GameCube on Switch 2: 10 games I'm eagerly awaiting
During the Nintendo Switch 2 console presentation on 2 April 2025, Mario and Zelda's creators announced a pleasant surprise for nostalgic gamers and enthusiasts of early 2000s gaming masterpieces.
New-gen system buyers who subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online service, specifically the Expansion Pack section, will also gain access to games originally released on GameCube.
This new emulator expands the pantheon of truly legendary games included in Nintendo's $50/year package. Currently, Switch owners can enjoy experiences from Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive, and Nintendo Entertainment System (NES).
But still, what relevance does the GameCube have in 2025? Well, many of us grew up with Super Mario Sunshine, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Soulcalibur II, Metroid Prime, and, most importantly, Super Smash Bros. Melee. And the developers in Kyoto are aware of this, delivering precisely the most prestigious titles on day one of the Switch 2 console's market existence.
Personally, I didn't own any current-gen Nintendo system until 2018 — when my brother gifted me a Switch along with Super Mario Odyssey… but I'll never forget the battles between Pikachu and Mario that Luca and I staged around 2003 at the Sony Music & Film store in Unirea Shopping Center in Bucharest. Sometimes we'd find the NBA Courtside 2002 disc, but access was limited to 15 minutes per customer who purchased products worth at least 100,000 lei (the equivalent of 33 RON today, adjusted for inflation)… and that meant I took my dad shopping more often.
Around 2010, I bought a GameCube myself, but I found that games were rare in Romania and quite expensive. And this is where the main argument for Nintendo's online service comes in: for the money you'd spend on a single Wind Waker disc, you get to enjoy a dozen games from a period full of imagination and creativity for a year. Sure, you won't fill your shelves with colourful pieces of plastic, polycarbonate, and aluminium foil. But you'll experience certain things you either missed because you were busy with Metal Gear Solid 2 on PlayStation 2 or Knights of the Old Republic on PC, or you discovered them two decades ago when times were simpler and playtime was more generous.
Currently, the officially confirmed GameCube titles for Nintendo Switch 2 are: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soulcalibur II. However, the service's presentation images also promised Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Strikers, Chibi-Robo!, Luigi's Mansion, and Pokémon Colosseum.
If you were to acquire all these titles in physical format, you'd have to expect to spend well over €600. After all, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance alone sells on eBay for €200-€300.
And yes, there's also a GameCube controller that Nintendo has modernised for Switch 2 standards — which includes a USB-C port, wireless connectivity, and a 'C' button to call friends. But this accessory will probably get its own review when it's released.
Still, what if we got more than that? To have all the jewels forgotten by time and locked on mini-DVDs somewhere in Japan, but also the emeralds and rubies that bring a nostalgic smile to the faces of 2000s gamers who remember them. To unlock the full potential of the purple cube with a handle and pay €500 plus an annual subscription of $60 to get there. And, along the way, to rediscover the joy of playing.
Here are 10 games I'm eagerly awaiting on the Nintendo GameCube emulator for Switch 2, but which haven't been officially announced yet!
10. Super Monkey Ball 2
You have a monkey trapped in a transparent ball, running to collect bananas with the Dole logo. Each level introduces new obstacles and tests your dexterity, patience, and basic physics knowledge. And to progress, you have to reach the finish line at the end of the circuit. What more could you want?!
Super Monkey Ball 2 was released by Sega in an era when arcade experiences and 3D platformers were at their peak popularity. And the fun doesn't require any investment in story or complex character development elements. In a 10-minute break, you'll get at least 9 minutes of relaxation and amusement.
And yes, the game is part of Nintendo's intellectual property portfolio. However, we already have an official Sega Mega Drive emulator, accompanied by some of those pixelated 'blast processing' marvels. Therefore, I tend to believe that such a collaboration is more than probable in the months following the Switch 2 launch.
9. Crazy Taxi
Hey hey hey, since we're talking about Sega games released on Nintendo platforms… let's push the envelope a bit with the frantic Crazy Taxi. This anti-taxi simulator accurately reproduces the automotive fantasies of any teenager who grew up watching music videos from bands like The Offspring, Blink-182, and Sum 41, and dreaming of the lush cityscapes of the West Coast of the United States.
Crazy Taxi puts you behind the wheel of a convertible seemingly rented from Fidel Castro's personal collection and rewards you for the chaos you create in traffic. Your client wants to go to the Levi's store? Rightly so, they'll need a clean pair of trousers after analysing your driving style… and between manoeuvres, your tip increases for every collision avoided.
The atmosphere, music, and character attitudes will teleport you to a bygone era when the Western world was more optimistic and life had simpler pleasures. The reason I don't think we'll see Crazy Taxi on Switch 2 is due to soundtrack licensing: record labels will surely demand a lot of money to allow the use of all the tracks. In the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game, all the songs were replaced. However, the fact that we can now play the original version of Crazy Taxi on mobile (iOS and Android) gives me hope.
8. Skies of Arcadia: Legends
While PlayStation 2 owners boasted about the graphics and immersive experience of Final Fantasy X, GameCube players had to console themselves with Skies of Arcadia… which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
This 2002 gem tells a story of rebels confronting the tyranny of an empire. It includes elements of exploration, turn-based battles like every self-respecting JRPG, plenty of magic, and a lot of solid 7s.
Again, we're talking about a game originally published by Sega on the Dreamcast platform — and one of the least appreciated Japanese RPGs of its generation. Today, Skies of Arcadia: Legends sells on eBay for prices starting from €100… consequently, I'd be delighted if Nintendo could negotiate a partnership that helps millions of players discover a truly outstanding adventure.
7. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
The first Metroid Prime game is truly a masterpiece that transcends the genres it could be categorised into — it's neither a pure FPS, nor a pure Metroidvania, nor survival horror, nor a point & click adventure. Because it has elements of all of them!
On the other hand, the sequel is much more focused on action and shooting. The Space Pirates attacking Samus are more aggressive and intelligent. The levels are vaster and involve less progression based on returning to previous areas. And the atmosphere gains an additional note of tension and mystery.
If we had a remaster for the original and we're getting the fourth part of the series, it would be wonderful if Nintendo also offered us the middle chapters. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes would be a precious addition to Samus's story, and I'm sure many Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will appreciate the challenge.
6. Mario Kart: Double Dash
What, Nintendo hasn't announced anything about the third main Mario Kart game? Even though the SNES original and the N64 3D version are available in the officially emulatable titles collection?!
Well, I'm sure this decision has more to do with the Kyoto company's efforts to sell Mario Kart World for €90 in the first year after the console's release. Later, I hope we'll also get Double Dash.
I'm not making any definitive statements because the GameCube generation's Mario Kart is excellent, fun, and could very well discourage potential buyers of the most recently released title. But sometime around 2027, when the smell of a new kart wears off, I hope I can throw banana peels with Donkey Kong while Mario steers. Because, to this day, Double Dash includes a unique mechanic where two characters are at the helm of each vehicle. Like the tank drivers in Wacky Races, someone has to drive and someone else manages the fight with opponents in the race. He who laughs like Muttley laughs best!
5. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
Rogue Leader is a launch title for the GameCube console — and despite its early release, this game remains among the most spectacular and detailed on the system. If you want, you can call it a 'tech demo'… but it's far from remaining in that state, because the experience of destroying the Death Star with laser fire from an X-Wing is one of the most successful that a GameCube can offer.
Unlockable elements include the ability to pilot the Millennium Falcon, as well as switching sides to decimate the Rebel Alliance from inside Darth Vader's suit. Rogue Squadron II is everything players of the Nintendo 64 original imagined and desired.
But since the first game is not yet available in the Nintendo 64 emulator, the chances of having this jewel of space combat in the GameCube collection are very slim. We can, however, hope that Nintendo will reach an agreement with Disney to offer us this unique experience from 2001 — because the guys at EA could certainly take notes for the next Battlefront.
4. Animal Crossing
Released in 2001, Animal Crossing is the equivalent of the TV series Seinfeld in terms of action. Apparently, you don't do anything significant and you don't have a very well-defined goal. The game has no action, no combat, and no system by which you can lose. Its beauty can be found in exploring the environment, accumulating resources, and using them to build and decorate your dream home.
The possibilities are as rich as in a Sims game — only instead of giving orders to the character and then managing their accumulated points, here you take part in every activity and come to identify much more strongly with the surrounding world.
It could be interpreted that Animal Crossing is also a slavery simulator… that is, if you zealously fulfil the tasks that Tom Nook passes on to you. Initially, he offers you a loan for a house, then sells you all the necessary items in the shop he owns. And if your goal is always to unlock something new, you have to please him. However, you also have the option to completely ignore debts and purchases, to enjoy what the game's universe offers you.
I'd be happy to see Animal Crossing in Nintendo's offering for the GameCube emulator. However, I fear that, for mercantile reasons, this little treat will have to wait. After all, New Horizons for Nintendo Switch is still selling well and, at least mechanically, it's not very different from the original.
3. Wave Race: Blue Storm
The sixth generation of consoles, which includes the GameCube, was notable for lush landscapes surrounded by sparkling blue water. Don't believe me? Look at images of Besaid Island from Final Fantasy X, the whale scene from Sonic Adventure on Dreamcast, and the predominant atmosphere in Super Mario Sunshine.
However, Wave Race: Blue Storm takes this fixation with water reflection to the extreme, offering a visual feast that looks spectacular even by today's standards. Perhaps jetski racing games are a rarity in 2025 and too few studios are willing to take the risks of reviving a bygone trend. But Nintendo just needs to dust off a launch title for the GameCube console.
Given that Wave Race 64 is already available in the N64 emulator, I am firmly convinced that Blue Storm has an extremely high chance of being added in 2025. And rightly so, it's time to bring back the vibrant colours of the early millennium and enjoy the simple pleasures of life without being overwhelmed by political messages or gloomy predictions.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
At the time, Twilight Princess was Nintendo's attempt to deliver the 'serious' game in the Zelda series — a sequel to Ocarina of Time that used the full graphical capabilities of the GameCube console… compared to Wind Waker, which critics considered too childish.
Alongside Rogue Squadron II and Luigi's Mansion, Twilight Princess is among the most graphically advanced games on the platform. After all, it was released in 2006 and represents the bridge between the GameCube and Wii. And Link's ability to metamorphose into a wolf remains an iconic and unique element throughout the series.
The irony of the situation is that Wind Waker has aged better than Twilight Princess. But how can you not appreciate the dark and introspective style of the mid-2000s, in harmony with the fatalism of Majora's Mask and contemporary cinematic trends like the film Batman Begins?
I'm sure Twilight Princess will appear on Nintendo Switch 2. Especially given that the NES, SNES, and N64 emulators spoil us with all the important releases in the series. The relevant question is 'when?'… and the answer most likely depends on the company's marketing strategy. Whenever sales drop and subscriptions aren't as numerous, we'll get a new blockbuster that will make us shell out $60/year.
1. Sonic Adventure 2
Sonic Adventure 2 is a complete triumph for Nintendo, as it marks the defeat of rival Sega. In a 'capture the flag' game, the GameCube brought home Sonic himself — the rival mascot who, a decade ago, threatened the throne occupied by Super Mario.
But putting aside bygone rivalries, Sonic Adventure 2 is an excellent three-dimensional platformer that combines speed with action. It's more spectacular than Mario Sunshine, but doesn't necessarily have gameplay that's as well-polished. The San Francisco-inspired landscapes, through which Sonic carves his way on a surfboard, remain iconic. The lush island landscapes are a true feast for the senses. And the moments when you control Tails or Knuckles are also special, offering multiple ways to traverse the levels.
Perhaps Resident Evil Remake, Viewtiful Joe, SSX 3, or James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing would have equally deserved to be included in this list. And perhaps some of them would even be worthy of the top spot. However, as a Nintendo fan who appreciates Sega's efforts over the years, I want to experience Sonic's most grandiose and spectacular adventure from the Dreamcast and GameCube. And if we already have an entire emulator with Mega Drive games, perhaps we'll also get the cream of the crop in terms of Sega titles… or maybe even a dedicated Dreamcast emulator!
