Nintendo fans are already arguing about the new Star Fox remake for Nintendo Switch 2, and honestly, this is exactly the kind of classic fandom debate we expected.
After Nintendo surprised everyone with Star Fox, a remake of Star Fox 64 for the Switch 2, original Star Fox designer Takaya Imamura shared his reaction online. The interesting part? Imamura says the new game’s look is basically the kind of visual style he had in his head when working on Star Fox 64 around three decades ago.
That is a pretty big statement, especially for fans who grew up with the Nintendo 64 version. Star Fox 64 was always trying to sell a bigger sci-fi puppet-drama vibe than the hardware could fully deliver. So seeing a more modern, sharper version on Switch 2 feels less like Nintendo randomly changing the style, and more like the old concept finally getting the hardware glow-up.
But of course, the internet did what the internet does.
The debate started because some fans prefer the softer, more animated version of Fox seen in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. That version apparently gave people a taste of what a more cartoony, cinematic Star Fox could look like. On the other side, fans are defending the Switch 2 remake’s more realistic character direction, which is definitely not the usual safe Nintendo look.
Imamura initially added fuel to the discussion by saying he liked the movie-style Fox too. He suggested the new designs may have turned out differently because he was not supervising them, while still saying the concept itself was good.
He later clarified his point. According to a translation by Genki_JPN, Imamura said the Switch 2 Star Fox designs are exactly the visuals he imagined back when making Star Fox 64. At the same time, he admitted the movie version of Fox is simply too cute not to love.
Honestly, both takes can exist. The movie design sounds like it would work brilliantly for a full animated Star Fox project, especially if Nintendo ever wants to push the series beyond games. But for a Switch 2 remake of Star Fox 64, the more grounded style makes sense. It gives the remake its own identity instead of just looking like a cleaner version of the old game.
For Malaysia and SEA players, this matters because Star Fox is one of those Nintendo franchises with nostalgia power, even if it never became as mainstream here as Mario, Zelda, or Pokémon. A strong Switch 2 remake could be the game that reintroduces Fox McCloud to younger players who mostly know him from Smash. If Nintendo wants the Switch 2 launch window to feel stacked, bringing back a classic with a bold visual direction is a smart move.
The only question now is whether players will vibe with the new designs once the game is actually in their hands. Screenshots and trailers always trigger hot takes, but Star Fox lives or dies on speed, controls, and whether the dogfighting still feels satisfying.
For now, though, having the original designer say the remake lines up with his old vision is a nice confidence boost. Movie Fox may be cute, but Switch 2 Fox might be closer to what Star Fox was always trying to become.
Source: GamesRadar