Honestly, it’s a bit of a tragedy. You look at the Nintendo Switch library and it’s basically a Wii U "Greatest Hits" collection. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze—they all made the jump and found the massive audience they deserved. But Star Fox Zero Switch? It remains the ghost in the machine. As of early 2026, Fox McCloud is still effectively grounded, locked away on a console that most people have already tucked into their attics.
It feels personal for some fans. I mean, we're talking about a franchise that defined "cool" on the SNES and N64. Yet, here we are, years into the Switch's lifecycle, and the only way to play as the Lylat crew on the hybrid handheld is through Starlink: Battle for Atlas or the NSO retro apps.
Why hasn't Nintendo pulled the trigger? It isn't just about laziness.
The Problem With Those Controls
If you played the original on the Wii U, you know exactly what the "elephant in the room" is. Shigeru Miyamoto wanted to prove the Wii U GamePad mattered. He really did. But the result was a control scheme that felt like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach while flying a supersonic jet. You had to look at the TV for general flight and then glance down at the GamePad screen for precision aiming.
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It was exhausting.
Porting Star Fox Zero Switch isn't as simple as changing the resolution to 1080p and calling it a day. The entire game was architected around two simultaneous viewpoints. To make it work on a single Switch screen, PlatinumGames and Nintendo would have to fundamentally rewrite how aiming and flight interact.
- The Cockpit View: On Wii U, this was always on your lap. On Switch, it would need a "picture-in-picture" mode or a toggle button.
- Gyro Overload: The game relied heavily on motion. While Joy-Cons have great gyro, the lack of a second screen makes the "independent aiming" mechanic almost impossible to replicate without a total gameplay overhaul.
Atsushi Inaba from PlatinumGames has actually gone on record saying they’d be "definitely" interested in bringing it over, but he was very clear: it’s Nintendo’s call. And specifically, it’s Miyamoto’s call.
The Sales Numbers Don't Help
Let’s talk cold, hard numbers. Business-wise, Nintendo usually ports games that they think will sell millions of copies. Star Fox Zero sold roughly 450,000 to 500,000 units worldwide. By Nintendo standards? That’s a disaster. For comparison, Mario Kart 8 sold over 8 million on Wii U before becoming a 60-million-seller on Switch.
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When you look at the cost of "fixing" the controls versus the potential profit from a niche rail-shooter, the math just doesn't look great for a Star Fox Zero Switch port. It's a bummer, but Nintendo is a business. They’d rather spend that dev budget on a new Metroid or another Fire Emblem.
Rumors and the "Switch 2" Factor
We’re now deep into the "Switch 2" (or whatever the successor ends up being called) era. The rumor mill has shifted. Instead of a port of the Wii U game, leakers like Zippo and various industry insiders have hinted that Nintendo is working on a new Star Fox game internally.
The theory is that Nintendo has realized Zero was too divisive. Instead of polishing a "failed" experiment, they might be building a "back to basics" sequel that follows the Star Fox 64 or Star Fox Assault formula.
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- Visuals: Imagine Corneria with modern lighting and 4K textures.
- Multiplayer: This is the big one. Fans have been begging for a robust online dogfighting mode for a decade.
- The "Zero" Asset Reuse: Don't be surprised if a new game uses the high-quality models from Zero but ditches the dual-screen gimmick entirely.
What You Can Actually Play Right Now
If you’re desperate for that Arwing fix and realized Star Fox Zero Switch isn't appearing on the eShop today, you have a few options that are actually pretty decent.
- Starlink: Battle for Atlas: Seriously, don't sleep on this. The Star Fox content is basically a mini-campaign. It’s the best Fox has looked in years, and the Arwing feels fantastic to fly.
- Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack: You get the OG SNES version, the unreleased Star Fox 2, and the GOAT, Star Fox 64.
- Wild Blue Skies: This is a spiritual successor from Chuhai Labs, featuring some of the original Star Fox programmers. It scratches that specific 90s rail-shooter itch.
Moving Forward
The reality is that Star Fox Zero Switch is likely never coming. The technical hurdles are too high, and the brand needs a fresh start rather than a reminder of the Wii U’s struggles. If you really want to see the series return, the best thing you can do is show interest in the retro titles on NSO and maybe keep an eye on those "Switch 2" launch window leaks.
If Nintendo does bring Fox back, it’ll be with a clean slate. They need a game that proves Star Fox can be a "pillar" franchise again, not just a tech demo for a hardware gimmick that didn't land.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the eShop for Starlink: It often goes on sale for under $15. At that price, the Star Fox DLC is a steal.
- Master Star Fox 2: If you haven't finished the "lost" sequel on NSO, do it. It explains where many of the ideas in Zero (like the Walker transformation) actually came from.
- Keep Expectations in Check: Stop waiting for a Direct to announce a port; start looking for news on a ground-up reboot for the next-gen hardware.