It happened with almost no warning. On May 6, 2026, Shigeru Miyamoto himself took to social media to announce that a Star Fox Direct would begin in just a few minutes. Fifteen minutes later, the first new Star Fox game in a decade was real—and it is launching in less than seven weeks.
The game is a full remake of Star Fox 64, rebuilt from the ground up for Nintendo Switch 2. It arrives on June 25, 2026, with a digital price of 49.99 and a physical price of 59.99. Preorders are already live.
The Announcement: A Surprise Direct Hosted by Miyamoto
The announcement itself was a throwback to the kind of surprise Nintendo used to pull in the early Switch era. No weeks of buildup. No cryptic tweets. Just a single post from Miyamoto and a 15-minute presentation.
“We will livestream Star Fox Direct — 06/05/2026,” Miyamoto wrote. “The presentation runs for approximately 15 minutes, and I would be delighted if you could take a look.”
The Direct was hosted by Miyamoto alongside Nintendo producer Yoshiaki Koizumi. Together, they confirmed what prominent leaker Nate the Hate and VGC’s own sources had reported weeks earlier: a new Star Fox was in active development and targeting 2026. The rumor was right. The game is real.
This marks the first new Star Fox title since Star Fox Zero launched on the Wii U in 2016—a ten-year gap for a franchise that once stood at the center of Nintendo’s identity.
What Is This Game? Not a Port, Not a Remaster—a Full Remake
This is the first time Star Fox has returned to the front of the pack since 2016, and Nintendo is calling it a “complete visual overhaul.” It is not a simple port of the N64 classic. It is not a remaster with improved textures. It is a ground-up remake that preserves the stage layouts of the 1997 original while rebuilding everything else.
What Is the Same:
- Stage layouts, branching paths, and mission structure from the N64 original
- The core Arwing combat: tight controls, barrel rolls, charged shots
- The full campaign with Easy, Normal, and unlockable Expert difficulties
What Is New:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Complete Visual Overhaul | New character designs, rebuilt environments, and detailed cutscenes |
| Orchestral Soundtrack | Fully re-recorded score replacing the N64’s synthesized audio |
| Prologue Mission | Play as James McCloud, Fox’s father, in a never-before-seen mission |
| New Cinematic Cutscenes | Expanded story sequences that add depth to the Star Fox team |
| Challenge Mode | Replay stages with new objectives not found in the campaign |
Nintendo describes the final product as a “cinematic take” on Star Fox 64, with fully voiced dialogue and sweeping orchestral music that elevates the storytelling beyond what the N64 cartridge could deliver.
The Challenge Mode deserves special attention. It is not simply the campaign with higher difficulty. According to Nintendo, it offers “a variety of new objectives and challenges, some of which you won’t find in Campaign Mode,” available in both Normal and Expert settings.
The Modes: Campaign, Challenge, and an All-New Online Battle Mode
Campaign Mode
The classic Star Fox experience. Travel across the Lylat system, navigate asteroid fields, engage in free-flying dogfights, and face off against Andross. The branching path system returns in full: objectives you complete, enemies you defeat, and actions you take can alter your route and what you encounter on each stage. Multiple playthroughs are not just encouraged—they are baked into the design.
Challenge Mode
A new addition that lets you replay cleared stages with fresh objectives. Some challenges feature tasks you will not encounter anywhere in the Campaign. This mode supports two difficulty settings (Normal and Expert) and is designed to give even veteran Star Fox players something new to master.
Battle Mode: 4v4 Online Dogfights
For the first time in the series, Star Fox features an eight-player online battle mode. Players are divided between Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf, competing across three distinct stages with unique objectives.
| Stage | Objective |
|---|---|
| Corneria | Secure control of a designated zone |
| Fichina | Collect energy crystals |
| Sector Y | Retrieve cargo from space pirates |
Private matches are available, and the GameShare feature lets up to four players join locally or online through GameChat. The mode supports cross-play between GameShare participants on original Switch and Switch 2, though full online GameShare is exclusive to Switch 2.
Switch 2 Features: Mouse Controls, Co-op, and AR Filters
Nintendo is leveraging several Switch 2 hardware capabilities for the new Star Fox. These are not minor additions—they fundamentally change how the game can be played.
Joy-Con 2 Mouse Controls
The game supports the new Joy-Con 2 mouse functionality, allowing players to aim and control the Arwing with the precision of a mouse. For a rail shooter built around fast, accurate targeting, this is a meaningful upgrade over traditional analog stick aiming.
Co-op Pilot and Gunner
Two players can share a single pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers. One player controls the Arwing’s movement and flight path while the other operates the ship’s guns. It is a cooperative Star Fox experience that has never been available in the series before, and it makes the game instantly more accessible for families, younger players, or anyone who wants to share the cockpit.
N64 Controller Support
For players who want the most authentic experience possible, the game also supports the Nintendo Switch Online Nintendo 64 controller. Koizumi confirmed this during the Direct, giving longtime fans the option to play the remake with the three-pronged controller that defined the original.
GameChat AR Filters
In a lighthearted but genuinely fresh touch, Star Fox will let players choose AR avatars of Star Fox characters for their GameChat sessions. This is a first for the Switch 2 and suggests Nintendo is beginning to explore the social potential of the console’s camera feature beyond simple video calls.
Wait, Another Star Fox 64 Remake?
This is the question that has generated the most debate since the Direct. The original Star Fox 64 already received a remake for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, titled Star Fox 64 3D. Remaking the same game a second time, fifteen years later, has drawn understandable scrutiny.
The context that matters:
The last original Star Fox game, Star Fox Zero, launched on Wii U in 2016 to mixed reviews and disappointing sales. It was not a bad game, but its mandatory dual-screen aiming mechanic alienated players and fractured the fanbase. Since then, the franchise has largely existed as a cameo machine—Fox McCloud appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and played a major role in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but there was no sign of a new flight combat game.
Nintendo is not taking a creative risk with this remake. It is rebuilding the most beloved entry in the series using modern technology, adding enough new content to justify the price tag, and creating a safe launchpad for the franchise on Switch 2. If the remake sells well, an original sequel becomes far more likely.
The 2026 version also includes features that the 3DS remake could not touch: full voice acting, orchestral music, online multiplayer, and hardware-specific capabilities like mouse controls.
What the 2026 Remake Has That the 3DS Remake Did Not:
| Feature | 3DS Remake (2011) | Switch 2 Remake (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Online Multiplayer | No | Yes (4v4) |
| New Story Content | No | Yes (prologue, cutscenes) |
| Co-op Mode | No | Yes (pilot + gunner) |
| Mouse Controls | No | Yes |
| Full Voice Acting | No | Yes |
| Orchestral Score | No | Yes |
| Challenge Mode | No | Yes |
Pricing Strategy: Digital Discount Confirmed
The pricing continues Nintendo’s new model for Switch 2 first-party releases. Digital copies are priced at 49.99, while physical copies cost 59.99.
This pricing is notably lower than other Switch 2 blockbusters. Mario Kart World launched at 69.99. Donkey Kong Bananza is 69.99. The $49.99 digital price for Star Fox may reflect that this is a remake rather than a brand-new entry, and it positions the game as a more accessible purchase during a year when the Switch 2 itself is getting a price hike.
The Mario Galaxy Movie Connection
The timing of the announcement is not random. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie released in theaters on April 1, 2026, and Fox McCloud appears as a major character in the film’s second half, voiced by Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell.
Fox is not a brief cameo. He joins Mario and his friends on their mission, giving the character more screen time and narrative weight than he has ever had outside of his own games. Nintendo clearly sees the movie as a reintroduction of Star Fox to a mass audience, and the June 25 game release capitalizes on that exposure while the film is still in theaters.
What This Means for Nintendo’s 2026
The Star Fox announcement is the centerpiece of a broader story about where Nintendo is right now.
The Good News:
The release calendar for the next three months is genuinely strong. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book on May 21. Star Fox on June 25. Rhythm Heaven Groove on July 2. Splatoon Raiders on July 23. That is four first-party releases in ten weeks, spanning platforming, rail shooting, rhythm, and action-adventure.
The Concern:
Beyond July, the lineup is a question mark. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave and The Duskbloods (a FromSoftware exclusive) are confirmed for later in the year, but neither has a date. Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa addressed this directly during a recent investor Q&A, acknowledging that “software development cycles are indeed longer than before” while confirming that “new titles have been prepared for the second half of this fiscal year, and details will be shared at the appropriate time.”
Furukawa’s comments have already reignited speculation around a rumored Ocarina of Time remake for holiday 2026, which was first reported by Nate the Hate alongside the Star Fox leak that just proved accurate.
The Financial Picture:
Nintendo’s Switch 2 has sold 19.86 million units in its first nine months, accompanied by 48.71 million software sales. Mario Kart World alone accounts for 14.7 million of those copies, representing 30% of all software sold for the platform.
Despite these strong numbers, Nintendo is projecting a decline in year-two hardware sales to 16.5 million units and is raising the price of the Switch 2 globally to offset rising memory chip costs driven by AI demand and U.S. tariffs. The stock price has fallen more than 30% since January, and investors are watching the software pipeline closely.
Star Fox is not going to move 15 million units like Mario Kart World. But it fills a critical role in Nintendo’s 2026: it is a mid-tier first-party title that keeps the release cadence steady and gives the Switch 2 a recognizable franchise during a period when the next Mario and Zelda are still months or years away.
Current Confirmed Switch 2 Lineup (Summer 2026)
| Game | Release Date | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Yoshi and the Mysterious Book | May 21, 2026 | Platformer |
| Star Fox | June 25, 2026 | Rail Shooter |
| Rhythm Heaven Groove | July 2, 2026 | Rhythm |
| Splatoon Raiders | July 23, 2026 | Action-Adventure |
| Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave | TBA 2026 | Tactical RPG |
| The Duskbloods (FromSoftware) | TBA 2026 | Action |
FAQ: Common Questions About Star Fox on Switch 2
Q: When does the new Star Fox release?
A: June 25, 2026, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.
Q: Is it a brand-new Star Fox game?
A: It is a full remake of Star Fox 64 with completely overhauled visuals, voice acting, orchestral music, and new content including a prologue mission, Challenge Mode, and online multiplayer.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: 49.99forthedigitalversionontheNintendoeShop.59.99 for the physical version at retail.
Q: Can I play it on the original Nintendo Switch?
A: No. Star Fox is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.
Q: Does it have online multiplayer?
A: Yes. The new 4v4 Battle Mode supports online dogfights between Team Star Fox and Team Star Wolf, with private matches available.
Q: Does it support the Joy-Con 2 mouse controls?
A: Yes. Players can use the Joy-Con 2 in mouse mode for precise aiming.
Q: Can I play co-op with a friend on the couch?
A: Yes. Two players can share a pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers, with one flying the Arwing and the other operating the guns.
Q: Can I use the Nintendo 64 controller with this game?
A: Yes. The game supports the Nintendo Switch Online N64 controller for an authentic retro experience.
Q: Is this the game that was leaked earlier this year?
A: Yes. Leaker Nate the Hate and VGC’s own sources reported in April that a new Star Fox was planned for 2026. The May 6 Direct confirmed those reports.
Q: What is the connection to the Mario Galaxy Movie?
A: Fox McCloud appears as a major character in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, voiced by Glen Powell. The game and movie are timed to cross-promote each other.
The Bottom Line
Star Fox on Switch 2 is not the most ambitious project Nintendo has ever greenlit. It is a remake of a nearly 30-year-old game, and that is by design. After a decade without a new entry, after the mixed reception of Star Fox Zero, and after years of fans wondering whether the franchise still mattered, Nintendo is starting with the safest possible bet: rebuild the best game in the series, add meaningful new content, price it fairly, and let the audience decide whether Star Fox has a future.
The online 4v4 dogfights, the co-op pilot-and-gunner mode, the mouse controls, and the prologue mission starring James McCloud are not revolutionary. But they are smart, well-targeted additions that give both veterans and newcomers a reason to care. The $49.99 digital price helps too.
If this remake sells, the conversation shifts from “is Star Fox dead?” to “what’s next for Star Fox?” That outcome is not guaranteed. But for the first time in a decade, it is genuinely possible.
Are you planning to pick up Star Fox on June 25? Do you prefer it as a full remake or would you rather have gotten an original sequel? Let us know in the comments.
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