Nintendo Quietly Confirms Switch 2 GameCube Controllers Can ONLY Be Used With Premium Subscription ‘GameCube Classics’
In yet another Switch 2-related development that only stands to further disappoint players, while many were excited to hear that Nintendo will officially be reprinting the fan-favorite GameCube controller for use with their new hardware, they’ll likely be less than thrilled with the subsequent confirmation that said controllers will only be usable with their recently-launched Virtual Console line of ‘GameCube Classics’.
Per the April 2nd Nintendo Direct presentation that introduced the world to the highly-anticipated console, in addition to a bevy of new titles like Kirby Air Riders, Donkey Kong Banaza, and Mario Kart Tour, the Switch 2’s release will also see the official addition of Nintendo GameCube games to its Virtual Console offerings.
The first such VC release to drop the old ‘Nintendo Switch Online classic game library’ moniker and adopt the much more succinct ‘Nintendo Classics’ one, the collection will be exclusively available on the Switch 2 users with a premium Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack level membership and feature an opening line-up that is currently set to include the first Chibi-Robo entry, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Luigi’s Mansion, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, SOULCALIBUR II (which notably features Link as a guest fighter), Super Mario Strikers, and Super Mario Sunshine.
Further, as part of this new offering, Nintendo will be reprinting a new version of the Gamecube’s controller, with the key difference being its transformation from ‘wired’ to ‘wireless’ and the addition of a dedicated ‘C’ button to use with the Switch 2’s chat functionality (which, unsurprisingly will only be available to Nintendo Switch Online members).
And while this news was initially met with a resounding round of applause from players, in particular those with a penchant for the Super Smash Bros. series, the celebration would soon have a wet blanket thrown on it by the follow-up discovery that rather than being able to be used with any game on the console, be that a Switch, Switch 2, GameCube, or other Virtual Console title, the GameCube reprints will only work with those made available as part of the sixth-generation system’s digital library.
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Curiously, rather than outright reveal this news to players in either their main Direct or any of the subsequent media appearances its staff has made since, Nintendo instead tucked this fact away in an upload of the aforementioned presentation’s specific Gamecube Classics segment made exclusively to their UK-specific YouTube channel, as featured above.
Therein, included at the top of the video’s last slide discussing the controller’s retail launch date is a brief warning to players that “The controller is only compatible with Nintendo CameCube – Nintendo Classics”.
To this end, it’s currently unknown whether these same restrictions will apply to any previously-released GameCube controller, including the original, the wireless Wavebird, and the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate reprints, nor whether the four-controller adapter released for the original Switch will have any level of compatibility with the new system.
Regardless, as noted above, this news is likely to go over as well with Nintendo players as the company’s merciless treatment of fan projects (in other words, not well at all) thanks to the fact that it represents yet another attempt by the developer to nickel-and-dime their customers.
After all, to truly get the most out of the Switch 2, one will need to not only spend $450 on the console itself, but also $50 a years for a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership and $80 minimum for each first-party game (to say nothing of the extra costs a subsequent DLC pack might require).
While the base console price makes it seem like the ‘budget friendly’ option, these costs add-up – and with the introduction of Virtual Console exclusive accessories, it almost seems like Nintendo has lost the plot entirely.
For those ready and willing to take a hit to their wallets, the Nintendo Switch 2 officially releases worldwide on June 5th, though pre-orders in the US and Canada have yet to open due to the economic uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s recent tariff policies.
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