Nintendo Sets Star Fox Switch 2 Reviews for June 24 as $49 Game Lands June 25

Q: Star Fox's realistic new look has divided fans. Is this a bold update or a mistake that betrays the series' charm?

It looks more like a bold update than a clear mistake, but one that carries real risk because Star Fox’s appeal has always depended as much on personality as on spectacle. The strongest case for the redesign is that it appears intentional rather than careless. Early previews praise the remake’s cinematic presentation, detailed ship models, and overhauled cutscenes, and the more realistic character rendering fits that push toward a Star Wars-like space opera. There is also notable support from Takaya Imamura, the original artist behind the Star Fox cast, who said the new visuals match what he imagined during Star Fox 64 and praised the more realistic expressions. Some fans also see the look as a callback to the SNES-era promotional puppets. The criticism is equally substantive. Many longtime fans say the new Fox and crew drift into uncanny territory, losing the exaggerated warmth and readability that made the series instantly likable. Comparisons to “Ugly Sonic” and “bad taxidermy fox” memes show how strongly some players feel that realism clashes with Nintendo’s usual stylization. That matters because emotional connection to these characters is central, especially in a remake of a game many players already know by heart. So the redesign is best seen as a calculated gamble. If the writing, animation, and performances make the characters feel alive, the new look could be vindicated. If not, fans may see it as a technically impressive but tonally misguided remake.

2 articles · Updated · VICE · Jun 23

Star Fox Switch 2 reviews are expected to go live at 6:00 a.m. PT on June 24, about 24 hours before the remake’s release.
Nintendo plans the digital launch for June 25 in most regions, with North America unlocking earlier by time zone—9:00 p.m. PT and 11:00 p.m. CT on June 24, then midnight ET.
Midnight local-time unlocks are also listed for the UK, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, matching Nintendo’s usual first-party eShop rollout rather than a single global release.
Early hands-on sessions lasted 1 hour 30 minutes, and previews have been positive, though reviewers may focus on game length given the original Star Fox 64 could be finished in about 2 hours.