Nintendo Switch 2 Reveals Secret GameCube Features

Nintendo has cleverly hidden several GameCube Easter eggs within the Switch 2, as discovered by dedicated fans.

With the arrival of Nintendo's latest console, gamers can now enjoy GameCube titles via Nintendo Switch Online. However, if you boot up a game from that beloved purple cube era, you might notice something absent: the console's famous startup animation.

Anyone who owned a GameCube will forever remember the moment its logo elegantly unfolded across the screen, accompanied by the cheerful, iconic sound. Interestingly, Nintendo has included a way to bring back this nostalgic sequence with a simple button press — although the console doesn't exactly advertise how.

Credit goes to Spawn Wave for uncovering that holding the Switch 2's control stick in any direction while the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube app is loading will trigger the classic GameCube startup sequence. You'll then see the retro animation, just as you recall.

But it's not exactly as you remember — it's been remastered in stunning 4K. This enhanced logo first appeared in Nintendo's Switch 2 Direct earlier this year, when GameCube games were originally confirmed for the console.

"Cool, so with stick drift, you'll see it every time," joked one fan upon learning the secret.

As verified by IGN, there's an even deeper Easter egg that lets you activate the secondary GameCube startup sound — originally triggered on the GameCube by holding the Z button. On Switch 2, simply tilt the control stick and hold the R button (timing it right as the '2' in the app's logo appears).

Now, fans are speculating whether a third GameCube startup sound might also be tucked away, waiting to be discovered via an even more obscure button combination. Back in the day, this sound was triggered by pressing the Z button on four connected GameCube controllers simultaneously.

Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 - GameCube Games

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Over the weekend, players connecting the new wireless GameCube controllers designed for the Switch 2 discovered an unexpected feature: these controllers now include gyro controls, expanding gameplay possibilities for a variety of retro titles.

At the moment, the Switch Online Nintendo GameCube - Nintendo Classics library is relatively small, featuring only the original The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, F-Zero GX, and SoulCalibur 2.

However, Nintendo has confirmed that several other GameCube classics — such as Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Mario Smash Football, Luigi's Mansion, and Chibi-Robo! — will eventually join the lineup, although an official release date has yet to be announced.