As a remake of a game I’ve played several times, Star Fox is great. It’s as interesting and memorable as ever and expands on Star Fox 64 by featuring a fleshed-out cast and cinematic storytelling.
The original was a game you had to play repeatedly to get the best experience. In 2026, the same idea rings true, except now there’s an incentive to replay the various stages not only to hit the best score possible but also to see how you can deviate from your visit and where that leads, whether it’s a new level or scene.
What’s new in this outing is the included Challenge Mode, plus fleshed-out scenes between missions, and some new multiplayer functionality. There’s also the elephant in the room: the game’s length, which can vary, as a run can take an hour or two to finish. However, Star Fox holds many secrets, and branching pathways essentially mean you’re exploring the same stages, but then they deviate to include an entirely new section you’ve never seen before. The magic of the series is in returning to a level and heading off the beaten path.
Nintendo seems to have big plans for the series, given that we’ve recently seen Fox McCloud in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie earlier this year, and now a return to one of the series’ more memorable games.
Return to Starfox’s Lylat System
Players explore the Lylat system, including Corneria, Fichina, Solar, and Zoness. The story begins with an in-game tutorial for all the basics of flying, including maneuvering through tight turns, avoiding enemy fire, tackling groups of enemies, and, of course, barrel rolls.
The cool thing about the tutorial is that it’s built right into the story as an in-game VR simulator that Fox and his team play while waiting for a mission to kick off. You’ll learn the controls and how they’ve been reimagined for today’s remake. Unsurprisingly, the controls are impeccable, with enough familiarity to dive into the stages pretty quickly and with some style.
After a few cutscenes, Fox, Peppy, Falco, and Slippy speak with General Pepper about the squad’s next mission, which is provided to them. I will say that immediately from the opening moments, I like the performances. Every character is distinct, they’ve got great personalities, and established rivalries are given new life. The remake also does a far better job at establishing that the Star Fox unit is independent of any military and is a for-hire group of soldiers than in previous games, where it was always alluded to until the very end.
In Star Fox 64, Falco was always there to question Fox’s ability to lead the team, as the pair began as rivals before ultimately becoming a squad. If I could compare their relationship, I’d point to how Raphael and Leonardo are across Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — there’s ultimately a respect between them, even if it takes some time to get there. And you can see hints of the team’s chemistry early on, from Slippy being a bit of a clutz and often put against the wall, to Falco’s penchant for one-upping Fox every chance he can, whether it’s stealing a kill or showing him a secret pathway.
Did A Barrel Roll
In each mission, you have a cutscene at the start of the chapter, which helps flesh out the story compared to the Nintendo 64 version. There’s still quite a bit of banter like in the original, but it’s much better here than ever before. Of course, the setup is a bit different than in previous iterations.
Before, there was much more chatter to sit through. Here, at least to me, it feels more honed and focused, with the newly added cutscenes doing much of the heavy lifting for the narrative. The static screens from before were perfectly fine, and honestly, what isn’t broken doesn’t need to be fixed. Except once you see the team’s chemistry in cutscenes, it’s hard to want to go back.
The remake closely follows the Nintendo 64’s story, which begins here with a prologue starring James McCloud, Fox’s father and original leader of the Star Fox team. We see the team heading into danger before being betrayed by Pigma, the team’s traitor. With the enemy encroaching, things don’t look good for everyone, inevitably leading to the demise of the elder McCloud.
And so that scene leads into the main game. The story begins with the team hanging out and playing a virtual simulation that serves as the game’s tutorial mission, with Yaru de Pon as the tanuki trainer. Not long after, you’re tasked with heading out to deal with threats within the Lylat system as Andross, a former exiled scientist within the Lylat army, chose to experiment with bio-tech.
A Cinematic Look
At the reveal, there was some clear discourse around the new cinematic look the cast sports. I was initially torn on how lifelike everyone felt, from Slippy’s dead eyes to Falco’s new talon feet. That ick quickly went away, though, as this game in motion works, and it works well. There’s a fine balance between the renders we’ve seen before and the more lifelike version of Fox and company. Honestly, I’m curious to see how the rest of the internet takes to the change, but it’s grown on me.
But like I’ve said many times on Creature Cast, I’ll take a new Star Fox game that looks like the animated cutscenes shown in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie in a heartbeat.
Even the environments look extremely detailed. Corneria, Venom, Meteo, Solar, and Sector Y will feel immediately familiar because these levels are identical. Of course, the major change is graphical fidelity, bridging my nostalgia for the old with the shininess of the modern coat of paint.
And those modern-level updates play with the immaculate controls of the Arwing. The spaceship is snappier, quicker to pull forward and capable of stopping on a dime or blasting off in a pinch. Whether maneuvering through a meteor field or against Star Wolf, you’re facing constant threats meant to damage the ship, but thanks to its responsiveness, I can multitask, fighting enemies while keeping my wings intact.
I immediately fell into old habits with the Arwing. Holding down the laser button, then tapping it to wipe out any lingering enemies, then using a bomb to destroy a group of ships. Enemy placement is surprisingly similar to previous entries on the N64 and 3DS, so if you have the muscle memory or replayed the games recently, boy, it feels good to predict and react accordingly.
Outside of story mode, Challenge Mode lets you revisit levels and clear them with new objectives at your chosen difficulty. I find this mode is perfect for pick-up-and-play sessions, as these challenges can be done in short bursts and offer a pretty solid challenge for those looking for one.
There’s also Battle Mode, which features 4vs4 multiplayer (Star Fox vs Star Wolf) and can be played via GameShare or locally. You’re split into two teams with various tasks required to win. There are also custom battles available if you want to set your own rules.
There’s also support for mouse controls if you want to use them, plus the ability to play co-op with a friend. In co-op mode, one player handles flight while the other handles aiming, and the included mouse controls are absolutely a much more precise way to experience the game. However, if you wish to play with the Joy-Cons or Pro controller, it feels great, too, with tons of impressive rumble added.
Ultimately, this is a fleshed-out version of a game you’ve played before. It’s exciting to see Nintendo wave through the Star Fox team for this adventure, given the series has lain dormant for years. Kids will likely love this brief but windy jaunt into the Lylat system.
Verdict
Star Fox feels like it’s on the cusp of relevance again with this masterfully done remake of an iconic classic. The same familiar action from the original is wonderfully realized on the Switch 2, adding more nuance, fleshed-out cutscenes, and all the wonderfully weird secrets fans can expect to uncover. However, it’s time to move past the Lylat Wars and onto something else entirely new. For a new generation, this game is a great entry into the series that’s been sidelined for far too long.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: Switch 2
