The GameCube is a wonderful chapter in Nintendo's history, complete with a dynamic catalog of exclusive games. For many, the GameCube is a high mark for Nintendo with respect to creativity and design. Many franchises, such as Metroid, got a new lease on life, new IP like Pikmin and Chibi-Robo cropped up and previously Japanese-exclusive series like Animal Crossing came west.

As rich and inventive as the GameCube library, these games have been largely forgotten by Nintendo outside of a few ports and re-releases. There has never been a GameCube Virtual Console, and the second-hand market has driven the prices for these titles into the stratosphere. Now more than ever, it's time to bring GameCube games to a new audience.

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Second-hand Scarcity

Official art of Chibi-Robo from Nintendo

Unlike bringing the NES/SNES to Switch, porting GameCube games has heightened urgency. The second-hand market for GameCube titles is spiraling out of control. Most titles command just above or below the $60 price point we expect from current-gen AAA titles, and often those discs sell for $60 loose. Key titles such as Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance sell for exponentially more. These prices are partially a function of the shifting nostalgia paradigm. Players who grew up with GameCube titles are old enough to feel nostalgic for a title like Super Mario Sunshine, as well as the disposable income to buy it back.

Of course, the largest factor is simple supply and demand. As people feel more and compelled to expand their GameCube libraries, the finite supply of physical GameCube games becomes more valuable. The near-complete inability to purchase these games digitally is bottle-necking the entire transaction. Sure, there are plenty of collectors who will only want these games on disc. Yet, there are many more who want access to GameCube games and would happily eschew the hassles of physical GameCube collection. Plus, moving this sect of buyers to a digital storefront would relieve some of the intense demand strain on the current GameCube market.

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Adding to Online

Nintendo doesn't appear to have much interest in selling older titles individually anymore. Simply funneling GameCube games into a service like Nintendo Switch Online at the current price point may not be feasible, considering the price of entry versus the volume of content. Yet, there isn't any reason why Nintendo couldn't pull a Disney+ Mulan strategy and offer a second tier of service. Fans hungry for GameCube titles certainly wouldn't turn down an extra $10-15 per month charge for this library, and Nintendo isn't going to turn down that much recurrent revenue.

Not only would this solve the issue of access to the GameCube and take pressure off the second-hand market, it would alleviate some Switch-centric concerns as well. NSO has been hotly criticized for lacking value. Offering exclusive digital access to one of Nintendo's most elite lineups of games, even at an additional charge, would go a long way. This would be doubly true if iconic titles such as Mario Party 6 or Kirby Air Ride were retrofitted with online multiplayer.

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A Pertinent Appeal

F-Zero GX Box art featuring captain falcon

The Switch has seen a lot of content droughts from a first-party perspective, especially in the current moment. Unlike NES and SNES titles, GameCube games have a particular scope and novelty about them that make for compelling stopgaps. The previously elusive nature of GameCube games means that many players will be experiencing titles like Star Fox Assault as though they're new games. And the relative newness of GameCube titles inherently means they're bulkier experiences. More meat on the bone means more content for players to digest. This library would go a long way toward assuaging the impact of Nintendo's uneven release calendar.

This would also create an excellent framework to convert newer Nintendo players into fans of more niche series. By giving access to classic GameCube titles, Nintendo can gauge interest in revitalizing these franchises. Not only would GameCube support be great from the player's perspective, but it would also be an excellent tool for Nintendo.

Of course, this isn't a new appeal, but it's a timely one. For as much as Nintendo drags its feet concerning online initiatives, the timing is right. With the Switch's meteoric success and COVID-19's clear impact on game development, Nintendo has a ravenous fanbase and a shortage of content. Building the infrastructure for GameCube support wouldn't be an easy task, but it would go a long way to combating the ecosystem's current shortcomings.

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