Nintendo has a habit of rebooting and reimagining the Star Fox franchise instead of moving the timeline forward, as evidenced by the latest release on the Nintendo Switch 2 simply bearing the name Star Fox. It is a ground-up remake of the beloved 1997 Nintendo 64 classic, Star Fox 64. Velan Studios took the reins for this project and delivered a visually spectacular modernization of a rail-shooting icon. The core gameplay remains largely untouched, and this translates to a familiar, arcade-like experience. Fox McCloud and his mercenary team hop into their Arwings to blast the exiled mad scientist Andross in a short-but-sweet journey.
Players expecting a massive, sprawling space opera might be surprised by the structure of Star Fox. The campaign consists of just a handful of levels per run, and a single trip from the opening planet of Corneria to the final confrontation on Venom takes about an hour and a half. The game is designed for constant repetition. Every stage features hidden exits and alternate objectives that branch the map into different routes. Taking down specific enemy formations quickly or flying through hidden arches unlocks harder stages and entirely different planets. This arcade design holds up remarkably well. Flying the Arwing through narrow gaps and performing a barrel roll to deflect incoming lasers never fails to satisfy, with the accompanying controls as responsive and tight as ever. It’s further elevated for long-time fans whose muscle memory kicks in navigating the original enemy placements and environmental layouts.
The most immediately striking aspect of this remake is the visual overhaul. Star Fox leverages the heightened performance capabilities of the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware to deliver an upscaled 1440p resolution when the console sits in the dock. And it holds a steady 60 frames per second throughout the chaotic on-screen action. The jump from the choppy fifteen frames per second of the original Nintendo 64 game transforms the feel of the combat, as you’d hope for a modern game. The speed of the Arwing feels intense; the planets themselves look gorgeous; and Corneria is no longer a set of flat gray polygons. The opening stage is a war-torn battlefield filled with thick smoke, crumbling structures, and fiery debris. whereas Fichina presents a frozen wasteland with individual snowflakes sticking to the camera lens before melting into water droplets. The effects and lighting elevate these rebuilt environments.
Fur and Feathers
The characters also received a noticeable visual update. The developer opted for a slightly more realistic, animalistic redesign for the cast. Fox actually looks like a wild fox wearing a flight suit. The detailed fur textures and sharper features give the team an edgier look. This art direction won’t be well received by all—admittedly, it took some adjusting and even hours in Falco’s red feathers surrounding his eyes were even more striking in this style—but these designs do fit the chaotic reality of an intergalactic war.
The presentation upgrades extend far beyond the graphics. Star Fox introduces a new prologue cutscene, detailing the betrayal of James McCloud. The game also features fully animated, real-time cutscenes between every mission. These segments replace the brief text boxes from the original game and even adapt scenes based the player’s performance. If Slippy takes too much damage and retreats during a dogfight, he will appear beaten up and absent from the briefing for the next mission. These conversations flesh out the personalities of the crew. Falco Lombardi displays a cocky, competitive rivalry with Fox. Peppy Hare dispenses veteran wisdom about Andross’s planetary targets. Slippy Toad gets a chance to show off his engineering skills instead of just acting as a constant liability. The main voice cast delivers strong performances, but the enemy bosses fare much worse. The memorable, bombastic lines from the rival Star Wolf team and the various planetary commanders lack energy. The actors deliver their taunts softly, and they miss the theatrical gravitas that made the original encounters so memorable.
Players also take control of the Landmaster tank and the Blue Marine submarine during specific planetary excursions. The tank sections on Macbeth involve destroying train switches, and they remain just as fun as they were years ago. The Blue Marine mission on Aquas are enhanced by the smoother performance on the Switch 2, making the underwater navigation far more enjoyable. Some of the open-ended dogfights feel a little too simplistic by modern standards, mostly in sections where the player is chasing down a single target in an open arena. These moments lack the structured action of the on-rails levels. That said, they do provide a nice break from the forward momentum, but their age shows more noticeably than the on-reails segments.
Meager Multiplayer
A new Challenge Mode has also been included to pad out the runtime. Players can revisit cleared stages to tackle specific tasks. These challenges range from destroying a set number of enemies within a strict time limit to racing Falco through the debris fields of Corneria. Beating all the standard challenges unlocks an expert tier. The expert objectives require complete mastery of the Arwing and a deep knowledge of the level layouts. A single mistake against a boss can force a complete restart of the challenge. This mode provides a great excuse to replay favorite levels, and it helps stretch the playtime past the ten-hour mark. Completing these tasks also unlocks entries in the Holoviewer. The Holoviewer acts as a lore compendium, detailing background information on the Lylat System, the history of the Venom Incident, and the rivalries between the various mercenary factions.
Multiplayer makes a return with a Battle Mode, allowing two teams of four to clash in online arenas. The mode features three specific maps. Corneria focuses on capturing and holding specific zones. Fichina requires players to blast falling meteorites and collect the energy crystals inside them. Sector Y acts as a capture-the-flag variant where teams steal cargo from space pirates and haul it back to their base. The addition of new power-ups keeps the matches chaotic. The Plasma Blast weapon melts enemy shields from a distance, and the Smart Mines aggressively track down careless pilots. The online matches run smoothly, and the custom rule modifiers allow for frantic, high-speed dogfights. The major downside is the severe lack of content. Three maps simply do not provide enough variety for a dedicated multiplayer community. The complete absence of local split-screen multiplayer also feels like a missed opportunity for a game rooted in the couch co-op era of the late nineties. Players can use local wireless communication across multiple Switch consoles, but the single-screen party experience is missing entirely.
The game also includes a few extraneous features that do not add much to the core experience. Mouse controls are available, and they work decently well for aiming the Landmaster turret, but the standard Pro Controller remains the superior option for precision flying. Amiibo support is limited to unlocking a few cosmetic banners and emblems for the multiplayer profile. Additionally, players with a USB camera can use augmented reality filters to map a character’s face over their own during voice chats, but the novelty wears off quickly.
Star Fox Review Verdict
Star Fox: brings a legendary shooter into the modern era once again. The core gameplay loop of chasing high scores and discovering hidden paths remains highly addictive. However, the short campaign and repetitive nature of the level design will not appeal to everyone, issues that are reflected in multiplayer. Still, the Arwing controls perfectly, and the new cutscenes add a welcome layer of character development to the classic story. Star Fox manages to provide a stunning way to play this piece of gaming history. – InfiniteStartStaff
[Editor’s Note: Star Fox was reviewed on Switch 2, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.]
