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Master all 192 Challenge Mode missions in Star Fox on Switch 2 with tips, unlock requirements, and every objective listed.
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Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 launched on June 25, 2026, and its Challenge Mode is where the game's real depth lives. Beyond the main campaign's branching paths, 192 optional missions are spread across all 16 stages, ranging from quick hit-count tasks to punishing Expert objectives that demand near-perfect runs. If you want to see everything this game has to offer, Challenge Mode is where you spend most of your time after the credits roll.
Challenge Mode runs parallel to the main campaign but operates under its own separate rules. You can only access stages you've already reached through the campaign's branching path system, so unlocking all 16 levels first is a prerequisite for tackling every challenge. The campaign features multiple routes through the Lylat System, and you'll need to explore alternate paths to open every stage.
Each stage has exactly 12 challenges: 6 Normal and 6 Expert. The Expert set for any given stage only becomes available after you've completed all 6 Normal challenges for that level. You can preview Expert stage layouts before unlocking Expert difficulty in the campaign, which is a useful way to scout what's coming.
Challenge Mode stage select
One of the most player-friendly mechanics here is checkpoint-free progress saving. When a challenge's checkbox appears on screen after you complete its objective, you can quit the run immediately and the completion saves. You don't need to finish the entire mission. If you fail a challenge's requirements mid-run, the game shows a grayed-out box so you know to restart without wasting time.
Completing challenges earns you Character Avatars and AR Accessories for use in Game Chat when a USB camera is connected. You start with the Star Fox and Star Wolf teams already unlocked, but additional classic Star Fox characters are gated behind Challenge Mode completions and campaign medals. The Battle Banner cosmetic system, which displays your profile to opponents in online Battle Mode, also draws on challenge completions, with 61 backgrounds and 79 emblems available to unlock across the game's various systems.
Here's every challenge broken down by stage and difficulty. Use this as your completion checklist.
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Defeat 3 or more enemies with a single charged shot |
| Normal | Complete Falco's challenge |
| Normal | Defeat all 6 Garuda robots |
| Normal | Defeat all 4 Ski Bots |
| Normal | Complete the mission in 3 minutes or fewer |
| Normal | Destroy every vulnerable part of the Granga |
| Expert | Score 100 hits before taking damage |
| Expert | Complete Falco's challenge before Falco does |
| Expert | Prevent all buildings from being pushed over |
| Expert | Destroy all Cornerian satellite dishes |
| Expert | Defeat the Attack Carrier within 30 seconds |
| Expert | Defeat the Granga within 10 seconds |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Score 180 hits |
| Normal | Fly through all 7 energy anomalies |
| Normal | Destroy 8 asteroids before reaching the first large tunnel asteroid |
| Normal | Defeat all 3 snakelike Moras |
| Normal | Defeat 5 Flip Bots |
| Normal | Defeat the Meteo Crusher using hyper lasers |
| Expert | Defeat 30 enemies with charged shots |
| Expert | Destroy 100 large asteroids in the warp channel |
| Expert | Complete the mission without breaking a wing |
| Expert | Defeat 20 butterfly-like Attacker II enemies |
| Expert | Defeat the Meteo Crusher's first phase without shooting its absorption shield |
| Expert | Defeat 30 Web Ships as they deploy persistent-laser technology |
Meteo asteroid field run
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Find and defeat the lone red Shogun Trooper |
| Normal | Destroy 12 panels on the sides of enemy ships |
| Normal | Fully upgrade your shields and lasers |
| Normal | Score 100 hits |
| Normal | Defeat 10 or more enemies with a single bomb |
| Normal | Form a four-ship formation with Star Fox teammates and uncover the hidden item |
| Expert | Score 150 hits without hitting a teammate |
| Expert | Destroy 30 warship turrets |
| Expert | Defeat 14 Shogun Troopers |
| Expert | Defeat both Shogun Warriors within 15 seconds of their appearance |
| Expert | Destroy 12 missiles |
| Expert | Defeat the Shogun Warlord using only charged shots |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Destroy all 14 Giant Aquas Clams |
| Normal | Pass through 3 trios of Circuit Jellyfish without taking damage |
| Normal | Destroy 20 pieces of pink branching coral |
| Normal | Shoot down 5 stone pillars |
| Normal | Pass through all 5 stone arches |
| Normal | Score 125 hits |
| Expert | Reach Bacoon without firing lasers or torpedoes |
| Expert | Score 100 hits before taking damage |
| Expert | Defeat Bacoon within 70 seconds |
| Expert | Destroy all 21 projectile Spindle Shells |
| Expert | Defeat all 25 Luminous Squid |
| Expert | Defeat all 4 Giant Anglerfish |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Collect 3 gold rings |
| Normal | Score 120 hits |
| Normal | Shoot down a teammate's target 3 times |
| Normal | Defeat 3 or more enemies with a single charged shot |
| Normal | Destroy all hatches on the Saucerer |
| Normal | Shoot down fewer than 3 allies before completing the mission |
| Expert | Defeat all Invader II enemies before the Saucerer deploys reinforcements |
| Expert | Defeat 5 or more enemies with a single bomb |
| Expert | Score 160 hits without hitting any allies |
| Expert | Complete the mission without breaking a wing |
| Expert | Destroy the Saucerer's Core Energy Weapon before the timer reaches 50 |
| Expert | Defeat 10 Invader II enemies within the first 20 seconds |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Defeat all 4 members of the Star Wolf team |
| Normal | Perform a somersault to evade a pursuing Star Wolf member |
| Normal | Destroy all 8 radar stations |
| Normal | Destroy all 26 antennae |
| Normal | Shoot down a teammate's target 3 times |
| Normal | Clear the map of Invader I enemies before completing the mission |
| Expert | Complete the mission without any teammates being downed |
| Expert | Save the base without damaging a wing |
| Expert | Defeat all 4 members of the Star Wolf team without performing a somersault or U-turn |
| Expert | Score 60 hits |
| Expert | Defeat any Star Wolf member within 30 seconds of their appearance |
| Expert | Defeat any Star Wolf member with a bomb |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Hit the Sarumarine's periscope every time it appears |
| Normal | Destroy all cargo containers |
| Normal | Destroy every Radar Buoy without being spotted |
| Normal | Collect 2 supply rings and 1 bomb with a single somersault before reaching the Sarumarine |
| Normal | Follow Slippy and reveal a hidden power-up |
| Normal | Defeat all 3 monstrous, crab-like Kani |
| Expert | Fly under 3 waterwheel gates without taking damage |
| Expert | Somersault under a Todora sea dragon 2 times |
| Expert | Score 270 hits |
| Expert | Destroy all Radar Buoys using locked-on charge shots without being spotted |
| Expert | Defeat 30 Patrol Boats |
| Expert | Defeat 10 Z-Shrimp |
Zoness Radar Buoy approach
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Score 80 hits |
| Normal | Avoid taking damage from direct contact with Solar's plasma surface, including waves |
| Normal | Destroy 25 enemies and rocks with bombs |
| Normal | Complete the mission without ever fully depleting your shield gauge |
| Normal | Collect 40 supply rings |
| Normal | Dispel 5 waves using bombs before reaching Vulcain |
| Expert | Destroy 40 rocks with noncharged laser fire |
| Expert | Collect 6 bombs |
| Expert | Defeat Vulcain in 55 seconds |
| Expert | Reach Vulcain without collecting any supply rings except when your shield gauge is red |
| Expert | Defeat 25 flying Gores |
| Expert | Defeat Vulcain without getting hit |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Defeat Spyborg using hyper lasers |
| Normal | Find the hidden wormhole |
| Normal | Score 120 hits |
| Normal | Collect 5 gold rings |
| Normal | Destroy 10 Proximity Mines with a single bomb |
| Normal | Destroy 20 SX Lasers |
| Expert | Find the hidden power-up in the secret corridor |
| Expert | Defeat Spyborg before Slippy is downed |
| Expert | Fly through the left path in 60 seconds without breaking a wing |
| Expert | Complete the mission without taking any damage |
| Expert | Destroy 15 floating Spy Eyes |
| Expert | Defeat 30 shups in the wormhole |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Land the final shot on all 6 Copperhead Missiles |
| Normal | Defeat 15 Invader III enemies |
| Normal | Destroy 5 salvage crates |
| Normal | Collect 15 supply rings |
| Normal | Fly into the Great Fox's repair bay while shield gauge is critical |
| Normal | Defeat an enemy while performing a somersault |
| Expert | Defeat 7 Invader III enemies within a 10-second span |
| Expert | Destroy a Copperhead Missile when it's within 200 sm of the Great Fox |
| Expert | Destroy all 12 salvage crates before ROB64 first detects an incoming missile |
| Expert | Successfully defend the Great Fox without taking any damage |
| Expert | Destroy all 6 Copperhead Missiles before they get within 1000 sm of the Great Fox |
| Expert | Clear the map of all enemies, including Copperhead Missiles |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Use the rail switch to divert the Forever Train |
| Normal | Defeat 25 airborne enemies |
| Normal | Score 120 hits |
| Normal | Collect 5 gold rings |
| Normal | Defeat the Mechbeth in combat without getting lifted by its tail attack |
| Normal | Save your teammates from pursuit 5 times |
| Expert | Pass through 10 gateways without getting hit by their sliding doors |
| Expert | Knock down all 13 barricade walls |
| Expert | Destroy 12 Forever Train cars |
| Expert | Destroy 15 defense towers |
| Expert | Destroy all 38 boulders |
| Expert | Defeat the Mechbeth in combat before reaching distance marker 300 |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Score 120 hits |
| Normal | Reach the Goras without touching any land mines |
| Normal | Defeat 20 airborne enemies using noncharged laser fire |
| Normal | Defeat the Goras without shooting Slippy |
| Normal | Collect all 8 gold rings |
| Normal | Destroy all 3 Laser Turrets |
| Expert | Use hover to evade the Goras's tail swipe |
| Expert | Avoid colliding with any stone pillars |
| Expert | Destroy 60 Spiny Cacti |
| Expert | Defeat 40 enemies using bombs |
| Expert | Defeat all 5 Desert Crawlers with noncharged laser fire |
| Expert | Destroy 8 Jumping Bombs |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Destroy 50 Proximity Mines |
| Normal | Destroy the initial barrage of 5 Ninjin Missiles |
| Normal | Destroy all 3 arms before the Gorgon phases out |
| Normal | Reach the Gorgon with fully upgraded shields and lasers |
| Normal | Take down a Zeram-Class Cruiser with a bomb |
| Normal | Complete the mission without any teammates being downed |
| Expert | Take down 5 Zeram-Class Cruisers |
| Expert | Successfully dodge the Gorgon's laser attack |
| Expert | Score 320 hits |
| Expert | Reach the Gorgon without collecting any supply rings or power-ups |
| Expert | Destroy 2 Ninjin Missiles with charged shots |
| Expert | Destroy the first 12 Umbra-Class Defense Stations |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Score 130 hits |
| Normal | Complete the mission without any teammates being downed |
| Normal | Collect 3 gold rings |
| Normal | Defeat 5 Bolse Fighters with noncharged laser fire |
| Normal | Defeat all 4 members of the Star Wolf team |
| Normal | Complete the mission in 4 minutes or fewer |
| Expert | Complete the mission without destroying any laser cannons |
| Expert | Destroy the Bolse Core within 60 seconds of its appearance |
| Expert | Complete the mission without breaking a wing |
| Expert | Score 190 hits |
| Expert | Complete the mission without getting hit by the Bolse Core's lasers |
| Expert | Destroy all 6 energy towers within the first 80 seconds |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Defeat all 30 Venom Fighter I enemies in the first wave with a single bomb |
| Normal | Exit the canyon with fully upgraded shields and lasers |
| Normal | Defeat the Golemech without taking damage from any hazards in its tunnel |
| Normal | Disable all lasers in the tunnel leading to Andross |
| Normal | Make Andross inhale 3 bombs |
| Normal | Defeat Andross within 70 seconds |
| Expert | Defeat 40 Venom Tanks |
| Expert | Reach the temple without breaking a wing |
| Expert | Score 100 hits in the canyon without hitting a teammate |
| Expert | Defeat the Golemech within 45 seconds |
| Expert | Destroy 1 of Andross's hands with a charged shot |
| Expert | While fighting Andross, destroy 10 salvage crates with a single bomb |
| Difficulty | Objective |
|---|---|
| Normal | Defeat Pigma first |
| Normal | Defeat all 4 members of the Star Wolf team without any teammates being downed |
| Normal | Collect all four supply rings dropped by downed Wolfen II fighters |
| Normal | Collect a 1-Up in the tunnel leading to Andross |
| Normal | Destroy both of Andross's floating eyeballs using bombs |
| Normal | Defeat Andross's true form without getting caught by his tendrils |
| Expert | Defeat any Star Wolf member within 35 seconds of their appearance |
| Expert | Defeat all 4 members of the Star Wolf team without breaking a wing |
| Expert | Destroy both of Andross's floating eyeballs within 30 seconds of his transformation |
| Expert | Defeat Andross without taking damage |
| Expert | Defeat Andross's true form without causing him to teleport |
| Expert | Complete the final escape sequence without taking damage |
Hit counts are the backbone of several Expert challenges, and firing faster directly translates to more hits. When playing with the Switch 2 Pro Controller, map the two paddle buttons underneath (GL and GR) to the A/fire action. Hold Home, navigate to the GL/GR Buttons config section, assign both paddles to A, and you now have three separate fingers cycling through fire inputs. This is especially effective during dense enemy waves in stages like Area 6 and Zoness.
On Expert difficulty, any collision causes instant wing damage. A damaged wing makes the Arwing drift, which throws off precision targeting. When a wing breaks, the next laser upgrade item automatically becomes a wing repair pickup instead. Plan your routes through upgrade items accordingly, and prioritize staying clean over chasing extra hits in early sections.
Once a challenge's checkbox appears on screen, the completion is saved. You do not need to finish the mission. For challenges with conflicting requirements in the same stage, this means you can complete one objective, quit, then restart and chase a different one without wasting a full run.
Several Expert challenges require hitting specific hit counts without damaging teammates. Your wingmen (Peppy, Slippy, and Falco) fly alongside you, and stray shots count against you. Practice your lock-on charged shots for grouped enemies rather than spraying free-fire lasers into formations where an ally might be in the crossfire.
Understanding which difficulty rules apply to Challenge Mode helps set expectations before you start.
| Setting | Wing Damage | Continues | Medals Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | None | Unlimited | No |
| Normal | Collision damage | Unlimited | Yes |
| Expert | Instant on collision | None | Expert medals |
Expert Mode itself is locked until you collect all Normal Medals in the campaign, so if Expert Challenges feel out of reach, finishing the Normal medal set is the prerequisite.
For players still getting familiar with the game's systems, the Star Atlas: Holosim page is a separate title worth exploring if you enjoy strategy games alongside arcade action. For everything else in Star Fox on Switch 2, check out the full Star Atlas: Holosim strategy guides collection, or jump straight into the beginner strategies and core mechanics guide to build your foundation before tackling the hardest Expert challenges.
