Fox McCloud and crew are back
By Paul Hunter
Star Fox brings Fox McCloud to Nintendo Switch 2 with its iconic arcade-shooter structure of short missions, fast Arwing combat, branching routes, and replay goals that extend well beyond the credits. It follows the Star Fox 64 formula closely, so it's not a massive reinvention of Nintendo’s space-shooter series, but it does has greatly improved modern visuals and plently of gameplay refinements that make this one of the best team-based dogfighting experiences across the Lylat System yet.
That familiar structure extends to the map format, which has branching paths to your way to Venom. I still think this structure fits the series best because it's an arcade-style shooter where every stage and route is meant to be replayed and improved.
Each campaign run moves fast. One mission might put the Arwing on rails as enemies fly toward you in scripted attack patterns. Another mission opens into All-Range Mode, where you can freely dogfight around a combat arena. Vehicle sections also bring back the Landmaster tank and Blue Marine submarine, which give the campaign more variety than just straight flying.
I had the most fun when replaying stages became about fixing small mistakes. Saving a teammate before they took too much damage, hitting a medal score, finding a hidden exit, or handling a boss phase more efficiently made each return feel worthwhile.
Star Fox improves the replay loop by making stage goals easier to understand. In Star Fox 64, hidden exits and alternate route requirements often depended on memory, trial and error, or knowing the correct condition before entering a stage. Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 keeps those alternate routes, but it explains objectives more clearly so you can plan a better run instead of guessing what the game wants.
I liked that hidden exits no longer depend as heavily on Nintendo 64 muscle memory. Star Fox still rewards knowledge, timing, accuracy, and repeat attempts, but it gives you enough guidance to understand why a route opened or why you missed it. That balance keeps the satisfaction of discovering alternate paths while reducing the frustration of replaying a mission with no clear idea of what went wrong.
The trade-off is that Joy-Con 2 mouse controls use a first-person cockpit view. That view makes aiming feel accurate, especially when enemies fly across the screen quickly, but it also changes how I perceived movement. In traditional third-person controls, I can see the Arwing clearly while boosting, braking, barrel rolling, performing somersaults, making U-Turns, and dodging enemy fire. That wider view made the ship easier for me to track during busier missions. I eventually got used to the first-person view but it does take time to adjust.
Co-op uses the control idea more naturally. One player handles flight, while the other player focuses on aiming and firing. That split gives both players a clear job, and it turns the cockpit aiming concept into a clever couch-play setup.
HD Rumble 2 also adds strong feedback during shots, bumps, and explosions. Performance stayed smooth for me, even when stages filled with enemy fire, radio chatter, and objective markers. Some busy moments throw a lot at you at once, but I could still track the action, react to threats, and keep the mission moving.
The new prologue gives James McCloud and Pigma’s betrayal more context before Fox takes command. James is Fox’s father and the former Star Fox leader, while Pigma’s betrayal helps explain the personal history behind the current mission. The prologue does not turn Star Fox into a heavy narrative game, but it gives Fox’s fight against Andross a stronger starting point.
The extra scenes between missions also help the team feel more connected to the campaign. Falco’s cocky attitude, Slippy’s nervous energy and technical role, Peppy’s history with James, and Fox’s responsibility as leader all come through more clearly. These characters still speak in broad adventure dialogue, but I enjoyed seeing them react to the route choices and mission outcomes instead of only hearing short radio chatter during combat.
The story remains simple, and the added scenes made me want even more character material. I still appreciated the stronger team presence because Star Fox has always worked better when Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Peppy feel like a proper squad rather than four voices trading one-liners over the radio.
Challenge Mode gives Star Fox a smart way to extend the campaign structure after your first clear. Instead of replaying a full Corneria-to-Venom route every time, you can return to individual stages with specific objectives. That works well because Star Fox already encourages you to replay missions, raise hit counts, save teammates, and learn better routes.
The stage challenges give each return a clear target. You can focus on defeating specific enemies, clearing a stage under certain conditions, improving your medal score, or learning a boss pattern more cleanly. I enjoyed that structure because it turns individual missions into practice spaces. You are not just replaying for completion, you're learning enemy waves, improving your aim, and finding better ways to handle each stage.
Battle Mode adds another reason to stay past the credits. Star Fox versus Star Wolf becomes a four-vs-four multiplayer mode with dogfights, objectives, and team scoring. Matches across locations like Corneria, Fichina, and Sector Y use more than simple ship combat. Zone control asks teams to hold key areas, item collection rewards map awareness, and capture the flag-style objectives give players a reason to fly aggressively instead of circling endlessly for kills.
I would still point most players to the campaign and Challenge Mode first. Battle Mode supports the package rather nicely though. I like that Star Fox has competitive dogfighting, custom battles, GameShare support, and co-op alongside the classic campaign. A short arcade shooter needs strong reasons to return, and these modes give the Nintendo Switch 2 version more staying power than a straight campaign replay alone.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: Velan Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: On-Rails Shooter
Modes: Single-player, Miltiplayer
By Paul Hunter
Star Fox brings Fox McCloud to Nintendo Switch 2 with its iconic arcade-shooter structure of short missions, fast Arwing combat, branching routes, and replay goals that extend well beyond the credits. It follows the Star Fox 64 formula closely, so it's not a massive reinvention of Nintendo’s space-shooter series, but it does has greatly improved modern visuals and plently of gameplay refinements that make this one of the best team-based dogfighting experiences across the Lylat System yet.
Campaign and Secret Areas
Star Fox follows the Star Fox 64 template from the start. Fox McCloud leads the Star Fox team, Falco Lombardi brings the attitude, Slippy Toad supports the squad with technical know-how, and Peppy Hare gives Fox the veteran guidance he inherited from the previous generation. General Pepper sends the team across the Lylat System to stop Andross, the mad scientist waiting on Venom. Anyone who played Star Fox 64 or Lylat Wars will recognize that classic mission setup immediately.That familiar structure extends to the map format, which has branching paths to your way to Venom. I still think this structure fits the series best because it's an arcade-style shooter where every stage and route is meant to be replayed and improved.
Each campaign run moves fast. One mission might put the Arwing on rails as enemies fly toward you in scripted attack patterns. Another mission opens into All-Range Mode, where you can freely dogfight around a combat arena. Vehicle sections also bring back the Landmaster tank and Blue Marine submarine, which give the campaign more variety than just straight flying.
I had the most fun when replaying stages became about fixing small mistakes. Saving a teammate before they took too much damage, hitting a medal score, finding a hidden exit, or handling a boss phase more efficiently made each return feel worthwhile.
Star Fox improves the replay loop by making stage goals easier to understand. In Star Fox 64, hidden exits and alternate route requirements often depended on memory, trial and error, or knowing the correct condition before entering a stage. Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 keeps those alternate routes, but it explains objectives more clearly so you can plan a better run instead of guessing what the game wants.
I liked that hidden exits no longer depend as heavily on Nintendo 64 muscle memory. Star Fox still rewards knowledge, timing, accuracy, and repeat attempts, but it gives you enough guidance to understand why a route opened or why you missed it. That balance keeps the satisfaction of discovering alternate paths while reducing the frustration of replaying a mission with no clear idea of what went wrong.
Nintendo Switch 2 Mouse Controls
Star Fox includes optional Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, and the implementation is great here. Star Fox is a shooter about fast targeting, quick reactions, and tracking enemy waves, so using mouse-style aiming gives you more precise control over the reticle.The trade-off is that Joy-Con 2 mouse controls use a first-person cockpit view. That view makes aiming feel accurate, especially when enemies fly across the screen quickly, but it also changes how I perceived movement. In traditional third-person controls, I can see the Arwing clearly while boosting, braking, barrel rolling, performing somersaults, making U-Turns, and dodging enemy fire. That wider view made the ship easier for me to track during busier missions. I eventually got used to the first-person view but it does take time to adjust.
Co-op uses the control idea more naturally. One player handles flight, while the other player focuses on aiming and firing. That split gives both players a clear job, and it turns the cockpit aiming concept into a clever couch-play setup.
HD Rumble 2 also adds strong feedback during shots, bumps, and explosions. Performance stayed smooth for me, even when stages filled with enemy fire, radio chatter, and objective markers. Some busy moments throw a lot at you at once, but I could still track the action, react to threats, and keep the mission moving.
Presentation and Co-Op
The story still centres on the classic Andross threat. General Pepper calls in the Star Fox team, Fox McCloud leads the squad across the Lylat System, and Venom remains the final destination. The Nintendo Switch 2 version adds more connective story scenes around that familiar setup, which gives the team more personality between missions.The new prologue gives James McCloud and Pigma’s betrayal more context before Fox takes command. James is Fox’s father and the former Star Fox leader, while Pigma’s betrayal helps explain the personal history behind the current mission. The prologue does not turn Star Fox into a heavy narrative game, but it gives Fox’s fight against Andross a stronger starting point.
The extra scenes between missions also help the team feel more connected to the campaign. Falco’s cocky attitude, Slippy’s nervous energy and technical role, Peppy’s history with James, and Fox’s responsibility as leader all come through more clearly. These characters still speak in broad adventure dialogue, but I enjoyed seeing them react to the route choices and mission outcomes instead of only hearing short radio chatter during combat.
The story remains simple, and the added scenes made me want even more character material. I still appreciated the stronger team presence because Star Fox has always worked better when Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Peppy feel like a proper squad rather than four voices trading one-liners over the radio.
Challenge Mode gives Star Fox a smart way to extend the campaign structure after your first clear. Instead of replaying a full Corneria-to-Venom route every time, you can return to individual stages with specific objectives. That works well because Star Fox already encourages you to replay missions, raise hit counts, save teammates, and learn better routes.
The stage challenges give each return a clear target. You can focus on defeating specific enemies, clearing a stage under certain conditions, improving your medal score, or learning a boss pattern more cleanly. I enjoyed that structure because it turns individual missions into practice spaces. You are not just replaying for completion, you're learning enemy waves, improving your aim, and finding better ways to handle each stage.
Battle Mode adds another reason to stay past the credits. Star Fox versus Star Wolf becomes a four-vs-four multiplayer mode with dogfights, objectives, and team scoring. Matches across locations like Corneria, Fichina, and Sector Y use more than simple ship combat. Zone control asks teams to hold key areas, item collection rewards map awareness, and capture the flag-style objectives give players a reason to fly aggressively instead of circling endlessly for kills.
I would still point most players to the campaign and Challenge Mode first. Battle Mode supports the package rather nicely though. I like that Star Fox has competitive dogfighting, custom battles, GameShare support, and co-op alongside the classic campaign. A short arcade shooter needs strong reasons to return, and these modes give the Nintendo Switch 2 version more staying power than a straight campaign replay alone.
The Verdict
Star Fox brings Fox McCloud and the Arwing back in a fast-paced arcade shooter that gets better the more you replay it. The campaign is brief, but medals, hidden exits, alternate routes, teammate rescues, and better stage outcomes gave me a reason to keep improving instead of stopping at the credits. Joy-Con 2 mouse controls are interesting, though I preferred traditional controls because the Arwing felt better from the third-person view. Star Fox fans who enjoy short replayable missions should have a blast with it, and for newcomers this is a fantastic first flight in the Star Fox world.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Star Fox details
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2Developer: Velan Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: On-Rails Shooter
Modes: Single-player, Miltiplayer