GameCube Games Just Got Two Major Upgrades on Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo GameCube games just got two major upgrades on Nintendo Switch Online. Beginning in 2025, Nintendo began to quietly upgrade Nintendo Switch Online games on a console-by-console basis. This included an upgrade to GameCube games back in December, and now GameCube games on Nintendo Switch Online have been upgraded again. The latest upgrades not only improve GameCube games Switch 2, but also make the experience of playing them via NSO more like the experience of playing the original games played on the original, nostalgic hardware.

It’s unclear if the upgrades have been applied to all GameCube games retroactively or if there is just a new standard going forward, but the latest GameCube game added to Nintendo Switch Online this week, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, has some upgrades compared to previous GameCube games. Nintendo did not advertise these upgrades, but Switch 2 users quickly noticed the improvements.

Two Noticeable Upgrades for GameCube Nostalgics

One of the two GameCube upgrades is that the analogue stick movement is now closer to how it functioned on the GameCube itself. Meanwhile, HDR support is now enabled on the CRT filter, which, for the player means an equally bright image whether the CRT filter is being used or not.

Unfortunately, the big issue with GameCube games on the Nintendo Switch 2 has not been fixed, which is input delay, or at the very least, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness does not display any improvement in this area. Of course, many Nintendo fans are disappointed by this, as this is the number one request from Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, however, the other improvemets are welcomed.

“Stick sensitivity is a godsend. I wanted to play Windwaker and learn F-Zero. Both were horrendous,” writes one Nintendo fan of the news. “I’m so excited to see where this system is going.

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It remains unclear why Nintendo has not advertized any of changes and improvements it has made to Nintendo Switch Online, but it’s not the most communicative company nor the most user friendly, so this is not terribly surprising. Lately, the GameCube has been the primary focus of these stealth, secret updates. This is presumably because it’s in the focus right now alongside the Switch 2, and because its emulation needs the most improvement.

All of that said, and as always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think, or join the many conversations happening on the ComicBook Forum.