Star Fox Returns After 10 Years as a Nintendo Switch 2 Exclusive

Nintendo's last major Star Fox release was Star Fox Zero in 2016. It sold modestly, leaned hard on the Wii U GamePad's dual-screen gimmick, and received a mixed reception. The franchise went quiet for a decade. That changes on June 25, 2026, when Star Fox launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2.

What kind of game is it

It's a remake of Star Fox 64, described by Nintendo as a "cinematic take" on the classic. Developer Velan Studios — known for Knockout City — rebuilt the rail-shooter structure from scratch rather than remastering the original. The core loop of flying an Arwing through corridor-style stages while your wingmates chatter and enemies spiral in from all directions is intact. The presentation, scale, and multiplayer options are new.

Online play supports 1–8 players. There's a co-op mode, competitive dogfighting, and GameChat compatibility using the Switch 2's optional USB camera, which lets you play face-to-face with character avatars or AR filters. It costs $49.99 on the eShop — $10 under the standard $59.99 Switch 2 first-party price.

A demo is already live

Nintendo dropped a playable demo on the Switch 2 eShop the week before launch, which is unusual for a first-party title. The demo covers at least one full stage and gives you a feel for how the new control scheme handles the Arwing — including the Switch 2's HD Rumble 2 feedback during barrel rolls and terrain-scraping maneuvers. Early impressions from players have been positive on controls; a few have flagged that the story framing feels heavier-handed than the original's lean-and-quick delivery.

Why it matters

Star Fox has been dormant long enough that there's a real question about whether Nintendo's audience still knows who Fox McCloud is. The Switch 2 exclusive strategy answers part of that question: this is a system-seller play, not just a nostalgia bet. Nintendo is using a recognizable IP to give early Switch 2 adopters something distinctive to point to.

The deeper test is whether Velan Studios can thread the needle between faithfulness and freshness. Star Fox 64 holds up well; the game's mission-branch structure and character banter were ahead of their time. If the remake preserves that core while expanding what 8-player online looks like in a rail shooter, it could be the franchise's best shot at relevance since the N64 era.

Star Fox launches June 25 for Nintendo Switch 2. The demo is available on the eShop now.