Nintendo Switch Online GameCube Classics: The Good, the Bad, and the Games We Want Next
Nintendo has officially brought GameCube games to its online retro library, and fans of the early 2000s era couldn’t be happier. Branded as “Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics,” the service launched on June 5, 2025, alongside the Nintendo Switch 2, instantly expanding the retro offerings of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier.
With beloved titles like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and Soul Calibur 2 now available for streaming, this long-anticipated update delivers a blast of nostalgia—but it isn’t perfect. Performance hiccups, input lag, and a still-limited game library raise valid concerns.
So what’s working well, what needs improvement, and what GameCube games do fans most want to see added? Let’s dive into a full breakdown of Nintendo’s GameCube Classics on Switch 2.
🎮 What GameCube Games Are on Nintendo Switch Online So Far?
As of now, four major GameCube titles are available on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. Additionally, several more have been announced and are expected to roll out on a monthly basis, taking us into early 2026.
✅ Available Now:
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- F-Zero GX
- Soul Calibur 2
- Super Mario Strikers
🕹️ Confirmed Upcoming Titles:
- Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
- Luigi’s Mansion
- Chibi-Robo!
- Super Mario Sunshine
- Pokémon Colosseum
- Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
If Nintendo sticks to a one-game-per-month schedule, the current roadmap gives us content through January 2026—with many fans hoping for even more titles down the line.
👍 The Good: What’s Working with GameCube on Switch 2?
While retro emulation has historically been a hit-or-miss affair for Nintendo, the new GameCube Classics collection is off to a promising start in several key areas.
📺 Native Widescreen Support
Several titles—including F-Zero GX and Soul Calibur 2—retain native 16:9 widescreen support, and the implementation on Switch 2 is surprisingly well-executed. Whether docked or in handheld mode, these games look crisp and properly scaled, avoiding the squashed or bordered visuals that plagued older emulators.
This attention to detail shows that Nintendo isn’t just dumping ROMs onto the service—they’re taking care to optimize presentation for modern hardware.
🎮 Switch 2 GameCube Controller: A Winning Throwback
The Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube controller is a love letter to the original. It features:
- Classic layout and pressure-sensitive triggers
- Bumpy analog sticks
- Modern additions like Home, Screenshot, and GameChat buttons
- Wireless connectivity and long battery life
For those who miss the iconic feel of the GameCube controller, this is an excellent recreation with a few welcome upgrades. It’s not the most ergonomic modern controller, but it gets the job done and looks the part.
🧩 Custom Button Mapping
One major hurdle with emulating older games on modern systems is button layout inconsistency. Thankfully, Switch 2 supports per-game custom remapping, allowing players to adapt the controls to whatever configuration feels most natural—especially helpful if you’re not using the official GameCube controller.
📶 Improved Stability and Performance
When Nintendo Switch Online first introduced NES, SNES, and N64 titles, users reported frequent audio lag, visual glitches, and input delay. Thankfully, GameCube Classics on Switch 2 avoids most of these pitfalls.
On a solid internet connection, titles like Soul Calibur 2 and F-Zero GX run remarkably smoothly—no screen tearing or audio sync issues here. Nintendo appears to have refined its cloud-streaming technology significantly.
👎 The Bad: Where Nintendo Still Falls Short
No launch is perfect, and even with its strong start, the GameCube Classics service has a few weaknesses that Nintendo should address.
🕹️ Input Lag – Especially in The Wind Waker
The most notable technical issue so far is input lag, which is particularly noticeable in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Players have reported a 200ms delay between pressing a button and seeing a response on screen—especially evident when moving Link from a standstill.
While it’s not game-breaking, it’s far from ideal for a title that emphasizes precise movement and exploration. Fans with access to a Wii U may prefer the HD version, which doesn’t suffer from this problem.
Fortunately, high-speed, reaction-based games like Soul Calibur 2 and F-Zero GX don’t seem to be affected as much—possibly due to their higher 60fps frame rates. However, there are concerns that upcoming 30fps games, like Luigi’s Mansion and Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, could suffer similar issues if the lag is framerate-dependent.
🎮 Limited Game Library (For Now)
With only four games available at launch, the GameCube Classics library is still in its infancy. While a monthly rollout is expected, fans are eager for a larger batch of titles to be added at once. After all, the GameCube had one of the most underrated libraries in Nintendo history—and there’s so much more to explore.
📝 The Wishlist: GameCube Titles We Want on Switch 2
While Nintendo has announced a solid list of upcoming classics, there are dozens more GameCube titles fans are clamoring for. Here’s a look at some of the most-requested GameCube games we’d love to see added to the Switch 2 collection.
🔵 Sega Titles
Sega supported the GameCube heavily after the Dreamcast’s demise, and many of its best games from that era are still fan favorites.
- Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
- Sonic Heroes
- Sonic Riders
- Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II (offline mode support could make this viable)
🟢 Nintendo First-Party Favorites
Some of Nintendo’s most beloved titles are still missing from the announced lineup.
- Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
- Star Fox: Assault
- Wario World
- Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
- Animal Crossing
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games
- Super Smash Bros. Melee (an essential classic with a still-active fanbase)
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
🟡 Niche and Cult Classics
These are the quirky, beloved titles that may not be guaranteed—but we’d love to see them make a surprise return.
- Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
- killer7
- Super Monkey Ball 2
- Geist
- Custom Robo
- Viewtiful Joe
🔴 GameCube RPGs
While the GameCube wasn’t known for having a deep RPG library, the ones it did have were stellar.
- Tales of Symphonia
- Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
- Skies of Arcadia: Legends
- Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (online functionality could be reworked for local play)
Adding these titles would not only enrich the library but also showcase the incredible genre diversity that the GameCube actually had.
📦 Is the Nintendo GameCube Library Worth It?
If you’re already a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriber, the GameCube Classics service is absolutely worth checking out. Even with the limited selection, the lineup is off to a strong start—and the future looks promising.
✅ Great For:
- Longtime Nintendo fans looking to revisit classics
- Players who missed the GameCube generation
- Handheld enthusiasts who want retro gaming on the go
- Gamers who enjoy the flexibility of button remapping and modern wireless controllers
❌ Not Great For:
- Competitive players sensitive to input lag
- Those who prefer physical copies or download-and-play options
- Gamers with poor internet connectivity (since this is a streaming-based library)
🔮 The Future of GameCube on Switch 2
There’s little doubt that Nintendo plans to expand the GameCube catalog on Switch 2. With Taylor-made retro hardware, refined streaming performance, and growing fan interest, this could be the most successful version of Nintendo’s retro service yet.
The monthly release cadence may seem slow, but if Nintendo listens to fan feedback and continues improving emulation performance, the GameCube era could see a full revival on modern hardware.
And who knows—perhaps we’ll even see exclusive remasters or HD upgrades for select titles, especially if demand continues to surge.
📌 Final Thoughts
The arrival of GameCube Classics on Nintendo Switch Online is a long-awaited and mostly satisfying development for fans of the iconic console. With polished visuals, thoughtful controller options, and a solid foundation of games, Nintendo has made a strong first impression.
Still, there’s room for improvement—especially regarding input lag and game availability. But if the current trajectory continues, Nintendo may finally do justice to one of its most underrated consoles.