Summary

• The Star Fox franchise has been on hold since Star Fox Zero due to negative reviews and Wii U's low sales.
• Star Fox never released a mainline game on the Switch, largely due to the failure of Star Fox Zero.
• Star Fox has been in a steady decline since its peak with critical and commercial success in the '90s.

The recent Nintendo’s June 2024 Direct boasted a stellar lineup coming to the Switch, even as the console enters the twilight of its life.

That being said, as stacked as Nintendo's lineup of announcements was for this month’s Direct, there were some major franchises that noticeably went unmentioned. Of course, not every franchise can churn out one new game after another, nor should they. Yet, there are some series under the Nintendo umbrella that have gone untouched for the entirety of the Switch’s shelf-life, specifically one franchise. A beloved property that has largely gone radio silent since its last installment on the Wii U console, one that was once considered a tentpole Nintendo IP. The franchise in question is none other than Star Fox.

The Star Fox Franchise Has Gone Radio Silent

The Series Has Been On Hold Since Star Fox Zero

When the original Star Fox was released on the Super Nintendo in 1993, it was both a critical and commercial success. With the help of the Super FX processing chip, Star Fox featured polygonal 3D graphics and was only the second game on a Nintendo console to do so at the time. Four years later, the game would be reimagined on the Nintendo 64 with Star Fox 64, another critical and financial success. Both games still frequently appear in "greatest of all time" lists. Yet, since peaking on the N64, the series has been on a slow but definite decline.

Recent leaks point towards new games in the works for the Nintendo Switch 2, including new Zelda and Mario titles.

Neither Nintendo’s Wii or Switch consoles ever saw a Star Fox release on their platforms, and why the Switch was never home to a Star Fox title is largely to do with the failure of Star Fox Zero on the Wii U. The game already had an uphill battle being released on Wii U, as the console had a notoriously low consumer base. Star Fox Zero was an underwhelming and frustrating addition to the once-celebrated series, largely due to the game’s absurd controls that required the player to divide their attention between the television and the Wii U gamepad.

Star Fox Zero May Have Put Star Fox On Ice

The Game Received Largely Negative Reviews

It cannot be overstated how detrimental Star Fox Zero likely was for the series' future. The Wii U era is one that Nintendo is probably eager to forget, sandwiched between the Wii and Switch eras, two of the most successful in the company's history. While there are many reasons for its failure, many feel the Wii U was not properly marketed to the public, who were often confused about whether the Wii U was an entirely new console, or just a refresh of the already popular Wii. Star Fox Zero was a death rattle of sorts for the short-lived console.

While the Star Fox franchise has not seen a new installment since 2016, Fox McCloud has still been active on the Switch. McCloud is a playable fighter in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, along with Falco Lombardi, and Wolf O’Donnell. Subscribers of Nintendo Switch Online can play both Star Fox and Star Fox 64, as well as the previously unreleased Star Fox 2. The public's negative reaction to Star Fox Zero is largely why the series has gone dormant, but someday, the franchise will inevitably make its triumphant return. Until Star Fox returns to a Nintendo Direct, “do a barrel roll!”