Three Nintendo Gamecube Titles May Come To The Switch Virtual Console

The Nintendo Switch is starting to look more and more like a day-one buy. The new game console from Nintendo is expected to launch with a Virtual Console, and it's expected to have support for GameCube games.

According to Eurogamer and their sources, they're reporting that there will be three games made available right off the bat for the Nintendo Switch's Virtual Console, including Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Interesting choices.

The three titles are rumored to help pave the way for additional games, but it seems weird they would go with Super Smash Bros. Melee over the more casual-friendly Mario Kart: Double Dash. Eurogamer suspects that Nintendo wants to use the opportunity to help shift the attention from the e-sports scene supporting Super Smash Bros. Melee on the GameCube to supporting the game on the Nintendo Switch.

It's actually a brilliant move if it's true because it would mean that at EVO and other Smash tournaments around the globe, people could get rid of their GameCubes and use the Nintendo Switch instead. Not only would they be able to corner the casual market with portability and high-quality games running on Nvidia's custom-made Tegra chip, but they would also be able to tap that oh-so-needed hardcore market that they missed out on during the Wii U's era.

Of course, most people would be wondering how you could play Super Smash Bros. Melee effectively without the GameCube controllers? Well, according to Eurogamer's sources, Nintendo is investigating adding support for the old GameCube controllers through an adapter, but they haven't finalized their decision on that yet. If they did decide to go that route, it could be a huge boost of hardcore market appeal seeing Nintendo Switch devices at EVO 2017.

But those aren't the only games rumored to appear on the Nintendo Switch Virtual Console. There are also talks of Animal Crossing being made available on the Switch as well. In fact, there were talks that the in-game emulator of Animal Crossing featuring NES titles would also be made available, allowing gamers to play games within a game through a virtual emulator on the Nintendo Switch. Switchception.

They also mention that there will be a rewards program for gamers who already own NES titles on the Virtual Console from the Wii and Wii U, and it would be possible to port them over to your Nintendo Switch for a small fee.

And speaking of emulators and emulation... Digital Foundry apparently ran tests on Nvidia's Tegra line using the Dolphin emulator to play GameCube games on a mobile device to synthetically test how well the Nintendo Switch could theoretically run GameCube games as Virtual Console games.

The reason the Wii U was unable to play GameCube games via emulation was supposedly due to its lack of hardware under the hood, but with the power boost from Nvidia and the newer specs, the console could possibly have enough juice to finally run GameCube games via VC with no problems.

If Nintendo can achieve all of these goals for the Nintendo Switch by March, 2017 and offer up the device for under $300 or around $250, then they will have a gold mine on their hands. It would be an instant day-one buy for me.