As a child I was lucky enough to have a few gaming consoles that shaped me into the nerd I am today, but few were as important as the Nintendo GameCube. When I first got this little box of joy I was just reaching the age of having disposable income, from pocket money and then a paper round. This meant it wasn’t just Christmases and Birthdays where I got new games to play, and suddenly I was able to try out a whole lot more video games than ever before. Because of this the GameCube is probably the console I have the most complete knowledge of, and that means I’m especially excited for its games to come to Switch Online on the Nintendo Switch 2.
As soon as this was announced my mind jumped to all the games that could be added to the service. Those childhood favourites that would soon be accessible to the masses and bring many a whole lot of nostalgia. With a starting lineup including three absolute bangers (The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Soul Calibur 2 and F-Zero GX) I’ll be playing GameCube games on a sexy new handheld device on day one and I can’t wait.
With a cracking library of titles in the GameCube library, the future looks bright for this service. I wanted to highlight the fifteen I’d be most excited for on this list though, with a few caveats. Obviously the games already announced won’t be listed below (the launch titles and extras shown in the Nintendo Switch 2 direct). This means no Pokémon games, no Mario Strikers, no Chibi Robo, no Fire Emblem, no Luigi’s Mansion and no Super Mario Sunshine. I will be playing them all of them, though, of course
I’m also not including any games with modern remakes available on Switch, because I think it’s less likely they’ll be added and I’d also be less excited to replay them. I would absolutely have Metroid Prime, Paper Mario, and the Pikmin games featured here, but they already have a happy home on the Switch right now. Well that’s the housekeeping sorted – without further ado let’s talk about some absolute classics, fifteen of them in fact.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
It might not quite be my favourite game in Mario’s golfing spinoff series (although Mario Golf on the Nintendo 64 is available on Switch Online too) but I think it’d be a blast to play a few holes while sat on a train or on the loo. With the added spin mechanics and more wacky Mario themed courses than ever, there’s a lot of fun to be had in Toadstool Tour that would definitely tickle my birdie.
Doshin the Giant
I’ll admit I didn’t really understand Doshin the Giant as a kid, but it’s a weird game with a silly yellow giant who deserves more love. God games barely exist anymore, let alone ones this intensely bizarre. You’ve got to balance out the all time classics with a few curiosities, and what’s more curious than Doshin and his evil alter ego Jashin helping or harming villagers? Nothing that’s what.
Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
A fantastic follow up to a Nintendo 64 classic, Rogue Leader was such a delight for all of us noughties Star Wars fans. Absolutely all of the Rogue Squadron games are fun to play even today, and this one is almost certainly the pinnacle of the series. At the time the visuals were absolutely outstanding, and I’ll never get bored of taking down the Death Star no matter how many games make me do it.
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
In my opinion probably the best platformer not made by Nintendo on the system. This creative game involves rolling and hatching eggs full of badass elemental critters, and a whole lot of creative ideas alongside this. Not a game that really gets enough love, and I’d like to hope that a modern audience might see the appeal of this cluckin’ good time.
Kirby Air Ride
With a sequel in the works, surely those who didn’t play the original Kirby racing game might want to experience what it was all about. Kirby was pretty absent on the GameCube (as his pink puffyness was required over in the handheld world of Nintendo at the time) so to highlight this Nintendo staple Kirby Air Ride seems more than suitable. It was a little divisive back in the day, and given I’ve played very little of it I’d be keen to see which side of the fence I land on.
Custom Robo
Now this is secretly the game I want on Switch Online more than any other on this list, because it never released in Europe. There was a Custom Robo game I adored on the DS though, which featured awesome mech arena combat and absolutely stole my heart. A home console version of that could be something special, and I’d like to actually try it for the first time.
Eternal Darkness
The dictionary definition of a cult classic, the GameCube’s answer to Resident Evil (as well as also having Resident Evil) was Eternal Darkness. Featuring a sanity mechanic you’ve probably seen replicated dozens of times by now, Eternal Darkness was a creative horror experience that paved the way for all sorts of other spooky experiences. It’s criminal that this game didn’t get a sequel or follow up, so at the very least fans would appreciate an easy way to play it in 2025 and beyond.
Star Fox Adventures
What do you get when you combine dinosaurs with the 3d Zelda games of the past? You get a bizarre Star Fox spinoff game of course. Although never quite as incredible as a proper Zelda game, Star Fox Adventures has plenty of charm thanks to the setting. It also features some short but sweet Arwing sections for fans of classic Star Fox, which admittedly everyone wanted way more of.
It just feels like Switch Online is the perfect place for Star Fox Adventures, because although few people are desperate for a full on remake I know many could be tempted into a trip down memory lane with this unusual Fox McCloud title.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Despite plenty of entries and spinoffs, my favourite Metal Gear game has always been the original Metal Gear Solid. Twin Snakes is a remake of that, which changes a bunch of things and was weirdly a GameCube exclusive. It’s also somehow the most expensive retro game you could ever hope to buy, and as such is locked away forever for many people – including me. There are few individual games that would immediately ensure people sign up to Switch Online without hesitation, but Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is one hundred percent one of them.
The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess
Everyone’s favourite Wii launch title, which was also released on the GameCube. I’d put money on this coming to Switch Online before too long, and for many that day will be a great one. The Wind Waker’s more mature sibling introduced beloved characters like Midna and Zant, and is generally yet another cracking Zelda game I’d play through again in a heartbeat. I’ve also never played it without the Wii waggle controls for my sword (and I imagine this isn’t uncommon) so that’s another reason it’d be particularly exciting to play it on the Switch 2.
Super Smash Bros Melee
Almost certainly the most beloved game in the best fighting game series of all time, Super Smash Bros Melee is just spectacular. Building on and improving everything the first game offered, Melee has it all. The roster (although much smaller than later entries) is stacked, the combat is lightning fast and the multiplayer potential is limitless. I’m not sure there’s a single game I played more as a teenager than Melee, and I’d happily put dozens more hours into it again given the opportunity.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Since it didn’t get the remaster treatment its predecessor did, it’s only fair we get the opportunity to play it on Switch Online. Building on the mysterious world you explored in the first game, Metroid Prime 2 is all about light and dark. The oppression you feel in the dark world locations is almost unmatched, and the beloved Metroidvania hooks are as juicy as ever. Since we have Metroid Prime 4 coming later this year I can think of very few games I’d like to replay more, and hopefully Nintendo will understand this and provide as they often do.
Viewtiful Joe
Henshin a go go baby, there aren’t a whole lot of games I love more than Viewtiful Joe. Featuring gorgeous comic book style visuals, flashy special effects based attacks and fiendish boss fights, Viewtiful Joe is a powerhouse of a title that demands to be played. It was a GameCube exclusive for a little while too, which makes it feel even more ideal for the Switch Online Service. If it was up to me we’d get Viewtiful Joe, Viewtiful Joe 2 and the bizarre fighting game Viewtiful Joe Red Hot Rumble all at once, but I’ll be content with any of them.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Master Quest
Some may think that this is a weird inclusion, but the only way to play Ocarina of Time Master Quest is on the GameCube. This hard mode version of one of the greatest games of all time is rather fiendish, but in all the right ways for us Ocarina of Time veterans. Of all the Zelda games that could be added to the Switch Online service this would be the one I’d be most excited to play, which is pretty telling considering all the incredible Zelda options on the GameCube.
Mario Kart: Double Dash
For a long time this was my absolute favourite Mario Kart game, and in a year where everyone is talking about Mario Kart we might as well get access to another one. Double Dash has everything you’d want from a Mario Kart game, fantastic tracks, tense moments and loads of beloved Mario characters to race as. The cool new mechanic of having two racers per kart is great as well, allowing for bonus weapons and plenty of combinations. We’ll already be playing hundreds of hours of Mario Kart World on the Switch 2 anyway, so why not add more to that playtime with a stone cold classic.
