Star Fox (2026) Nintendo Switch 2 Review Roundup: Metacritic 81, The Definitive Star Fox 64

Fox McCloud is back — and the critics agree he's never looked better. Star Fox (2026), Velan Studios' ground-up rebuild of Star Fox 64 for Nintendo Switch 2, launched June 25 to a Metacritic score of 81 across 98+ critic reviews and an OpenCritic average of 84 with a remarkable 97% recommendation rate. The remake is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive priced at $49.99 digital and $59.99 physical.

After a decade of franchise dormancy following the polarizing Star Fox Zero (2016), Nintendo handed development duties to Velan Studios — the team behind Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit — to rebuild the beloved 1997 original using a proprietary engine running at 60fps. The result is broadly considered the best the franchise has looked or played, even if critics note the content volume relative to price remains a point of debate.

At a Glance

Official Overview Trailer

Screenshots

▲ Star Fox's completely rebuilt visuals show the Arwing like never before, running at a locked 60fps on Nintendo Switch 2.

▲ Fox McCloud, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy are fully voiced in all-new cinematic cutscenes.

▲ Branching mission routes across 16 total planets reward repeated playthroughs.

▲ Boss encounters and Star Wolf dogfights are widely cited as the game's standout moments.

▲ The new online multiplayer mode supports USB camera overlays for V-Tuber-style animal face filters during matches.

Developer: Velan Studios

Velan Studios, the Troy, New York-based independent studio behind Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020), handled the full development of Star Fox 2026. The studio built the game on its proprietary VIPER engine, achieving the consistent 60fps performance that defines the remake's technical upgrade over previous versions of the game.

What's New vs. Star Fox 64

Full Cinematic Storytelling

The 1997 original communicated its story almost entirely through radio chatter. The 2026 remake adds fully voiced, in-engine cutscenes that let the four core team members — Fox, Peppy, Slippy, and Falco — interact face-to-face for the first time in the series. A new opening sequence depicting James McCloud's sacrifice provides the emotional context the original always implied but never explicitly showed.

Campaign Structure

• ▶16 total planets across a branching mission map
• ▶7 stages per run, completable in approximately one hour
• ▶Hidden objectives during stages unlock alternate route branches on future runs
• ▶Multiple endings depending on which route combination is completed

New Game Modes

Joy-Con 2 Mouse Aiming

The Switch 2's Joy-Con 2 controllers can be placed on a flat surface and used like a computer mouse. Star Fox implements Mouse-Controlled Targeting as a supported input option — a mode that feels immediately natural for players with a PC shooter background.

Vehicle Roster

Review Score Breakdown

What Critics Are Saying

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"A sublime remaster of Star Fox 64. If this is a taste of what the next original adventure holds, then I've never been more ready to fire up the G-Diffuser." — Jim Norman, Nintendo Life (9/10)

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"Nintendo's finest remake." — David Caballero, GameReactor (9/10)

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"Nintendo proved that the Arwing isn't out of style quite yet." — Jada Griffin, IGN (8/10)

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"Star Fox may be another remake of Star Fox 64, but it's a relentlessly enjoyable master stroke of a remake. The sharp, timelessly fluid gameplay and quick pace are a grand reminder of why the original game has remained so iconic, while the updated aesthetic and multiplayer help keep it from feeling like too much of a retread." — Spencer Legacy, MonsterVine (4.5/5)

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"Star Fox's new additions might be hit or miss, but this remake succeeds in the most important way of all — delivering the original's magic to the modern gaming audience." — Kevin Low, Geek Culture (8.3/10)

Community Reaction

Launch reception was enthusiastic across Nintendo's core markets. The online multiplayer's USB camera face-overlay feature — which places animated animal faces on players during dogfights — immediately went viral, with clips spreading across X and Reddit within hours of the game going live.

The most consistent criticism centers on value. At $49.99 digital and $59.99 physical, a single campaign run clocks in at roughly an hour. Critics like GameSpot's Steve Watts called it a "bare-bones" offering at the price. Defenders counter that seeing all 16 planets across the game's multiple route combinations, plus Challenge mode and online multiplayer, adds meaningful play time beyond any single sitting.

The bigger conversation surrounding the game is what its commercial and critical performance signals for the franchise. Star Fox has had no original entry since the divisive Star Fox Zero in 2016. The enthusiastic response to this remake has renewed calls for a fully original new Star Fox game built from scratch — a sentiment MonsterVine's Spencer Legacy explicitly echoed in his review: "I hope we get an all-new Star Fox game with this cast, as I'd love to see what they can do with less well-trodden material."

Buying Guide

GamePeak Summary