Route Map — All 25 Branching Paths

How Branching Works

Every Star Fox campaign begins on Corneria and ends on either Venom (normal ending) or Venom II (true ending). Between those bookends, fourteen stages offer binary or conditional forks. Your actions — not menu choices — determine the next mission. Combined, the decision tree yields 25 unique paths through the Lylat System, accounting for every valid combination of exits from Corneria through the penultimate stage.

Switch 2 adds Holoviewer mission logs that record which branches you have seen, but routing logic matches the classic Star Fox 64 structure. Difficulty settings (Novice, Normal, Expert) do not change forks; only your in-mission performance does.

Easy Route Overview

The easy route prioritizes straightforward Arwing stages and the Landmaster on Fichina without underwater or stealth requirements. It is the recommended first clear for new pilots learning controls and medal basics.

• Corneria — Complete normally → Meteo
• Meteo — Standard exit → Fichina
• Fichina — Finish before timer or lose pillars early → Sector X
• Sector X — Standard exit → Titania
• Titania — Complete → Bolse
• Bolse — Complete → Venom (normal ending)

Easy paths skip Katina, Solar, Macbeth shortcuts, and the entire hard-route chain. You still face Granga, Spyborgs, Gorilla, and Andross in standard form. Medal hunters can loop back via stage select after unlocking Expert mode.

Medium Route Overview

Medium routes introduce warp shortcuts and industrial set pieces. They branch at Meteo and Macbeth, offering more variety without Zoness stealth or Sector Z escort pressure.

• Corneria → Meteo — Fly through all six warp rings → Katina instead of Fichina
• Katina → Solar → Macbeth — Standard Macbeth boss → Bolse
• Macbeth train shortcut — Hit eight switches, shoot the sign → Area 6 → Venom II
• Meteo → Fichina → Sector X — Destroy secret hatch → Macbeth (train or boss fork)

Medium paths mix Katina ground assault with Bill Grey and the heat-management stage Solar. The Macbeth train shortcut is the fastest way to Area 6 without committing to the full hard route, but you miss Aquas, Zoness, and Sector Z content.

Hard Route Overview

The hard route unlocks the true ending. It demands Falco rescue, high hit counts, stealth, and perfect Great Fox defense.

• Corneria — Save Falco + seven stone arches → Sector Y
• Sector Y — Score 100+ hits → Aquas (below 100 → Katina, dropping off hard route)
• Aquas — Complete → Zoness
• Zoness — Destroy all 36 buoys undetected → Sector Z
• Sector Z — Destroy all six Copperhead missiles → Area 6
• Area 6 — Complete → Venom II (Star Wolf + Andross true form)

Missing any hard-route requirement shunts you to Bolse or Macbeth variants. Zoness detection sends you to Macbeth instead of Sector Z — the most common true-ending failure. Study the Zoness walkthrough and Sector Z guide before attempting Expert.

All Stage Forks at a Glance

Stage	Condition A	→ Destination	Condition B	→ Destination
Corneria	Standard complete	Meteo	Falco saved + 7 arches	Sector Y
Meteo	Standard complete	Fichina	All 6 warp rings	Katina
Sector Y	Hits < 100	Katina	Hits ≥ 100	Aquas
Fichina	Standard complete	Sector X	All pillars defended	Titania
Sector X	Standard complete	Titania	Secret hatch destroyed	Macbeth
Zoness	Detected / incomplete	Macbeth	36 buoys stealth	Sector Z
Macbeth	Defeat Mechbeth	Bolse	8 switches + sign	Area 6
Sector Z	Great Fox hit	Bolse	All 6 missiles down	Area 6
Bolse	Complete	Venom	—	—
Area 6	Complete	Venom II	—	—

Counting the 25 Paths

Linear stages (Katina, Aquas, Solar, Titania, Bolse, Area 6) have single exits, but upstream forks multiply outcomes. From Corneria alone, two starts branch into Meteo or Sector Y trees. Meteo splits Fichina versus Katina; Fichina splits Sector X versus Titania; Sector X splits Titania versus Macbeth; Macbeth splits Bolse versus Area 6; Zoness splits Macbeth versus Sector Z; Sector Z splits Bolse versus Area 6. Enumerating every consistent chain — including early drops from Sector Y low hits — produces exactly 25 reachable endings paths. The route planner visualizes each combination without spoiling boss orders.

Route Planning Tips

Decide your target ending before Corneria. Hard route players must learn arch locations and Falco tail patterns immediately. Medium players can grab warp rings on Meteo with practice. Easy players should ignore optional objectives entirely until Expert medals are unlocked.

Co-op partners should agree on routing before launch — the pilot usually handles arches and rings while the gunner maintains hit count for Sector Y. See all stages for vehicle assignments and medal thresholds per mission.

Related Guides

• All Stages 16 missions with exit conditions table
• Hard Route Walkthrough Step-by-step true ending path
• Route Planner Interactive branching calculator
• True Ending Guide Venom II requirements