Nintendo announced Wednesday that a new Star Fox game is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on June 25, reviving a franchise that has been dormant for a decade. Carrying the stripped-down title Star Fox, the game is a Switch 2-exclusive remake of the Nintendo 64 classic Star Fox 64.
Nintendo described the release as a cinematic reimagining, with overhauled character designs, fresh visual treatments for every stage, detailed cutscenes, dialogue performed by voice actors, and a new score performed by an orchestra. Despite the visual transformation, the underlying structure of each stage was carried over from the N64 version, according to Video Games Chronicle.
The game includes three modes. Campaign Mode lets players travel through the Lylat System, with routes that shift depending on in-game decisions and completed objectives. Outside the main story, Challenge Mode throws new objectives at stages players have already beaten, offering tasks that do not appear anywhere in Campaign Mode. Up to eight participants can square off in Battle Mode, which splits competitors into Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf for 4-vs-4 aerial combat across a set of three distinct stages, Nintendo said.
New content added to the remake includes a prologue mission featuring Fox McCloud's father, mission briefings between stages, and the ability to use Joy-Con 2 mouse controls for more precise aiming during solo play. A second player can take on gunner duties while the first handles flying, Nintendo said. Players can also use GameChat to appear as Star Fox characters via an AR avatar that mirrors expressions and movements.
The reveal came through a dedicated Nintendo Direct, where Yoshiaki Koizumi and series creator Shigeru Miyamoto took the stage together to present the title, according to Video Games Chronicle. Koizumi noted that players can also use the Switch Online Nintendo 64 controller.
A decade has passed since Nintendo last put out a Star Fox game — Star Fox Zero shipped for Wii U in 2016 — placing the Switch 2 entry in the role of the franchise's long-awaited comeback, according to Video Games Chronicle. The series began in 1993 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, with Star Fox 64 following in 1997.
Nintendo pointed to the timing of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, released last month, in which Fox McCloud moves well beyond a supporting role to drive much of the film's story alongside Mario. The company said players can now experience that character in an interactive setting starting June 25.