The Direct for the Nintendo Switch 2 back in April was nothing short of a treat, showing off a new Mario Kart game, a sequel to one of the rarest Kirby games out there (more on that later), and the reveal that numerous big triple-A games like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, Borderlands 4, and Star Wars: Outlaws are coming to the new console. However, while I can't wait to play some of my favorite games from the last few years again, I might be even more keen to dive into the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube collection.
For so long, I've wanted a GC collection on NSO, and now it's happening, though only for members who own a Nintendo Switch 2. The games already coming to the service represent some of the best experiences on the GameCube: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, Pokémon Colosseum, and Luigi's Mansion, to name just a few. While Wind Waker is available on day one, along with Soulcalibur II and F-Zero GX, we have to wait a little longer for the others, but at least we know Super Mario Sunshine and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness are coming.
Don't get me wrong, those are some exciting games that deserve a spot in the collection, but I think a few more need to join Nintendo Switch Online sooner rather than later. However, October, or spooky season, would make sense for the first GC game I'd also like to see on Switch 2. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem.
Yeah, did you know that Eternal Darkness is a GameCube exclusive? Unless you have an original copy (and I do), there's no other way to play the game. Sure, Nintendo likes its family-friendly image, but it should think at least a little bit about its older audience, too, especially when it's sitting on one of the best horror games ever made. It's a crying shame that not more horror aficionados can play it, but that's easily rectifiable with its inclusion in the GameCube NSO collection.
The second game I want to see is Mario Superstar Baseball. We've got soccer, golf, and tennis Mario games available on the Nintendo Switch, so I think it's high time the Italian plumber steps up to the plate once more. In the UK, it can cost a pretty penny to add this game to your library, reaching prices of up to £200 on eBay, though it's a bit more reasonable in the US, with $70 seemingly being the higher end of the price. Still, Nintendo could save us all some money by adding Mario's baseball game to the Switch 2 GameCube collection, preferably with motion controls.
Okay, I do have a second Mario game I'd like to see in the GameCube Collection, but I can understand its exclusion for now. Mario Kart: Double Dash is an absolute blast, and that's coming from someone who went on record to say Mario is boring (only Mario, can't get enough of Luigi and those mansions), so to me, it's pretty essential that Double Dash arrives on the service at some point, though not wanting it to collide with the Mario Kart World release date makes sense.
While a fair few GameCube games can claim to be rare, Kirby Air Ride is one that consistently sets you back at least $150 to $200 (up to £260 in the UK) if you want to get the game with the manual, though you can get it for around $60 without it on eBay. So, again, just like with Mario Superstar Baseball, it'd be nice to see another pricey GameCube game become part of the collection. Admittedly, out of all the games I'd like to see, this one feels incredibly likely before the year ends with the upcoming release of Kirby Air Riders.
Finally, while I'm more than happy to see Soulcalibur II take its rightful place among the launching games for the GC NSO collection, I can't help but think of another fighting game that should be part of it, especially since it doesn't appear as though there's a new entry on the way just yet (though you never know what Nintendo is cooking up). Super Smash Bros. Melee is the second game in the series, and it was a great source of entertainment for me and my friends as a kid - plus, I'll take all opportunities to kick butt as Pikachu.
Sure, you could still play Super Smash Bro. Ultimate, but if there can be numerous Mario Party games on both the Switch and the NSO service, then Super Smash Bros. can get the same treatment. Okay, I know I said that's my last pick (though there are plenty more GC games I think should come to the service), but I'll take any opportunity to talk about The Simpsons Hit & Run. If we're never going to get that remake we all want, then the least the powers that be can do is put the GameCube version on Nintendo Switch Online. It would quiet me down about it. For a while, at least.
I'm sure that at least a couple of the games I've mentioned will appear on the service, with Mario and Kirby being the frontrunners, but perhaps I'll get lucky and get to play one of my favorite horror games all over again. In the meantime, I think I'll spend some time with my other Pokémon games in preparation for Gale of Darkness.