[Jonbo298]

January 27, 2005 - In a recently published Nintendo newsletter, the company announced that gamers can play the upcoming GameCube shooter Star Fox Assault early if they don't mind renting it. Evidently both Blockbuster and Hollywood Video will be getting playable versions of the game for rental purposes some two weeks before it actually ships to retailers.

Blockbuster and Hollywood Video will carry Star Fox Assault for rental beginning February 1, or in just a few short days. The title does not actually release in the US until February 15.

Star Fox Assault, developed by Namco, stars hero Fox McCloud and gang on an all-new mission that takes them into space, over the skies and even on land while doing battle with hordes of futuristic enemies. The title goes back to the roots of the series, serving up traditional scrolling shooter levels, but it also features a variety of ground-based missions where Fox can arm himself with weapons and control vehicles such as tanks. Assault boasts crisp, clean graphics and a four-player competitive mode.

http://cube.ign.com/articles/583/583126p1.html

Only a small stipulation but it'll be nice to see how well the game turns out since its going back to the roots of the series.