If you've already beaten Star Fox on Switch 2, you're probably playing it wrong

I have spent the last few days milking Star Fox on Switch 2 for all it's worth, and I still can't get enough of it. Not only is this a solid experience as far as remakes go, but it's a remake of a Nintendo 64 classic that even in 1997 I couldn't put my hands down. But the most interesting thing about that statement right there is that Star Fox 64 was launched during a time when game length was not as great as it is today. These days, players want their gaming experiences to be long enough to justify the price tag, but back then all we really cared about was substance, as we could easily turn an otherwise short campaign into hundreds of hours of valuable gameplay. Well, it's actually still there Star Fox on Switch 2—you just need to know how to play it.

Star Foxs campaign is extremely short, I won't deny that. In fact, it's possible to see the credits roll within just a few hours of playing it. Conservationists will be happy to know that part hasn't changed from the original game on the N64, but since the remake enters a completely different world than the one the original hit in 1997, that world has seen its short campaign and immediately dismissed it as too short to buy. But again, that's not entirely true. Star Fox is only short if you play wrong.

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Star Fox review

Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 is the best way to experience the classic Star Fox story, but it's a story we've heard too many times before.

Star Fox's branching paths are a major part of its appeal

I'll say it now: Star Fox 64 wouldn't have been as famous as it ended up being if it had featured a campaign that could be beaten in a few hours and that's it. If that were the case, the game's replay value would have relied too much on players wanting to experience the same campaign again before they even had a chance to forget it. Thankfully it wasn't like that, and Star Fox 64s campaign soared to recognition for being one of the earliest console examples to make branching paths central to its replayability.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

In today's game – like many modern RPGs – the paths to branching paths are pretty obvious. In the end, it comes down to players choosing a different dialogue option that makes the outcome painfully obvious, or a game can outright tell players they're at a crossroads. Even latest games like Directive 8020 are pretty clear about the consequences of most choices, making discovering these paths much less rewarding than if they were shrouded in just a little more mystery.

Star Fox is only short if you play wrong.

Star Fox 64on the other hand, was different in 1997. Many of its branching paths weren't immediately obvious, forcing players to replay levels over and over again until they discovered each one. For example, the first branch of the game's iconic Corneria level required players to rescue Falco from some ships following him and then complete his challenge of flying through arches on the water. However, the game never told the players that and simply left it up to them to figure it out.

Star Fox Team image for the Switch 2 remake screenshot

Star Fox on Switch 2 maintains that sense of discovery by giving players many of the branching opportunities the original game had, and in the same vein. The main difference is that players can actually check, after completing the story for the first time, if they missed an alternate route and how to unlock it. Of course, fans of the original Star Fox 64 might not like that amount of hand-holding, but it's still a brilliant way for Nintendo to bridge gaming's past with modern gaming expectations.

Each level i Star Fox on Switch 2 also has a medal that players can earn by achieving a certain score.

In other words, you may have completed Star Fox on Switch 2 once, but this is a remake of a game that needs to be completed multiple times for you to get the full scope of how things can play out. Also, it helps that the remake has legitimate storytelling cutscenes that will change depending on which path you choose when one is presented to you. That ultimately increases its replay value, and the fact that it's already a cheaper Switch 2 game helps that all the more.

Star Fox's Challenge and Battle Modes are even more reasons to keep playing

Then there is Star Foxs Challenge Mode to consider, which I'm just about to devour right now. Challenge mode basically requires players to replay levels they've already reached in the game's main campaign and complete certain challenges such as “Defeat 3 or more enemies with a single charged shot” or “Defeat all 4 Skibots” on Corneria. And again, it should be emphasized that unlocking the challenges for a particular location requires players to replay the campaign multiple times until they take the alternate paths required to visit each level in the game, adding even more replay value to Star Fox.

Maybe you have completed Star Fox on Switch 2 once, but this is a remake of a game that needs to be completed multiple times for you to get the full scope of how things can play out.

Additionally, once players have completed all the challenges available to them on normal difficulty, they will unlock expert challenges, giving them another reason to return to levels they've probably already completed multiple times. Some might consider something like this superficial progress, but this is an arcade game we're talking about here, and points, rankings, and challenges are what these games are all about.

Finally, Star Fox on Switch 2 also includes a Battle Mode, where players can play alone with bots or online with real people. In this mode, players can choose from several different missions that each have a unique objective, and while the reward for completing them is strictly the fun you'll have doing it, it's worth it in the end – especially if you get to play with your friends. If nothing else, it serves as a solid way to break the monotony of simply replaying campaign missions over and over again.

Star FoxBattle Mode requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, which could be a deal-breaker for some in terms of replay value.

So yes, Star Fox on Switch 2 is short if all you're trying to do is hit the score once and move on. But the more I play it, the more it feels like judging the game by a standard it was never designed to meet. Star Fox is an arcade-style experience built around repetition, discovery, scoring, alternate routes, challenges, and the simple desire to get better every time you jump back into the Arwing. The campaign may only last a few hours, but its replay value is where the real game lives. If you have already hit Star Fox on Switch 2 and walked away thinking there was nothing left to see, you probably weren't playing right.