Star Fox Zero: How to Beat Pigma in Area 3

In Star Fox Zero, Pigma plays the role of a traitor who plays a pivotal role in getting Fox’s father, James, killed. He may be a pig, but he’s not to be taken lightly.

You’ll first face-off against Pigma during the first phase of Area 3. You’ll want to sustain as little damage as possible during this fight, as the action doesn’t let up once he’s down. You move immediately on to a two-part phase that uses the Walker and the Gyrowing, with plenty of baddies trying to take you down along the way, so you’re pretty much done for if Pigma gets you in the red. This means not only must you defeat him to progress, but you must win with preferably at least a third of your health bar to make things easier later in the level.

Several aspects of this fight can prove stressful, not the least of which is how quick and agile Pigma is. Just when you get him in your sights he’ll make a sharp turn and zoom right past you. Your allies will frequently remind you to lock onto him to keep track of his location, but that doesn’t mean all your shots will automatically target him. You’ll still need to make sure the front of your ship is facing him if you want your blasts to connect.

It’s important to remember that there is no time limit to this fight, so pacing yourself is essential. There’s no need to charge in recklessly with guns blazing. Take your time, follow Pigma’s movements, and strike when you’ve got a good shot.

In order to get those good shots you’ll need to take full advantage of the somersault move, as Pigma will always make his way behind you real quick. Once you’ve got a few good shots on him he’ll speed around and start firing at you from behind. Most of his shots are easily dodged with a simple up-and-down movement of the Arwing, so don’t stress too much about his firepower. When he gets close enough just somersault, hit him a few times until he flees from your sight, then lock on again and repeat.

Patience and persistence will be your best friends during this fight as you nickle and dime Pigma until at last you bring him down. It may take a good ten minutes, but using this strategy you should win the fight with plenty of health to spare. If you die during phase 2 of Area 3, you’ll need to defeat Pigma once again, so taking your time once or twice will be much quicker than having to replay the battle half a dozen times.