Raptor Claw's FUR Squadron rather proudly wore its Star Fox inspirations on its sleeve when it flew onto Switch back in 2023, and its sequel, FUR Squadron Phoenix, isn't shying away from things either.
This on-rails space shooter arrives on the Switch eShop on 25th February, and it looks every bit as McCloud-ian as we'd hoped. There's a crew of fluffy pilots, nimble space ships, an interplanetary "system" under threat from an evil force — yeah, this is Star Fox.
Much like its predecessor, however, there's a certain psychedelic sheen over the whole thing that stops FUR Squadron from feeling like a complete retread of things we've seen before. With neon visuals, CRT scan lines and mech battles (!!), there's a pretty intriguing vibe under all of the familiarity.
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Here's a brief rundown of the game's key features and a handful of screenshots from its Steam page:
- A roguelite campaign where every run reshuffles the levels, keeping the action fresh and unpredictable.
- Upgradeable ships, unlockable weapons, and skill trees that let you craft your own path to becoming an ace pilot.
- Massive bosses, dynamic environments, and intense battles across space, air, and sea.
- A dazzling arsenal: unleash power beams, multi-missile barrages, and even a nuke strike. Forget the basics—this is war with style.
Raptor Claw claimed that the game was heading to Switch 2 last year, shortly after the console's first tease reveal, and while it will certainly be playable on the new system, Switch 1 owners won't miss out. Based on the studio's reply to a comment on the above trailer, FUR Squadron Phoenix has been designed for Switch 1, but will see "boosted performance" on the new hardware.
With Nintendo showing no sign of releasing a new Star Fox game anytime soon, we'll be relying on projects like this to fill the Lylat-shaped hole in our hearts.