Fichina — Snow Base Defense

Overview

Fichina is the first Landmaster stage in Star Fox 64, reached from Meteo on the easy route. Fox McCloud deploys in the Landmaster tank to defend a Cornerian base under attack by Andross's forces. Star Wolf has planted bombs throughout the facility, and enemy walkers target four critical communication pillars around the perimeter. Your objective is to protect the base while managing the Landmaster's slower but powerful ground combat capabilities.

Fichina introduces tank controls — strafing, turret aiming, and hover jumps — that differ significantly from Arwing flight. The stage also presents a routing choice between defeating the Spyborg boss quickly or letting the defense timer expire to reach Titania early.

Route Triggers

Fichina has two exits depending on how you handle the defense timer:

• Sector X (standard): Destroy the Spyborg boss before the defense timer expires. This is the default exit on the easy route, leading to the hidden base at Sector X.
• Titania (pillar defense): Protect all four communication pillars until the timer runs out completely. Peppy announces the extended defense, and the stage ends without fighting Spyborg — routing directly to Titania and skipping Sector X.

On the standard easy route, defeat Spyborg to visit Sector X before Titania. The pillar defense shortcut is useful for speedruns or players who want to skip Sector X's lower medal threshold.

Boss Strategy

Spyborg: A robotic assassin deployed by Star Wolf that attacks the base directly. Spyborg moves on spider-like legs and fires laser bursts from its arms. It also attempts to grab the Landmaster — if caught, mash buttons or use a hover jump to break free.

Target Spyborg's central body with the Landmaster's cannon. Charged shots deal heavy damage. When Spyborg climbs the base walls, shoot it before it reaches the top and dives at you. Spyborg's grab attack is its most dangerous move — maintain distance and use strafing to stay mobile. If a pillar is destroyed, the mission continues but your routing options may change.

Medal Tips

Fichina requires 200 hits — tied with Meteo and Aquas for the second-highest threshold. Destroy enemy walkers, fighters, and ground targets aggressively before they reach the pillars. Each enemy eliminated contributes to your hit count while also protecting the base.

Intercept enemies at the perimeter rather than waiting at the pillars — early kills on approaching forces yield more total hits over the stage duration. The Landmaster's cannon has a wide blast radius; use it on grouped enemies for multi-hit bonuses. Hover jumps let you reach elevated targets on the base walls for additional points.

Wingmate Advice

Wingmates do not participate in the Fichina ground mission — Fox fights alone in the Landmaster. However, Star Wolf members appear as enemies during the stage. Wolf O'Donnell taunts Fox while his team plants explosives throughout the base.

Listen for audio cues about pillar damage — Peppy and ROB warn when a pillar is under attack. Prioritize defending damaged pillars over chasing hit score, because losing pillars does not fail the mission but reduces your routing flexibility. After Fichina, wingmates rejoin the formation in their Arwings.

Switch 2 Remake Notes

The Landmaster controls on Switch 2 benefit from adjustable sensitivity in the options menu. Star Wolf's appearance on Fichina is unchanged — Wolf taunts Fox while planting explosives, adding narrative tension before the Spyborg fight. The pillar defense timer displays on-screen; watch it carefully if you intend to route to Titania instead of Sector X.

Related Missions and Routes

Standard completion leads to Sector X. Pillar defense timer routes to Titania. See the easy route walkthrough for the full Fichina-through-Bolse path and the vehicles guide for Landmaster handling tips.

Related Guides

• Sector X Mission Guide Default fourth stage on the easy route
• Titania Mission Guide Alternate exit via pillar defense timer
• Vehicles Guide Landmaster controls and handling