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?

BrokenLore: FOLLOW

After UNFOLLOW, Serafini Productions now wants you to FOLLOW with its addition to the BrokenLore franchise. What exactly is happening? Well, we don’t know, aside from the fact that Anne is back and still dealing with extensive trauma, including but not limited to issues with her mother, bullying, feelings of worthlessness, and so on. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she contended with all kinds of horrors, like a giant gagged head shuffling through the halls and Mini Anne, a sentient doll. If this is truly the end of her journey before we move on to scary climbing in Ascend, then here’s hoping Anne finds some peace when BrokenLore: FOLLOW launches on June 1st for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2)

The second chapter in the remake trilogy features a much bigger world to explore, far deeper combat, enough mini-games to trip over, and of course, more Sephiroth. With Midgar left behind, Cloud and company venture across new locations, which are more expansive open-world-esque fields with enough enemies to test out the new Synergy attacks and Summons. And if you’re just here for the story, the Streamlined Progression features allow limitless HP and MP, easier ways to earn weapons, XP boosters, and much more, keeping the focus entirely on exploration and getting to know old and new friends, including Red XIII and Cait Sith. Currently available on PS5 and PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 players will finally get their chance to join the adventure on June 3rd.

Gothic 1 Remake

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but regardless of the many clones over the years, nothing quite captured the feeling of the original Gothic. On June 5th, Alkimia Interactive is bringing the legend back to life, complete with contemporary visuals, expanded questlines, new abilities, and combat that promises to be more “fluid and dynamic.” However, the core experience of wandering around the Colony, which is a venerable ecosystem in its own right, and choosing which camps to ally with while uncovering this massive world and its stories, remains intact. If an open-world RPG that doesn’t hold your hand sounds good, then Gothic 1 Remake may be worth your while when it launches on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions

If you’re looking for a break from No Man’s Sky, perhaps a more structured co-op experience, then Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions may be your jam. It enters early access on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S on June 11th, and diverges from the original’s terraforming gameplay loop in favor of more adventure. Through the ESS Starseekeer, you’ll meet other players, pair up for expeditions, and venture to various planets to complete objectives (along with materials and loot to earn). The twist is that you have a limited amount of oxygen and avenues for violence, so you’ll need to repel creatures, explore the environment – including diving into unknown depths – and work alongside your crew to survive. With a much more polished base and monthly updates planned, it could serve as a worthwhile co-op distraction…in space.

EA Sports UFC 6

Much like EA Sports FC, Madden, and College Football, you know what you’re getting into with a new UFC title. UFC 6 sports a few new modes at the very least, including Hall of Legends, which feels like it’s taking a page out of the WWE 2K Showcase mode with its mix of gameplay and live-action footage from famous fights across UFC history. Meanwhile, The Legacy has you playing as a prospect who fights all the way to the top to become champion, offering a more narrative bent. But you still have Career Mode, where you can create a fighter and plot their career with a much larger number of choices and the option to hold and defend two belts. With its June 19th launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, maybe it could break the mold and bring some excitement to an otherwise familiar formula. Just like EA Sports is renowned for!

The 7th Guest Remake

As obtuse and impossible as the old-school adventure games were, it’s nice to see the more contemporary remakes capturing their essence with updated visuals. The 7th Guest Remake, based on Trilobyte’s critically acclaimed 1993 adventure, offers the same mystery as before. You’re the titular seventh guest, investigating a mystery surrounding the previous six and the villainous Henry Strauf in a dark mansion. Numerous puzzles await, unraveling more of its secrets while bringing you ever closer to the truth. Perhaps more intriguing, however, is that the remake retains the original’s use of live-action actors in 3D environments, except with newly recorded footage that looks far crisper. The 7th Guest Remake launches on June 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, so if you covet adventure mystery titles with a dash of horror, this might just be another worthy addition to the collection.

#DRIVE Rally (Consoles)

Sega will continue dragging its feet and never give us a brand new Sega Rally title, so in the meantime, efforts like #DRIVE Rally will have to suffice. Currently available on PC, it’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 on June 18th, packing six massive locations and 25 customizable vehicles in three classes. If you’re serious about competition, there are multiple Championships to earn and leaderboards to compete in (complete with ghosts), or you can kick back in Free Roam and add some sweet interior decorations to your collection. #DRIVE Rally definitely leans more towards the arcade side of racing, especially with its aesthetic, but it still offers some fun off-roading action.

NBA The Run

Remember the good old days of NBA Street? Play by Play Studios is seemingly trying to capture some of that magic with NBA The Run, a $30 street basketball title coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. The main goal is to win the Run the World Tournament. Four rounds, knockout rules, winner is crowned the champion. Pair up with two other players, taking control of a single player in Knockout Squads or control the entire team in Knockout Solos. Private Tournaments are also possible in Knockout Friends, and you can either take on the AI alone, with other players, or organize a massive competition with a staggering 48-player limit. And even with the indie studio budget, there are still over 30 NBA superstars to control, as you make a run for the top.

Star Fox

The audible groan of certain communities when this was revealed to be a remake of Star Fox 64 was palpable. But the latter arguably remains the series’ peak, and Star Fox for the Switch 2, launching on June 25th, retains everything that made it so great, save for completely overhauled visuals. You can experience the story on three different difficulties, either solo or in co-op, or partake in Challenge Mode with different objectives. Even multiplayer has been revamped to support multiple objective-based modes pitting Star Fox and Star Wolf against each other. It may not be the next big Switch 2 exclusive, but personally, it’s great to see the franchise return and looking so good.

Hell Let Loose: Vietnam

After bringing the brutal conflicts of World War 2 into the multiplayer space with unrelenting realism and a massive scale, Expression Games has its eyes set on Vietnam. Hell Let Loose: Vietnam, out on June 18th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, leverages Unreal Engine 5 to deliver six massive maps where one side attempts to annihilate the other. With 17 different combat roles, new aerial units like helicopters, patrol boats, to battle across extensive rivers, dragging allies away to help them recover, revamped movement and the ability to tunnel for ambushes, this could be the definitive war sim shooter experience of the year.

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.

However, it’s possible that Nintendo won’t reveal it in April as he previously claimed. “If it doesn’t get revealed this month as planned, it simply means Nintendo made a marketing pivot and adjusted the timeline a touch.” Of course, a general Direct is also allegedly slated for June. What are the odds that Nintendo simply announces the game and shadow drops it?

We’ve seen this before with Metroid Prime Remastered, so it’s not out of the ordinary. Either way, there’s plenty of reason to believe the insider – he previously reported that Rhythm Heaven Groove and Splatoon Raiders would launch this Summer. Lo and behold, the former is out on July 2nd while the latter arrives on July 23rd. All we need to know is the alleged Switch Sports to complete the trifecta.

There’s also the big one – a reported remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, seemingly launching close to the Holiday season for Nintendo Switch 2. If it’s announced in June, then the company may have secured its hype for the rest of the year. As always, stay tuned for official announcements and details in the meantime.

According to insider NateTheHate, as early as this month, through Nintendo Today or Twitter. He even reaffirmed that he meant April, although you shouldn’t expect a purported timing anytime soon. Which is all well and good – the surprise will just be much sweeter if it’s actually true.

The last title in the franchise was Star Fox Zero, launched in 2016 for Nintendo Wii U and co-developed by PlatinumGames. It would receive mixed reviews with complaints commonly centering around the controls (especially the use of the GamePad). There wouldn’t be a new mainline title ever since, but with Fox McCloud’s cinematic debut, that streak may be ending sooner than later.

Of course, Nintendo hasn’t officially confirmed whether a new Star Fox is in development. The last major update was the addition of the unreleased Star Fox 2 to the Super NES Classic Edition. And while details are sparse on what the new title could offer, it’s apparently “really funny.” As always, stay tuned for more updates.

While details are sparse, it seems Nintendo may be leaning more into humor for the writing. In a recent podcast by VGC, Alex Donaldson said he had heard that “Oh, the game’s really funny.” He believes this means a greater focus on the writing and potentially a “different vision” from previous outings.

It wouldn’t be the worst thing, even though the concept of anthropomorphic animals fighting in space wars can be humorous enough at times. However, considering Nintendo’s last run of injecting humor into a long-running franchise, i.e. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, courtesy of its NPC companions, we’ll have to wait and see how this pans out.

Of course, that’s not all that Switch 2 fans have to look forward to. A new Nintendo Direct is apparently set for June, featuring release dates for Splatoon Raiders, Rhythm Heaven Groove, and Switch Sports. A remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is also reportedly in the works, with a rumored release near the Holidays, while the next 3D Mario is allegedly coming in 2027. And if that’s not enough, you may see FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods launch late this year.

With an alleged remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time seemingly coming near the Holiday season for Switch 2, one has to wonder about the next 3D Mario. Apparently, it’s slated for 2027 – a decade after the release of Super Mario Odyssey on the original Switch.

Not that Mario hasn’t kept busy, though – Super Mario Bros. Wonder launched in October 2023 to stellar critical acclaim, after all. The development team has also been working on Donkey Kong Bananza, which launched last July for the Nintendo Switch 2 to rave reviews and over four million sales.

While it’s unlikely to be announced in the next Nintendo Direct, the reveal of Ocarina of Time Remake could solidify the former’s status as a 2027 title. As always, time will tell, but if Nintendo is pushing it to next year, it may simply be to space out its big releases.

STAR FOX

Star Fox was once one of Nintendo’s most promising franchises- though certainly not on the same level as something like Zelda or Mario, it was consistently received well by critics and audiences, and definitely sold well enough to warrant several sequels and new instalments. As time went on though, it sort of faded into the background. We did get Star Fox Zero for the Wii U in 2016, but that game was a huge disappointment, to say the very least. As such, we’re now at a point where the future looks pretty dim for this beloved series.