Nintendo’s GameCube library has been available through the Switch Online Expansion Pack for more than a year, but the selection remains surprisingly small. The service began with F-Zero GX, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Soulcalibur 2, followed by only eight additional games at the time of writing.
These ten releases show how much more of the GameCube catalogue deserves a modern home. For more retro-gaming coverage, visit the RETROCADE Arcade Blog.
10. Animal Crossing
Released: 14 December 2001
The GameCube version of Animal Crossing introduced many players to the series long before Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Its village was populated by animal neighbours, with players fishing, catching bugs, completing errands and earning Bells to repay Tom Nook. Several people could share the same town, making it possible for families to build a life together. Later entries expanded the formula, but returning to the series’ starting point would still be worthwhile.
9. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Released: 5 December 2003
Before Monolith Soft became widely known for Xenosaga, Xenoblade and Zelda support work, it created this distinctive role-playing game. Hero Kalas uses Magnus cards during battles while exploring islands in the sky and solving puzzles. Namco published the title, and Bandai Namco released the Baten Kaitos 1 & 2 HD Remaster in September 2023. That partnership history suggests a return to the GameCube original is not impossible.
8. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Released: 23 June 2002
Silicon Knights’ horror adventure remains famous for its sanity effects. As characters endured supernatural horrors across different periods, the game appeared to interfere with the player’s world: the volume could seem to change by itself, while insects appeared to crawl across the screen. Those tricks supported an ambitious story and richly detailed environments. Its darker subject matter may make a re-release complicated, but the game remains unusually inventive.
7. Metroid Prime
Released: 17 November 2002
Retro Studios successfully translated Metroid into first-person form without losing the series’ exploration and atmosphere. Two sequels followed, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond arrived after a lengthy development period involving multiple developers. Metroid Prime Remastered is already available for Switch, but the original GameCube presentation still has historical value and would be a welcome addition to the subscription library.
6. Mario Kart: Double Dash
Released: 7 November 2003
Mario Kart: Double Dash changed the series by putting two characters in each kart. One handled the driving while the passenger used items against rival racers. Its memorable courses and team-based mechanics supported hours of multiplayer competition, and the formula has never been repeated in quite the same way. It would make a useful companion to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart World.
5. Cubivore: Survival of the Fittest
Released: 21 February 2002
Nintendo published Cubivore in Japan, while Atlus handled releases elsewhere. The publisher generally produced small print runs before Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and Persona became major successes, leaving the game difficult and expensive to find. Its blocky visuals have aged conspicuously, but its unusual survival-focused gameplay remains distinctive. A digital release would give more players the chance to become the game’s next ruler of the beasts.
4. Skies of Arcadia Legends
Released: 26 December 2002
Originally released late in the Dreamcast’s life, Skies of Arcadia returned as Skies of Arcadia Legends on GameCube after Sega ended support for its console. The adventure follows sky pirates travelling between floating islands, exploring on foot and fighting large-scale battles between airships. Its striking world and strong presentation left a lasting impression, while a Switch Online release could introduce the dormant series to a new audience.
3. Mega Man Network Transmission
Released: 6 March 2003
Developed by Arika rather than Capcom internally, Mega Man Network Transmission combined traditional platforming with chip collection. The system gave Mega Man new abilities and created a different experience from the mainline games. Its visuals were divisive, but the overall adventure was solid. Because it has not appeared in later Mega Man compilations, many modern players have either overlooked it or never encountered it.
2. Super Monkey Ball
Released: 14 September 2001
Super Monkey Ball launched alongside the GameCube in North America. Players guided four monkeys inside transparent balls through compact, difficult stages, collecting bananas and reaching the goal before time ran out. Its four-player mini-games made excellent use of the console’s four controller ports, and some groups preferred them to the main challenge. The release established a major Sega series and showed that the GameCube could offer more than updated versions of Nintendo 64 ideas.
1. Super Smash Bros. Melee
Released: 21 November 2001
For many players, Super Smash Bros. Melee remains the definitive entry in Nintendo’s crossover fighting series. Its fast performance, deep combo potential and advanced techniques have sustained a competitive community for years. Players still bring GameCubes to tournaments to experience its precise mechanics, making it one of the clearest candidates for a modern re-release. It would also give owners of a compatible Nintendo GameCube controller for Switch 2 another reason to use it.
These games span role-playing, horror, racing, platforming, strategy and multiplayer action. Bringing even a few to Switch Online would make the GameCube selection far more representative. Until then, an original console remains one option for exploring the catalogue, while a dedicated arcade machine can provide a separate way to enjoy classic gaming at home.
Planning a retro setup? The arcade machine buying guide covers the key decisions before you choose a cabinet.
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