Breaking: The original artist behind Star Fox's iconic character designs has revealed a surprising preference for a recent film adaptation over the upcoming Switch 2 game.
Takaya Imamura, the former Nintendo art director who created Fox McCloud and the rest of the Star Fox team in the 1990s, admitted in a recent interview that he favors the character's appearance in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie over the look revealed for the newly announced Switch 2 title.
“I honestly think the movie design captures more of the original spirit,” Imamura said. “The game's new version feels a bit too polished—less like the classic fighter I envisioned.”
Background
Imamura joined Nintendo in the early '90s and was instrumental in shaping the visual identity of the Star Fox series, including the design of Fox McCloud, Falco Lombardi, and others. He left the company in 2020 after nearly three decades.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie—released last year—featured Fox McCloud in a cameo role, reimagined in a style that blends classic Nintendo aesthetic with modern animation. In contrast, the yet-unnamed Switch 2 game, revealed just last week, shows a more realistic, detailed Fox.
“Back in the '90s, we had to work with very limited polygons,” Imamura explained. “But that limitation forced creative solutions. The movie version feels like it remembers those roots.”
What This Means
The artist's comments have reignited debate among fans about whether newer game designs should prioritize legacy or technological advancement. For many longtime players, the original blocky Fox remains beloved.
This preference from the original creator could influence how Nintendo approaches future character designs across both games and films. The future of the Star Fox franchise now includes this public critique from its own originator.
“It's not that the new design is bad—it's very well done,” Imamura added. “But for me, Fox always had a certain scrappiness. The movie kept that.”
Neither Nintendo nor the Switch 2 game's developers have responded to Imamura's remarks as of press time.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.