Nintendo has a long and proud tradition of announcing Star Fox games and then leaving the franchise to slowly rot on the vine for a decade. After Star Fox Zero on Wii U didn’t exactly set the world on fire, the series has been dormant long enough that a new announcement now lands as a surprise. And Nintendo chose to make that announcement in the most Nintendo way possible: a shadow-dropped Direct no one saw coming.
On May 6, Nintendo aired a surprise “Star Fox Nintendo Direct,” confirming not one but two new Star Fox titles for the Switch 2. The first is a rebuilt remake of Star Fox 64, visually overhauled while retaining the original’s stage layouts and team of Fox, Slippy, Falco, and Peppy. The remake adds expanded cinematics including new mission briefings, supports mouse controls using the Switch 2’s Joy-Con, allows a second player to take over gunner duties, and even brings back Nintendo 64 controller support for the purists. A “Star Fox” title, this one reimagines the story with a new prologue centered around James McCloud, Fox’s father, alongside 4v4 Star Wolf multiplayer battles.
The Direct itself was a classic Nintendo showcase: compact, information-dense, and structured to leave people talking. The event was entirely unannounced before airing, Nintendo clearly wanted this to hit the internet with maximum impact. It worked.
A release date for the new Star Fox title was confirmed for June 2026 for Switch 2.
Discussion (8 replies)
Join Discussion →The 3DS remake of Star Fox 64 was good, but sure, I'll take another. Not that I have a Switch 2. But after how Star Fox Zero turned out, the IP needs a win, even if it's rehashing an old game with a shiny coat of paint (for the 2nd time).
I was just thinking to myself recently that Star Fox Assault is the only game in the series I haven't played, and that maybe I should finally check it out. Not expecting great things, but nothing beats getting your own hands-on time. I've heard people talk about it for many years. I should see for myself what it's really like.
So Nintendo is finally releasing a new game for the Switch 2? Oh wait, never mind.
Arent all Star Fox games just remakes of the OG SNES Star Fox?
Star Fox 64 was a reboot of the series after that initial SNES game. Star Fox Assault and Command were unique games. I think they took place in the same universe as SF64, just later in the timeline, but I don't actually know for sure. Star Fox Zero was said to have been a reimagining of Star Fox 64, if I recall correctly. But it is its own unique game too. So yeah, another reboot. Star Fox 64 3D for 3DS was a complete remake of original Star Fox 64. Same game with all new assets and engine, but plays more like a remaster. This new Switch 2 game is another remake, with the same level layouts and everything as the original game, but looks like it's gonna do more than the 3DS game did, with expanded lore and features and whatnot.
EDIT: I forgot about Star Fox 2, which took place in the same universe as the first SNES game, after the events of the first game.
-Time for Nintendo to do a Starfox: Multiverse of Madness game and bring all the different remakes/reboots/timelines together.
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Related article: https://www.digitalfoundry.net/reviews/star-fox-on-switch-2-is-a-refined-return-to-an-iconic-game-and-the-rail-shooter-genre
He wasn't kidding about the importanance of space ships in video games, considering literally the very first video game ever made featured a space ship (Spacewar! for the PDP-1).
Haha he didn't even mention Star Fox Assault or Command when looking at the series' history.
This game was developed by Velan Studios, and uses their in-house Viper Engine.
This game looks like how I imagined a Star Fox game for 7th-gen consoles would look, except with 4P local/online co-op.
10:12 oh huh, interesting have they have the enemies warp-in.
Man, it's nice to have a modern game that for once doesn't use TAA like whoa, and thus doesn't have temporal artifacts and the other hits to image quality that come with TAA. Very nice, clean presentation.
1080p in docked mode, but what we care more about than resolution is framerate, and of course it's a nice locked 60fps here. Plus no noticeable stuttering, fast load times, seamless transitions, and there's HDR too. I bet this game would look sick on an OLED screen.
Yeah it's understandable this new game has waaaay longer draw distances.
This reimagining of the environments really sells the point that area in the first level on Corneria is a city, and one that is under attack. Also the underwater level with the Blue Marine looks nice, and wow that level on the sun, impressive.
He compares the 3DS remake too, and he points out how the 3DS version feels like a halfway point between the N64 version and the Switch 2 remake, which is true.
The new cutscenes change and reflect your path through the game.
He complains about the lack of hit feedback that SNES SF and SF64 had. Says it makes it harder to tell if you are actually dealing damage. He thinks this is a bigger problem for n00bs than for people familiar with the game.
Slippy sounds weird, but sounds much better than N64 version, so that's a win. Peppy I think sounds better in N64 version though.
Interesting, new battle mode can be played with bots, cool.
Oh wow, there is mouse support for aiming. Weird.
Would be awesome if they make a brand-new Star Fox too. Maybe this one will open the way forward for that.
I haven't played Ex-Zodiac cuz that sh1t is still Early Access. The Wild Blue Skies demo was kinda disappointing, so I hope the final game is better.
Haha of course he has to point out what a terrible remake Panzer Dragoon got. Wish I hadn't bought it. And the demo for the remake of the 2nd game showed me they are gonna do the same sh1tty-@ss job with that one too.
Well if I had a Switch 2 this second remake of Star Fox 64 would be the first exclusive game that I'd actually want to get for it. Not for anywhere near full price though. But yeah I don't see myself getting a Switch 2, so unless Switch 2 emulation shows up on PC, I'll probably miss out on this game. One of my friends is getting the game, and I'll be seeing him this weekend, so I guess I'll get to check it out.
Shared some thoughts after trying the game at my buddy's house here: https://hardforum.com/threads/star-fox-64-remake.2047655/post-1046344687
As much as I liked the original SF64 back in the day. I wont be buying this nor any other Nintendo branded products. Too scared I might sneeze the wrong way while playing one of their games and they sue me over it.