Star Fox Returns June 25 on Switch 2 as a Velan Studios Remake of Star Fox 64, the First New Entry in About a Decade
Nintendo's first new Star Fox in roughly ten years is a Velan Studios remake of Star Fox 64, launching June 25 exclusively on Switch 2 with mouse-aim controls and 4-vs-4 Battle Mode.
Overview
Nintendo’s Star Fox series is returning after roughly a decade away, with a new entry built on the 1997 Nintendo 64 classic. According to Nintendo, the game launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on June 25 and is based on the Star Fox 64 game with a complete visual overhaul. Wikipedia describes the title as a remake of Star Fox 64 (1997) that expands on the original game’s level design, story, and gameplay mechanics, and lists it as exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.
What We Know
The game is developed by Velan Studios and published by Nintendo, according to Wikipedia. Nintendo Life reported that Velan Studios confirmed it was the developer in a post on Bluesky, noting that the project is the studio’s second Nintendo collaboration after Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit (2020), and that the team also created Knockout City.
Nintendo built the remake around the Switch 2’s new input options. Nintendo said players can use Joy-Con 2 mouse controls to switch between button and mouse controls in Campaign and Challenge modes, with the mouse controls offering “more intuitive aiming.” Wikipedia also lists support for standard controls and the Nintendo 64 Wireless Controller.
The release spans three modes. Per Nintendo, the game includes a Campaign Mode, a Challenge Mode, and a 4-vs-4 multiplayer Battle Mode. The Battle Mode spans three stage types: zone control on Corneria, crystal collection on Fichina, and cargo retrieval on Sector Y, with online play available through private matches or matchmaking. The same Nintendo post describes a co-op option in which two players share flying and gunner duties in Campaign and Challenge modes, either on the same system or through GameShare via GameChat, and notes that online GameShare is exclusive to Switch 2.
The game also returns familiar faces with new designs. Nintendo Life reported that the Direct showed “brand new looks for Fox, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy, in order to make them look a little more animalistic,” and that the presentation closed with a prologue focusing on Fox’s father, James McCloud. Nintendo’s own page references series antagonist Andross alongside Fox McCloud.
The reveal itself was unusual. Nintendo Life reported that the game was announced through an unscheduled Star Fox Direct dropped via the Nintendo Today app, with the broadcast following roughly ten minutes later, and described it as a “cinematic take” on the classic. Wikipedia dates the surprise Nintendo Direct to May 7, 2026, and notes it was announced ten minutes before broadcast.
A free demo is already available. Nintendo Life reported that a playable demo launched the same day the developer was revealed, featuring the tutorial and one of the game’s opening stages.
Pricing
Nintendo lists a regular price of $49.99. Nintendo Life breaks the pricing down further, listing the digital version at $49.99 (£41.99) and a physical version at $59.99 (£49.99).
What We Don’t Know
Reporting on the exact reveal date is not fully consistent: Wikipedia dates the surprise Direct to May 7, 2026, while Nintendo Life frames the unscheduled Star Fox Direct as a May reveal pushed through the Nintendo Today app. How far the prologue starring James McCloud extends into the full campaign was left open at the end of the presentation. Nintendo has not detailed how extensively the remake reworks the branching mission structure of the 1997 original beyond saying it expands on the source material.