With the recent announcement of a Nintendo Switch Online playtest program, many have been speculating what new feature will be coming to the Switch in the not-so-distant future. The obvious guess is that Nintendo is considering adding a catalog of GameCube games to NSO, letting players relive the sixth console generation without relying on belated ports/remakes. Fueling that speculation is a Resetera thread that has been digging through shipment notifications of components Nintendo has received, which notes that the Big N has been receiving parts related to the GameCube controller in large quantities (and general Switch 2 components).
As if that wasn’t enough evidence of the existence of a GameCube NSO app, the Switch’s recent 19.0.0 firmware update broke compatibility with most third-party GameCube controller adapters. While that is likely because Nintendo wants players to buy its official adapter, it could also be that a theoretical GameCube app would need a specific adapter to operate 100% accurately. I’m not quite sure what the difference is or even which third-party peripherals no longer work, but that’s the entire point of speculation. You can never truly know until reality happens.
When I was first presented with this rumor going around, my response was simple: Hasn’t Nintendo been producing new GameCube controllers for over a decade now? Back in 2014 when Smash for Wii U was released, Nintendo made a big deal out of creating an adapter for its ill-fated first HD console that allowed players to use the GameCube pad. Nintendo even started creating a brand-new version of its famous purple gamepad that not only had the Smash logo on it but included a much longer cable. These controllers were fully backward compatible with the purple lunchbox as they were simply GameCube controllers. There was nothing fancy going on beneath the hood. To this day, you can buy brand-new, factory-sealed GameCube controllers that function on original hardware, the Wii U, and the Switch.
Initially, I figured it was just people jumping to conclusions, as the internet loves to do. When I looked a little closer and started ruminating on a potential GameCube NSO app, I realized what could be happening here. For all of the console-specific NSO apps, Nintendo has recreated the original controllers with wireless capabilities for fans who want a more authentic experience. Maybe this mass shipment of GameCube controller parts isn’t for the GameCube pads we already have and continue to get, but a potential wireless version that isn’t simply the Wavebird. While the Wavebird is phenomenal and does function on the Wii U and Switch, it still requires a GameCube adapter to operate. Without that, it’s no more than a paperweight.
So does this point to new GameCube controllers getting produced behind the scenes for some big NSO app? I really don’t know with Nintendo. When you think the obvious is going to happen, Nintendo loves to swerve into something unexpected. The description of what this upcoming NSO playtest needs is leading many to believe Nintendo is getting into streaming games as it states that all participants should be playing in docked mode with a hardwired connection. That is reasonable, but then I don’t truly believe Nintendo is going that route. Why would it simply stream GameCube games instead of letting players download them?
When you look at something like Sony’s PlayStation Plus service that allows players to stream PS3 games on their PS4s and PS5s, that isn’t because the consoles aren’t powerful enough to potentially emulate them (although the PS4 is not). The PS3 has wildly different console architecture than what we’ve gotten some Sony since 2013. The Switch does run on a mobile CPU, for sure, but Nintendo has already released official ports of GameCube games on the system. Super Mario 3D All-Stars, for instance, utilizes a mixture of emulation and porting to get Super Mario Sunshine running. We also just got a remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door that heavily reuses code from the GameCube original. The Switch is absolutely capable of running GameCube games.
I could see Nintendo releasing wireless versions of the GameCube controller simply to give players more options, however. If you’ve ever looked for the GameCube controller adapter and come up empty-handed, you’ve likely noticed companies such as Hori, NYXI, and PowerA have Switch Pro Controllers that reuse the GameCube shell. It’s essentially the same thing, but Nintendo might want people buying official versions versus third-party variants.
Whatever the case, I wouldn’t read too much into anything Nintendo does. As history has repeatedly shown, Nintendo does not take the easy route when it comes to anything.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
