Nintendo kicked off its Electronic Entertainment Expo appearance this year with a confirmation of the upcoming "Star Fox" game for the Wii U. Showcasing a new gameplay trailer for its announced "Star Fox Zero" title, Nintendo touched on the highlights of the new game.

Based on the footage, "Star Fox Zero" apparently stays true to the franchise, looking much like the previous games in the series. However, the upcoming title will also introduce some tweaks in the gameplay, particularly during combat. 

It will fully maximize the Wii U, featuring unique controls on the GamePad. For example, the title will use the controller's sensing gyroscope and second screen for precision aiming during combat. Accordingly, the gamepad will be used in conjuction with controllers to pilot the ship. The game will take advantage of the Wii U's double screen functionality and will use the TV for cinematic views of the game, while the GamePad will automatically display a pilot's view of the cockpit. 

In addition, Nintendo also overhauled Arwing, the iconic jet featured in all "Star Fox" titles. Bringing back the transformation option originally planned for "Star Fox 2" but later discarded, the Arwing can now transform into a walker. Other new vehicles include a new tank called the Landmaster, and the Gyrowing, a small flyer and hovercraft hybrid that can drop a small tethered drone to scout and explore tight areas. 

For fans of the series who are probably wondering if "Star Fox Zero" denotes a prequel of sorts, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto said that the upcoming title is not a prequel, nor is it a sequel or a reboot. The title is taken instead from the Chinese script for zero, which can be seen on the game's logo. 

Although no specific release date has been announced, it is expected that "Star Fox Zero" will hit the shelves this coming holiday season.