The countdown is on: Star Fox releases on the Switch 2 one month from now on June 25th, 2026. Nintendo seems primed and ready to revive this long-lost franchise after Fox McCloud’s appearance on blockbuster hit The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. While there have been some reservations, the overall reception to the news has been positive. With the release of this remake on the horizon, should you prepare by replaying Star Fox 64?
First, here’s a little Star Fox history lesson for everyone. As someone who first discovered this sci-fi shooter on the Nintendo 64, little did I know that Star Fox 64 was a reimagining of the original Star Fox on the SNES. With voiced dialogue, new environments, new characters, and all-range mode, Star Fox 64 was able to retell the original story. Star Fox 64 was also remade for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, much like with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Lastly, although not a remake, 2016’s Star Fox: Zero was cited to be extremely similar to Star Fox 64. Therefore, outside of Star Fox: Adventures and Star Fox: Assault, the series has already seen numerous iterations of the same format.
So, back to the question: is it a good idea to play Star Fox 64, or any other similar iteration, before the remake? Ultimately, Nintendo will not remake a game that shuts out newcomers. If anything, Nintendo’s intent is likely to gain new fans—and that means replaying the older version is absolutely not a requirement. The Star Fox Direct even included a prologue to provide lore about the fate of Fox McCloud’s father, James. This will fill in the blanks to new players. I actually found my Star Fox 64 manual, which provides a written version of the prologue, and here’s a small portion of it:
“The Lylat System. This small group of planets enjoyed years of prosperity. The inhabitants lived in peace. That is, until Andross came into view… One day, a weapon, secretly developed by Andross, was unleashed on the residents of Corneria… Luckily, Andross was captured by General Pepper, charged with treason and exiled to the planet Venom.
Five years later, reports from Corneria’s observation station had confirmed disturbing activity from Venom. General Pepper sent three members of the Star Fox team, James McCloud, Pigma Dengar, and Peppy Hare, to investigate.
When they arrived at Venom, Pigma betrayed his teammates and turned them over to his new master, Andross. Peppy barely managed to escape and returned to his home world to report McCloud’s fate to his son, Fox…” -Star Fox 64 Manual, Nintendo
While I much rather have the return of manuals, a video form of the prologue will suffice, and surely is enough for any new start.
However, I do think playing Star Fox 64 can provide an additional layer of appreciation for the upcoming remake, especially since it is available on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. I played it over the weekend and was blown away at how one of my favorite titles have aged. It’s not the games’ fault. Star Fox 64 released all the way back in 1997, where polygons ruled the screen and stilted voice acting made me cringe (with joy). The controls were fine, but there’s room for modern improvement, like options to alter inverted controls. Lastly, other than the prologue, there isn’t much story to be had, and the remake promises to add more scenes in between levels.
Remakes are an incredible opportunity to revisit or discover, a classic, and that will help you appreciate the differences in the newer iteration. Star Fox 64 or the 3DS version, whichever is more readily available to you, may be the most accessible, and due to the short nature of a single playthrough, there isn’t much reason not to.
Will you revisit the Lylat system with Fox and friends before June 25th? What do you hope to see change in the remake? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
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