PREVIEW – Nintendo announced the return of Star Fox almost out of nowhere, after only a few minutes of warning, and it is actually a full remake of the Nintendo 64 classic Star Fox 64, known in Europe as Lylat Wars. The new version for Nintendo Switch 2 will launch on June 25, 2026, with updated graphics, online features, new cutscenes, expanded dialogue, and multiplayer modes.
Just a few minutes before the presentation, Nintendo announced on social media that a Direct broadcast dedicated entirely to Star Fox would begin shortly. Rumors about the series’ return had already been circulating, and Fox McCloud’s appearance in Super Mario Galaxy: The Movie suggested that Nintendo might have bigger plans for the pilot fox. After the brief build-up and the surprise event, the company cleared up every doubt: Star Fox is back, not with a completely new episode, but with a modernized reimagining of the Nintendo 64 classic.
Star Fox Returns To Switch 2 On June 25
The most important detail is clear: the game is simply called Star Fox, but it is actually a complete remake of Star Fox 64 for Nintendo Switch 2. Based on the recent Star Fox Direct, the level structure is practically identical to the original Nintendo 64 version, but the technical side has been completely transformed. The characters have been redesigned in a style that brings back the puppet-like aesthetic of the original, but now pushes it toward a much more detailed, almost photorealistic direction. Star Fox will launch on June 25, 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2, priced at €50 digitally and €60 physically.
Based on the footage shown, the environments are especially detailed and clearly take advantage of the Nintendo Switch 2’s capabilities. However, graphics are not the only thing that has changed in the Star Fox 64 remake. The game will receive new cutscenes, conversations between Star Fox team members during missions will be expanded, and there will be a stronger emphasis on story and character presentation. This seems similar to the direction Nintendo took with Donkey Kong Bananza: the foundations remain familiar, but the experience becomes more cinematic, more detailed, and more strongly character-focused.
Nintendo has already published the purchase page on the eShop, and has clearly defined the spirit behind the project. According to the official description, Star Fox is a cinematic version of Star Fox 64, with completely revamped character designs, a new look for every level, detailed cinematic cutscenes, voice-over dialogue, and a magnificent orchestral soundtrack. As new content beyond the original, the remake introduces a prologue mission centered on Fox’s father, as well as new scenes expanding the story of the Star Fox team.
Alongside the already confirmed modes, Challenge Mode is also coming, allowing players to revisit previously completed levels with new objectives and challenges. Some of these will be available exclusively in this mode, on Normal or Expert difficulty. In addition to the campaign, the game will also offer a multiplayer mode in which two squadrons, Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf, clash with each other. The multiplayer mode, built around three maps, focuses on cargo collection, item gathering, and space dogfights, so it does not look like a simple side extra, but one of the package’s key new features.
There Will Be An Online Mode Too
As expected from this type of game today, the multiplayer mode supports both online and local play through the Nintendo Switch 2 GameShare feature. This means that the player who bought the game can invite up to three other people, even if they do not own their own copy. The Switch 2 hardware is also used through several small but useful features: the Joy-Con mouse mode, for example, can be used for precise aiming, and the controls can even be split between two players, with one piloting the ship while the other fires. For fans of the classic experience, it is good news that the game will also be compatible with the Nintendo 64 controller.
At the end of the presentation, before the cinematic scene from the Star Fox prologue, Nintendo producer Yoshiaki Koizumi also revealed that players will be able to choose avatars that allow them to appear as Star Fox characters during GameChat. These avatars also react to facial movements thanks to an augmented reality filter. All that is needed is a camera compatible with Nintendo Switch 2, and the player can appear before friends as Fox McCloud himself.
The return of Star Fox to Switch 2 means that Nintendo is releasing a new title in the franchise for the first time in 10 years. The previous major release was Star Fox Zero for Wii U, alongside the tower defense spin-off Star Fox Guard, both of which launched in 2016. The series began in 1993 with the original Star Fox, which many European players may know as Starwing. After several sequels and a decade-long break, Fox McCloud is now back in the spotlight, and his appearance in Super Mario Galaxy: The Movie now looks like clear preparation. The question now is whether this remake will simply be a nostalgic return, or whether Nintendo truly wants to open a new era for Star Fox.
