Latest news with #NintendoClassics
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Playing GameCube Classics On Nintendo Switch 2 Is Simply Fantastic
GameCube Classics on Switch 2 Nintendo The Nintendo Switch 2 is officially out as of today, but I was able to secure a pre-order and pick mine up physically last night from GameStop. I then stayed up way too late playing a bunch of different games including Mario Kart World, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 Edition, Street Fighter 6 on Switch 2, and several others, but what actually excited me the most was the small collection of GameCube games added to the Nintendo Switch Online Classics subscription. When the Switch 2 was revealed, Nintendo announced they'd be adding the Nintendo GameCube to the Nintendo Classics lineup with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur 2, and F-ZERO GX kicking off the library. They also confirmed Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Strikers, Chibi-Robo! Plug Into Adventure, Luigi's Mansion, and Pokémon Colosseum are all coming up as well. The ability to play these sorts of games with built-in save states, amazing upscaled visuals, online multiplayer, and butter smooth framerate on a brand-new hybrid console from Nintendo is nothing short of spectacular. It's hard for me to overstate just how monumental this feels as someone born in 1990 who grew up playing these three games, and many others, very specifically as an early teen. Since the Nintendo GameCube was a huge part of my gaming background, I'm extremely excited about the potential here. I even made a list of 13 GameCube games I think would be excellent additions to this library. Fingers crossed Nintendo sees this, right? Naturally, I tried all three of the GameCube games on offer so far and came away extremely impressed. Let's talk about it. Soulcalibur 2 on Switch 2 Bandai Namco This was the big one for me. Soulcalibur 2 is one of the few fighting games I ever really got into growing up and that's almost entirely because of Link's guest appearance. I'm happy to report this game still absolutely rocks. The first thing I did was clear the Arcade mode as Link and thankfully the command list in the pause menu explains all the moves well enough. Eventually, the muscle memory started coming back to me. But what I always loved about Soulcalibur 2 are the other modes beyond basic Arcade, specifically Weapon Master. In the Weapon Master mode, you complete specific challenges that have a bit of light narrative setup around them in order to earn cash to spend on unlocking new weapons for characters. You can then take these new weapons into the Extra Arcade mode and other game modes to alter their fighting style. Link gets access to the Razor Sword from Majora's Mask, a bug catching net, and so much more which all have different reach, attack, and defensive properties. Collecting all the weapons is a blast. Add on excellent online multiplayer now via the Nintendo Classics infrastructure and you have one of my favorite games ported to a new platform with better visuals and new features. Can't go wrong there! F-ZERO GX on Switch 2 Nintendo I've never been the biggest F-Zero fan, but I do appreciate what it tries to accomplish. Personally, I usually prefer combat racing like WipEout and Mario Kart, or even the criminally underrated Blur, but F-Zero is still fun for the pure sense of blistering speed and killer music. The GameCube version of F-Zero here is one of the fastest and most difficult racing games I've ever tried to play and that still holds true over two decades later. Multiplayer works great, even though it's of course split screen even online here, and it's a blast to just try out for a while with a friend. There are tons of characters / ships to unlock so there's plenty of content. F-Zero GX on Switch 2 is a game that basically feels like it just got remastered with little fanfare. Framerate is smooth, resolution is crisp, and everything just looks, sounds, and plays phenomenally. You definitely need to check this one out. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker on Switch 2 Nintendo Now this is probably the one people are most excited about and that's for good reason. Since this is the GameCube original version, however, that means you won't get the quality of life improvements found in the Wii U HD remake or widescreen support, but the tradeoff there is you retain the original art style without the added bloom effects injected into the HD version. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Personally, I prefer the visual style of the original more. It's cleaner and less busy looking with a really distinct aesthetic. Zero complaints here. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker probably has my favorite video game soundtrack of all-time and it's one of the best games in the entire Zelda franchise. I really hope more people get a chance to play it this way and the inclusion of things like save states will make it even better of course. Say what you want about the drawbacks of games locked behind subscription services—I largely agree with the criticisms and would prefer to just buy them individually—but I love that Nintendo is preserving their legacy here. It's no secret that the Switch 2 doesn't have a huge selection of new games to pick from at launch. But what it does of are three of the best games from the early 2000s, upgraded, and easily accessible for a small subscription and that's amazing to me.
Forbes
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
13 GameCube Classics That Could Boost The Nintendo Switch 2's Library
Phantasy Star Online The Nintendo Switch 2 is nearing release this summer and one of the most exciting pieces of news to come out of its reveal was the confirmation that we're finally getting GameCube games added to the library of Nintendo Classics. Currently, a Nintendo Switch Online subscription nets you a massive library of Nintendo Classics including games for the original Nintendo (NES), Super Nintendo, and Game Boy. If you upgrade to the Expansion Pack tier, then you also get games for Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and Sega Genesis. Soon, that higher tier will also include GameCube games—but only for the Switch 2. At launch, the GameCube library will include just three games: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-ZERO GX, and Soulcalibur II. Fortunately, it won't stop there though as Nintendo also confirmed the following games are planned for inclusion in the lineup in the future: Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Strikers, Chibi-Robo! Plug Into Adventure, Luigi's Mansion, and Pokémon Colosseum. Judging from how they've handled the other platforms in Nintendo Classics, we can expect a gradual drip feed of games to continue getting added into the catalog over time. I decided to leave off some obvious games like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which seems like a clear choice given Wind Waker is there day one, or Super Smash Bros. Melee because they'd be crazy not to include that one. I'm also leaving off some fan favorites like Viewtiful Joe because it's already on so many other lists out there and is, frankly, not one of my personal favorites anyway. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Using a mixture of context clues, past additions, current relationships, personal bias, plenty of nostalgia, and a bit of common sense, I came up with a list of 13 games I think would be huge boosts to the Nintendo Switch 2 library worth considering for inclusion. This list could easily be two or three times as long, but I had to make the cutoff somewhere. They're listed alphabetically. The original 1080° Snowboarding on Nintendo 64 is an absolute classic. That era and the era that followed were jam-packed with amazing snowboarding and extreme sport games, so it was a natural evolution for there to be a sequel. While not quite as popular as the first game, this sequel takes everything people loved about the original and cranks it up a few notches with some impressive visuals as well. This would be a great addition, especially since the first game is already on Nintendo Classics for N64. This one might feel like an obvious choice, so I'm mostly hoping it comes sooner rather than later. The original Animal Crossing on GameCube was a landmark release for the platform and is actually an overhauled and revamped version of Animal Forest on Nintendo 64, which only ever got released in Japan. Since Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the second best-selling Nintendo Switch game of all-time at over 47 million units (which is an insane number) I think it's only a matter of time before this one is added to the lineup. I'd imagine around the same time an inevitable sequel is announced would be the ideal time. Now here's one that I really feel like is a bit of an underrated gem on the GameCube. This is a real-time strategy war game spin-off of the turn-based Advance Wars series on Game Boy Advance. Players take on the role of an on-the-field commander in a battalion from a third-person perspective. It's single-player only and has a surprisingly fun and solid campaign. You get to control a large variety of unit types and it really does a nice job utilizing its cel-shaded art style to give a sense of a real, large-scale conflict. While Advance Wars has remained popular, Battalion Wars is kind of forgotten. It did get a sequel for the Wii which added multiplayer, and since it's an exclusive, I could see it coming to the GameCube Classics lineup. I could be wrong, but I feel like this has to be coming to the Nintendo Classics catalog for GameCube on Switch 2. Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is a 3D platformer with a great history as its producer is Yuji Naka, one of the co-creators of Sonic the Hedgehog, it was developed by Sonic Team, and published directly by Sega, who of course has a great relationship with Nintendo these days. Previously, it was a GameCube exclusive, but did eventually get a PC port. Since platformers are a huge part of Nintendo's identity historically, this would be a great selection to fill out the library. The only situation I can see this not coming to GameCube classics is if they have a remastered port in the works. You'll probably notice a trend with some of my selections at this point. I'm mostly focusing on games that are not blatantly obvious selections, but due to their history could be slam dunk picks for the Nintendo Classics catalog. Custom Robo is definitely one of those games. It's an action RPG in which you customize and battle robots in a holographic battle arena. The GameCube title is actually the fourth game in the series, and the most recent one, but it's the only one to get released widely outside of Japan. This game was published by Nintendo directly and Shigeru Yamamoto was actually a producer on the title. This is a game that would truly cause some waves if it actually got added to the Nintendo Classics catalog, but it's more likely than you might think. Eternal Darkness is a psychological action-adventure thriller and it's the first Nintendo-published video game to receive an M rating from the ESRB. It features a complex story spanning many eras and timelines, as well as mind-bending moments that really aim to mess with the player's mind and break the fourth wall. Considered a cult classic and one of the most expensive titles in the library to own these days, I would love to see it added. I've still got my original copy and I frequently cite this as one of my favorite horror games of all-time. Since Silicon Knights, the developer, no longer exists, and it was published by Nintendo, I'd consider it a strong possibility. Elden Ring is coming to Nintendo Switch 2, so it would be awesome if FromSoftware dug into their backlog a bit to revive some of their other pre-Souls franchises. Lost Kingdoms is a severely underrated RPG exclusive to the GameCube, featuring a really unique real-time card-based combat system. The game was published by Activision, but since even Soulcalibur II is coming to Nintendo Classics for GameCube, third-party games are clearly not off the table. It also got a sequel as well named Lost Kingdoms II so maybe a surprise double drop like we got with the Golden Sun games for GBA Classics could be in the cards—pun intended. My bias is showing a little bit with this pick, because I am a massive fan of the Phantasy Star series (both the single-player JRPGs and the Online subseries) but I do genuinely think of this as an iconic game that, despite its popularity and impact, far too few people talk about. Getting it to work correctly could be tricky, and I would honestly prefer a full remaster, but this could still be a great pick for the GameCube Classics portfolio. Phantasy Star Online has the honor of being the first online RPG for consoles. It paved the way for MMOs on consoles with its online infrastructure and influenced loot-based RPG design for years to come. I'd wager we wouldn't have games like Destiny without PSO paving the way first. The tricky part is that the GameCube version was playable offline as a single-player game, or you could take your character online via dedicated servers to play with others. You could also play local split screen multiplayer. The original version on Sega Dreamcast did not include local split screen as an option. Given how the Nintendo Switch Online platform works for Nintendo Classics, I think solo or split-screen only would have to be the limitations, so it would lose a lot of the magic. But it's still one of the best GameCube games ever anyway, if you ask me. Next up on the list is another port of an originally Sega Dreamcast-exclusive RPG in the form of Skies of Arcadia. The GameCube version added Legends to the title, but it's functionally just an enhanced version of the same game. This is a more traditional turn-based RPG, but it's highly regarded as one of the best from the era. Given its sustained popularity and the trend of remastering older JRPGs like this (looking at you Dragon Quest, Lunar, Suikoden, and more) I could see a full-on remaster on the way instead, but I'd still be happy to see it added to the GameCube lineup regardless. Yes, I'm picking another game that started out as a Sega Dreamcast exclusive before coming to GameCube. No, I did not plan to have them all in a row but sometimes that's how the alphabet works. With the massive success of the third Sonic the Hedgehog film, as well as the success of Sonic x Shadow Generations, it seems like an obvious pick to put the spotlight on Sonic Adventure 2, the game that first introduced Shadow as a character. As I've mentioned with a few picks on this list though, it's such an obvious choice that instead we might see a remaster instead, which would be pretty cool. You can actually play this game on tons of modern platforms already, including Xbox Series X and PC via Steam, so if you never got around to checking it out and don't have a Dreamcast or GameCube with tons of spare cash lying around, you can already Escape from the City right now in a more accessible way. For whatever reason, a lot of people didn't like this Star Fox on GameCube game very much. I contend that all of those people are wrong because this is actually, in my opinion, the absolute best Star Fox game in the entire series. Featuring incredible visuals that still hold up to this day, extremely fun flight levels, and the debut of ground-based vehicles and on-foot levels, it's the most varied and consistently fun Star Fox has ever been. Star Fox Adventures is another solid pick as it's essentially a Zelda game with a Star Fox coat of paint, so I'd love to see that one too, but if I had to pick I'd choose the one that exemplifies the core of Star Fox more strongly, which is Star Fox Assault. Not to mention the insanely fun multiplayer mode as well being a perfect fit for Nintendo Classics. This is probably the most obscure game I've picked for my list and I'll explain why. For starters, I love this era of Sega games on GameCube (clearly, as evidenced by the rest of my list) and this is an extremely interesting spin-off that no one talks about. If you know anything about the types of games Nintendo eventually adds to these classic catalogs, then you know this is exactly the kind of thing they'd pick. Virtua Quest is a spin-off of the Virtua Fighter series in which players take on the role of a kid named Sei who works as a hunter inside the virtual universe called the Nexus. In this version of the future, everyone uses this approximation of a VR metaverse to escape the horrors of real life. If you think that sounds a lot like Ready Player One, you'd be right. Here's my final selection for this list, another less-loved GameCube sequel to a beloved Nintendo 64 extreme sport racing game. Did you know the first Wave Race was actually released on the original Game Boy? The sequel, Wave Race 64, went on to become a groundbreaking game for its realistic water physics and extremely addictive gameplay and the sequel is no different. It doesn't have the same novelty of its predecessor, but the gameplay feels even smoother with amazing water effects and lots more content and game modes to enjoy in the GameCube iteration. Since we're getting F-ZERO GX on day one, I feel like this one is inevitable at some point since the original is already in the service. As I said earlier, this list could have been way longer but I decided to cut it off at 13 because I like that number. If you have other suggestions for GameCube games you want to see, or reasons why you think my picks are especially terrible (or great) let me know over in the comments.
Metro
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
6 GameCube games that need to come to Nintendo Switch 2 - Reader's Feature
A reader names the GameCube games he'd like to see come to the Nintendo Switch 2's online service, from Eternal Darkness to Super Smash Bros. Melee. The long-awaited announcement of GameCube games being added to the Nintendo Classics library, as part of their Nintendo Switch Online service, has been cause for rejoicing amongst fans. To finally play the console's iconic classics, as well as a few rare gems, on a modern system in HD is extremely exciting. But there are still some must-see titles missing from the currently confirmed line-up that I hope will be added in the near future. One of the most obvious omissions so far is the GameCube's own entry in the Mario Kart series. Double Dash is still one of the most unique Mario Karts to date, with its two drivers to a kart concept, character-specific power-ups, and some of the best tracks in the whole franchise. These features still make a great case for revisiting Double Dash all these years later, and with it supporting up to 16-players, additional online play would make for a chaotic experience! Kirby's often forgotten kart racer on the GameCube made for a great alternative to the Mario Kart formula. Utilising Kirby's mechanics in its racing, players inhale enemies around the track and use their gained abilities in lieu of power-ups, plus there was as an open-ended challenge mode. The game went under the radar and has become a rather rare title, but with the newly announced sequel for Switch 2 – called Kirby Air Riders – it would be great to experience the GameCube original alongside it. One of the most ambitious and unique horror games of its time, Eternal Darkness became an icon of the genre and one of the GameCube's most interesting exclusives. Telling a sprawling story across history, with three branching paths and touting its renowned *sanity effects* mechanic that range from subtle details to breaking the fourth wall, delivering at the time an incredibly effective and memorable psychological horror experience. It's sadly never been seen again outside of its sole GameCube release but now is a perfect opportunity for many to experience this terrifying masterpiece again. Arguably the superior version, when compared to the Wii port, Twilight Princess delivered the more cinematic and realistic Zelda experience fans had been clamouring for. Some incredibly memorable characters, a fantastic atmosphere, and some of the best dungeons in the entire series make it a standout and one that many would be glad to see return. If we'll never see the fantastic Wii U remasters come to Switch, then having them join the classic line-up alongside The Wind Waker would certainly be welcome. It was almost baffling to see Melee excluded from the launch line-up, considering its immense popularity, being arguably the best entry in the series. Melee has remained a fan favourite and mainstay within the competitive scene for good reason; its fast-paced nature combined with some of the most precise, responsive, slick, and varied controls and mechanics in any fighting game has allowed it to really stand the test of time. It seems like a no-brainer to eventually bring it to the Switch; combine that with the potential for online multiplayer, and you're onto a winner. This is a very personal pick and not even a GameCube exclusive, but I know for definite I won't be alone in this one. The Simpsons take on the GTA formula is as cult classic as it gets; not breaking any new ground but simply being an incredibly fun, nostalgic, and hilarious experience. More Trending Elevated by that Simpsons charm, exploring the show's world with the original cast and too many references to count. Demand for a remaster or simply any modern port has been immense; even a spot in the Classics line-up would be triumphantly hailed by many. By reader George Buckland The reader's features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro. You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@ or use our Submit Stuff page and you won't need to send an email. MORE: Ghost Of Yōtei this week is where PlayStation officially gave up - Reader's Feature MORE: Nintendo Switch 2: the best and the worst of the new console – Reader's Feature MORE: Getting married won't stop me playing video games - Reader's Feature
Forbes
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
GameCube Games Are Finally Going To Nintendo Switch, But Only Switch 2
GameCube games are coming to Switch 2 Nintendo Earlier this week, Nintendo announced that they're finally bringing GameCube games to their subscription-based Nintendo Switch Online service—now known as Nintendo Classics—with one major catch: GameCube games are only for Switch 2. The GameCube is one of my absolute favorite game consoles and fans like me have been waiting for Nintendo to finally add it to the growing catalog of systems included with Nintendo Switch Online subscriptions. Thankfully, we don't have to wait much longer since the Switch 2 is out very soon and three GameCube titles will hit the Nintendo Classics lineup straight away on that day. At launch, the GameCube lineup will consist of three fan-favorite titles: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-ZERO GX, and Soulcalibur II. The inclusion of Soulcalibur II is particularly interesting because that's of course a Bandai Namco series, but its second entry famously included exclusive guest characters on each of its respective platforms. In the GameCube version (the best version, in my opinion), you can play as Link from The Legend of Zelda series. I have fond memories of unlocking all of Link's various costumes and weapons in the single-player Weapon Master mode. His arsenal is full of great references to the Zelda franchise. More titles are also coming in the future for the GameCube selection in Nintendo Classics, as Nintendo specifically showed Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Super Mario Strikers, Chibi-Robo! Plug Into Adventure, Luigi's Mansion, and Pokémon Colosseum all on-screen during the reveal. According to the YouTube video description and voiceover in the announcement video, players will 'enjoy clearer image quality, with higher screen resolution than the original GameCube releases' and compatible titles will support both local and online multiplayer. Racing in F-ZERO GX online or pitting Nightmare against Link in Soulcalibur II with a friend on the other side of the world is going to be wild. You'll be able to remap and customize the controls for each game as well. Multiplayer games will support online play Nintendo In addition to the fact that you'll only have access to GameCube games with a Switch 2—not the existing Nintendo Switch—you will also have to subscribe to the optional highest tier of Nintendo Switch Online dubbed the Expansion Pack, which also includes Sega Genesis, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo 64 titles, among other bonuses and DLC. As if that wasn't enough news for GameCube fans in the year 2025, Nintendo also revealed that a dedicated GameCube controller will be released for the Switch that looks just like the original indigo version. It will be wireless similar to the other Nintendo Classics controllers such as the NES, SNES, N64, and Genesis options.
