The rumors are true - GameCube games will soon be playable on theNintendo Switch 2via the Nintendo Switch Online service. NSO allows players to access a variety of different games from retro consoles, expanding its collection over the years - most recently, the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy Advance were added as part of the Expansion Pack subscription. As the only official way to play many of these classic Nintendo games, NSO represents a massive development in game preservation.
Several Gamecube Classics Launch Alongside Switch 2
Everything Coming To NSO’s Gamecube Library At Launch
The GameCube library on NSO appears to be limited at launch, consisting of just three games:The Wind Waker,Soulcalibur 2, andF-Zero GX. That’s nothing to sneeze at. These are all excellent games in their own right.The Wind Wakeris one of the most belovedZeldagames, owing to its unique art style and open sea exploration.Soulcalibur 2is a fighting game renowned for its incredible crossover roster. AndF-Zero GXis a fast-paced racing game with a high difficulty curve and lots of replay value.
Butthat library will be greatly expanded with later releases. All the following games have been confirmed for GameCube on NSO, with release dates to be determined:
That’s a pretty impressive lineup, even if it’ll take some time to get here. Of course,there’s potential for a lot more of the GameCube library to be addedover time - this is just what we know of for now.
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GameCube Has Always Belonged On NSO
A Long-Awaited Addition
It’s no great surprise to see GameCube titles finally coming to NSO - the way Nintendo’s been adding support for new consoles,it was really only a matter of time. Still, it’s a great surprise. Fans have been begging for GameCube-eraZeldaon Switch ever since theSkyward Swordremaster came out, so even just the addition ofThe Wind Wakerwas worth the wait.
This is alsoa major win for game preservation. There’s no other official way to play most of the NSO’s anticipated GameCube library, except purchasing used copies of the games and a working GameCube - and with the way retro game collecting has gone in recent years, that can be prohibitively expensive.
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I do wish these titles were available for individual purchase, as they were on the Wii U’s Virtual Console. It’s an impressive library, and I’d love to be able to play these games on the big screen without having to dig out my old GameCube (if it even still works) and fuss around with RCA to HDMI converters - I just wish I could buy the games I wanted once, and keep them as long as I wanted, without having to pay a monthly fee. Still, I have to acknowledge that GameCube on NSO is a big selling point for theNintendo Switch 2.
