The Nintendo Switch has an abundance of controllers to choose from, but nothing quite hits like the N64 or GameCube controllers. We’ve seen re-releases of them in various forms over the years, and that trend looks set to continue with the Nintendo Switch 2. That’s if you’re up for some detective work, as avid Nintendo sleuths are convinced a fresh spin on the GameCube controller is in the works.
On Friday, March 14, 2024, a fresh filing from Nintendo appeared on the United States’ Federal Communications Commission website. Listed under the purpose of “original equipment”, the potential Nintendo Switch 2 accessory features 2.48GHz Bluetooth capabilities, with a 4.3mW power output – a common set of parameters for Nintendo Switch controllers. Previous reworks of classic controllers to operate this way, along with USB-C charging, include the Nintendo Switch Online Super Famicom controller.
Where it gets exciting is over this recent Famiboards thread, where user ‘Pokemaniac’ suggests that the accompanying blueprint for the filing is seemingly obscuring key details of the unannounced Nintendo Switch accessory, despite lining up with the GameCube controller’s shape.
Using an overlay to draw the comparison between the two, the label location does appear to match up with the GameCube rear logo placement, and placement of the C-Stick.
A key detail within the document is that this filing uses the Nintendo Switch 2’s model number prefix, BEE, as opposed to its predecessors (HAC). There isn’t any evidence to suggest this accessory could be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, though, despite this. While the Nintendo Switch 2 makes changes to the Joy-Cons with a magnetic rail overhaul, we speculate that older Nintendo Switch controllers may still be compatible with the handheld.
GameCube games have never quite had the same spotlight as other Nintendo platforms on NSO during the Nintendo Switch’s lifespan. Other consoles, such as the N64, have had their dues in the spotlight, but the addition of beloved GameCube games remains elusive. Perhaps the Nintendo Switch 2 could change this, making it possible to get gems like horror game legend Eternal Darkness on NSO.
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