Out of the blue, Nintendo has surprise-announced a brand new Star Fox game for Nintendo Switch 2, launching on 25 June – one that will be very familiar to fans of the long-running series. Treading in the footsteps of the Wii U release Star Fox Zero, the new game – simply titled Star Fox – is a reimagining of Star Fox 64, the Nintendo 64 classic released in 1997.
As shared in a new trailer, this reboot completely revamps the original game, with freshly overhauled visuals, redesigned heroes, updated dialogue and more detailed levels. While this is a shiny new interpretation of Star Fox 64, those who played the original game will find much familiar in the stages and the overall direction of this game.
It seems poised to deliver a heady dose of nostalgia for long-time series fans, while also being a fresh starting point for new players – perhaps those enamoured by Star Fox’s recent cameo appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2 – quick links
New modes and more complex cutscenes
As revealed in the first look at gameplay, this take on Star Fox 64 leans into improvements in technology since the original game’s release. Stages are now far more detailed, with Star Fox and crew charting dynamic ocean passages, meteor fields, snow-capped mountains, and beyond.
Roving through these locations, avoiding obstacles, you’ll be interfacing with your crew – Slippy, Peppy and Falco. New and refreshed dialogue will define your relationships, with witty banter shared during skirmishes, as well as in new cutscenes.
Returning players will note this refresh has more complex cutscenes than its predecessor. With the size and scope of this remake, you’ll now get more story between missions, including via new mission briefings that fill in the backstory and direction for your quests.
Beyond the main campaign, Star Fox will also allow you to perfect your skills in Challenge Mode which gives you specific tasks to complete when revisiting each stage – destroying rogue ships, defeating 100 of one particular enemy, and so on.
There is also a new Battle Mode which allows you to take part in 4v4 competitive multiplayer battles to complete missions and earn the most points against rivals.
Another neat quirk of this game is that it introduces the option to add special avatars to your GameChat sessions. Rather than using your Switch 2 Camera to show your face, you can use a new tracking option to embody Fox, Slippy, Peppy, Falco or others, adding a layer of fun to any multiplayer gaming.
Could this be the series revival players have been waiting for?
With the sudden arrival of Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2, there’s now renewed hope from fans of the long-running franchise.
The last major Star Fox game arrived way back in 2016, and since then, players have been demanding a new adventure, often labelling the series as one of the Nintendo’s forgotten gems.
While this adventure isn’t an entirely new game, its potential popularity – judging by early buzz on social media, as the game takes over trending keywords – could lead to even more new developments. Should this game become another Nintendo million-seller, we’re likely to see the series get far more attention in future.
