It’s been nearly a decade since the last Star Fox game, with Star Fox Zero all the way back in 2016. Games either emulate Star Fox 64 too closely (Star Fox: Assault) or deliberately break off in wildly different directions (Star Fox Adventures), and both attempts haven’t really seen success. Past attempts at the series have either decided to try and re-create Star Fox 64, or deviate almost completely. But it feels like there are boundless options for how to expand the idea of a Star Fox game. 2022’s Ex-Zodiac and 2025’s Whisker Squadron are new takes on the Star Fox rail shooter format.