Nintendo Switch Online GameCube Wishlist

Nintendo Switch owners have essentially been waiting since the console's launch back in 2017 for GameCube emulation to make its way to the platform, and in a move that's undeniably "Nintendo", the company is finally making it happen 8 years later...on the Switch 2. While the GameCube's Nintendo Switch Online classic game collection being Switch 2-exclusive is a bit of a bummer, it's still exciting to think that there are several classics on that long-dead console that will finally make their way to a brand-new, modern platform. We already know that F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and SoulCalibur II will be available upon the Switch 2's launch, and the following titles are ones we hope to see added soon after to Nintendo Switch Online's GameCube collection.

• Release Date — September 16, 2003
• Developer — Radical Entertainment
• Publisher — Vivendi Universal Games
• Genre — Action-Adventure, Open-World
• Review Aggregate Score — 79% (Generally Favorable)

Arguably one of the greatest licensed games of all time (and certainly the best video game adaptation of The Simpsons), The Simpsons: Hit & Run is a hilarious and lighthearted take on the open-world action game that features plenty of nods to the show throughout the years and lovingly recreates the iconic town of Springfield as an open-world sandbox. The title was a multi-platform release at the time of its original launch, but the GameCube version has somehow withstood the test of time to become a cult classic and one of the console's most beloved titles. The GameCube collection on Nintendo Switch Online is sure to get plenty of third-party games, and Hit & Run should definitely be one of them.

• Release Date — September 14, 2001
• Developer — Nintendo Software Technology
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Racing, Simulation
• Review Aggregate Score — 80% (Generally Favorable)

The original Wave Race 64 would end up being one of the Nintendo 64's technical showpieces at launch, and Wave Race: Blue Storm did much the same for the GameCube. This gorgeous jet ski racing game has some impressive water physics and animations almost a quarter-century after its release, and it's somehow a title players commonly overlook when discussing the best games on the GameCube. Its arrival on the Nintendo Switch Online service's GameCube collection could inspire Nintendo to revive this long-dormant franchise and give us a new entry, and imagining how that would look with the Switch 2's technical specs is enticing.

• Release Date — September 23, 2002
• Developer — Rare
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Action-Adventure
• Review Aggregate Score — 82% (Generally Favorable)

Perhaps one of Rare's most underrated games, Star Fox Adventures seems to be mostly forgotten except by those who played it. For those who got to experience this excellent title back upon its original release, it's fondly remembered as a very competent Zelda-like game that sees Fox McCloud ditch his trusty Arwing to take to the surface of a planet and fight some dinosaurs. It's a shame that the GameCube doesn't have a genuine follow-up to Star Fox 64, but Star Fox Adventures is a comfortable middle ground that sees Rare do a commendable job crafting a 3D action-adventure game, and it needs a second lease on life on Nintendo Switch Online.

• Release Date — November 21, 2001
• Developer — HAL Laboratory
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Fighting
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)

Out of all the Smash Bros. games, Super Smash Bros. Melee still has one of the strongest continuing fan and player bases, owing to its near-perfect gameplay balance among fighters. The Smash series continues to get bigger and includes more and more fighters, but there's something special about the balance that the second entry in the series strikes with its roster and level selection, which helps it remain a popular choice among Smash Bros. competitors. If you wanted to entice Smash fans to buy a Switch 2, having Smash Bros. Melee on the Nintendo Switch Online's GameCube collection would be a great way to do it.

• Release Date — July 11, 2003
• Developer — HAL Laboratory
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Racing
• Review Aggregate Score — 61% (Mixed or Average)

The surprise announcement of a sequel to Kirby Air Ride as an upcoming Switch 2 title at the Nintendo Direct presentation, revealing the console and its launch date, was entirely unexpected. The original Kirby Air Ride famously began its life as a Nintendo 64 title before delays in development shifted it to the GameCube, where it got a lukewarm critical reception but has long been loved by a fervent fanbase. With the sequel coming to Switch 2 next year, it's arguably the perfect time to introduce players to the franchise with the original game as part of the GameCube collection playable on Nintendo's new hardware.

• Release Date — April 20, 2005
• Developer — Intelligent Systems
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — TRPG
• Review Aggregate Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)

The Fire Emblem series is mostly associated with handhelds, but it's worth pointing out that the GameCube and Wii entries in the series (Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn, respectively) are just as good as some of the best entries on the GBA or 3DS. With Fire Emblem: Three Houses being a major hit on the Nintendo Switch (and Fire Emblem Engage being a great, if not stripped-down, follow-up), Intelligent Systems could tide over fans hungry for a new mainline entry by bringing the excellent Path of Radiance to the Switch 2 via Nintendo Switch Online and the GameCube classic game collection.

• Release Date — March 9, 2004
• Developer — Konami Computer Entertainment Japan, Silicon Knights
• Publisher — Konami
• Genre — Stealth Action
• Review Aggregate Score — 85% (Generally Favorable)

The original PS1 version of Metal Gear Solid is arguably one of the greatest video games ever made, and fans have been clamoring for a remake on modern hardware for decades now. Of course, we've already had one remake of the original Metal Gear Solid, which is the GameCube-exclusive Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. Developed by Silicon Knights with the production overseen by none other than Hideo Kojima himself, The Twin Snakes is a commendable effort at remaking one of the most important games from the 5th generation, even if it stumbles in some parts thanks to its changes in tonality. Still, a GameCube collection on Switch Online wouldn't feel complete without it.

• Release Date — June 24, 2002
• Developer — Silicon Knights
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Survival Horror
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)

When players think of games that are woefully trapped on the GameCube, Eternal Darkness is likely going to land at or near the top of the list. This incredible and unique survival horror game sees players take on the role of an entire family throughout history as they struggle to beat back an eldritch horror threatening mankind, and it's proof positive that we need more Lovecraftian Resident Evil clones. The game's most unique element, its "Sanity System" and reality-distorting effects, just saw its patent lapse, meaning it's the perfect time for Nintendo and Silicon Knights to partner back up on bringing Eternal Darkness to a more contemporary audience.

• Release Date — November 18, 2001
• Developer — Factor 5, LucasArts
• Publisher — LucasArts
• Genre — Arcade Flight, Action, Shooter
• Review Aggregate Score — 90% (Universal Acclaim)

Simply put, we need more Star Wars flight games. Despite the flight sim being one of the most popular genres for Star Wars games throughout the years, the last one we got was Star Wars: Squadrons back in 2020. But even that game paled in comparison to past greats, like the GameCube launch title Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader. Rogue Leader took everything great about Rogue Squadron on the Nintendo 64 and dialed it up to 11, and it's almost criminal that the title remains trapped on the GameCube and completely unplayable anywhere else. Rogue Leader also still looks and sounds great despite being almost 25 years old, making it a perfect candidate for an emulated version on the Switch 2.

• Release Date — July 18, 2002
• Developer — Nintendo EAD
• Publisher — Nintendo
• Genre — Platformer
• Review Aggregate Score — 92% (Universal Acclaim)

The fact that Wind Waker is coming to the GameCube classic game collection on Switch 2 means that another classic from the console's library isn't far behind: Super Mario Sunshine. Like Wind Waker, Mario Sunshine is an outlier in the 3D Mario series thanks to its tropical setting and unique FLOOD backpack gameplay, and it's also one of the best games in the GameCube library. Thankfully, Nintendo is keenly aware of how much love players have for Mario Sunshine, and its arrival on the Switch 2's GameCube classic game collection is a matter of "when", not "if".