Nintendo Switch has yet to gain its Virtual Console
service – where old games are emulated for play on newer systems – but one of
the most requested systems to appear on the service is Gamecube. The Gamecube
is quite possibly one of my most favourite systems, with a fair few series
available on it that I feel have only been narrowly beaten by later entries,
and some which still remain my favourites.
Take Mario Kart, for instance. Despite numerous entries
after Double Dash, I would always say it was my favourite. Even when Mario Kart
8 came out – though it was a very tight call. With the Deluxe version of MK8 on
Switch though, Double Dash has finally been beaten. For Pokémon spin-off games,
Colosseum and Gale of Darkness are still my all-time favourites, and I’m hoping
that when the main series comes to Switch, that game borrows some of the better
elements from the two Gamecube games. You’ve probably heard quite a bit about
this one, but Sonic Heroes is my all-time favourite Sonic game. For years I was
undecided on Generations, Adventure 2, or Heroes, but the one I haven’t
finished the last story for is the one I’m saying is my favourite.
However, this post isn’t meant to talk about my favourite
games, it’s here to talk about bringing games to the Switch’s Virtual Console
[if it arrives in the fashion we hope]. The only requirement for these games
I’m talking about is that the game had to have been exclusive to the Gamecube.
If we start talking about any game available, the list would be quite long.
Of course, to start off, we have the big games. Super
Mario Sunshine is a game I’ve seen people ask for in other lists about the
Gamecube, and while I’ve never played it myself, Mario games are always one of
the most asked for games. While this one might struggle a bit with controls
[analogue versus digital triggers being the main point], I still feel there can
be a bit of a workaround with that. With Super Mario Odyssey coming October,
and the Switch’s Virtual Console surely to come in 2018, Sunshine would be a
good game for people to remember the older Mario games with. The game differed
a bit from Super Mario 64 in that you had a water gun named FLUDD that helped
you clean up Isle Delfino of ink and also added to the range of moves Mario
could perform.
When talking of big games, the name that usually gets
mentioned next to Mario is Pokémon [sorry Link]. Which is interesting to note,
as the Gamecube had two rather main series-like Pokémon games released for it.
The first – Colosseum – starred Wes, a member of Team Snagem who defected after
a change of heart, taking the snag machine with him. The second – XD: Gale of
Darkness – starred Michael, a part of Professor Krane’s research facility, as
he uncovered the deeper plot of the Shadow Pokémon. See, these two games were
different in that they featured very little in way of wild Pokémon [Colosseum
having none at all], and having a deeper plot that didn’t involve a league.
Instead, it was solely on taking down the evil organisation. Oh, and both games
primarily focused on double battles. Adding new monsters to your team was done
through the Shadow Pokémon. These were ‘mon who had been artificially altered
to close all emotion from said ‘mon and turn it into a cold-hearted fighting
machine. By using the snag machine, you could capture them from other trainers
and use them as your own, eventually being able to restore them to their normal
self. With a main series entry said to be coming for the Switch, these two
games would be perfect if said game wasn’t appearing until 2019 to fill the
gap.
Luigi’s Mansion was a brave game, starring the partner of
Mario as he tried out for the next member of the Ghostbusters. Or something to
that effect. It was a simple game, with the player having to capture ghosts
across one of four stages. Some ghosts were within portraits, while others
couldn’t be captured without collection of special medallions. There was also
treasure to collect, which formed the basis for how big the mansion would
appear at the ending scene. While a sequel did hit the 3DS some time ago
[expanding upon the first greatly], having the original available on the go as
well would be a perfect bonus.
There’s no other way to say what this next section is all
about in any other way – it’s racing games. And the Gamecube certainly had a
number of exclusives in that area. The first obviously being Mario Kart: Double
Dash, which in my opinion was the greatest of the lot until, as I said above,
it was beat by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch. Now, if the Switch already has a
Mario Kart, why would it need another? Double Dash is what many would consider
the black sheep of the series, with many of its features never showing up in
another title again [though some were reworked for 8 Deluxe]. The main feature
being two-character racing. While any two characters could be selected, they
were shown in pairs on the select screen. Mario and Luigi, Toad and Toadette,
Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, for example. Each of these pairs had a special item
unique to them, so a giant shell resembling Bowser for himself and his son, a
chain chomp for Baby Mario and Baby Luigi. The driving physics were looser,
getting hit by obstacles hardly impeded the speed of the kart, and with enough
skill red shells were able to be dodged without use of an item. And speaking of
items, you weren’t allowed to hold them behind the kart. If 8 Deluxe isn’t
getting any download content, then the next best thing would be getting the
black sheep of the series available for all.
Now, the next two racing games I haven’t played, but
there is certainly a calling for one of them. The other – Kirby Air Ride – was
the precursor for a mode that featured in Super Smash Bros. 4 3DS. Smash Run
was similar to City Trial, so it would be good for people to experience the
game where that mode originated. City Trial had you driving around a city stage
with several other sections, while grabbing upgrade items for your vehicle.
Vehicles themselves were scattered around the map, allowing players to swap
vehicles. Random events would happen during the trial, mixing up the playing
field a bit. Once the countdown had ended, a small competition between racers
would happen, whether that be a drag race, fights, glides, or laps on one of
the game’s race courses. While normal races and top-down races were also part
of the game, City Trial is obviously the main event of the game. With Mario
Kart and the other game I’ll mention also being out around the time of this
game’s release, it was considered the throwaway of the bunch, possibly due to
its simplicity.
That other game being F-Zero GX, the super-fast
futuristic racer developed by SEGA and the last 3D F-Zero game to date [GP
Legend would be the last worldwide 2D release, while Climax released
exclusively in Japan]. GX had thirty racers competing on twisting tracks, all
at high speed, with a health and boost meter keeping things in check. The
series, as well as other futuristic racers, has always been a difficult to
master genre, but there’s an extra bit of character that this series provides
in having characters along with the racing machines. The tracks are well worth
playing the game for, but with newer futuristic racers such as FAST RMX and
Redout making a mark in the genre, it makes one question whether this game
would make an impact among them. Those calling out for a new F-Zero will surely
jump at the chance to prove they want a new game if this became available, and
in a way this game completes the trio of racing types. Kirby, the simple racer.
F-Zero, the more core racer. And Mario Kart, the racer for everyone.
Those are the main six [well, seven] games the Gamecube
had, though of course there’s still a few missing. These are the few that will
be unlikely to appear. Super Smash Bros. Melee, for example, while a good game,
possibly won’t see a release until after a likely port of Smash 4 releases, if
at all. The game was the most technical of the series, still being featured in
fighting tournaments to this day. How a re-release would be received is
anyone’s guess, but having two Smash games available on one console would
surely help with organisation. Of course, if the port isn’t perfect [and let’s
not forget the fighting crowd preferring the Gamecube’s controller out of
everything Smash Bros.], it will be left in the dust for the original console.
Another unlikely game would be Animal Crossing. The
series has evolved so much since this version came out, that aside from the
nostalgic value it holds, there is little on offer that hasn’t already been
improved on. And with a Switch game sure to expand on everything the 3DS’ New
Leaf gave us, there would be even fewer reasons to grab the Gamecube game.
However, there is the nostalgic reasonings to consider, which is where the
Virtual Console usually thrives.
The Star Fox games of the Gamecube are rather hit or miss
in whether a Virtual Console release will happen. On the one hand, Star Fox
Zero was a rather ambitious effort with a difficult to master control scheme,
in effect spoiling the rather neat revival the series had with Star Fox 64 3D.
On the other hand, if Star Fox 2 can get revived from cancellation due to fan
demand, it must prove the series still has the staying power. Releasing more
favoured games would be preferable, but at this point the general consensus
seems to be that the games are getting similar in story, with Zero expanding on
the maps and progression of 64 3D – even if it did add a lot more in terms of
mechanics. As such, Star Fox Adventures and Star Fox: Assault could bring a
greater sense of exploration back to the series.
Wave Race: Blue Storm is another racing game, but this time
on water. 1080 Avalanche is a snow-sports racer. Both series saw their last on
the Gamecube, and re-releases could help revive interest in both. While Custom
Robo, an RPG about miniature robot fighting figures, saw a release on DS, the
Gamcube game only saw a release in the west in America. Bringing it to the
Virtual Console would allow more people to experience it.
Battalion Wars… The real-time tactical strategy game is a
part of Nintendo’s Wars series, which also includes the Advance Wars games
[which I’m more familiar with]. Featuring a more cartoonish style of visual,
and a lighter tone than strategy games usually offer, the game still had enough
depth to gain a positive reception when it first released. While the sequel on
Wii might have improved on the original, the first is still the one that could
use the greater exposure.
The Mario sports games feel like they are slowly
declining, but that only really started from around 2011. The Gamecube had
three Mario sports games, two of which were new sports the Mushroom Kingdom
hadn’t seen before. The popular choice of sport, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour had
sixteen playable characters, with seven courses and various modes to play.
While it felt a bit similar to the previous game of the series, it was still a
stand-out entry. Mario Superstar Baseball is one of the new
sports, with traditional matches of baseball mixed up with Mario characters.
The challenge mode has players moving up the ranks after beating various teams
to face the final match against Bowser. There’s a bit more depth than I’ll go
into here regarding the mode, but other modes were also available in the game.
The last of the three was Super Mario Strikers [or Mario Smash Football for
Europe]. A five-on-five game of football again takes characters and themes from
the Mushroom Kingdom and places them into a sport, again mixing things up with
power-ups and special moves. Reviews do point out a smaller solo-play offering
than other games, but that’s likely due to the nature of the sport itself.
Continuing on with those three games, Superstar Baseball
and Smash Football did receive sequels on the Wii, but both have since been
missing in action as standalone games. The 3DS collection of Mario Sports
Superstars included all three of the sports mentioned, along with tennis and
horse racing, though all the sports seem to have lost the fantasy wackiness
previous Mario games have excelled at. Releasing all three Gamecube sports
games on the Virtual Console for Switch might prove that the sports need this
wackiness to remain relevant as a series, and indeed different from the more
realistic offerings from the likes of EA.
There’s a fair few other games Gamecube exclusive that I
haven’t mentioned. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door is highly regarded as
the best Paper Mario RPG, though with a Mario and Luigi game already being
remastered for the 3DS, it is entirely possible for the same treatment to be
had for Paper Mario on Switch. Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker has already seen
a remaster on Wii U, so a port of that version is more likely I would imagine
[though in a few years’ time after Skyward Sword has had a chance]. There was
also Four Swords Adventures, but again it would be better as a remaster [in
fact I’d say that game would need it considering how it was played].
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg was a one-off game [due
to SEGA not wanting to risk a sequel] where the gameplay revolves around
finding and hatching eggs by rolling them around. These give improvements to
the player character which help in his quest.
These are all games I wanted to highlight as potentials
for the Switch Virtual Console, but I cannot end this off without mention of
two games that will possibly never see a re-release. The Star Wars: Rogue
Squadron games. Here’s hoping EA can make a series of air-combat games that
channel the spirit of what the Rogue Squadron games were.