Nintendo has finally clarified the situation with the Switch 2 GameCube controller.
In a statement to Polygon, Nintendo said this:
“The Nintendo GameCube controller is designed for use with the Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics collection of games and is an optional way to play those games. Since it doesn’t have all the buttons and features found in other controllers that can be used with the Nintendo Switch 2 system, there may be some issues when playing other games. The Nintendo GameCube controller can only be used on Nintendo Switch 2 and is not compatible with Nintendo Switch.”
We originally reported that the Switch 2 GameCube controller only worked with GameCube games, particularly those that were part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription tier. The language Nintendo themselves used in their communications about the console said as much.
Now, as some fans have pointed out, Nintendo shared similar communications about their NES, Famicom, Super NES, Super Famicom, and Nintendo 64 controllers for the Switch. Fans who did buy these controllers were able to confirm that these controllers do work with games outside of their respective systems on the Switch Online subscription. The only problem is, because Nintendo deliberately copied these original controllers, they do not have enough inputs available to play many of those other games.
Now, as some fans have pointed out, renders of the Switch 2 GameCube controller show that it has a nice little ZL button, that finally complements the ZR button that was in the GameCube from the start. However, the GameCube controllers never had L3 and R3 buttons, or the LS and RS buttons. In other words, the GameCube controller’s analog stick could not be pushed in to register as its own input, because Nintendo simply did not add that functionality in.
While we won’t know for sure until consumers get their hands on the controllers, it may be highly likely that the Switch 2 GameCube controller won’t have these inputs either. The portion of the Switch 2 Direct that discussed this did not show or mention that it had this functionality. There was even a preview screen that showed that you could customize controllers with GameCube controllers, but there was no option to modify or add these inputs.
Numerous third parties have made copycat GameCube controllers that add this and other features, but it will definitely be something else if Nintendo makes a full revision of the official controller to be just like what fans wanted. After all, they did do that already when they made the Wavebird, so there’s no reason they wouldn’t consider it now. After all these years, the GameCube controller is still so beloved that Nintendo has managed to keep it relevant. Perhaps it really wouldn’t be that strange if they revive it completely as a secondary complement to the Switch 2 Pro Controller today.
