Searching for the best GameCube games on Switch? It’s no surprise; what with N64 games dropping on Nintendo Switch Online, it was only a matter of time before your interest piqued.
Well, while you wait for your favourite GC titles to appear on the streaming platform, there’s already a whole host of GameCube games on Switch that you can play right away.
18, to be exact.
From epic platforms to brutal shooters, we’ve uncovered a plethora of remastered retro action that’s just waiting for you to dive into.
Let’s crack on and take a look, shall we?
Table of Contents
1. Super Mario Sunshine
Mario’s debut GameCube adventure kickstarts this list of the best GameCube games on Switch!
I imagine that pretty much every Switch owner in the land has picked up the Super Mario 3D All-Stars game as part of Mario’s 35th birthday celebrations, if only to replay Super Mario 64 in all it’s glory!
Well, the updated GC classic looks fantastic on the Switch and is a joy to play in both handheld and docked modes. Thwarting Shadow Mario never looked or felt so good.
Sunshine was always going to have big boots to fill after the m mammoth success of SM64, but it did it with ease. Now, with an improved look, gamers can experience all of the same Mario action in a new location to the Mushroom Kingdom wherever they are.
The destination might be different, but the premise is still the same. Rescue Peach not from Bowser, but from Shadow Mario, who is desecrating Isle Deflino in Mazza’s name!
Ride around on Yoshi, use F.L.U.D.D to clean up the streets, and question at every moment where Petey Piranha buys his underpants from.
2. Metroid Prime Remastered
If you loved Metroid Prime as much as me back in the day, then having the chance to play this game on the Switch with a complete Remaster will make every day feel like your birthday.
Honestly, the graphics are superb, and playing this game on the Switch OLED just gives one of my favourite adventures a whole new lease of life.
While the old Metroid games were side-scrolling, Metroid Prime brings an FPS view to the table (literally when it comes to our featured image), giving users a chance to see the world of Tallon IV from Samus’ eyes and experience all the chills of the enemies raining down terror upon you just as she would.
Yeah, it can be pretty scary at times.
I love the mechanic of picking up the different elements of Samus’ suit as you move through the game, scanning things to find secrets and utilising all of her arsenal, often revisiting other areas.
Come on, it’s one of the best games ever on the GameCube, and now I can play it on an airplane – how cool is that!
3. Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
Now this is one of my all time favourite games to make its way onto the Nintendo Switch. I had a friend at junior school called James that used to run exactly like the Mummy in this game, which makes it even funnier for me every time I play.
It’s possible that many of our readers might have come across this game first on the Switch as opposed to playing it back in the GC days. Its a brilliant title that fans of Ancient Egyptian History and culture will soak up like a pile of animated bandages…
…. that’s basically what a Mummy is, after all.
Play as both Sphinx, a Demi-God wielding the Blade of Osiris, and Tutankhamen’s mummified body, a character that often completes puzzles to help Sphinx on his path.
Speaking to the Egyptian gods feels amazing too. Ok, so it’s not really Imhotep, Anubis, or Horus standing in front of you chatting about what you need to do next, but for a history nerd like me it feels amazing.
I guess if I had to compare this to other Nintendo titles, it would feel a little like Banjo-Kazooie crossed with Luigi’s Mansion, maybe with some Zelda thrown in to complete the cocktail.
4. Ty the Tasmian Tiger
Whenever someone mentions tigers or Tasmania, I always think of Ty. You might be thinking that I just made this up for the purposes of this article, but it’s 100% true.
Trust me, I completed this game more times than I care to remember!
As the name might suggest, gamers control Ty, a boomerang-wielding tiger as he moves through the Outback. The aim of the game is defeat a pesky Cassowary bird called Cass (original, right?) and collect five talismans before they fall into enemy hands.
This is a bona fide platform adventure if ever I saw one. Ride an enormous pig, free other characters that have been imprisoned, bite enemies, and collect new and exciting boomerang powerups as you move through the levels.
As you would imagine, the HD Nintendo version gives this awesome game a brand new lease of life. The graphics ,colours, and Ty’s iconic shorts all look super sleek and crisp, making it even more appealing to new gamers that never played this title the first time around.
5. Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2
And if you enjoyed Ty’s first adventure, then just jump straight onto the second!
Continue all of the Australian hijinks and boomeranging action in a brand new adventure, ready to sink those Tasmanian teeth into more enemies sent out by the evil Cass and his minions and his army of fire-breathing minions.
Yeah, he’s stepped things up a little bit from the last game.
Ty 2 bears a strong resemblance to its predecessor with some notable differences. Instead of riding warthogs, there are a number of kart races for players to try their paws at, especially while playing with a friend.
In a nod to Goemon Mystical Ninja, Ty can also pilot a massive robot in battle too, defeating cretins with a massive mechanical punch when the need calls for it.
I’m also thinking that this game might have sparked Horizon: Zero Dawn… robotic dinosaurs, electric weapons… it makes sense… right?
6. Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast
I have yet to meet a gamer that doesn’t like Star Wars, which means that hopefully you’ll be a into this game as I am.
Players control retired Jedi Kyle Katarn (I know, I didn’t even know you could retire from being a Jedi!), a fighter who is scared that the dark side of the force might awaken in him. It’s set after the original and best trilogy, which means famous faces from the movies are likely to crop up from time to time.
The game is incredibly similar to Dark Forces and Dark Forces 2 in design and gameplay.
Move around futuristic levels wielding everything from a blaster to a lightsaber, complete with all the iconic Star Wars sound effects.
Any game where you’re cutting up Stormtroopers with a lightsaber has got to be a winner, right?
7. Resident Evil 4
I can’t say enough good things about Resident Evil 4. With a camera angle moving to over the shoulder to get you pumped for Zombie slaying action and a move away from the traditional setting to a new, creepier location, this game really stepped it up a notch!
The setting – Spain. Your mission – to destroy a load of villagers that have had their brains corrupted by a brain-devouring parasite.
What was essentially supposed to be a GC only game has now sold over 10-million units across the globe, and now it’s on the Switch!
The zombies in this game are anything but a walk in the park. They fight back, and with real weapons too. They even work together, for crying out loud, teaming up to catch you with chainsaws and grenades.
Don’t beat around the bush – get those head shots in ASAP and take down those mother f… I mean, defeat them as quickly as possible.
8. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
As a series, Final Fantasy doesn’t need an introduction. We know all about the mammoth storylines, cool characters, turn-based battles, and bosses bigger than mountains.
So, if you’ve never played Crystal Chronicles, you’ll be happy to know that it’s no different! It’s got all of the character levelling up and collectible action that you could ever wish for, and the HD remake looks amazing too!
One thing that sets this game apart is that its a fantastic multiplayer RPG. It used to be a couch co-op game back in the GC days, but now there’s an online option for four friends to team up together.
Not only that, but you can also join other friends on different consoles or make new ones across the globe as you build your caravan and slay some monsters.
All that’s left for you to do is to pick which character you want to be!
9. Ikaruga
If this was a list of classic shooter titles, then Ikaruga would be up there at the very top. Instead of offering traditional R-Type side-scrolling gameplay. this is a vertical-scrolling shooter that sees the player continually moving up the screen as all hell breaks loose around them.
Essentially, it’s an updated version of Radiant Silvergun, one of the best Sega Saturn games ever made.
So is there a way of making sense of the madness appearing on the screen?
Well, this game basically revolves around a system using two different colours. Your ship has a black and a white side, and those sides are impervious to bullets of the same colour.
Likewise, your black bullets do way more damage to white enemy ships than white bullets do. It’s all about putting yourself in the right place at the right time and attacking intelligently.
Not only is Ikaruga a fast paced game with lots to look out for, but it’s also a brain tickler too!
10. Mega Man X Collection
Mega Man soars into the 9th spot in this list of the best GameCube games on Switch, bringing not one, not two, but seven of his classic adventures to the fold.
That’s right, players of the original GameCube title can play through Mega Man X 1 to 6 as well as a kart-based game called Mega Man Battle and Chase.
Now that’s value for money!
The Nintendo Switch version takes things one step further by adding a new challenge mode and some cool overlays to get you even more in the Mega Man mood.
Delve into cool artwork collections, find secret unlock able content, and immerse yourself in the nostalgic of Capcoms famous hero, all in one disc or game cartridge!
11. Resident Evil Zero
Let’s get back to gory scarefests with Resident Evil Zero. As the name might suggest, this game occurs before the first title in the series.
When you’re making a prequel and Resident Evil 1 already exists, I guess using a 0 is the only way to go.
One of the most iconic things that I remember about this game is the ability to swap between the main characters in a ‘Brothers’ style game mechanic, solving puzzles together and working as a team to escape imminent death.
And with enemies like a killer centipede and scores of undead cretins continually trying to eat your face, imminent death happens a lot more than you might think.
Discovering what happened before all hell broke loose in Racoon city and the events that led up to the first game. It’s survival horror at its finest and a real cracking title with gameplay sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.
12. Resident Evil
And once you’ve finished Resident Evil 0, you can move seamlessly onto the actual first game in the series, the next entry in out GameCube games on Switch list!
A crash site in a forest, Zombie Dobermans… these are the first few scenes of a game that haunted many gamers for their entire childhood lives, and man does it feel good to be playing it again on the Switch.
Let’s face it; the original Resident Evil is an absolute legendary title. And now that it’s in HD, everything looks 10-times scarier and way more intense.
For those of you that have never played this original game, play begins in Racoon Forest, somewhere where you would definitely not want to find yourself abandoned on a dark night. Gamers take S.T.A.R.S soldiers Chris and Jill on an adventure into a horrendous world filled with every kind of flesh-eating demon imaginable.
TLDR; it’s not for the faint of heart.
13. Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom
Yes, Battle for Bikini Bottom dives into 13th place, bringing with it a ‘Rehydrated’ version for the Nintendo Switch. It looks so mind-blowingly amazing that you’ve got to see it to believe it.
You know how the Spyro games went through the special treatment with the Reignited Trilogy? Well, BFBB now looks like a completely different game, almost taking on a Jak & Daxter meets Wind Waker look with crisp new visuals.
With a new multiplayer mode, material cut from the original GameCube title, and tonnes of Spongetastic features to uncover, this HD remake is the ultimate game for fans that go everywhere shouting ‘I’M READY’ at every opportunity.
Choose from classic characters, Sandy, Patrick, and ‘Ol Squarepants himself as you try to thwart Plankton at every turn. Robots are trying to destroy your underwater home, but we’re not going to let that happen!
Fire bubbles, strap into your bungee jump pants, and fight back the forces of evil. All with a humongous smile on your face.
I’m ready, are you?
14. Mega Man Anniversary Collection
It’s time for another Mega Man collection, this time an Anniversary edition celebrating the blue-wonder’s achievements.
And to be fair, why shouldn’t we be celebrating this space behemoth in all his glory. We’re reliving 15 years of brilliance in one game.
Access Mega Man 1 – 8 including two previously un-ported arcade games in one place. Join Mega Man, Rush the dog, and a whole host of familiar faces (friendly and unfriendly alike) as you relive the pivotal moments in this legendary series.
As this is a celebratory game, there is tonnes of extra content to unlock as you go along. Basically to say thank you for sticking with Mega Man when you could have chosen to follow Bomber Man or Pac-Man instead.
He’s definitely the man of the hour!
The Nintendo Switch version has a nifty rewind version too, allowing gamers to pull some Prince of Persia style backtracking to save themselves from death or to go about situations in a different way.
15. Namco Museum Arcade Pac
How do you make Pac-Man any better? Make him a different shade of yellow? Give him better boots?
No, you get Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto to take the reigns and change the formula up.
Yeah, that should do it.
So in this version, one person plays as Pac-Man while your mates take control of the ghosts that are trying to eat him.
Shigeru, why does everything you touch turn to gold?
One players sees the full screen while using a GBA, and the other games see partial areas of the labyrinth, making it tough to pin down where Pac-Man actually is.
Eat Pac-Man, and it’s your turn to take the GBA and begin life as a cheese wheel on the run.
Gameplay on the Switch is very similar, with players using handhelds or seeing action up on the big screen instead of messing around with tiny GBAs! Play it as part of the Namco Museum arcade Pac!
16. XIII
Fans of the comics based on Jason Bourne’s outings or films like Memento will be all over this game like a rash. Play as a man who has lost his memory and may well be linked to the assassination of the leader of the free world, ol’ POTUS himself!
Armed with only the information of a covert name (you guessed it; ‘XIII’), gamers must discover their place in a confusing world all while trying to kill people that are trying to kill them.
It’s all pretty deep stuff!
Solve clues, unveil deep-rooted conspiracies, and immerse yourself in the first game to truly capture that comic book vibe since ComixZone released back on the Mega Drive.
If you were good at games like Splinter Cell and Syphon Filter and know how to wield a Shotgun, then crack on and get stuck in!
17. Asterix & Obelix XXL Collection
I’ve loved these comics since I was a child, and thanks to this new game, sometimes known as Asterix & Obelix: Kick Buttix, the story continues with a brand new original adventure.
The Gauls have been ferried away by the Romans, and their special strength potion has also gone missing. To make matters worse, they’ve got to travel all the way across the Roman Empire without it!
As always, working together as both Asterix and Obelix is the key to success in this game. With over 40 levels to play through and challenges stretching from intricate puzzles to fighting your way out of sticky situations, this is a game that boasts something for everyone.
The HD version looks superb too. It’s almost like playing through a cartoon, with super slick visuals and no spiky pixels in sight. Just the way we like it!
18. Mr Driller: DrillLand
Here’s a little fact for you; this game never actually came out for Western gamers. This is the first time that PAL and NTSC players could step into the magical world of DrillLand, venturing into the earth to play through drilling-based attractions.
Don’t worry; it’s a lot more fun than it sounds.
With a major graphics update, new clips and and a funky interface, DrillLand has never looked better.
Play solo or with three other friends on one console as you dig down towards a boss at the end of each level.
Go against the clock or drill to your heats content with all the time in the world to spare. However you play, there’s. DrillLand experience to spot your every need!
