Star Fox remake lands June 25

Nintendo is bringing Star Fox back, and the shape of the comeback tells you a lot about how it wants to launch Switch 2. This is not a weird side experiment or a tiny eShop revival. It’s a full-priced first-party release built on Star Fox 64, with a release date locked for June 25, 2026. The bigger point is simple — Nintendo reached for one of its most dormant brands and rebuilt the safest, most recognizable version of it. (nintendo.com) ### What exactly got announced? Nintendo announced Star Fox during its May 6 Star Fox Direct and described it as an action game “based on Star Fox 64” for Nintendo 64, coming exclusively to Nintendo Switch 2 on June 25. The official store page is already live, and Nintendo is selling it digitally for $49.99. (nintendo.com) ### Is this a remake or a brand-new game? Basically, it’s a remake with some expansion around the edges. Nintendo is careful with the wording — “based on” Star Fox 64, “cinematic take,” “complete visual overhaul.” That means the spine is still the 1997 game: Fox McCloud, (nintendo.com)fings, and modern presentation so it feels less like a museum piece and more like a current release. (nintendo.com) ### What’s actually new here? A few things stand out. Nintendo says the game adds new gameplay modes alongside returning ones, including a new 4-vs-4 multiplayer Battle Mode. It also uses Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, which is one of the Switch 2-specific hooks, and it folds (nintendo.com) dialogue, an orchestral soundtrack, and overhauled stage art across the whole campaign. (nintendo.com) ### Why go back to Star Fox 64? Because that’s the one everyone remembers. Star Fox has had a messy history after the Nintendo 64 era — some games leaned into on-foot action, some into motion controls, some into strategy, and none became the clean modern template Nintendo(nintendo.com) and arcade replay value. If Nintendo wants a low-risk way to test whether the brand still has lift, this is the obvious play. That’s an inference, but it fits the product Nintendo actually announced. (nintendo.com) ### Why does the June 25 date matter? Because it puts Star Fox right into the early Switch 2 release window, not some vague “next year” slot. Nintendo launched Switch 2 on June 5, so Star Fox lands 20 days later. That makes it part of the machine’s first burst of software, when Nintendo is still teaching buyers what this hardware is for and which old series are coming with it. (nintendo.com) ### Is this a big bet? Not really — and that’s the point. A $49.99 remake-sized project is cheaper and safer than trying to reinvent Star Fox from scratch. Nintendo gets a recognizable name, a showcase for upgraded visuals, and one more first-party exclusive near launch. If players love it, the series can grow again. If they don’t, Nintendo still filled a key month in the Switch 2 calendar. (nintendo.com) ### So what’s the bottom line? Star Fox is back, but in the most Nintendo way possible — not as a radical reboot, just as a polished return to the version that already worked. If this lands, the real story won’t just be one remake. It’ll be that Nintendo found a practical way to make a dormant series matter again.