Star Fox

Star Fox is Nintendo’s sci-fi rail shooter series, created by Shigeru Miyamoto and developed with British studio Argonaut Software, debuting in 1993 on the Super Nintendo. Players pilot the Arwing as Fox McCloud and the Star Fox mercenary team to stop Dr. Andross from conquering the Lylat System. After a decade-long pause since Star Fox Zero (2016), the series returns with Star Fox (2026), a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive launching June 25, 2026 worldwide and July 2 in South Korea, built as a remake of Star Fox 64.

Key Takeaways

• “Star Fox is Nintendo’s sci-fi rail shooter series, debuting in 1993 on the Super Nintendo.”
• “Players pilot the Arwing as Fox McCloud through the Lylat System against the villain Andross.”
• “Star Fox (2026) launches June 25, 2026 (July 2 in South Korea), exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.”
• “The 2026 game is a remake of Star Fox 64 with new character designs and co-op plus competitive multiplayer.”
• “Most series entries are rail shooters, with select installments adding free-roam and ground vehicles.”

What Is Star Fox?

Star Fox is a sci-fi rail shooter franchise published by Nintendo, in which players pilot the Arwing starfighter as Fox McCloud and the Star Fox mercenary team to stop the mad scientist Dr. Andross from conquering the Lylat System. Most entries are third-person on-rails space combat, with selected installments adding free-flight “all-range” arenas and ground or underwater vehicles.

The series follows a small mercenary squadron of anthropomorphic animals contracted by the Cornerian Army. The original 1993 game is a forward-scrolling 3D rail shooter; later entries widen the formula to include free-roaming dogfights, on-foot sections, action-adventure design (in Star Fox Adventures), and even a tower defense spin-off (Star Fox Guard). The Arwing is the constant: a triangular fighter with side-mounted G Diffusers that has appeared in every main entry to date.

Hands-On Verdict: “Star Fox is Nintendo’s flagship space-combat franchise — tight rail-shooter design wrapped in a cinematic dogfight, with branching paths instead of linear levels.”

Who Created Star Fox and When Did It Start?

Star Fox was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and developed by Nintendo EAD with British studio Argonaut Software, launching in 1993 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It was the first home console game to use the Super FX chip — a math co-processor built into the cartridge — to deliver hardware-accelerated 3D graphics during a predominantly 2D era.

The concept drew on Miyamoto’s visits to a shrine of the Japanese fox deity Inari Ōkami, whose corridor of arches influenced the rail-shooter level structure. Argonaut programmed the game and co-designed the Super FX chip, which was later reused in other SNES titles. Outside North America and Japan, the game was released as Starwing in PAL territories, reportedly to avoid a trademark conflict with a German company called StarVox. Star Fox 64 was later renamed Lylat Wars in PAL regions for the same reason. From Star Fox Adventures onward, Nintendo kept the name consistent worldwide.

Key Insight: “The Super FX chip inside the SNES cartridge made Star Fox one of the earliest 3D console games and a hardware milestone, not just a software one.”

All Star Fox Games in Order

Star Fox spans nine releases across more than three decades, with the 2026 Switch 2 entry as the latest. The chronological list, by release year, is: Star Fox (1993), Star Fox 64 (1997), Star Fox Adventures (2002), Star Fox: Assault (2005), Star Fox Command (2006), Star Fox 64 3D (2011), Star Fox Zero (2016), Star Fox Guard (2016), Star Fox 2 (released 2017, originally finished in the 1990s), and Star Fox (2026).

SNES era

Star Fox (1993) introduced the rail shooter format and Super FX 3D graphics. Star Fox 2 was completed in the mid-1990s but cancelled before release, then officially launched in 2017 as part of the Super NES Classic Edition and later added to Nintendo Switch Online.

Nintendo 64 era

Star Fox 64 (1997) added voice acting, off-the-rails “all-range” combat, the Landmaster tank, multiplayer, and rumble support via the bundled Rumble Pak. It is still widely cited as the series high point.

GameCube and DS era

Star Fox Adventures (2002), developed by Rare, shifted into Zelda-like action-adventure with Fox on foot. Star Fox: Assault (2005) by Namco returned the focus to the Arwing while keeping ground combat. Star Fox Command (2006) on Nintendo DS used touch-based flight planning and offered nine endings.

3DS and Wii U era

Star Fox 64 3D (2011) remade Star Fox 64 for Nintendo 3DS with gyro controls. Star Fox Zero (2016) on Wii U leaned heavily on dual-screen GamePad aiming and shipped alongside the tower defense spin-off Star Fox Guard.

Switch 2 era

Star Fox (2026) is the next major entry, a remake of Star Fox 64 built for Nintendo Switch 2.

Hands-On Verdict: “The series has gone roughly a decade without a flagship release between Star Fox Zero and the 2026 reboot, and the new entry leans on Star Fox 64’s level structure for familiar ground.”

The 2026 Star Fox Reboot on Nintendo Switch 2

Star Fox (2026) is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive that launches worldwide on June 25, 2026, and in South Korea on July 2, 2026. It is a remake of Star Fox 64 — the second remake of that game after Star Fox 64 3D — and a series reboot, the first major Star Fox release since Star Fox Zero in 2016. The game expands Star Fox 64’s level design, story, and mechanics, and introduces new character designs.

Release date and platform

Nintendo announced the game in a surprise Nintendo Direct on May 7, 2026, which itself was announced ten minutes before air. The game is Switch 2-only at launch. It supports the Switch 2’s GameChat for in-game multiplayer and video chat, including a webcam filter for any Star Fox team member. GameShare lets a player share a session with someone on an original Switch.

What’s new vs Star Fox 64

The 2026 game keeps Star Fox 64’s branching campaign and three difficulty levels, but adds two multiplayer modes: a competitive Star Fox vs. Star Wolf mode and a co-op campaign where one player pilots and the other gunners. A Joy-Con 2 in mouse mode can be used to aim and shoot, and the Nintendo 64 Wireless Controller is also supported. Reception of the reveal has been mixed, with criticism aimed at the more realistic art style and praise directed at the new gameplay features.

Hands-On Verdict: “The 2026 reboot is positioned as a marquee Switch 2 title, anchored by Star Fox 64’s branching level structure and updated with mouse-mode aiming and online multiplayer.”

Fox McCloud and the Star Fox Team

Fox McCloud leads the Star Fox mercenary team, hired by General Pepper of the Cornerian Army to defend the Lylat System. The classic team is Fox, Falco Lombardi, Slippy Toad, and Peppy Hare. Recurring antagonists include Dr. Andross and the rival Star Wolf squadron led by Wolf O’Donnell. The series is set in the fictional Lylat System, with planets such as Corneria and Venom anchoring the story.

The team

Fox is the son of James McCloud, the team’s late original leader. Falco is the cocky ace pilot, Slippy is the team’s mechanic, and Peppy is the veteran adviser who delivers the iconic “do a barrel roll” line. Krystal joined the team in Star Fox Adventures and continued through Assault.

The villains

Andross is the franchise’s signature villain — a mad scientist exiled to Venom who repeatedly threatens the Lylat System. Star Wolf, comprising Wolf, Leon, Pigma, and Andrew, is the rival mercenary unit that intercepts Star Fox in nearly every entry.

The setting

The Lylat System is a fictional star system. Corneria is the home world of the Cornerian Army; Venom is Andross’s stronghold. Other recurring planets include Fichina (originally mistranslated as Fortuna), Titania, and Sauria.

Key Insight: “The Star Fox team is a mercenary unit, not a military squad, which shapes the series’ tone of contracted heroism rather than national duty.”

Star Fox Gameplay and Controls

Most Star Fox gameplay involves piloting the Arwing through on-rails space corridors and “all-range” free-flight arenas. Players steer with the analog stick, brake or boost with the shoulder buttons, and fire lasers, smart bombs, and signature maneuvers — the barrel roll, somersault, and U-turn — with the face buttons. Some entries add the Landmaster tank, the Blue-Marine submarine, and on-foot sections.

Vehicles

The Arwing is the centerpiece across every entry. The Landmaster, introduced in Star Fox 64, is a ground tank with hover-jump capability. The Blue-Marine is an underwater craft that appears in select missions. Star Fox Adventures and Assault add full on-foot gameplay; Star Fox Command leans entirely on aircraft and adds a strategic flight-plan layer on the DS touch screen.

Core maneuvers

The barrel roll deflects projectiles for a brief window. The somersault flips the Arwing backward over enemies. The U-turn reverses direction in all-range mode. Boost closes distance; brake forces enemies to overshoot.

Pro Tip: “Barrel-roll on a steady rhythm. The deflect window resets fast, and constant rolling cuts incoming damage in dense enemy clusters during boss fights.”

For more sci-fi browser action while you wait for the Switch 2 release, Sea Strike and Battle Fleet World scratch the vehicular-combat itch from a different angle.

Where to Start with Star Fox in 2026

For newcomers in 2026, Star Fox (2026) on Nintendo Switch 2 is the most accessible entry, since it adapts Star Fox 64’s level design with modern controls, voice acting, and visuals. Players who prefer the original can play Star Fox 64 via the Nintendo 64 library on Nintendo Switch Online, and Star Fox 2 is available through the SNES service. Browser ports are not officially supported.

For newcomers

Start with Star Fox (2026). It includes three difficulty levels, branching paths, co-op, and Joy-Con 2 mouse-mode aiming. The campaign keeps Star Fox 64’s structure, so the learning curve is generous.

For returning fans

Replaying Star Fox 64 first is worthwhile to compare branching routes and dialogue. Star Fox 64 3D on Nintendo 3DS is the closest stand-alone remaster, though the 3DS eShop’s purchase availability has changed in recent years. Star Fox Zero on Wii U is harder to access since the Wii U eShop closure.

For fast browser action between sessions, Vortex 9, Iron Legion, and Space Hunger Battle Royale are reasonable adjacent picks; the broader shooting category collects more.

Hands-On Verdict: “Newcomers should start with Star Fox (2026) for the cleanest entry; long-time fans benefit from a Star Fox 64 replay first for context on what the remake is changing.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Star Fox a rail shooter?

Yes. Star Fox is fundamentally a rail shooter, in which the Arwing automatically progresses through the level while the player aims, fires, and dodges. From Star Fox 64 onward, most entries also include “all-range” free-flight arenas where the Arwing can fly freely within a bounded zone, typically used for boss fights. Star Fox Adventures (2002) is the major exception: it is primarily an action-adventure game with limited Arwing segments. Star Fox Command (2006) replaced rails with strategic flight plans on the Nintendo DS touch screen.

What console is Star Fox 2026 on?

Star Fox (2026) is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive at launch, releasing June 25, 2026 worldwide and July 2, 2026 in South Korea. It supports Switch 2-specific features including Joy-Con 2 mouse-mode aiming, GameChat for video and voice chat with Star Fox team filters, and GameShare, which lets a Switch 2 player share a session with someone on an original Switch. There is no announced release on other platforms. Backward compatibility with the original Switch hardware is not part of the launch package.

Is Star Fox kid-friendly?

Star Fox is generally considered family-friendly. The series features cartoon space combat with anthropomorphic animal pilots, no blood, and no realistic violence. Tone is closer to a Saturday-morning sci-fi cartoon than to a military shooter. That said, ratings have varied by entry — typically E (Everyone) or E10+ — and some boss imagery, particularly in later 3D games, can feel intense for very young children. Parents should check the rating of the specific game on the platform’s store page rather than assume parity across the whole series.

Can I play Star Fox in a browser?

No, not officially. Star Fox titles are Nintendo first-party games, and Nintendo does not publish them through a web browser. Older entries are accessible through Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions: Star Fox and Star Fox 2 are on the SNES service, and Star Fox 64 is on the Nintendo 64 service. Unofficial emulators and ROM sites exist but raise legal and security concerns. For browser-based action while you wait, third-party HTML5 shooters and arcade space games are a safer alternative.

How many Star Fox games are there?

There are nine Star Fox releases counting the 2026 Switch 2 entry: Star Fox (1993), Star Fox 64 (1997), Star Fox Adventures (2002), Star Fox: Assault (2005), Star Fox Command (2006), Star Fox 64 3D (2011), Star Fox Zero (2016), Star Fox Guard (2016, a tower defense spin-off), Star Fox 2 (officially released in 2017 after being completed in the mid-1990s), and Star Fox (2026). The number depends on how you count remakes and spin-offs; the main-line count is typically given as seven before the 2026 entry.

What is the Lylat System?

The Lylat System is the fictional star system that serves as the setting for the entire Star Fox series. Its key planets include Corneria, the home world of the Cornerian Army and the Star Fox team’s base of operations, and Venom, the desolate planet from which Andross stages his invasions. Other recurring locations include Fichina, Titania, Sauria (the dinosaur planet of Star Fox Adventures), Sector X, Sector Y, and Sector Z. The system’s geography is deliberately compact, which lets levels chain together as branching paths within a single campaign.

Why was there a decade-long gap before the 2026 game?

Star Fox Zero (2016) shipped to mixed reviews, with criticism focused on its dual-screen Wii U GamePad controls, and the franchise then went quiet for nearly a decade. Shigeru Miyamoto has publicly noted disappointment with declining series sales. Industry reports in March 2026 first surfaced a new Star Fox project, partly tied to Fox McCloud’s appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026). Nintendo formally announced Star Fox (2026) in a surprise Direct on May 7, 2026, with release set for June 25, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2.