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As a genre, rail shooters are past their prime, having been more prominent in the 90s and early 2000s. And during this time we got some of gaming’s most memorable games, such as Panzer Dragoon on the Sega Saturn, Time Crisis 2 on arcade machines, and, of course, Star Fox 64 on Nintendo’s own home console.
Despite its lack of popularity these days, this doesn’t stop Nintendo from revisiting this genre with brand-new remakes of past games. During the 3DS era, we’ve seen great praise for games like Kid Icarus: Uprising and the remake of Star Fox 64. And a few years later, the latter would receive a brand-new game called Star Fox Zero, which was basically a reimagining of the events of the original game.
This one didn’t get the love and attention Nintendo expected, and for many years we suspected that we would not see a new Star Fox game anytime soon.
Fast-forward to 2026, and we’ve got yet another remake of Star Fox 64 on the horizon for the Switch, and with it, the hopes of seeing rail shooters back on the modern gamer’s lineup.
And with this in mind, I’ve searched the eShop and Nintendo Switch Online service for rail shooters that you will enjoy if you want something close to Star Fox games.
Let’s get to it!
Nintendo Switch Online — SNES
Star Fox (1993) and Star Fox 2 (2017)
First I’ll be covering all Nintendo Switch Online games worth playing, starting where it all began with Star Fox 1 and Star Fox 2 on the Super Nintendo.
The original Star Fox is one of the most influential video games of all time, pioneering 3D rail shooters on home consoles, all thanks to the Super FX chip developed by Argonaut Games.
These days, Star Fox 1 and Star Fox 2 are a bit rough to play due to their outdated polygon look and lower framerate. One thing is for certain though—the soundtrack is a banger.
They are definitely worth a playthrough or a quick game session to understand how far the genre has come.
However, in my opinion one is more mandatory than the other due to its circumstances. Up until 2017, Star Fox 2 was an unreleased game, with no way of playing it. It only became available with the release of the SNES Mini, and if you wanted to play it legally, this was the only way to do it.
Thankfully, it is now available on Switch Online, and while the service exists, you should give this piece of lost gaming history a try.
Nintendo Switch Online — Sega Genesis
Space Harrier II (1988)
Next, we have a game that was absolutely ahead of its time for a console release—Space Harrier II, released in 1988 alongside the Sega Genesis.
Although most of the graphics are in 2D, they did a fantastic job at the time. The constantly moving ground alongside the enemies appearing and disappearing in the distance gave it a quasi-3D feel.
I think it still holds up pretty well today, but it’s definitely an unforgiving game, and I never had the patience to play it through the end, even with save states. But if you want to play rail shooters that predate Star Fox on a console, then this is the one.
Nintendo Switch Online — N64
Star Fox 64
Now we’ve reached the Nintendo 64 era, and no other rail shooter is more famous than Star Fox 64—and of course it’s available to play on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
It expanded and refined everything the original SNES title tried to do, and it’s honestly one of the best sequels to a video game. Although, calling it a sequel is a bit of a stretch since this is more of a reimagining of that first game.
And guess what? So is the newest Star Fox game on the Nintendo Switch 2! I guess it’s true when Miyamoto said they’ve done all they could with this franchise in terms of gameplay.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t cook up a brand new story or something! Still, this should be your starting point if you’re excited for the upcoming title.
Sin & Punishment
What happens when you mix a rail shooter, a Nintendo 64, and Evangelion? Well, you end up with a game so weird it reached the West. Luckily, we somehow got it over on Switch Online.
This one I actually played until the end in co-op with my brother, where one would shoot and the other would control the character. It’s super fun and polished, with a dark and odd story whose plot is so convoluted that I had no idea what was happening most of the time.
But eventually, I had a blast with it, and playing in co-op made it even better! Please don’t be afraid to give it a try.
Pokémon Snap
Only recently did it click with me that Pokémon Snap is a rail shooter, and I’ve been playing this game since launch and have 100% completed it many times.
I never owned Pokémon Stadium as a kid, so this was the first time I witnessed the original Pokémon in full 3D, and back then this was a glorious sight. And even today, I can boot up this game and appreciate how alive these creatures feel.
I love the different way you have to interact with them and create these brand-new situations that are perfect to take the coolest shot, like throwing that Charmeleon to the lava pool and seeing a Charizard emerge.
This and many other moments are engraved on my mind, and I wish the newest title had gone more in this direction.
eShop Purchases
New Pokémon Snap
Moving on from the Switch Online games, we’re now in the section you can purchase straight from the Nintendo eShop, starting with one of my longest-awaited sequels, New Pokémon Snap.
I think I’ve summed up pretty well all of my thoughts on this game when I ranked all Pokémon spin-offs on Nintendo Switch. But here’s the short version.
I liked the game, but was annoyed they removed some mechanics from the original title, like the mentioned Pokémon evolutions. Still, it’s a great title with breathtaking visuals and succeeds in showing us how these Pokémon would behave in their natural habitat.
It’s not just a rail shooter but also one of the best Pokémon spin-offs on the console.
Panzer Dragoon: Remake
If you owned a Sega Saturn growing up, you probably had that demo disc that came with the console. In it, I was able to try gems such as Nights Into Dreams, The Story of Thor 2, and, most importantly, Panzer Dragoon.
This game blew my 3-year-old mind, seeing the coolest guy ever riding a badass dragon while shooting monsters that came at you from every direction. Back then I didn’t know, but I was playing one of the best rail shooters ever made.
Unfortunately I never owned the original title, but a few years ago a remake was announced and eventually arrived on the Nintendo Switch. However, technically it didn’t perform to standards.
Luckily, the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 fixed most of the technical issues it once had, and it now runs at a smooth 60 fps. Although I still prefer the look and feel of the original, this remake is the only way I have right now to relive that piece of my childhood. At least until I fix my Saturn one day!
House of the Dead: Remake and House of the Dead 2: Remake
To close things, I want to leave with 2 titles that you should only purchase on Switch 2, and after you’ve played all other games on this list.
The House of the Dead was one of my favorite titles on the Dreamcast, and I can confidently say that these remakes on Switch lack a bit of polish and care. But the core gameplay is still there and can be enjoyed thoroughly, especially with a friend in co-op.
I can guarantee that you two will have a ton of fun shooting zombies for a few hours at least. Just make sure you get them only when they are on sale, since they are not worth the full price.
I guess MegaPixel Studio remakes are getting a bad rep, and seeing how they handled Panzer Dragoon Zwei leaves me hopeless for the future of these beloved rail shooters.
What Are the Best Rail Shooter Games on Switch?
It’s astonishing I recommended 10 games, and 3 of them are just Star Fox games. But it could’ve been 4 if Nintendo had ported Star Fox Zero from the Wii U!
I wanted this list to be bigger, honestly, but as I mentioned, the rail-shooter genre is almost dead. We might see a small resurgence if Star Fox on Switch 2 is successful, though.
And if so, I’d like to see a brand-new Kid Icarus game on Switch 2, since now I would be able to play it with an actual controller without my hands cramping after a few minutes.
But until then, these are the best rail-shooter games, like Star Fox on Switch, you can play right now.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll be seeing you again next time with brand-new content.
