While there was plenty to be excited about in the Nintendo Switch 2 direct, GameCube coming to NSO is something that players have been waiting for ever since the Nintendo Classics feature was first announced as a feature on the original Switch. At the moment, only 10 GameCube games have been announced, with only three of those launching the same day as the system.

While The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and the unexpected SoulCalibur II are all great launch day options, there's no ignoring that a few notable GameCube titles were missed in this NSO lineup announcement. That being said, Nintendo will likely begin slowly updating the feature with new titles during future directs, as they have with all other retro consoles for NSO, so there's still a chance we'll see some of the GameCube's other notable mentions.

10 Phantasy Star Online Is A Long Shot, But Worth It

PSO Likely Won't Happen For Several Reasons, But It Would Still Be Great If It Did

Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 would undoubtedly be a great addition to the Nintendo Classics GameCube library, but it's highly unlikely it'll ever happen due to the need for servers. While NSO does offer the ability to enjoy some multiplayer features, the majority of online features in Phantasy Star Online would remain unusable if no active servers were available.

That being said, it could still be added simply with a disclaimer that the online features would not be available, but given the lack of attention the game and its sequel, Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis, have received from SEGA, it's unlikely Nintendo would go to such great lengths to make the game available on modern consoles. However, nothing is impossible, so there is still a chance Nintendo might see the benefit in adding a game that was significant to GameCube players.

9 Star Fox Assault Was Overshadowed By Its Predecessor

Following Disappointing But Memorable Entry Predecessor, Star Fox Assault Is Often Forgotten

While Star Fox: Assault was a great entry in the Star Fox series with gameplay features that upheld that classic feel you expect from these games, it's often forgotten about by many when discussing top GameCube titles. Unfortunately, this is largely due to being overshadowed by the more memorable Star Fox Adventures, which came out before it and also launched on the GameCube.

While Star Fox Adventures wasn't exactly as faithful to the franchise in of what to expect from a Star Fox game, the variety is precisely why it stood out. Since Star Fox: Assault didn't have its proper chance to shine on the GameCube, reviving it on NSO would not only give new players a chance to experience it but also give it the spotlight it deserves. Furthermore, this could be a great chance to spark player interest in a proper revival of the Star Fox franchise.

8 Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour Is A Standout Entry In A Popular Series

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour Remains An Incredible Golf Game, Even Beyond Mario

While the Mario Golf franchise has no shortage of entries, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour remains one of the best. Despite being the sixth Mario Golf game, the unique amount of control over shots that the GameCube title offers makes Toadstool Tour both fun and challenging. Unlike Mario Tennis, which received a great sequel on the Nintendo Switch, Mario Golf: Super Rush wasn't exactly the upgrade it should've been.

Super Rush did away with the classic three-click system that helped make Toodstool Tour great, which involved setting up the shot, adjusting the power of the swing, and finalizing the accuracy of each shot. In doing away with this system, Super Rush lost the difficulty aspect and made the game too easy to be enjoyable. Toadstool Tour is a great title that overall would've benefited from a few course and character upgrades, but since that hasn't happened, the original Mario Golf that's currently available on NSO is a decent secondary option.

7 Super Smash Bros. Melee Is A Classic In Smash Bros. History

Despite A Limited Roster, Melee Is A Fan-Favorite In The Smash Bros. Lineup

Even though the Nintendo Switch houses what is arguably one of the greatest iterations of Super Smash Bros., older games in the franchise often hold a nostalgic soft spot for many players, especially Super Smash Bros. Melee. While Smash Ultimate has a lengthy roster and an active online community that keeps the game popular, despite being nearly 7 years old at this point, Melee offered a fast-paced environment and a level of control that still feels unmatched.

Compared to the other games in the franchise, Melee provides precise controls that allow an individual player's skills to shine. Although it seems that Nintendo has seemingly said goodbye to Super Smash Bros for now, and there are no talks of a sequel to Ultimate, hope has never wavered that Masahiro Sakurai may eventually come back for another game. This might be even more possible now that Kirby Air Riders is nearly here. There's no better way to keep fans patient than to add a major title in the franchise to NSO in the meantime.

6 Mario Party 6 Contains Some Of The Best Boards & Mini-Games

All Mario Party Titles Deserve To Be On Modern Consoles

It's no secret that Mario Party is one of the longest-running and most successful franchises for Nintendo. The most recent addition to the franchise, Mario Party Jamboree, has already been confirmed for a Nintendo Switch 2 upgrade with expanded content, and many of the original Mario Party games have already been added to their corresponding Nintendo Classics libraries.

Therefore, there's no reason not to add the GameCube releases, which include Mario Party 4, 5, 6, and 7, to the new GameCube Nintendo Classics library. While it is likely that they'll all be added at some point, Mario Party 6 in particular has some of the best in-game boards and mini-games and should make it to NSO even if the others don't. At the very least, it should be the first to be added.

5 Eternal Darkness Is A Significant Piece Of The Horror Genre

The Horror Of Eternal Darkness Still Holds Up

Horror is perhaps one of the biggest genres when it comes to gaming, and Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is still credited as one of the most memorable games in this genre, despite being over 20 years old. As the first Nintendo-published game to receive a Mature rating, Eternal Darkness certainly made a splash when it came to the GameCube. Despite this and its success in the eyes of critics as one of the greatest horror games of that time, it was unfortunately still marked as a failure due to low sales.

Numerous attempts to make a sequel have been made, but none have come to fruition, and perhaps that's for the best at this point. While a sequel might've been great, Nintendo is unlikely to a full remaster, and there's no guarantee that it would embody what made the original so wonderful. That being said, the original is still something modern horror fans deserve the chance to experience, and adding it to NSO would make it more accessible than ever.

4 NSO Would Make The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Accessible Again

Currently Trapped On Dead Consoles, Twilight Princess Needs Some Attention

While The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is no doubt a great addition to Nintendo Classics, even if it isn't the HD remake version that players were hoping would be ported to the Switch, another notable legacy Nintendo game is missing from the starting lineup. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, a launch title for the Wii and one of the final major releases on the GameCube, is unfortunately facing the same fate that Wind Waker had up until its recent NSO announcement.

Despite receiving an HD remake on the Nintendo Wii U, Twilight Princess is now stuck on what could be considered dead consoles at this point. While it would still be preferable that the HD remake of Twilight Princess be ported to the Switch 2, if that's not a possibility, adding the original to NSO is still an acceptable middle ground that would at the very least make Twilight Princess available on modern consoles again.

3 Mario Kart: Double Dash Is A Forgotten Gem

Double Dash Is A Unique Mario Kart Everyone Should Play

While there are plenty of Mario Kart games in the series, Double Dash is one that often stands out among the rest with its companion racing feature that allows players to select two characters instead of just one and even enjoy a unique Co-op mode. Additionally, as opposed to the current Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the recently announced Mario Kart World, character choices affect much more in the game than just stats.

While there are common, well-known items that any character can receive, each character also has a unique item that's special to only them, adding another element of strategy when it comes to picking characters. Although it offers limited content compared to new releases and the enormous array of tracks and characters that are present in MK 8 Deluxe, Double Dash's unique gimmicks and nostalgic charm make it worthy of a spot in the Nintendo Classics lineup.

2 Now Is The Perfect Time For Kirby Air Ride

With A Sequel On The Way, Players Deserve To Re-Experience The Original

While some may have had a glimmer of hope that the opening reveal for Kirby Air Riders was a new Super Smash Bros., there's no doubt that this nearly 22-years-in-the-making sequel is big news. It's no secret that Sakurai wanted to make a sequel to Kirby Air Ride for a while now, but given the large time gap between now and the original, most had given up hope that it would ever see the light of day.

That being said, now that Kirby Air Riders has been revealed and will soon be making its debut on the Nintendo Switch 2, it is the perfect time to give players a chance to experience the original. Given how massive a reveal this was, I can only assume that it may have been left out of the initial lineup to avoid spoiling what was to come, but now that we know, adding Kirby Air Ride to Nintendo Classics is the perfect way to reintroduce the series while players wait for the sequel.

1 The Original Animal Crossing Belongs On The Switch 2

Considering ACNH Popularity, Animal Crossing On NSO Seems Like An Obvious Choice

Perhaps the most shocking title missing from the Nintendo Classics GameCube lineup is the original Animal Crossing. Even though the franchise is huge for Nintendo in general, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was one of the biggest first-party Nintendo titles on the original Switch, making it strange that the game that started it all would be left off this feature on the Nintendo Switch's successor.

While it is vastly different from ACNH, and there's no guarantee that the fanbase for the current iteration would translate to the original, we also haven't heard any news about a sequel. If there's no sequel to ACNH in the works for the Nintendo Switch 2, adding the original to Nintendo Classics at least offers fans of the franchise the chance to play something different and those newer to the franchise a chance to see where it all started.