Releasing at the tail end of June 2026, Star Fox on the Nintendo Switch 2 takes the iconic N64 classic and brings it to the modern day. Developed by the team at Velan Studios, composed of former Vicarious Visions developers, this remake sets out to reintroduce Team Star Fox to the world.
Nintendo released a free demo on the Nintendo eShop, and after blasting through the familiar asteroid belt of Meteo, I have a few thoughts on this N64 remake.
What is Star Fox (2026)?
Nintendo describes this reimagining of the Nintendo 64 Classic as follows in the game’s Nintendo E-Shop listing:
Join Fox McCloud and the Star Fox team as you fight to protect the Lylat System from the clutches of the evil scientist Dr. Andross! Take to the skies—and stars—as you blast your way through enemies in this action-packed adventure. This cinematic take on the Star Fox 64 story features new fully voiced dialogue, an epic orchestral soundtrack, and a complete visual overhaul for the Nintendo Switch™ 2 system.
So it’s clear that this isn’t a direct remaster like Star Fox 64 3D. This new adventure for Team Star is a ground-up remake designed for the Nintendo Switch 2’s powerful hardware and unique control features, but what about the gameplay?
Familiar Wings – Gameplay
Gameplay kicks off with Fox and crew flying in a training simulator, then eventually flying around the familiar asteroid belts of Meteo. The training simulator does a great job teaching players the ropes, with flying/aiming controlled with the left stick.
Combine that with evasive maneuvers like barrel rolling (pressing ZL/ZR twice) and somersaults, the art of flying that the original N64 release refined remains enjoyable. Shooting is equally enjoyable, with the charge shots and basic rapid-fire ones being a blast.
Aside from the tight flying and shooting controls, the core experience didn’t feel that ‘different’ from Star Fox 64. However, the biggest change from the original is that this remake focuses on building on the narrative.
Crew Meetings – Story/Narrative
Star Fox (2026) thrusts players right into the action, introducing the origins of team Star Fox. Fox’s father, James, leads the team to investigate Planet Venom, but things quickly go wrong. Years later, his son, Fox, takes up the mantle of team leader, and his team takes on the job of defeating Andross for good.
While the original Star Fox 64 featured banter between Team Star Fox, this remake adds several cut-scenes to flesh out the characters. For example, completing the VR training mission, Falco acts all cocky with Fox about him being ‘the leader’, while Fox acts smug when Peppy tells him that General Pepper needs their help.
This is further fleshed out after completing the Meteo level, with Falco commenting that Pepper only needs their help defending a base in a future level to ‘protect their dirty laundry’, and Fox uses that information to twist Pepper’s arm a bit about requesting their help.
These little touches add so much personality to the characters, building on the delightfully cheesy dialog that the original N64 title offered.
Presentation of Star Fox (2026)
Supporting the enhanced narrative elements is a stunning-looking presentation. Pushing for more realism, Fox and crew sport designs similar to the SNES Star Fox promo art origins and even feature impressive facial capture to enhance the enjoyable voice acting.
In addition, the Meteo level looked gorgeous with the deep blacks of space contrasting nicely with the detailed asteroid belt that Fox and crew blasted their way through. And the Arwings look sick, featuring nice attention to detail that portrays each of the team’s personality.
Most impressively of all, the game ran at a locked 60 FPS at a seemingly high resolution in Handheld Mode.
Closing Thoughts
Seeing Fox McCloud on the big screen in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was a treat of itself, as a fan of the Star Fox series. But Nintendo and Velan Studios teaming up to create a ground-up remake of the original Star Fox 64 was a welcome surprise.
Taking the iconic foundations of the original rail-shooter and adding new story elements, stunning visuals, and retaining the great game feel makes me hyped to play the full release on June 25th, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2.
