Out of nowhere, Nintendo has shadow-dropped a dedicated Direct to announce a ground-up remake of the beloved Star Fox 64 (or Lylat Wars, as we Aussies remember it). Simply titled Star Fox, the highly anticipated return to the Lylat System is touching down exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 25, slotting perfectly into a stacked Nintendo Switch 2 lineup between Yoshi and the Mysterious Book and Splatoon Raiders.
Even better? We’ve already had a chance to jump into the cockpit and test it out thanks to Nintendo Australia. Now, please be warned, this is my first Star Fox experience, so I won’t be able to offer a comparison between the original and this version. I was in a Sega/Playstation household, so I was excited to see how why this game became such a classic.
A Huge Graphical Overhaul
While the classic, fast-paced on-rails experience remains intact, the visuals have received a massive overhaul designed specifically to flex the Switch 2’s new capabilities. Whether you’re piloting the Arwing over Corneria, rolling through terrain in the Landmaster tank, or diving deep in the Blue-Marine submarine, the familiar level layouts have been entirely modernised.
Nintendo is also expanding the game’s narrative with brand-new cutscenes that add fresh story moments and banter between Fox, Peppy, Falco, and Slippy.
We were able to play this on both handheld and in docked mode; the graphics feel like they fit right into the Switch 2 ecosystem. The cut scenes feel cinematic and not too much like the recently released Super Mario Galaxy Movie. This feels a little more animalistic in its design, and this choice lets the game keep its distinct feel.
New Controls and Chaotic Co-Op
What really sets this remake apart are the Switch 2-specific enhancements. During our hands-on session, we got to play through the first two planets in both single-player and multiplayer modes. We started out using the Pro Controller before switching over to the newly supported mouse mode to experience that side of it. The mouse controls proved to be surprisingly snappy and responsive.
The brilliant new couch co-op mode is a massive standout. By handing a Joy-Con to a friend, two players can pilot a single Arwing—one handling the evasive maneuvers while the other takes control of the ship’s blasters. Shifting into multiplayer with a dedicated pilot and gunner was an absolute blast and kept things wonderfully crazy during our playthrough.
For purists wanting that nostalgic feel, the game will also fully support the Switch’s N64 controller. While I wasn’t confident enough in my Star Fox skills to try this controller, I will definitely be trying it out as part of my review when the game releases later this month.
Expanded Modes for Veteran Pilots
The main campaign has been revamped with Easy, Normal, and a punishing Hard mode that removes your ability to continue after a Game Over.
For those who know the Lylat System like the back of their hand, a brand new Challenge Mode introduces alternative objectives not found in the main campaign, capped off with a demanding Expert difficulty. I’ll be sticking to Normal mode for now till I get my skills up.
Next-Gen Multiplayer and AR Filters
Multiplayer is back with a robust Battle Mode, allowing you to face off locally via GameShare or online using GameChat. Playing online was incredibly fun. Throwing everything into a Capture the Flag-style scenario was fantastic, and crucially, performance was flawless with absolutely no connection issues or lag.
The wildest new feature, however, is the addition of AR filters. When playing online with GameChat, you can apply filters that turn you into members of the Star Fox team. During our matches, everyone got to choose their Star Fox character avatar (and it was a fight for Star Fox and Star Wolf), and you could even apply a background. Watching this play out, with the avatars mirroring our real-time facial movements, was perfect and brought a whole new level of immersion and hilarity to the squad’s banter during online play.
Thoughts So Far
After nearly a decade without a new game, Fox McCloud is finally back. If this preview is anything to go by, fans of the original will get the current-gen update that this franchise has been needing.
For me, it will be my first Star Fox experience, and I can’t wait to dive into the full release.
Star Fox will release exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 on the 25th of June.
Featured header image provided by the publisher.
