An absolute benchmark for arcade 3D shooting from Nintendo. Performance-driven branching, the Rumble Pak debut, cult voice work and an imperial orchestral score. A blazing hour-long run that invites endless replays to chase every grade and every route.
Your verdict
Category
Action1 player7+
Split screen
Description
3D space shoot'em up with Fox McCloud and his team defending the Lylat system against the mad scientist Andross. Published by Nintendo, released in 1997 in Japan. Multiple level paths based on performance, first Nintendo game with the Rumble Pak, and multiplayer mode.
Star Fox 64 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Re-orchestrating the heroic themes of the N64 original with breadth, the music propels the space battles in a martial, galvanising gust. Triumphant brass and vibrant strings accompany every assault by the Star Fox team. This symphonic grandeur, faithful and reinvigorated, elevates the action from end to end.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
On rails or in open arenas, piloting the Arwing offers instant responsiveness: barrel rolls, braking and boosts chain together in a snappy, readable flow. Branching levels and the iconic voice work sustain a rhythm that never flags. Short but remarkably dense, this shooter replays without tiring thanks to its alternate paths and its crisp sensations.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
At the controls of the Arwing, you swoop on enemy squadrons between barrel rolls and locked-on shots, carried by cinematic staging and cult dialogue. The branching paths between levels invite replays to uncover everything. Spectacular, snappy and wonderfully paced, a rail shooter that delivers a big thrill on every mission.
Original Nintendo Japanese April 1997 edition, the worldwide first release of Star Fox 64. The Japanese cartridge ships with the Rumble Pak as an original bundle, the worldwide first commercial use of the peripheral. It keeps the original Japanese voices for Fox, Falco, Slippy and Peppy, more direct than the later English performances. A central piece from the start of the Japanese N64 cycle, particularly coveted by Nintendo Japan collectors.
Memorable bosses
At the end of frantic space corridors loom mechanical colossi and the prickly rivalry of the Star Wolf squadron, whose every interception reignites the dogfight. The final boss, Andross, reveals a giant face with two-stage attacks. Memorable voices, branching paths and razor-timed clashes drive battles that defined the rail shooter in three dimensions.
A cult cover
In tight formation, the Arwings cut through space while Andross's face looms like a cosmic threat: the space opera is set up right from the cover. Stellar blues and the depth of the framing convey the grand spectacle and twitchy piloting. Epic and dynamic, it promises a galactic adventure waged at full tilt.
Is Star Fox 64 still worth playing in 2026?
Star Fox 64 is an absolute touchstone of arcade 3D shooting from Nintendo. Branching paths driven by performance, vibrations introduced by the Rumble Pak, cult voice acting and an imperial orchestral score combine into an intense hour-long run replayed endlessly to unlock every medal and explore every alternate path. Arwing piloting stays readable, the staging crosses eras and the cast remains definitive. For fans of retro 3D shooting and tightly distilled action, this is still an absolute N64 peak today.
