Star Fox: The Lylat War Breaks Out Again on Switch 2

The Star Fox series boasts about ten episodes, and a good half of them are transpositions of the same story. After the failure on Wii U, a decade ago, Nintendo tries again on Switch 2 with the unfortunate space fox, enlisting Velan Studios and once again proposing the iconic Lylat War that started the franchise's legend. 

Star Fox - Switch 2

50€

45,99€

How Many More Times, Andross? Star Fox 64 and the Unbroken Loop

To be pedantic, this is the first true remake of Star Fox 64 (better known to us as Lylat Wars). The N64 classic was in turn a remake of the original Star Fox (or Starwing if you prefer); Star Fox 64 3D was more of a port/remaster, and Zero a kind of reboot. The fact remains that this is the fifth time we'll have to kick Andross's butt after a scenic tour of the usual enemy-infested planets. Will the game formula be as pristine as it was over a quarter of a century ago? Will we ever escape this time loop? 

Star Fox on Switch 2 is a 1:1 adaptation of the universally acclaimed experience on Kyoto's 64-bit console. Same levels, same controls, same feeling... The title is so faithful that I didn't have to deal with any learning curve. From the very first boot, it was all muscle memory, accumulated over the decades. Nostalgia galore and the certainty of being in front of a timeless masterpiece, impervious to the passing of generations. 

All the old tricks are still valid. Patterns, shortcuts, secrets, and ideal paths are etched in my mind, and it's a pleasure to be able to replicate them verbatim in 2026. There are some tiny differences: the lock-on is slightly faster, lasers go a little further and have a smaller hitbox, and collisions are generally more accurate. Nothing that will change your habits, and in my opinion, it even helps to further optimize the route and targeting priorities, thanks also to the frame rate locked at 60 fps. 

The approach adopted by Nintendo for this release is as lazy as it is courageous. True, it's easy to pull out the same recipe from the drawer for the umpteenth time, but how many AAA companies have the audacity to relaunch a saga starting from a rail shooter? A genre that has always been niche and today only lives in the minds of a few acolytes with a few more years under their belt. Moreover, if you want to try this Star Fox, you can easily get the original Star Fox 64, on the same Switch via subscription or through "alternative" means. The gameplay is almost identical. So why should a veteran or a potential new fan look at this remake, placed on shelves at full price? 

Absolute Fidelity: Gameplay, Controls, and Muscle Memory Intact After 30 Years

Well, first of all, the next-gen graphics. The scenarios may be familiar, but damn if they haven't pushed the presentation. Every image on the screen is exactly as I dreamed it in my childhood, with effects that show off the muscles of Switch 2 (largely ignored by the parent company until now) and an artistic direction that respects the vision of the past. Each planet is a unique audio-visual experience, and you traverse them with great pleasure. Frankly, I don't mind the photorealistic design applied to the characters, which has ignited forums since the official announcement. Even I'm not crazy about the contrast between the animal-like lower half of the body and the clearly humanoid upper half, which gives them an almost comical "stocky" look, but it's a detail that only emerges in a couple of cutscenes. As long as this isn't how Fox and Falco will look in the next Super Smash Bros. 

The other "selling point" of Star Fox is a reinforced narrative component. If the prologue and mission briefings were limited to a brief narration and quick exchanges between Fox and General Pepper back then, now we have fully animated sequences that flesh out the cast and better contextualize the stages of our journey. Nothing that rewrites history, the story is still extremely simple, and the (few) events that define it are the same, but witnessing James McCloud's disappearance for the very first time is priceless, and the new interactions enrich the plot without weighing it down. 

Fox is much more arrogant and vaguely resembles his incarnation in Star Fox Adventures. That's understandable, given his young age, but I didn't appreciate the complete lack of respect towards General Pepper. Falco is even more of a show-off, and his constant jabs become a bit repetitive in the long run, but they haven't neglected his concern for the team in times of need, and that's good. Slippy more often showcases his technical acumen and his skills as a mechanic, highlighting his role and justifying his frequent shortcomings as a pilot. Peppy, finally, appears a bit more "grumpy," constantly having to babysit his colleagues, even if he no longer has the piloting skills of yesteryear. 

The in-game radio communications are practically the same, so much so that if the game had been released on PC, we would have a mod on day one to restore the original voice acting. The dialogues, for the most part, unfortunately succumb to a modern narrative style, which dictates that everyone elaborates in detail what they are thinking and what they intend to say. Many phrases have therefore been rephrased to leave no room for doubt. Same content, more words that don't add much. It must be nostalgia, but the exclamations that work best are those taken directly from the N64. The new lines are already more functional, although I would have avoided those squabbles and sarcastic replies that are overused today for comedy. Star Fox has never taken itself too seriously, but I would prefer it to maintain a certain tone. 

Expanded Story and New Voice Acting: What Works and What's Less Convincing

Qualche dubbio anche sulle interpretazioni. I protagonisti sono perfetti, non avrei saputo trovare voci migliori. Le comparse però non sembrano neanche provarci. Ad Andross avrei dato un taglio più “raffinato”, in linea con quello che traspare della sua nuova persona, visto che perde sonoramente il confronto con la sua vecchia iterazione, più roca e mostruosa. I suoi sottoposti invece non sbraitano come una volta, pare manco si rendano conto di star saltando in aria. Questo rovina i momenti “topici” del gioco, in genere al termine delle boss fight, scanditi da urla rabbiose ed esplosioni fragorose. La qualità media del pacchetto è eccelsa, ma i climax non hanno il medesimo impatto. Un esempio lampante è la conclusione di Macbeth, col treno che si schianta dentro la fabbrica, generando così tanto casino che il Nintendo 64 chiedeva pietà. Ora il macchinista si arrende a metà tragitto, c’è un chioppo solo, pure sciapo, e arrivederci. Sarà più pulito e verosimile, come preferite, ma difficilmente vi rimarrà impresso. 

Pad alla mano, ho già elucubrato abbastanza su quanto il restauro di Velan Studios non differisca molto dall’opera originale, in senso più che positivo. Da veterano di lunga data, che ci è praticamente cresciuto insieme, non posso che tesserne le lodi, e in giro trovate un sacco di video-saggi in grado di raccontarvi questo gioiello meglio di quanto potrei mai riuscirci io. Se però volete la versione corta, Star Fox (e quindi Star Fox 64, ma pure Star Fox 64 3D, limitazioni hardware permettendo) è un’esperienza arcade spettacolare e adrenalinica, una cavalcata trionfale senza attimi di tregua dall’inizio alla fine, impreziosita da una formula accessibile e dalle numerose sfaccettature, che muta e si espande assieme alle capacità del giocatore. Unico neo, introdotto purtroppo nel remake, sono delle indicazioni poco chiare quando si colpiscono i nemici più coriacei. Effetti sonori e/o visivi più eloquenti aiuterebbero, non bastano una manciata di scintille. 

La campagna è breve e facile, chiunque può arrivare ai titoli di coda in meno di un’ora, specie adesso con il nuovo livello di “difficoltà”, che la rende una vera passeggiata. Mollare tutto però dopo una singola run equivale a non aver visto nulla di quanto abbia da offrire il titolo, tra percorsi alternativi e record da frantumare. Ci sono un bel po’ di strategie per accumulare punti a iosa sui vari pianeti e nel corso dell’avventura, e imparare a metterle in pratica senza sfracellarsi è tanto appagante quanto coinvolgente. I più attempati apprezzeranno di poter salire di nuovo a bordo dell’Arwing e sfidare i propri limiti in un ambiente familiare e tirato a lucido per l’occasione (anche se mettere le mani su qualche location inedita non avrebbe stonato), gli altri, se ci prendono la mano, ne avranno per mesi. 

Per conquistare tutte le medaglie ci vogliono almeno sei tornate, il minimo sindacale se sapete muovervi in giro per Lylat. Dubito ci riuscirete al primo colpo, e comunque la rigiocabilità rimane alle stelle anche una volta centrato l’obiettivo. C’è poi la modalità Challenge, che vi consente di riaffrontare senza restrizioni i livelli incontrati in precedenza, proponendo inoltre per ognuno una dozzina di sfide che metteranno alla prova la vostra conoscenza dell’area. Una buona parte si completa da sola, ma alcune danno del filo da torcere. Portarle a termine sblocca una serie di documenti extra, che approfondiscono personaggi, luoghi e tecnologie. Non mi sarebbe dispiaciuto qualcosa di più “succoso” di un muro di testo, ma sono informazioni interessanti, che speriamo saranno sfruttate in futuro per un ipotetico sequel. 

Online Multiplayer and Local Co-op: Up to 8 Players, But With Some Limitations

The multiplayer component returns, now online, featuring up to eight players, divided into two teams, competing for sky dominance across three maps for as many modes. Participants can contribute to their team's score by focusing on the main objective of the scenario, or by shooting down members of the other faction and their support fighters, keeping an eye on the radar for power-ups and devastating items. It's chaotic and immediate, great for a couple of quick matches, but there's a lack of options, variety, and any progression system to entice the more competitive players. A pleasant diversion, but I don't expect to spend entire days on it. The presence of GameShare is welcome, less so the absence of split-screen, which is always a good addition and could have easily been applied here. It was present in the original, albeit limited. For a bit of madness, there's also a first-person mode, which uses the mouse-style controls of the Joy-Con 2, and local co-op, which splits the roles of pilot and gunner, in the vein of Star Fox Zero. It may not be the best way to play, but you can have a good laugh, especially with younger players. 

On the technical side, Star Fox is a splendor, with richly detailed models, respectable updated animations, and lighting that reinforces the classic atmospheres without distorting them, from the dark abysses of Aquas to the contaminated tides of Zoness. In motion, it's truly impressive, never showing any hesitation, and is accompanied by an orchestral soundtrack that has nothing to envy to the iconic tracks of Koji Kondo and Hajime Wakai. It's a shame you can't alternate remixes with the old glories; that would have been very welcome.