Star Fox's "bad" voice on Switch 2 is the least of my problems

There may be some “questionable” line delivery Star Foxbut for some the real problem is the very existence of the game. The remake's global release dates have been confirmed and many have already had a chance to try it out via the Nintendo eShop demo. Making solid use of the Switch 2's hardware, it opens in dramatic fashion with a great-looking new cutscene detailing Andross' attack on James McCloud's original Star Fox team. McCloud, like his son and Peppy Hare, finally has the shiny fur he always deserved, but the previous hardware couldn't support.

But there's a catch: When it comes to gameplay, we've seen it all before, multiple times. The pedigree and quality of this one cannot be denied Star Fox adventure game, but a remake of a game that's already been remade could be considered scarier than any amount of unwanted voice lines.

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Star Fox voice acting, past and present, has its issues

Some titles are famous for their fantastic dubbing. Star Foxit's probably safe to say he's not one of them. In the 1997 Nintendo 64 remake, his voice work is remembered not only for lines like “do a barrel roll” and “you can't afford that, Star Fox”, but also for the way they were delivered. There was certainly zeal in them; one in which gamers hated Slippy Toad at the time, but fondly remembered the script and voice work years later. It has the same timeless B-movie appeal as it does iconic Resident Evil lines about Jill Sandwich (that's the Unlocking Master don't you know) yes.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.

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In this new Switch 2 vision for the N64 classic, our sister site TheGamer noted while checking Star Foxvoice acting has been re-recorded. This changed something fundamental in the team. As with Final Fantasy VIIA multi-part remake and the liberties it takes with an established story, it was controversial with some fans. Some decided they wouldn't like the voice acting well in advance of the game's release.

Some titles are famous for their fantastic dubbing. Star Foxit's probably safe to say he's not one of them.

In late May 2026, StarlightSailor1 of Reddit started a thread titled: “I think we have to accept that voice acting will never be as good as Star Fox 64.” I couldn't agree more with the author's argument that the original script, which has an excellent meme, is so popular it's almost irreplaceable, and there are fans elsewhere on Reddit making similar arguments. “The delivery of many lines is so bad,” laments jayvancealot. “Some sound desperate that they don't say the same lines and are the same as the original bot.”

I personally have always seen Star Fox as a space opera that doesn't take itself too seriously, and the animated nature of the original voice work played to that perfectly. The rather more straightforward approach in the remake mitigates this a bit. In the end, it is a subjective matter and there are players who are so attached to the original voice work. Some might simply prefer to conceive of a new game along these classic lines. Whatever your stance, the more fundamental issue with dismissal (despite Star Fox's good reception from reviewers) is that it is not new Star Fox adventure, and it potentially could have been.

Star Fox is a remake of a remake and perhaps a missed opportunity

Nothing pisses off a Nintendo fan like the announcement of a new entry in a beloved series. I am not ashamed to admit that if new Wario Land platformer was supposed to be shown at a Nintendo Direct, I would need about 7-10 business days to recover from the excitement in a cold, dark room. While Star Fox 2026 is a visual tour de force for the Switch 2 (and one that performs very well too, which is vital), it was inevitably disappointing to learn that it's a remake of a Nintendo 64 game that's itself a remake/reboot of the 1993 SNES original.

You might even call it a “makeover” at this point. Star Fox 64 3D already did the same on the 3DS in 2011. Nintendo loves re-releasing its historical titles, with The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time the remake is coming to Switch 2 later in 2026 (which is pretty obvious what the next N64 system remake could be), but these announcements always lead some to bemoan the fact that this isn't a new game in the series.

Star Fox specifically, I think one could really fit. His Star Wars-esque atmosphere and use of combat in the air (okay, a lot of time in airless space), on land and underwater sets it apart from most of Nintendo's output. The series' profile is further boosted by Fox's record-breaking theatrical run Super Mario Galaxy Movieit could also be a great time for a new post to arrive. Maybe it will be in the not too distant future, and that will be exciting, but Star FoxA short campaign with lots of replayability in branching paths might even work against this. Many of us have played every version of the game and explored every stage it has to offer, meaning there's little new to see here.

You might even call it a “makeover” at this point. Star Fox 64 3D already did the same on 3DS in 2011.

Star Fox Switch 2 is without a doubt a stunning upgrade to the iconic game. It's very faithful to the original in some ways and unnervingly different in others (the voice acting) and what some fans like will surely turn others off. Even if it's not the next one Star Fox a game I hoped its success could be the next major step in securing this new entry. There may be an older Nintendo series that deserved a remake first, but Fox and the gang take turns for good and bad.