Star Fox (2026) Review - What's Old Is New Again
Reviewed On: Nintendo Switch 2
Genre: Rail Shooter, Shoot'em Up
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Velan Studios
Release: June 25th, 2026
Rating: E10+
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.
Star Fox (2026) is a remake of the original 1997 Nintendo 64 game of the same name.
In the late '90s, I got to play Star Fox a few times on a Nintendo 64 while visiting my dad. I remember going outside with my brothers and dad to play and after fifteen minutes I asked if I could just go back inside and play Star Fox to which my dad replied "Boy, you're going to turn into a video game."
... I'm still waiting for that to happen but the point is, I absolutely adored the game even though I never got to see it through to completion.
So while I've had a bit of playtime with the original game, most of my memories with it are fragmented and hard to recall so I went into this version with an open mind and a fresh set of eyes.
Imagine my surprise when I started the game and felt like I recognized the levels, dialogue, and bosses but just enough to give me that uncanny valley feeling. It was like I remembered everything I was doing but also like I was just imagining it.
In Star Fox, you take control of Fox McCloud and his band of mercenaries who go by the name of, you guessed it, Star Fox.
Each team member pilots an Arwing - an incredibly slick starfighter - and the levels play out primarily in on-rail segments where you move the ship around the screen and shoot at enemies and objectives while protecting your teammates and following their callouts to complete secret and side objectives which can open up new paths through the campaign.
Some sections of the game open up into an "all-range" segment where you get full control of the Arwing in an open area similar to the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron games from back in the day.
The overall campaign is very short and can be completed in around an hour.
However, the diverging paths, ability to have teammates shot down during a mission making them unavailable for the next mission while their ship undergoes repairs, and other permutations make the game heavily focused on replayability and that works very well.
The game feels like classic arcade on-rail shooters/shoot'em ups but with a very modern coat of paint and high quality cinematics that make the campaign feel like a movie.
It's perfect for quick play sessions and the different paths you can take and endings you can get make replays fun and interesting.
The game also has a small multiplayer mode that can be played with bots or online.
The multiplayer mode consists of two teams of four (Star Fox vs Star Wolf) battling it out on three different maps with various objectives. All three maps are set on the "all-range" mode of flying.
For example, the Fichina map tasks teams with shooting meteorites that are crashing onto the planets surface in order to destroy them and collect the green crystals inside to earn points before the timer runs out. Players have to fight enemy pilots, dodge falling meteorites, be aware of smaller bot enemy ships, collect power ups, and hope their team comes out on top.
While the multiplayer mode is definitely small, I've enjoyed it and find myself queueing for a game or two when possible. The lack of a battle pass, rank system, or microtransactions is a very welcome change of pace in today's gaming landscape.
Star Fox is a wonderful game that proves classic game design still has a place in modern gaming.
It is easy to pick up and play in short bursts and the gameplay reminds me of standing in front of an arcade cabinet while focusing on achieving a new high score.
The replayability keeps me coming back for more and the multiplayer mode is a fun diversion when I want to play something competitive but simple and more relaxed.
The cinematic story rocks and I really hope this game is the beginning of a new run of Star Fox games.