playing Star Fox Every day for the past week Switch 2 On has casually reminded me how much I miss arcade flight combat being executed well. There's something about jumping into a mission, trying to get a good score, and realizing halfway through that the game has already talked you into doing it all that still works for me, even though I had no idea it was happening while I was playing. Star Fox 64 as a child. Star Fox The Switch 2 may be short if all one wants to do is hit the credits once and move on, but the more I play, the more I'm reminded of how addictive a game like this can be once you understand what it wants from you.
Naturally, that made me think back Ace Combat 8: Wings of TheveWhich I had a chance to preview over a month ago Star Fox started At the time, I just knew I had played one of the most exciting arcade flight combat games I had touched in years. But now that Star Fox pulled me back into that headspace, Ace Battle 8Come October 2, 2026, that sounds like the obvious next game on the radar. And I'm here if you're a fan of how Star Fox You want to play, you have to keep your eyes open Ace Battle 8 Also. Unfortunately, if you own a Switch 2, you won't be able to play it at launch, as it will be PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC only. but, Ace Battle 7 It was eventually ported to the Switch, so I'm sure there will be another entry as well.
Star Fox Review
Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 is a great way to experience the classic Star Fox story, but it's a story we've heard many times before.
Ace Combat 8 is the obvious next step after Star Fox
thing Star Fox Switch 2 is true if it understands the value of repeated runs. The campaign is short if one wants to do is beat the campaign and then move on to the next game, but Star Fox Never really been about it. Instead, it's about replaying each mission, finding alternate routes, improving your score and collecting medals for doing so, and only after the credits roll does the actual gameplay begin to unfold.
Guess the games from emojis.
get started
Guess the games from emojis.
Easy (120 seconds) Medium (90 seconds) Hard (60 seconds)
But it also makes it Ace Battle 8 Such an easy recommendation for me. No, it's not a rail shooter, and no, it's not trying to be Star Fox With fighter jets, but it's fascinating in exactly the same kind of way. Basically, if Star Fox apple is Ace Battle 8 There is an orange. You launch into a mission, try to avoid chaos, finish with a score you know could be better, and then feel that annoying little voice in your head telling you to run it again.
I have felt it many times in my time Ace Battle 8 Preview back in May. I played seven incredible story missions, and after completing a few of them, I had time to replay them – and I did. The thing is, I didn't need to, and I was completely exhausted from staring at a bright screen for hours in a dark room, but I still did it. the reason? Because I was having an absolute blast and just didn't want to stop.
Basically, if Star Fox apple is Ace Battle 8 There is an orange.
Perhaps that is the obvious connection between Star Fox and Ace Battle 8. Both games understand that replayability doesn't always have to be about a big checklist. Sometimes, it's just to make the gameplay feel good enough that you willingly go back for a second, third, fourth and odd try. Star Fox It does this with its branch paths, medals, challenge mode, and battle mode. Ace Battle 8 Scores and tons of cool stuff to unlock, as well as story missions that feel dangerous, cinematic, and more than perfect.
The variety of missions I've seen Ace Battle 8 This is a big reason. One of the missions felt like trying to save a city from Godzilla, only instead of a giant monster, the threat was a massive land warship tearing through everything in its path. Another mission forced me to track enemies by looking for jet trails in the sky instead of relying on radar as usual. Those are the kinds of considerations that make replaying missions feel less repetitive in nature, especially once things open up, and you can start selecting those missions at will.
And there it is Ace Battle 8 May be suitable for outgoing players Star Fox. If Star Fox Switch 2 On reminds you how much fun it is to learn through repeated runs instead of clearing a mission and moving on to something else. Ace Battle 8 An arcade flight combat game that is basically built around that kind of satisfaction. Beating a mission is one thing, but understanding it, living it better, and improving your performance is where the game really starts to come into play.
Arcade Combat 8 is ready to keep your arcade flight combat streak alive
I think that's the main point I'm trying to make here Star Fox Switch 2 put me in a very specific mood, and Ace Battle 8 The only upcoming game I can think of that looks ready to put me there. I already liked it The wings of Theve When I previewed it, I like the idea of it even more Star Fox It reminded me how satisfying it is to replay a mission just knowing I could do better. Maybe that sounds like a small thing, but it really isn't. Some games make replaying content feel like homework, while others do Star Fox and Ace Battle 8 Make it the whole point in the most natural and satisfying way possible.
Both games understand that replayability doesn't always have to be about a big checklist.
Based on what I've played, Ace Battle 8 It seems to fall into the second group. It has speed, spectacle, scoring, mission variety, and the kind of pressure that makes every successful run feel like it could go wrong at any second. Therefore, if Star Fox In Switch 2 you want more arcade flight combat, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve This should be the next game you start paying attention to. It may not have the iconic branching paths of the Arwing, Fox McCloud, or the Nintendo 64 classic, but it has the ability to make one more run sound like the best idea in the world.
- issued
-
June 25, 2026
- ESRB
-
Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence
- developer(s)
-
Nintendo
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
- Multiplayer
-
Online co-op
