Issue #489

June 28, 2026

How good is the Star Fox glow-up?

Hello, from a very hot Chris. That’s not me bigging myself up — it’s just damn warm. This week has been absolutely roasting here in the UK and across Europe. So, what better way to mark the ocassion than with a visit to the molten planet of Solar in the Lylat System. Yep, I’ve been playing the new Star Fox this week.

This refresh of the N64 classic is a well-realised, technically compenent, and faithful remake – adding quality enhancements where needed, but broadly leaving the base game to shine as it did back in 1997, a few new welcome narative touches flesh things out. If you’ve played the original and loved it, then you’ll get a huge kick out of this. If you played the original and didn’t dig it, I can’t imagine this will do much to change your mind. Newcomers (of which there will be plenty post Galaxy movie) will find a best-in-class rails shooter, and one that is easily one of the best looking games on the platform — but one that still can be completed in just a few short hours.

Have you picked it up? Planning to? Hit reply and let me know, or join Hanafuda Club to discuss in the Discord.

Ok, moving on, there’s just shy of 20 games coming to the eShop next week, including Rhythm Heaven Groove (or Rhythm Paradise Groove for those in PAL regions). Full list below for you.

That’s all from me. Catch you next time!

Cheers,
Chris ✌️

🎮 Currently Playing: Star Fox

REVIEW Star Fox — John came away impressed with this remake, pining that this may be the stepping xstone for which we move away from this specific Lylat Wars story and “into the wonderful world of sequels, built on this excellent foundation“.

John Rairdin // Nintendo World Report

REVIEW Star Fox was remade for Mario movie fans, not Switch 2 players — Gio notes that everything that worked in Star Fox 64 still works today, and although this remake is another good excuse to revisit one of Nintendo’s best games, “it doesn’t meaningfully build on it“.

Giovanni Colantonio // Polygon

▶ Here’s who made Star Fox on Switch 2 — I look at the US dev behind the remake, their history, and the Nintendo project they worked on prior to Star Fox.

Hanafuda Report // YouTube

Star Fox has me nervous about Nintendo’s Ocarina of Time remake

Giovanni Colantonio // Polygon

The effortless genius of Super Mario 64 — Mario 64 is without doubt my favourite game of all time, and it just turned 30 this past week — Ravi reflects on just how much it got right, and how it did so in a way that seemed obvious and effortless.

Ravi Hiranand // Ravi 64

One of 2026’s most delightful Metroidvanias couldn’t save its indie developers — The French team behind MIO: Memories in Orbit is sadly shutting up shop. The game was not a commercial success. Original French reporting here.

Ethan Gach // Kotaku

Retiring Mario and Zelda director Takashi Tezuka clarifies he’ll still be involved at Nintendo

Chris Scullion // VGC

007 First Light’s Switch 2 port is “seeing really good progress”, IO Interactive reveals — Good to know, but I have a feeling this may move beyond the ‘summer’ window it’s been given.

Sam Comrie // Pocket Tactics

Nintendo unveils first look at its upcoming Kyoto-based development center

Peter Glagowski // Nintendo Wire

Nintendo’s radical new idea: selling games for less

Oli Welsh // Polygon

Tomodachi life: Living the dream rewrites the news — I enjoyed this piece about the ‘funhouse mirror’ that is Living the Dream: “a bountiful garden full of light and laughter in a messy and often callous world“.

Moises Taveras // Skybox

How the Nintendo 64 revolutionized gaming 30 years ago — Why Nintendo’s entry into 3D gaming proper was such a special moment.

VGC

Zelda Breath of the Wild’s most important lesson lives on in 007 First Light

Scott McCrae // GamesRadar+

▶ How Star Fox was added to Starlink: A behind the scenes developer interview

Kit & Krysta // YouTube

The ageless and undefeated champs of Tulsa’s Wii bowling league — I love this. Alexandra tells the story of a competitive league for a senior living community. The enduring appeal of the blue ocean gem that is Wii Sports.

Alexandra E. Petri // New York Times

Upcoming Releases

⭐️ = One to Watch

📦 = Physical Release

🔑 = Game Key Card

🎮 = Demo Available

Tue

30

⭐️ Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands — A fun looking RPG about “three idiot musicians”.
⭐️2️⃣ Momento — A cozy room decorator, but the object you chose to place alter the story.

Wed

1

Clarity: The Seven Demons of Vanguardia — Slay demons in this 2D action platforming adventure.
🎮 Grids of Thermometers — Fill a grid in this take on the pen-and-paper logic game.
Lunadra: Luna Awakens the Legendary Dragon — Big monsters aplenty in this survivor-style roguelite RPG.

Thu

2

Quantum Beast — Sci-fi action fighting game.
Crayon Jungle — A kids colouring in game.
⭐️ Bacterium — An artificial life sim where you design microscopic organisms and watch them evolve, fight, and reproduce in a petri dish.
Shy Dogs Hidden Orchestra 2 — Hidden object puzzler.
Heavy Machinery Vs Shumai — Using big machines to move peas.
Lofi Witch Hatch — An ‘idle collection’ game featuing eggs, and monsters.
⭐️🎮 Hyperwired — A 2D roguelike top-down action shooter, where your spaceship has a plug – plug in to recharge.
⭐️📦🎮 Rhythm Heaven Groove — Lovely to see this back. A quirky collection of minigames that will challenge your rhythm. Physical release.

Fri

3

Lost Little Things — A twee, fantasy hidden object adventure.
In Fair Spirits — Visual novel.
Parking Simulator: Retro Car Driving
Scholar Adventure: Mystery of Silence — 90s-style point & click adventure telling the story of a young writer in search of his first literary success.

Release dates are for Europe & U.S. markets unless otherwise stated.
Data sourced in collaboration with Switch Scores.

Quick Links

Accessory maker NYXI has replicated the Joy-Con 2’s mouse mode and HD rumble — claiming to be the first 3rd party to do so.
Nintendo Switch Online is getting a price increase in Japan.
After a decade of development an Ocarina of time fan remake using Unreal engine has been scrapped.
The latest episode of the Under Consoletation pod looks back over the 45 year history of Donkey Kong.
TIL Nintendo used to send CD-ROMs down to the local Kombini in order to replace the games available on their rewritable cartridge kiosks.
Turns out Devil May Cry 5 on Switch 2 can hit 120FPS.
If you’re curious, here’s how big the Steam Machine is next to the GameCube.
This Pokemon case for the Switch 2 has some lovely little pixel art on the front.
ICYMI, here’s why Star Fox used to by a different name in PAL regions.
…and if you’re after some chill content, here’s a video of someone needle felting a Magnemite (complete with real screws).

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Thanks to: Seany!, Perfect Flyer, FrozenTrout, GeeDuhb, MindFad, Paul Pace, Evelynn, CapnGoat, m12y, Geen, Sylverstone Khandr, zioibi …and others.

Upcoming Releases

Quick Links

Every Switch and Switch 2 Game Announced During Summer Game Fest

Here are the Switch 2 games from the Access-Ability Showcase

Nintendo Music gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support