Star Fox is set for a grand return after years of inactivity. After making an appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, he’ll have his own game once again, although it’s a remake of Star Fox 64.
Recently, CBR attended a preview of Star Fox. During the preview, I had the chance to explore the game’s three sections. I also played the first two levels, the first level again in co-op mode and battle mode.
Star Fox Visually Looks Like the Best Version of Star Fox 64
This isn’t the first time that Star Fox 64 has been remade. I can’t blame Nintendo, as Star Fox 64 is an incredible entry point for anyone wanting to get into the franchise. The new version on the Switch 2 looks incredible, with stunning environments and cinematic feel. I played the first level and saw the differences compared to the 64 version, which had my jaw drop to the floor. The amount of detail in 4K, from the ship to flying close to the water, was stunning.
Now the elephant in the room is the character models. Since the Star Fox Direct, fans have criticized the models for looking too realistic and less animated. Personally, I think they look like the SNES puppets from the initial advertisements, and they hold up during the preview. Fox and Falco will need some time to settle in, but that’ll be judged for the full release.
Co-Op Mode and Added Twists Brings Excitement
For Nintendo games, the co-op mode feels more like an afterthought. One player controls the main character, while the other controls something nonvital as a tactic to keep them occupied. It’s designed as a distraction akin to giving a younger sibling something to do while you play.
In Star Fox, the engagement is there for both players. One player controls the ship while the other player is the gunner. For the gunner, you can also play in mouse mode. I got to play as the gunner in mouse mode, and it was a ton of fun. I only played the first level in co-op mode, it was enough to determine co-op has tons of potential. The mouse controls felt incredibly smooth and easy to handle. Not since Metroid Prime 4 has the shooting been this good.
I also had the opportunityt to explore a new feature with alternate paths. Falco will ask Fox during the first level to try to fly underneath all the arches. Instructed by PR not to do that as a comparison, the next cutscene showed Falco upset with the player, and the crew heading to the asteroid field for the next mission in the campaign.
Running the same level in co-op and doing what Falco asked signaled the reward of an alternate path. The co-op cutscene showed Falco standing up for Fox while moving to a different location, not the asteroid field. There will be many moments like this sprinkled throughout Star Fox. This will affect cutscenes and the path you take in the story.
Battle Mode Will Keep Players Highly Entertained
Star Fox will feature a new battle mode with 4v4 dogfights. Players will be divided into Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf. If players have the Switch 2 camera, then they can use the AR filters during battle, which I got to use. It’s safe to say that everyone in the room massively enjoyed playing around with these filters.
Players can either have the filter be one of the Star Fox characters or have features like Flaco’s beak on their face. It’s a fun gimmick the Switch 2 camera offers, and many gamers (including me) will finally get good use out of it. The fights themselves are thrilling and will keep players on the edge of their seats.
I only got to play the Sector Y level, which has players trying to seize control of cargo from space pirates and bring it back to their base. Each match went back and forth, promising a ton of fun to be had in battle mode.
- Released
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June 25, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
- Multiplayer
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Online Co-Op
- Number of Players
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1-8 players