“Brand new” is a bit of a misleading adjective for this release. You see, in an attempt to wipe the board clean off the decades of baggage of poorly conceived experiments and entries that never quite resonated with the market, the new Star Fox is pitched as a reboot of the series. And in an attempt to be a reboot, it goes back to the beginning – Star Fox 64, the series’ high watermark, which represents the “first” entry in the chronology (it itself having been a retelling of the SNES Star Fox game).

"Personally, I was never attached enough to the original look of the characters enough to be against a redesign."

Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2, then, is a remake of Star Fox 64 (and in turn, Star Fox on the SNES). Counting Star Fox 64 3D, which was an earlier remake of the game for Nintendo’s 3DS handheld, and Star Fox Zero on the Wii U, which was a retelling of the same story in a new continuity, this represents the fifth time this story has been told by Nintendo in a major game.

But honestly, it works. The story of Star Fox 64 is straightforward, but allows for a lot of great and frenetic arcade action. It has some great character moments, iconic moments and lines, and enough lore to keep a lot of players busy trying to uncover it all.

But ultimately, no one plays Star Fox for the story. Barely anyone is even playing Star Fox for a straightforward “completion”, in fact. You see, Star Fox is an arcade game. I don’t mean that in the way that the adjective is used today – I mean that it is literally an arcade game, as in, it is designed with the sensibilities that a game played at a physical arcade would be. The game, which is a rail shooter, sees players running quick levels, with the goal being not completion, but maximizing your score. The game, and each level, is designed around being replayed – there are secret routes through many levels, for example, which can unlock new paths through the campaign for you in the form of alternate levels and paths that you can take.

There are sub-objectives and secrets to find, which re usually reserved for players who have a thorough mastery of the level – mastery that comes, mind you, by replaying those levels repeatedly, until you know what enemies, hazards, and impudences to expect, when, where, and how. Running through Star Fox start to finish once takes very little time – probably 2-3 hours for most players – but the game is designed around that not being the point, and instead players continuing to play and replay levels. It works well, and lends itself remarkably well to the Switch’s pick up and play nature, while also allowing for hectic and frenetic longer sessions.

"The game, and each level, is designed around being replayed"

As a remake of Star Fox 64, Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 is extremely faithful – the changes are all visual and to the storytelling (which we’ll get to in a bit). The actual layout of each level, its structure, encounters, and progression, is pretty much the same as it was in the N64 game. Those visual changes, however, are comprehensive – the game looks nothing like the 64-bit skeleton that it is built on. Developed by Velan Studios, on their in house VIPER Engine, there is actually a convincing case to be made that Star Fox is the best looking game on the Nintendo Switch 2 so far.

In terms of the rendering technologies underlying it, from the lighting, the physics based rendering pipeline, the asset streaming, and the number of stunning transparencies and alpha effects, this is decidedly the most modern a Nintendo game has looked. Most of Nintendo’s games have looked great on the Switch 2, but every single one of them is based on tech and rendering stacks that started out on the original Nintendo Switch, and use their strong art style to compensate. Star Fox is the first time on the Switch 2 that a Nintendo game looks like it is visually a generation apart from what Nintendo was doing on the original Switch.

A lot has been said about the art style this remake uses. The extremely photorealistic look was initially divisive – while it means the environments look gorgeous, the interpretation of the classic and beloved Star Fox cast as realistic looking animals was a big enough departure from the expected aesthetic that there was a bit of a pushback when the game was originally revealed.

Personally, I was never attached enough to the original look of the characters enough to be against a redesign, and the redesign itself seemed, while not necessarily better than the classic designs, still good enough, and fitting with the game’s overall look enough, that I didn’t mind. And certainly, once you are actually playing the game, your screen filled with explosions and particles effects as you try to save the Lylat System from Andross’ evil machinations, those redesigns cease to even register.

Other than the graphics, the other big change over the original game that Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 brings is the expanded storytelling. Yes, really – the cutscenes and storytelling are a major part of the pitch for this game, and they’re actually really good.

Expanding on the CODEC style conversations of the original game, these cutscenes are now fully animated and fully voiced, expanding upon not just the story of the game, but also some of the lore and backstory behind it, and perhaps best of all for a lot of fans, the inter team dynamics of the various members of the Star Fox team. Getting, for example, an opportunity to see more banter between Fox and Falco, is excellent, and exactly the sort of thing that long time fans of these characters will appreciate (while doing a good job at endearing these characters to any potential new fans).

"The other big change over the original game that Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 brings is the expanded storytelling."

These cutscenes are very impressive – not only are they fully voiced, it appears as though they are fully voiced in every language the game supports. Not just that, but the cutscenes (all real-time) also adjust to reflect your path through the story – if, for example, one of your team members was downed in a mission, and is not going to be available to fly for the upcoming one, the cutscenes reflect that. This is the sort of reactivity in storytelling that we have seen go down in games as they have embraced voiced dialog, so it is nice to see Star Fox retain all of it, while expanding on the storytelling in the process.

A big concern people may have with this game is the content to cost ratio. The value it could provide, in other words. It’s far too easy to see the “game can be beaten in 3 hours” number and be scared off. And to be honest, if you are only going to play through it once and then move on, you should probably not buy Star Fox, because it will not be worth the price to you.

But for everyone else, Star Fox more than justifies the cost – the amount of value, across all the replays of a campaign, the secret and alternate paths, the sub-objectives, the new achievements system, the brand new multiplayer mode (which, mercifully, supports online and voice chat – not something that is a given for a new Nintendo game, sadly, but it holds true here), the new cutscenes, new gimmicks such as support for mouse mode, and its overall high production value, certainly make it worth it. It helps, too, that the game is very cheap, which also helps it seem like a better proposition.

While another remake of Star Fox 64 may seem unnecessary, Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 gets a lot of mileage out of the premise. Between the improvements to controls, UI, QoL, storytelling, new multiplayer mode, and of course, the graphics, this is decidedly the definitive edition of this classic tale and game so far. Now let’s hope that this represents a true new beginning, and a new era, for the franchise. If future Star Fox games on the Switch 2 end up being as well done as this one is, fans, both veterans and newcomers alike, are in for a treat.

This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.

Another Version of 1993’s SNES Original

Star Fox 64 told the same story as the SNES original, but widened the tone and presentation, and it’s this version where the upcoming remake traces its lineage. In the years between, Star Fox 64 3D brought a like-for-like port for the 3DS, while 2016’s Star Fox Zero rebooted the same narrative beats through questionable Wii U game design. This year’s Star Fox – a title notably simplified, without suffixes nor numbers, suggesting a launchpad for future entries – is a ‘cinematic’ take, retaining original stage layouts but bringing overhauled graphics, controls, and character models to the iconic, on-rails arcade shooter.

Redesigned Character Models

Among Star Fox’s most polarising modernisations is its character models, redesigned to look realistically grizzled and roadworn compared to Fox McCloud’s cartoonish turn in the recent Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Still, the rest of Team Star Fox joining leader McCloud comprise sarcastic piloting ace Falco Lombardi, experienced strategist Peppy Hare, and care-free mechanic Slippy Toad, with their portrayals here a thorough facelift over their N64 appearances. Community reaction is far from unanimously positive, but Star Fox 64 art director Takaya Imamura appears to have warmed up, describing McCloud and his crew’s modern looks as matching his original, then-unattainable vision.

Audio Significantly Overhauled

Along with introducing cinematic flair to Star Fox’s visuals, Nintendo is also overhauling the game’s audio and music, where a re-recorded orchestral score, remastered sound effects, and new voice acting aim to modernise the experience without losing its arcade punch. Meanwhile, a dynamic audio engine presents spatial audio positioning, enhancing immersion while supporting your peripheral vision during especially busy encounters.

Arwing Starfighter: Your Primary Gameplay Vehicle

Whereas Star Fox’s audio and visuals receive the greatest uplift, your return voyage across the Lylat System will once again be in the command of the Arwing, Team Star Fox’s versatile starfighter. Designed for deep space transitions and atmospheric flight alike, the Arwing shifts and somersaults with the agility of a mosquito, and comes loaded with a laser cannon which can be charged for a homing shot. Well-timed barrel rolls create projectile-absorbing electromagnetic shields, while smart bombs deal massive, area-of-effect damage, proving a worthy secondary option for tackling bosses and clearing clustered enemies.

Landmaster Tank Returns for Ground Assaults

While aerial combat dominates, certain missions pull perspective down to ground level where you’ll take charge of the Landmaster, a heavily armoured, all-terrain tank. The Landmaster’s stages slow the pace slightly, focusing your attention on managing incoming threats from air and land alike as you scuttle across unsteady territory. Equipped with an Arwing-like laser cannon, the Landmaster also packs target lock-on missiles plus a hint of the starfighter’s manoeuvrability in rolls and hovers.

Blue-Marine Submersible Missions

Alongside the Landmaster, also returning from Star Fox 64 are the sub-aquatic missions featuring the Blue-Marine, a specialised submersible deployed in the deep-sea trenches of underwater stages. These sections emphasise limited visibility, bringing a slightly more methodical approach to shooting. So, whilst the Arwing’s laser is loaded here, the Blue-Marine is equipped with “Light Bomb” torpedoes which must be locked-on before launching, illuminating the surrounding ocean as they shoot toward enemy ships. And, the laser isn’t the only carry-over from the Arwing; the Blue-Marine can also execute the starfighter’s signature, forcefield-emitting barrel roll.

New Cutscenes Expand the Story

While the core narrative is indeed familiar, the remake brings all-new cutscenes in the form of never-before-seen mission briefings and backstory elements, all designed to flesh out Star Fox’s universe and characters. Clearly part of the broader cinematic push in which Nintendo frames this latest version, these additions should also deepen your emotional stakes by expanding upon Team Star Fox’s motivations.

Branching Paths and Stage Variety

Whilst Star Fox follows a linear path through outer space, taking in a diverse range of planets, asteroid belts, space stations, and nebulae, the precise direction you’ll take depends on your performance. See, depending on enemies destroyed or objectives completed, the route you take through the Lylat System may change, leading to secrets and hidden paths on subsequent playthroughs. This branching structure is central to the game’s replayability, but the remake expands on these systems through another game mode, too.

Challenge Mode Incentivises Replay

Yes, beyond the main campaign, Challenge Mode encourages you to revisit completed stages with specific objectives in mind. These range from achieving high enemy kill counts, to defeating multiple opponents with a single projectile, fully upgrading your armoury, and more. It’s a thoughtful way to engage with the game’s arcade structure, potentially widening the pool of players by offering incentives to replay levels beyond simple score chasing.

Expanded Battle Mode

Multiplayer returns in the shape of Battle Mode, a four-versus-four dogfight between Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf, fought across one of three arenas. Each stage introduces its own rulesets, with zone control, crystal collecting, and cargo transport objectives layering on top of blasting each other’s starships. You can jump into matches locally, connect online through matchmaking, or organise private sessions with your friends, with GameShare support allowing anyone to participate in local multiplayer, even if they don’t own the game.

Three Distinct Difficulty Modes

To accommodate both veterans and newcomers – to the Star Fox series and shmup-style arcade shooters alike – the remake includes three distinct difficulty settings. Available from the outset, easy difficulty stretches your shield gauge, with enemies dealing less damage. The challenge scales from there, through normal difficulty to an unlockable expert mode, where surviving high enemy damage, impactful collisions, and permadeath yields specific medal rewards and leaderboard access.

Mouse Controls and Co-Op Play

One of the remake’s modern additions is mouse-style aiming support, offering a more precise targeting method if that’s your preference. This control scheme also enables a two-player co-op mode, where one player manoeuvres the Arwing while the other focuses exclusively on shooting, providing a clever way to encourage collaboration on the Switch 2 which wasn’t possible in earlier versions.

N64 Controller Compatibility

For purists, the remake supports the N64 controller, allowing you to experience Star Fox with a control layout, game feel, and overall aesthetic that’s tied closely to the 1997 original. While most of you will likely opt for modern control schemes, the N64 controller option caters to nostalgia, proving, perhaps, impossible to ignore for diehards who grew up with Star Fox 64.

GameChat Avatar Integration

Star Fox also integrates the Switch 2’s Character Avatars, which allow you to switch up your look to match a character from the remake in GameChat. Tracking eye and mouth movement, facial expression, and head direction via a compatible camera, there’s an undeniable uncanniness to the appearance of these avatars, but it’s just a bit of cosmetic fun designed to enrich online interactions.

Switch 2 Exclusive

Star Fox releases on June 25th, and it’s a Switch 2 exclusive at launch. Taking advantage of the Nintendo’s latest hardware to deliver visual and audio overhauls means it won’t be available on the original Switch; is this another point of contention amongst the community who would prefer a sequel?

Well, Nintendo has announced the prices for its physical and digital editions, and they’re priced at $59.99 and $49.99, respectively. That’s in line with Nintendo’s recent pricing policy for first-party Switch 2 titles, although it’s quite cheaper than some of the other big releases that have graced the console since its launch.

Star Fox is a remake of Star Fox 64, but that’s not all. It adds new cutscenes and mission briefings, a very poignant look at James McCloud’s foray into Dr Andross’s abode on Venom, and a new Challenge Mode where you can replay missions with brand new objectives. It’s definitely enough to make it stand out on its own, in our humble opinion.

With difficulty options and a lot of ways to play with your buddies, it may be worth picking up, irrespective of whether you’re a Star Fox fan or not. We’re definitely diving in to check out the new visuals, although we would have appreciated changes to the level designs and layouts. You can’t have everything, though.

Why? Well, it happens to be the mission where he travels to Venom, Dr Andross’s new home after banishment, alongside Peppy Hare and Pigma Dengar. After losing contact with General Pepper, who thanks James for taking on the mission (much to the swine’s chagrin), they’re accosted by multiple hostiles. And surprise, Pigma betrays Peppy and James, talking about how his “new boss” pays better.

As Andross commands his troops not to let our heroes escape, James heroically flies in between a homing shot meant for Slippy. With his ship damaged, he orders Peppy to escape, warn Pepper about Andross’s army and take care of his son. Meanwhile, James prepares to square off against an armada of enemies.

The outcome of this isn’t revealed, though Star Fox 64 fans will doubtless remember that one hanging thread from all those years ago. Whether Nintendo will address that remains to be seen, but otherwise, the sheer fidelity in this entire Prologue is simply incredible. We’ll be looking forward to more when Star Fox arrives on June 25th.

Stage layouts remain the same, but the visuals, from the particle effects and ship details to the environmental effects, have been massively upgraded. Every single location, from Zoness and its sea serpent to Sector Y and its debris, sports new details. But that’s not all.

There are also new cutscenes and mission briefings between stages where the characters interact. Nintendo has also added Easy, Normal and Expert difficulty settings, with the first offering a longer Shield gauge for new players. If you’re itching to test your skills, Challenge Mode allows for replaying cleared stages and taking on objectives that aren’t in the campaign.

Battle Mode also returns, but it’s completely revamped, supporting 4v4 matches across three stages with different rulesets, including capturing zones, dodging meteorites and collecting energy, or retrieving cargo from space pirates. Matchmaking is supported, but you can also GameShare with up to four players locally or online through GameChat.

Private matches are also available for those who want to play with friends. And since it’s on the Switch 2, mouse targeting is available with the JoyCon 2. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also co-op, where one player flies, and the other is in charge of shooting. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.