The Star Fox franchise has been dormant for over a decade since Star Fox Zero on the Wii U. While it had some retro representation on the current Nintendo console with Nintendo classics, it hasn’t found a new entry to push the franchise until a very recent surprise.
Out of nowhere, Nintendo prepared a StarFox Direct minutes before its official showtime to present Star Fox, a new entry for the Nintendo Switch 2. It’s a faithful remake of Star Fox 64, which greatly tuned up the graphics while maintaining the original piloting gameplay. It is scheduled for release on the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 25, 2026.
Team’s New Look
The Star Fox team returns with brand new, detailed designs being more realistic animals, along with the Star Fox cast. They appear both presentable and expressive, especially with extended dialogue during missions.
Levels will take place in multiple territories, which makes three main vehicles return: Arwing, Landmaster, and Blue Marine. Some missions are played out with an on-rails shooter design, making levels play out gradually with waves of enemies on screen. Other missions will be designed as free-flying dogfights, open spaces for pilots to move freely. The free-flying dogfights are usually exclusive to the Arwing pilots, those who personally prefer the air.
Extended Narrative
Star Fox is attempting to expand the in-game lore with new cutscenes. The newly designed characters can finally express themselves more during mission debriefs, revealing backstories and character developments that weren’t shown in the original game.
The new remake even dives into the beginning intro involving James McCloud, the father of Fox McCloud. He originally journeyed to investigate the Venom Planet with his team before being left to combat an ambush. He’s been recorded in the database as “presumed dead” by Peppy Hare, though he never fully witnessed what happened during his escape.
The Welcoming Lylat System
Campaign is a returning mode that lets the Star Fox team travel through the Lylat system to complete different main objectives. It plays faithfully like the original, having every run start on Planet Corneria before ending with the Venom Planet. How the team reaches the final planet will depend on multiple factors during each mission, such as the number of shot-down enemies, following a request, or failing to eliminate an optional target.
Both newcomers and veterans can enjoy the greatly enhanced game with the new difficulty settings. Easy mode is the best way to familiarize with the vehicle controls and levels by providing extra vehicle protection and unlimited continues, though medals and high scores aren’t rewarded. Normal and Expert difficulties make missions challenging with increased receiving damage and the chance to lose ship upgrades from wing damage, but medals and high scores are rewarded, including the expert versions.
The Challenges in Space
After clearing the campaign, the stages become available for the new Challenge mode. Anyone can access any completed mission to tackle multiple new objectives that are exclusive to the new mode, such as defeating a trooper and finding hidden items.
Every stage will have different extra objectives for normal and expert difficulty. The hardest mode will include trickier requirements that force different playstyles, like destroying a target within a limited time or using a specific weapon on enemies.
Piloting an Online Squad
Battle Mode is a new feature that lets players finally show off their piloting skills and teamwork through online play. Up to eight players can prepare for battle by choosing to represent an ally from Team Fox or Team Wolf.
The two teams will battle in one of three planets: Corneria, Fichina, and Sector Y. Each location will have one of three main objectives to complete during the dogfight: dominating area territory, collecting energy from meteors, and stealing cargo to home base. Each team can earn major points by following the main objectives, though it’s also possible to destroy enemy targets for extra smaller points.
Cooperating as a Team
Star Fox doesn’t just let players connect online, but also through wireless and local play. Two players can cooperate by controlling the same vehicle during campaign missions. Joy-Con 2 controllers are required during local play, making one user control the vehicle while the other aims with the weapon.
The newest addition is character avatars, which let players talk as Star Fox characters in GameChat, similar to how they converse during missions. The selection isn’t just limited to Team Fox and Team Wolf, but several other pilots. A camera is required to use the character avatars.
The Launch for Star Fox
Star Fox will launch onto the Nintendo Switch 2 system on June 25, 2026. It’s currently available for digital and physical pre-orders, with digital pricing at $49.99 and $59.99 for the physical version.
To celebrate the new game’s reveal, the franchise is dropping its official soundtrack on Nintendo Music and preparing new Star Fox plushies through San-ei-boeki. The Star Fox team will join the Japanese online store’s growing selection of products in late June, along with other Nintendo plushies, like Kirby and Donkey Kong.
