If you’ve played the Star Fox demo on Switch 2, then you’ll know that it’s an absolute visual feast, updating the N64 original to a degree we simply never thought possible (ball’s in your court now, Ocarina).

One person who’s been open about how much the update has impacted him is none other than Takaya Imamura, the art director for Star Fox 64 and the developer largely responsible for the series’ overall presentation.

Speaking on X, Imamura-san explained how the N64’s limited hardware made it difficult to convey the differences between pre-rendered graphics and real-time CG at the time. As such, he says that the improved visuals for the Switch 2 version “brings tears to my eyes”.

Here’s what he had to say (machine translated):

“Back in the Nintendo 64 days, it was a struggle to get people to understand the difference between pre-rendered graphics and real-time CG. Many people thought the beautiful cutscenes on the PlayStation were simply a reflection of the console’s capabilities.

“That’s why, with Star Fox 64, we aimed to create demo scenes and presentations that were just as impressive as pre-rendered graphics, while still pursuing the unique appeal of real-time graphics. In that sense, the improvements in graphics this time around really bring tears to my eyes.”

Previously, Imamura-san stated that although he likes the design of Fox McCloud in the new game, he personally prefers the movie version. No, there’s no Star Fox Movie – as a reminder, the character actually crops up in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie; a surprise Nintendo itself revealed prior to its release with an official poster.

Even if you’ve yet to play the demo, hopefully the trailers and footage so far has demonstrated just how much of an upgrade this is. In terms of gameplay, it’s largely the same experience that we all went through back in 1997, though some additional content has been added to beef up the overall package.

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Let’s see what a handful of other outlets are saying about this one, eh?

Things were equally positive over at Game Informer, with the preview giving a shoutout to the new cutscenes and their contextualising power:

In the campaign, I get a chance to see the call between Fox and General Pepper in the lead-up to the first mission on Corneria. The mission briefing is much more organic and grants significantly more context about what’s happening in the galaxy.

There were more positive vibes from VGC, even if some of the squad’s new characterisations might take some getting used to.

While these scenes look fantastic, I wasn’t 100% convinced they enhanced the snappier arcade flow of the original game, and they also present character traits that feel quite at odds with what I remember.

Polygon’s preview says the Switch 2 release “may very well be the best version of a beloved game yet”, with an “intense” new Pilot and Gunner mode to boot:

It’s an intriguing twist on Nintendo’s brand of two-player co-op, and I think it will be an unexpectedly beloved new addition to some familiar Star Fox gameplay.

For something a little less rosy, TechRadar’s preview argues that, regardless of how neat the new version is, all of these Star Fox 64 remakes are getting silly now:

With its release, almost half of the series’ nine mainline games will be some version of Star Fox 64, and when there hasn’t been a new game for almost a decade, surely now is the time for something more new and exciting.

It was back to positivity with IGN, which describes this fresh take as being “like ‘A New Hope’ for the franchise:

Its stages certainly don’t feel old or out of place by comparison: its crisp graphics, snappy controls, and majestic orchestral soundtrack match the grand scope Nintendo appears to be aiming for.

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Nintendo shared a lengthy slice of gameplay for Star Fox, their new reimagining of Star Fox 64 with new visuals, improvements, and more.

Here’s a rundown on the new details, plus the new gameplay:

In Star Fox, the Lylat System is thrown into chaos following a surprise attack by the evil scientist Andross. The galaxy’s last hope is the Star Fox Mercenary Squad – comprised of young leader Fox McCloud, ace pilot Falco Lombardi, engineer extraordinaire Slippy Toad and veteran pilot Peppy Hare.

Today’s overview trailer gives fans a sneak peek at the game’s freshly revamped stages, thanks to a complete visual overhaul, and dives into a variety of new and returning modes. In Campaign Mode, you’ll soar across the Lylat System as you accept dangerous missions and discover branching paths to uncover every piece of the story. This mode can also be played online through GameShare 2 or via local co-op, where one player is the Pilot and the other is the Gunner. Plus, use Mouse-Controlled Targeting with the Joy-Con 2 controller for intuitive aiming. And Challenge Mode offers new challenges and a variety of objectives you can complete when replaying cleared stages from the campaign.

Battle Mode features 4-vs.-4 aerial combat online3 with friends or random players across three stages. If one person has the game, up to four players can play Battle Mode locally with GameShare, or online using GameShare via GameChat. With a compatible USB camera, you can also appear in GameChat4 as Fox McCloud or his crew using an interactive avatar that mirrors your facial expressions and movements.

Now’s the perfect time to start building your Star Fox playlist! A special release of 10 tracks from Star Fox has been added to Nintendo Music5. All of the tracks available through Nintendo Music can now be enjoyed on a wide variety of devices, including tablets, computers, and even in the car via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Additionally, the new My Mix feature for Nintendo Music can generate a playlist based on your play history.

Star Fox is in development for Nintendo Switch 2 with a global release set for this summer, on June 25th.

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