When Shigeru Miyamoto sprang a Star Fox Direct on us with ten minutes' notice last month (and then proceeded to show off yet another remake of Star Fox 64), I, like so many of you, was pretty skeptical. Sure, it looks good, but really, this game again?

Well, I can assure you, whether you’ve played Star Fox 64 once or 1,000 times, this latest rehash of the beloved classic is not only exactly what the series needs, but it’s everything fans of that original game could possibly want. Also, if you’ve never played it, it’s still good. 1,001 times, though, and you’re probably bored of it.

But probably not, right?

Playing Star Fox On Switch 2 Is Like Putting On Glasses For The First Time

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I previewed Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2, and despite its infamously short two-hour runtime, I didn’t make it through the whole game. I like to think I could have if Nintendo gave me free reign to do so, but we were only shown certain levels and weren’t allowed to explore on our own terms.

The first of those levels was Corneria, the planet on which so many Star Fox journeys have begun over the last three decades. Mostly the same journey, replayed and remade over and over again. I played Star Fox 64 a few days before playing the Switch 2 remake, and as good as that original game is, I could tell within moments of getting my hands on its 2026 successor that there’s a very real possibility this becomes the default version of this story moving forward.

You might have to do what I did and revisit the original right before you play the new Star Fox to feel this way, but the best comparison I can make is to the feeling you get when you put on glasses for the first time. Shortly after the Star Fox reveal a few weeks ago, the creator of the original noted that this is how the game looked in his head when he created Star Fox 64. I completely understand what he means now.

It’s Somehow A Faithful Remake And A New Game At The Same Time

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This isn’t a Final Fantasy 7 Remake situation. It’s not a reimagining of the original game - it is the original game; it just looks and feels better than it ever has before. So much so that even though it is, in essence, the exact same experience, it somehow feels like an entirely new one at the same time.

Everything you know (and hopefully love) from Star Fox 64 is here. Even the secret missions you need to accomplish to unlock new routes are identical. I didn’t play through all of the levels, but in the scenarios where we were allowed to do so, the missions you need to complete are the same as the ones in Star Fox 64. For example, if you want to unlock Sector Y, you still need to help Falco and fly through Corneria’s seven arches.

Finally, A Good Use For The Switch 2’s Mouse Controls

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That particular example is front of mind as we were tasked with completing it while trying out Star Fox’s new co-op mode. You need both Joy-Con as one player flies the ship while the other controls the gun and your bombs. I’ll confess, I’ve not done much with the Switch 2’s mouse controls. Even in Metroid Prime 4, after checking that they worked, I went back to playing normally moments later and forgot they exist. The way they’ve been put to use in Star Fox, however, is a game-changer.

It really is as simple as it sounds, but it was so much fun, and it’s perfect if you have a little one who loved Fox in the Mario Galaxy Movie but might not quite be able to handle playing it alone. Just move the mouse cursor around and shoot while player one controls the ship.

Battle Mode Is Better Than Nintendo Made It Look

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Another big multiplayer addition is battle mode. It was briefly shown off during the Direct, but that glimpse really didn’t do it justice. We competed in a 4v4 mode that was a combination of team deathmatch and King of the Hill, and as much as I loved everything we were given the chance to get hands-on with, this was my favorite part.

It’s basically a freeform way to fly around shooting enemies while dodging, just like you’d do in the open areas of the Star Fox single-player campaign. There are AI enemies mixed in, so even if you’re playing against more experienced Star Fox pilots, there are plenty of opportunities to rack up points for your team and feel like you’re having a tangible impact.

Especially when the best way to do that is by capturing the various areas that pop up around the map. Occupy those areas with your teammates for longer than opposing team members, and you will eventually capture them, earning a boatload of points in the process. There will be both private lobbies and online matchmaking, too, according to that original Star Fox Direct, so I can see a lot of people sinking a lot of hours into battle mode.

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The other feature from the Direct I’m sure you’re all dying to know about is the avatars. If you have a camera connected to your Switch 2, you can become one of the characters from the game and move their face along with yours. It’s a lot of fun, and it works surprisingly well, but it seems like something people will check out when they play for the first time, laugh at, and then move on. It’s cool that it exists, but not a significant selling point.

This Is The Definitive Star Fox Experience The Series Needs On Switch 2

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From what I’ve played of Star Fox, this feels like exactly what the series needs right now. I know a lot of people rolled their eyes and may have even felt a little let down when Nintendo revealed its next game was yet another take on Star Fox 64. I’m confident in saying that, old fan or new, you’re going to love what Nintendo has done with the game this time around.

After showing off Fox McCloud in the Mario Galaxy Movie, Nintendo needed to give us a Star Fox game that puts the series back on its latest console without taking too big of a risk. Star Fox on Switch 2 is going to blow fans of the original game away, while giving a whole new generation a polished version of a classic to fall in love with just like you did years ago. It’s a safe way to test the waters before potentially taking the plunge and getting to work on an entirely new Star Fox game, and it makes all the sense in the world.

Star Fox Like Follow Followed Rail Shooter Systems Released June 25, 2026 ESRB Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Nintendo Publisher(s) Nintendo Multiplayer Online Co-Op 5 Images Close
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