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

I 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 what is most interesting about the statement is that Star Fox 64 launched at a time when the length of the game was not as great as it is today. Nowadays, players want their gaming experiences to be long enough to justify the price, but back then we were only really interested in substance, as we could easily turn an otherwise short campaign into hundreds of hours of valuable gameplay. Well, it still is actually Star Fox on Switch 2 – you just have to know how to play it.

Star FoxThe campaign is extremely short, I won't deny that. In fact, it's possible to see the credits roll within hours of playing. Conservationists will be pleased that the installment is unchanged from the original N64 game, but as the remake enters a completely different world than the original encountered in 1997, that world saw its short campaign and immediately dismissed it as too short to buy. But then again, that's not entirely true. Star Fox it's only short if you play it wrong.

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.

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

I'll say it right now: Star Fox 64 it wouldn't be as famous as it eventually became if it featured a campaign that could be beaten in a few hours and that's it. If that were the case, then the replay value of the game would rely too heavily on players wanting to experience the same campaign again before having a chance to forget it. Fortunately, this was not the case and Star Fox 64The campaign has risen to acclaim for being one of the first examples of a console that made branching paths central to its replayability.

Who is that character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

In today's games – as in many modern RPGs – the paths to branching paths are fairly obvious. Ultimately, they boil down to players choosing a different dialogue option that makes its outcome painfully obvious, or the game can outright tell players they're at a crossroads. Even recent games like Directive 8020 they're pretty clear about the consequences of most decisions, so exploring those paths is much less rewarding than if they were shrouded in just a little more mystery.

Star Fox it's only short if you play it wrong.

Star Fox 64on the other hand, it 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 branching path in the game's iconic Corneria level required players to rescue Falco from some ships following him and then complete his challenge to fly through arches on water. However, the game never told the players this and simply left it up to them to figure it out.

Image of the Star Fox team for the Switch 2 remake screenshot

Star Fox on Switch 2 maintains that sense of discovery by giving players many of the branching options that the original game had in the same way. The biggest difference is that after completing the story for the first time, players can actually check to see if they missed an alternate path and how to unlock it. Fans of the original, of course Star Fox 64 might not like that amount of hold, but it's still a great way for Nintendo to bridge gaming's past with modern gaming expectations.

Each level in Star Fox on Switch 2 it also has a medal that players can get by reaching a certain score.

In other words, you might be done Star Fox on Switch 2 once, but this is a remake of a game that needs to be played multiple times to get the full scope of how things can play out. It also helps that the remake has a legitimate cut-scene narrative that will change depending on which path you choose when you're presented with it. This ultimately increases its replayability, and the fact that it's already a cheaper Switch 2 game helps that even more.

Star Fox's challenge and battle modes are even more reasons to keep playing

Then there it is Star FoxFor consideration is the Challenge mode I'm currently eating. Challenge Mode essentially 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 one charged shot” or “Defeat all 4 Skibots” on Corneria. And again, it's worth pointing out that unlocking location-specific challenges requires players to replay the campaign multiple times until they've taken the alternate routes necessary to visit each level in the game, adding even more replay value. Star Fox.

You may have finished Star Fox on Switch 2 once, but this is a remake of a game that needs to be played multiple times to get the full scope of how things can play out.

Additionally, once players complete all the challenges available to them on Normal difficulty, they'll unlock Expert challenges, giving them another reason to return to levels they've likely already completed multiple times. Some might consider such a superficial progression, but this is an arcade rail shooter we're talking about here, and scores, ranks, and challenges are what these games are all about.

Finally, Star Fox on Switch 2 also features 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, each with a unique objective, and while the reward for completing them is solely the fun you'll have, 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 up the monotony of simply replaying campaign missions over and over again.

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

so yes Star Fox on Switch 2 it's short if you're just trying to hit the credits once and move on. But the more I play it, the more I feel like I'm judging the game by a standard it was never designed to meet. Star Fox is an arcade experience built around repetition, exploration, score chasing, alternate routes, challenges and the simple desire to be better every time you jump back into the Arwing. Its campaign may only last a few hours, but its replay value is where the real game lives. If you have already beaten Star Fox on Switch 2 and left with nothing to see, you probably didn't play it right.