Even though the Star Fox Direct has long passed us, the gaming community is still talking about this series revival — for better or for worse. Whether people are still making fun of the character models of the remake or gushing over the plushies that are only available in Japan, Nintendo struck while the iron was hot. But what was this proverbial iron? Will Star Fox be a one hit wonder, leaving Fox McCloud in the dust for another decade afterward, or will this kickstart the franchise into a consistent and modern staple for today’s Nintendo fans?
“Do a barrel role!”
-Peppy Hare
As of Monday, May11th, Star Fox is currently the number one Switch 2 game on Amazon. It leap-frogged over Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which is set to release this month. It also surpassed one of the hottest Switch 2 games to date: Pokémon Pokopia. Oh, and the pre-orders for the physical copy are already sold out on Amazon. This, along with the passionate discourse on the game, makes it easy to conclude that Star Fox will be a hit when it releases June 25th.
The hype doesn’t surprise me given Fox McCloud’s appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Nintendo has reliably been promoting Mario and his friends since the first movie, including, but not limited to, Princess Peach: Showtime, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. There’s certainly a dash of nostalgia as well, given the fact it’s been about ten years since a mainline Star Fox game.
I am more curious about whether the Star Fox love will be a durable one. It could easily be a one-hit remake wonder, or, in my opinion, it could be a means to test the waters to see if Fox can capture the hearts of modern Nintendo fans, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was the first step to a fruitful journey. Fox McCloud is charismatic and loves heart-pumping action. He has the ability to appeal to adults and kids alike, so the potential is there to ensnare the hearts and minds of the older generation of gamers (nostalgia) and younger (revamped look and feel).
As a remake to Star Fox 64, Star Fox will be limited as an on-rails shooter, which is fun in itself but may not be the ideal genre from a franchise longevity standpoint unless there are enough variety and fresh content. On the other hand, if sales numbers prove themselves, maybe we will see a Star Fox racer or perfection iteration of Star Fox Adventures. There are many paths Nintendo can take with Star Fox, much like the paths Fox McCloud must navigate in order to take down Andross on June 25th.
The history of Star Fox is an interesting one. While most were shooters of some sort, Nintendo seemed to play around with these titles over the years from 1993 to 2016:
- Star Fox on the Super Nintendo: Rail shooter
- Star Fox 64 on the Nintendo 64: Rail shooter (3DS version also available)
- Star Fox Adventures on the GameCube: Action-adventure
- Star Fox: Assault on the GameCube: Shoot ’em Up
- Star Fox Command on the Nintendo DS: Shoot ’em Up
- Star Fox Zero on the WiiU: Rail shooter
Do you think Fox McCloud has what it takes to stick around after Star Fox releases? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
Nintendo Pow Block – A Nintendo Podcast by Boss Rush
Nintendo Pow Block is a weekly Nintendo podcast hosted by Edward Varnell, Corey Dirrig, and their friends from around the internet. Each week, they dive into the latest Nintendo news and rumors for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, new and upcoming releases, updates to Nintendo Switch Online and the Nintendo Music app, and discuss what they’ve been playing in the Playing with Power segment.
Nintendo Pow Block Podcast – Now your Podcasting with Power!
Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Expansion Pass, Zelda: Ocarina of Time Updates, & More – Nintendo Pow Block Podcast – Now Your Podcasting with Power!
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- Nintendo's Physical Future, Final Fantasy VII Cast Tearful Farewell
- Bayonetta’s Future, & Monster Hunter Wilds, & Capcom's AI Dev Tools
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- Resident Evil Movie Becomes a Hit and 007 Delayed until 2027
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