Star Fox returns: Switch 2 remake arrives June 25

Wondering whether Star Fox even still exists? It does, and it is coming back after a decade of silence. Through a Direct presentation inside the Nintendo Today app, Nintendo revealed a new entry in the series, a cinematic remake of Star Fox 64, arriving June 25 exclusively on Switch 2.

This is the first major Star Fox since Star Fox Zero in 2016, a game that landed with a shrug at the time. The original Star Fox 64 from 1997 is widely considered the best in the series, so Nintendo is playing it safe here. It is not building something brand new, but bringing a classic into a form that looks like it was made today. The Arwing, Fox McCloud and his team, that signature interception, it is all there, just polished.

The price is $49.99, and the game is digital, bought on the eShop. The release date is close, a week and a half from the reveal, so there is none of the long waiting that follows most announcements.

What does it add beyond the campaign?

The remake is not just a touched-up old game. Nintendo has folded in a few things that extend its life after you finish the story.

There is an online 4-on-4 Battle Mode, the first time Star Fox has had a serious multiplayer of this kind. They also added co-op, so you can fly alongside a friend. The most interesting part is the mouse mode, a control scheme that uses the Joy-Con as a mouse, one of the Switch 2’s new tricks. For aiming in space combat it can be more precise than an analog stick, though you will have to judge for yourself whether it suits you.

Early impressions from people who tried the game ahead of release describe the flying as smooth and pleasant, which is half the job for this kind of game. Star Fox always lives or dies on how the ship feels to fly.

Is it worth it if you are not nostalgic?

Here is the honest part. If you grew up with Star Fox 64, this is an easy buy. You get a favorite game in modern dress plus multiplayer that was not there before. If the name means nothing to you, the picture is different. Star Fox is an arcade space shooter with a fairly short campaign, so at $49.99 it is worth waiting for the detailed reviews after June 25 to see how much content there really is.

Our recommendation is simple. If you own a Switch 2 and like fast arcade games, add this to your watch list. If you are only considering the console, this alone is not a reason to buy in, but it is a good sign that Nintendo is starting to wake old series up for the new machine.

So how about you, would you pay full price for a remake of a game nearly three decades old, or do you wait for it to drop in a sale?