Is he cocky and obstinate, or is he affable and humble?
Let’s start with Tails, who easily embodies the latter. In fact, according to Sega lore, Tails was the ideal example of a fox prior to meeting his future hero and partner, Sonic. He was timid, cowardly, and lacking in confidence. Fortunately, after some time spent busting bad guys with his spiky blue senpai, Tails’ qualities like loyalty, sympathy, and ingenuity emerged, but not enough to give him a Sonic-like ego.
In the case of Fox, however, the former may apply. As leader of Star Fox’s guns-for-hire gang, a tough alligator-skin exterior is required, with no room for humor, save for a quip or two during battle. He oscillates between sober and cocky and, regardless of how he really feels, there’s too much at stake for him to show his real cards, if any exist at this point.
Motivated Mammals
The next criterion is drive. What gets these two foxes up early in the morning, and what keeps them burning the midnight oil?
With a look at Fox McCloud’s dossier, his backstory is objectively tragic. The son of James McCloud, the founder and leader of the original Star Fox gang, Fox was raised with a healthy dose of self-respect, confidence, and fighting know-how. However, while Fox was a cadet at Corneria academy, James was betrayed by his co-pilot, an Andross agent, and supposedly sent to his doom in a black hole. Hence, there isn’t a day that goes by that Fox doesn’t seek to avenge his father’s death by taking the fight straight to Andross. However, as a merc in general, one could argue that the Almighty Dollar could also be his biggest motivating factor.
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Contrarily, Tails is the polar opposite. As Sonic the Hedgehog’s closest compatriot in the fight against Dr. Eggman, Tails faces confrontation on the daily by smashing up robots and avoiding getting captured, but he’s really only in this to keep his hedgehog hero safe and make him proud.
The Quick And The Crafty
We’ve covered two of the less quantifiable attributes. Now let’s get into the meat with combat skills.
Fox McCloud was raised as a soldier. He’s basically a spitting image of his old man, James, one of the best fighter pilots in Corneria, or the galaxy for that matter. When he’s not using his Arwing’s weapon systems, Fox’s go-to is his side-arm blaster, with which we can assume he’s a crack-shot. He’s been fighting ever since he was a pup in cadet school, no doubt picking up tons of tricks along the way. Even if stripped of his blaster in a one-on-one, his hand-to-hand combat skills would be formidable against an opponent.
Tails, on the other hand, doesn’t have a weapon per se, much less any clothes, but utilizes his twin-tails as a prime means of combat. Despite their fluffy texture, his posterior appendages can be utilized as deadly spinning blades, lethal whips, or as a means of levitation. Moreover, when curled into a ball, Tails unleashes a Sonic-like Spin Dash attack that will shred like a buzzsaw through most surfaces and enemies.
Last Fox Standing
Pitting these two iconic foxes against each other is tricky business, as both Fox and Tails are both worthy opponents, but at the end of the day, there can only be one winner. To this judge, and in light of all the evidence available, I would put my money on Tails in a street fight.
To be fair, Fox McCloud’s advanced battle expertise and thirst for revenge make him a force to be reckoned with, but he’s been in space for too long. Without his aircraft and blaster, Fox is just another anthropomorphic mammal in clothes, like something out of Zootopia. Tails’ built-in weaponry, uncanny speed, and experience on the battlefield would easily give him a leg up. With so much going for this kid, it’s really a mystery why he hasn’t beengiven his own gameyet.
So that’s it, folks! If you’re feeling a tad bit unsatisfied, then come back next week for another Dualshockers Dream Battle and see if your favorite character comes out on top!
