Perhaps the biggest news coming out of today’s Nintendo Direct is the imminent The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, which is supposedly due out by the end of the year on Switch 2. That almost seems too good to be true, so we’ll see if the release window gets pushed back to 2027.
Also announced was a brand new Star Fox demo, which you can download now on the eShop. It’s very short, comprising of a quick VR training sequence, some cutscenes and a single mission, specifically the second mission from the upcoming full game. Star Fox is remake of Star Fox 64, which like Ocarina of Time, is an almost 30-year-old video game. And Star Fox 64 was itself a reboot of the original Super Nintendo Star Fox. Realistically, the game has seen numerous reissues and remasters and rehashes over the years, even on the 3DS.
That said, I’m starting to find these remasters and remakes a tad tiresome, if I can be completely honest.
Don’t get me wrong—the demo for Star Fox is downright excellent, and I was left wanting more. Developer Velan Studios has obviously done an incredible job reimagining this iconic space shooting game for modern hardware, and Fox’s world has never felt more fleshed-out and cinematic. The controls are ridiculously fine-tuned and navigating the Lylat System is pure joy. I guess what I’m saying is, the work here is good, no doubt. I’m not faulting the work itself. It’s the ravenous nostalgic sentiment driving these remakes that I take issue with.
I know nostalgia sells, and I don’t even necessarily consider nostalgia to be inherently bad or unhealthy, when experienced in moderation, of course. I played Star Fox on the SNES when it first released back in the ‘90s, so I have plenty of warm memories surrounding this early 3D on-rails shooter. But I’d much prefer a whole new Star Fox game at this point, and on that note, a brand new Zelda title, perhaps in the vain of Ocarina of Time.
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One of the things I find most beautiful about our species is that we are able to vividly remember the past, through our own memories and the stories told by others, and we often honor and learn from those ghostly echoes. Healthy nostalgia boasts a reverent quality that strikes me as endlessly human. However, notably within the games industry, it can sometimes feel like we’re instead stuck in the past. I’m all for games preservation through emulation and archiving, mind you.
Again, I’m not begrudging the hard work of the Star Fox developers, and the free demo hints at a full experience that will likely deliver on both fun and quality. I’ll absolutely be picking this up when it releases on June 25 for a pretty reasonable $49.99. I am, though, hoping for a little less focus on gaming déjà vu in the future and more focus on exploring new virtual dimensions, maybe with subtle references to the good old days.
Nintendo has always been a bit egregious with these remakes and remasters, but they’re not the only ones doing it. PlayStation comes to mind with the endless versions of The Last of Us. Xbox remastered Gears of War recently. It’s easy money, I get it, and it makes reminiscent people happy. And like many of us, I do enjoy a nice and occasional jaunt down memory lane. I just don’t want to live there anymore.