TheNintendo Switchhas reached video game stardom for so many reasons, primary of which is its sheer accessibility. Not only does the portability of the console allow gamers to bring titles likeBreath of the WildandSuper Smash Bros. Ultimatewherever they go, but it provides a wealth of content from almost every era of gaming. At this point, it’s hard to find a game from the past ten years that hasn’t been ported to the console, whether it’s a Nintendo exclusive or timeless games such asThe Elder Scrolls 5:Skyrim.
Nintendo certainly hasn’t been shy about putting its old games on theSwitcheither. It’s been a bit of a contentious topic for some, the fact that Nintendo gets away with porting or remastering games that are less than five years old to the console at full price, but the company continues to thrive off of it nonetheless. While it’s nice to see Wii U titles likeSuper Mario 3D Worldget a second chance, Nintendo has been neglecting its other consoles as a result. There’s an argument to be made that just about any console other than the Wii U should get more remasters, and few are more deserving than the GameCube.
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The Icons Of The GameCube Era
The Nintendo GameCube didn’t revolutionize the gaming world in the same ways that the N64 or the Wii might have, but its games have had more of an impact on the company as a whole than some may realize. The GameCube is where Nintendo took some of its biggest risks, and for many franchises it paid off in a big way.Metroid Primeis one of the best examples of this, as the series took Samus Aran out of the 2D world and gave players a 3D FPS that revolutionized what Nintendo was capable of. WithMetroid Prime 4in development, now would be a perfect time for a remaster of the whole trilogy to get fans caught up.
Reviving Nintendo Franchises
One of the biggest parts of being a Nintendo fan is wondering why the company abandons some of the franchises that it does. It seems like just when a franchise is really hitting its stride, Nintendo drops support without so much as an explanation.F-Zerois one of the big names that comes to mind, as the high-octane racing game had its last major release in the form ofF-Zero GXon the GameCube. With littleF-Zeroteases in the form of two maps inMario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Captain Falcon’s continued appearances in theSuper Smash Bros.series, it’s high time that Nintendo finally gaveF-ZeroGXthe remaster it deserves.
Redeeming The Nintendo GameCube
While it would generally be great to see games from deeper in Nintendo’s catalogue get remasters, bringing back games from the GameCube era would give the console the redemption it deserves. When the system first released twenty years ago, it was largely maligned for its odd design and general shortcomings compared to the original Xbox and the PlayStation 2. Giving the Switch more GameCube remasters would give the console a chance to redeem itself through itsclassic games, and it could help lift the GameCube’s reputation in the eyes of gamers everywhere.
Nintendo has taken small steps towards giving the Nintendo Switch some GameCube remasters, with one of the most prominent beingSuper Mario Sunshine’s inclusion inSuper Mario 3D All-Stars. Other than that however, the GameCube really hasn’t gotten much attention from Nintendo since the Wii had backwards compatibility with the system. Considering this year is the 20 anniversary of the console’s release, it seems like a missed opportunity for there to not be any major remasters in the next few months. The Switch’s lifecycle is far from over though, so there’s still plenty of time for Nintendo to give the GameCube the love it deserves.
