In preparation for Star Fox’s Switch 2 debut later this month, Nintendo has shared a new overview trailer for its remake of the Nintendo 64 classic Star Fox 64, and a number of previews have gone up from folks who had hands-on time with the game. According to those early previews, Nintendo has essentially applied an impressive new coat of HD paint to the graphics for its endlessly meme-able, space-themed rail shooter.
People have now demoed some of the game’s early missions and its new 4v4 battle mode. Today’s previews seem split on the promise of this updated version of the game’s multiplayer, with one mode requiring teams to fight over cargo they’re attempting to retrieve. But the overall impression is that Nintendo has given one of its all-time greats the modern glow-up it deserves while keeping the underlying formula mostly unchanged.
The remake’s notable changes include the addition of animated cutscenes in-between levels instead of static mission briefings, which can break up the pacing for better or worse. There’s also improved voice acting to bring more depth and nuance to the characters and worldbuilding. VGC noted that Fox McCloud and company are portrayed much more as rogue operatives this time around, and Falco is more antagonistic to Fox than ever. Meanwhile, IGN pointed out that some of the original N64 game’s more esoteric secrets are spelled out more plainly this time around, at least early on.
“Longtime Star Fox players know that to reach the secret route on Corneria, you need to successfully kill the bogeys on Falco’s tail and then fly under a group of archways, which will impress Falco and cause him to take you on an alternate path,” Logan Plant wrote in a mostly glowing preview. “This isn’t really hinted at whatsoever in the old script, but now, Falco explicitly tells you that the archways look like a good obstacle course, directly referencing the secret. It’s not a huge deal, and maybe it was overly obtuse before, but it feels a bit less like a special discovery waiting to be found and more like a clearly telegraphed objective.”
The Switch 2 will be just over a year old when Star Fox comes out, and there haven’t been many games that make the most out of the console’s graphical improvements. Star Fox, with its hyper-realistic renderings of furry and feathered hotties, feels like one of the first titles to truly test how good games can look on this new Nintendo console. And the game does look good. It’s really impressive to see an Arwing rendered with detailed panels, rivets, and exhaust ports, instead of the baby-smooth flat surfaces I remember from my youth. But we’ll find out whether this version of Star Fox has more to offer than nostalgia in a shinier and prettier package when the game launches on the Switch 2 on June 25th.
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