Star Fox Creator Prefers Fox McCloud’s Movie Look Over New Switch 2 Remake
Fox McCloud is back, but not everyone is fully sold on his new face — including one of the most important people in Star Fox history.
Takaya Imamura, the former Nintendo art director who created the original Star Fox cast in the 1990s, has shared his reaction to the newly announced Star Fox remake for Nintendo Switch 2. And while he is clearly happy to see the series getting attention again, he seems to prefer how Fox McCloud looks in Illumination’s Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
That is a pretty big comment, because Imamura is not just some random fan account with nostalgia goggles on. This is the artist behind Fox McCloud and the anthropomorphic animal crew that made Star Fox so recognisable. He also designed other iconic Nintendo characters, including Captain Falcon and Tingle. Fun bit of Nintendo lore: Imamura has previously said Shigeru Miyamoto helped inspire Fox McCloud’s design.
After the Switch 2 Star Fox reveal, Imamura posted that he was proud to see Star Fox 64 getting the remake treatment, and even thanked Miyamoto. However, he also clarified that he was not involved with this new version or its updated character designs.
When a fan asked what he thought of the new look, Imamura gave a very honest answer. Based on a DeepL translation, he suggested this is the kind of thing that happens when he is not supervising the design, though he added that the overall concept is good.
He later said the new Fox McCloud has its own strengths and a clear creative direction, but personally, he prefers the film version from the Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Honestly, that tracks with the wider fan reaction. Since the remake was shown, the redesigned Star Fox crew has been a bit divisive. Some players are okay with the more detailed direction, but others think the characters are leaning too far into a realistic style. Falco in particular has been catching heat online, with some fans saying his face looks too human.
For Malaysian and SEA Nintendo fans, this debate matters more than just character design drama. Switch 2 hype is already going to be expensive lah — new hardware, new games, likely premium pricing once local retailers and import shops get involved. If Nintendo is asking players to buy into another version of Star Fox 64, the presentation needs to hit hard. Nostalgia alone can carry interest, but it cannot carry the whole package, especially in a region where many players are selective about which full-price games they pick up.
The bigger conversation is also about Star Fox itself. Fans have pointed out that Nintendo keeps returning to the same Star Fox 64 story instead of pushing the series forward in a major way. A remake can still be exciting, especially if it plays well and looks sharp on Switch 2, but the franchise has been circling familiar space routes for a long time.
The new Star Fox is currently set to launch on 25 June. Nintendo says it will include fresh cutscenes through pre-mission briefings, giving more context to the characters and world. A multiplayer element is also planned, alongside other additions.
So yes, Star Fox is finally flying again. But if even Fox McCloud’s original artist thinks the movie version looks better, Nintendo may have a design debate to handle before launch.
Source: Eurogamer
