TL;DR
Star Fox has landed on Nintendo Switch 2 with a strong Famitsu score of 34/40, signaling a confident return for the franchise after nearly a decade. The score places it among the top-rated Switch 2 launch titles, but the mixed reception for lower-tier games like Mousebusters (29/40) suggests quality variance in the June 28 lineup.
What Happened
The June 28, 2026 edition of Famitsu, Japan's most influential video game weekly, delivered its verdict on three new titles headlined by Star Fox for the Nintendo Switch 2. The four-editor panel awarded the long-dormant franchise an 8/9/9/8 composite score of 34 out of 40, marking one of the strongest debut scores for a Switch 2 exclusive in the platform's first six months on the market.
Key Facts
- Star Fox received individual scores of 8, 9, 9, and 8 from four Famitsu editors, for a total of 34/40.
- The Last Salvage Squad scored 8, 7, 8, and 7 for a total of 30/40.
- Mousebusters scored 7, 8, 8, and 6 for a total of 29/40.
- The scores were published in the June 28, 2026 issue of Famitsu, nearly 10 years after the last mainline Star Fox title (Star Fox Zero on Wii U, April 2016).
- This is the first Famitsu review of a Star Fox game for the Nintendo Switch 2, which launched globally in March 2026.
- Famitsu's review scale ranges from 4 to 40, with scores of 30+ considered "Silver Hall of Fame" and 35+ considered "Platinum Hall of Fame".
- The 34/40 score for Star Fox places it just one point below the Platinum threshold, suggesting near-universal praise with minor reservations.
Breaking It Down
34/40 is the exact same score awarded to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in 2017 and Super Mario Odyssey in 2017 — two of the highest-rated games in Nintendo history. This places Star Fox in elite company, even if it didn't reach the Platinum 35+ tier.
The consistency of the Star Fox scores — three 8s and one 9 — indicates that all four Famitsu reviewers agreed on the game's quality, with only one editor finding it slightly better than the others. This uniformity is rare; most games show a wider spread between reviewers. For a franchise that has struggled to find its footing since the Nintendo 64 era, this score suggests that Nintendo and developer PlatinumGames (or its successor studio) have finally cracked the code on modernizing the series without losing its core identity.
The 30/40 score for The Last Salvage Squad places it squarely in "average" territory for Famitsu. A 30 is the baseline for a competent game — it gets the job done but doesn't excel. The split scores of 8, 7, 8, and 7 suggest two reviewers were more impressed than the other two, indicating uneven quality across the game's mechanics or content. This is typical for a mid-tier title in a crowded release window.
Mousebusters scored 29/40, which is below the 30-point threshold that Famitsu editors typically reserve for games they recommend. The 6 from one editor is a clear red flag, dragging down what would otherwise be a respectable 31. This suggests a game with significant flaws in one or more critical areas — possibly technical performance, gameplay depth, or content length. For a new intellectual property, a 29/40 is a weak debut that will make it difficult to build a franchise.
What Comes Next
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Full retail release of Star Fox for Switch 2 — expected in July 2026 — will determine whether the Famitsu score translates into commercial success. Pre-order data from major Japanese retailers like Bic Camera and Yodobashi Camera will be critical indicators.
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Western reviews from outlets like IGN, GameSpot, and Eurogamer are likely to publish within two weeks of the Famitsu score. These reviews will either confirm or challenge the 34/40 verdict, and their Metacritic aggregation will set the game's long-term reputation.
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Nintendo's Q2 2026 financial report (expected August 2026) will include first-month sales figures for Star Fox. If the game sells fewer than 1 million units globally in its first month, it may be considered a disappointment relative to the hype.
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The Switch 2's post-launch lineup will be scrutinized: Star Fox is one of the first major first-party exclusives after the launch window. Its performance will influence third-party developers' decisions to port or develop for the platform.
The Bigger Picture
This Star Fox score arrives at a critical moment for Nintendo's franchise revival strategy. The company has been systematically resurrecting dormant IPs — Metroid Dread (2021), Pikmin 4 (2023), and now Star Fox — as it transitions to the Switch 2 generation. The 34/40 score suggests this strategy is working, but the bar is higher than ever: Nintendo's own The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom scored 39/40 in 2023, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder scored 36/40 in 2023. Star Fox needs to prove it can compete at the top tier.
The broader Japanese game review landscape is also shifting. Famitsu's influence has waned relative to Western aggregators like Metacritic, but it remains the most important review outlet in Japan — a market that accounts for roughly 25% of global console game revenue. A 34/40 score from Famitsu still drives significant sales in Japan, particularly for Nintendo titles. The 29/40 for Mousebusters, meanwhile, highlights the risk for smaller developers launching new IPs in a market dominated by sequels and established franchises.
Key Takeaways
- [Star Fox Switch 2 Score]: A 34/40 from Famitsu places it among the best-reviewed Switch 2 launch titles, just one point shy of Platinum Hall of Fame status, and signals a strong return after a near-decade hiatus.
- [Quality Variance in Lineup]: The spread from 34/40 (Star Fox) to 29/40 (Mousebusters) shows a clear quality gap in the June 28 release window, with only the flagship title achieving recommendable scores.
- [Famitsu's Continued Relevance]: Despite the rise of global review aggregators, Famitsu's 34/40 score remains a significant commercial driver for Nintendo games in Japan, where the Switch 2 has already sold over 5 million units since March 2026.
- [Franchise Revival Risk]: Star Fox's success or failure on Switch 2 will directly influence Nintendo's decision to revive other dormant IPs like F-Zero, Kid Icarus, or Golden Sun — making this score a bellwether for Nintendo's broader strategy.
