Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube controller is only compatible with GameCube games, Nintendo says
Previous retro controllers worked on other Switch games
Nintendo Switch 2’s GameCube controller will only be compatible with GameCube games, Nintendo says.
Small print at the end of a recent video (seen below) showcasing the Nintendo GameCube functionality on Switch 2 states that “the controller is only compatible with Nintendo GameCube: Nintendo Classics”.
Update
We’ve updated this article to note that Nintendo has made similar disclaimers with its previous retro controllers, which have ended up working with other Switch games. While this is no confirmation that the same will be the case with the GameCube controller, it does at least provide some hope that it won’t be as locked-off as Nintendo says.
While previous Nintendo Switch retro controllers were obviously designed mainly for use in their corresponding Switch Online retro libraries, they could also be used for other Switch games, with the console recognising them as a Pro Controller.
Naturally, not every retro controller was suitable for every game, due to having fewer buttons. The NES controller, for example, could only be used for games whose controls were limited to a D-Pad and the B and A buttons. The Mega Drive, SNES and Nintendo 64 controllers could be used for a wider range of games, depending on the buttons needed.
It should be noted that Nintendo has given similar disclaimers to previous retro controllers, stating that they didn’t work outside of their respective Switch Online libraries, but that players have subsequently been able to make them work with certain other games.
In theory, were it to be compatible, the GameCube controller would be playable on any game that didn’t require the player to click in the left or right sticks, because every other button is accounted for on the controller. It remains to be seen, however, whether Nintendo’s disclaimer is fully accurate this time or whether the controller does indeed work with other Switch and/or Switch 2 games.
GameCube titles will be available on launch day for Switch 2, offering clearer image quality and higher resolution, customizable controls, and online multiplayer support.
At launch, the Nintendo GameCube Nintendo Classics library for Nintendo Switch 2 will include three games – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Soulcalibur 2 and F-Zero GX – with other titles coming “a bit later”, according to Nintendo’s Treehouse: Live stream.
Nintendo has announced that the Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube controller will only be offered to those who pre-order the console via the My Nintendo Store.
“The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) Controller – Nintendo Classics will be exclusively available for Nintendo Switch Online members and will initially only be offered to those invited to pre-order a Nintendo Switch 2 console,” reads a message on the MyNintendo UK store.
Switch 2 will be released worldwide on Thursday, June 5. Pre-orders for the system have been delayed in the US and Canada.
