I’m expecting them to also bring GC classics to the new Switch within subscription service similar to how they’ve done with N64 and previous consoles on the current Switch (which I’m absolutely loving too). The only caveat here is they will have re-released so many of GC games already (with Wind Waker another one almost certain to happen) that there won’t really be that much left to include in library.
Bought Pikmin 4 and preordered Mario Wonder for the €99 coupon. Probably won’t have the time to dedicate myself properly to Pikmin for a few weeks but I got several long haul travels in Q4 so it’ll come handy.
Will I actually be able to preload Mario Wonder and start playing on 20th Oct even without access to the internet on that particular day? I am leaving Poland on the 18th and coming back on 23rd only.
In reply to the GameCube classics idea on the Nintendo Switch Online Service, I was always more on the side that it would happen. However, now I really think it won't, at least on this iteration of the Switch.
We've seen Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Mario Sunshine, Metroid Prime, and now Paper Mario have HD remakes/remasters/ports. There's also been the same treatment given to Baten Kaitos, Tales of Symphonia, and some of the Resident Evil games that featured on that console. Wind Waker & Twilight Princess were on the Wii U obviously, but the point still stands and I'm sure they'd come to Switch next year as they want easy games to drop while studios are working on Switch 2 games.
So, my point is that Nintendo and other developers are clearly seeing it as more profitable an opportunity to re-release games from the GameCube onwards and charge 40-60 [insert your currency] for them instead of having them on a service that is somewhat cheap for what it is. I think Nintendo will eventually introduce additional tiers to the service from 2025~ which will allow you to more freely select what you are paying for. If GameCube games make it to the service in some form, my expectation is that Nintendo choosing games very carefully, where remakes do not make as much sense due to games potentially having superior versions that they want to sell and use for events etc. Eg. I think they could put Super Smash Bros. Melee and Mario Kart Double Dash on a GameCube app instead or remaking them, as I don't see much benefit to players having remade versions of them, when we get a new Smash Bros/Mario Kart game on pretty much every console anyway and there isn't much of a story to them. Something like F-Zero GX would fall into the grey area, as if there isn't a new game in the series coming any time soon, they might as well just remaster GX rather than adding to the service. I'm sure they'll be enough games where they can find the right balance, but you also need to good games to the service in order to get people to sign up. I don't see much point in having say, Metroid Prime on the service and a HD remake as you're just competing with yourself.
So, long story short. I think the Switch will top out with the current online offerings (just more games added, particularly GameBoy/Advance). Maybe go out with a bang by adding Pokemon games... Then the Switch 2 really needs to come out with all the current classic stuff already live. Probably streamline everything into one app, have different tiers you can migrate to so you can select which classic consoles you want to have access to and probably add GameCube to it. Kinda becoming another selling point in upgrading from Switch to Switch 2.
.
