Nintendo surprise-releasedMetroid Prime Remasteredthis February, and it has consistently been in the top 10 of physical and digital software sales charts ever since. Although the originalMetroid Primereleased more than 20 years ago, it stands as one of the most revered games in Nintendo’s sci-fi action franchise, and the remaster established there is still plenty of interest in the long-gestatingMetroid Prime 4. The success ofMetroid Prime Remasteredis also a reminder that the GameCube library has a treasure trove of titles that deserve a presence on the Switch.
WhileMetroid Primeis far from an overlooked hidden gem in the GameCube library, othertitles such asTales of SymphoniaandBaten Kaitosthat were exclusive to the GameCube are receiving remasters for wider audiences than were available originally. Whether completely remade from the ground up or remastered for modern consoles, there are still plenty of quality titles in the GameCube library that deserve the same treatment.
RELATED:Metroid Prime Remastered’s Success Makes a Great Case for Other GameCube Titles to Follow Suit
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Perhaps one of the industry’s most revered survival-horror titles in the industry is Silicon Knights’Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem.Eternal Darknesswas impressive for its timeand had the distinction of featuring a unique Lovecraftian narrative. More than 20 years later it still stands shoulder-to-shoulder with giants, but unlikeResident EvilandSilent Hill, it has yet to see a re-release.
One of the things that setEternal Darknessapart from its contemporaries was “sanity effects” - unique in-game events that would trigger when the player’s “sanity meter” dropped below a certain threshold.Eternal Darkness' “sanity effects” were effectiveat scaring and disorienting players 20 years ago, so it is not difficult to imagine how a developer could implement some truly terrifying instances in a ground-up remake.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Another Silicon Knights-developed title that only saw release on the GameCube (one that’s already a remake) isMetal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.Twin Snakestook the groundwork laid by Konamiin the 1998 release ofMetal Gear Solidand applied the graphical approach taken byMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. One of the best features ofTwin Snakesis that it closely adheres to the story of the originalMetal Gear Solidwhile adding some gameplay tweaks. In the age of high-profile remakes of PlayStation classics, aMetal Gear Solidremake would fit right in. With a dearth ofMetal Gearcontent on the Nintendo Switch, a remaster ofMetal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakescould even inspire otherMetal Geartitles to make their way to the console.
F-Zero GX
Metroid: Samus Returnswas a 3DS-exclusive remake of the oft-overlookedMetroid 2: Return of Samuson Game Boy, and prior to its release the lastMetroidgame was 2010’sOther M. Since thecritical and commercial success ofSamus Returns, the franchise has returned to prominence. There’s a strong case to be made for other dormant Nintendo franchises to receive the same treatment.
One languishing franchise that deserves to see a new entry is Nintendo’s arcade racing seriesF-Zero. The GameCube was the last Nintendo console to see amainline entry inF-Zero GX, which is often considered to be the strongest entry in the series. A remake or remaster ofGXcould serve as a catalyst for Nintendo to revive the franchise and develop a proper sequel.
GameCube Star Fox Titles
TheStar Foxfranchise has received more recent entries thanF-Zero, most recently 2016’sStar Fox ZeroandStar Fox Guardon Wii U.Guardwas a spin-off of the main series that switches genres from on-rails shooter to tower defense, but the GameCube was home to its ownStar Foxspin-off:Star Fox Adventures.Star Fox Adventurestook the franchise’s characters out of the cockpit and into an action-adventure title more reminiscent ofZelda.
AlthoughStar Fox Zerowas technically the most recent entry in the franchise, the GameCube’sStar Fox:Assaultwas the series' last on-rails flight combat title that used a traditional control scheme.Star Fox: Assaultwas received more positivelythan the Wii U’sStar Fox Zero, and the game could be a great fit for Switch. Either a remaster or a ground-up remake ofAssaultwould not only introduce a younger audience to Fox McCloud and his anthropomorphic crew of space pilots, but also prove to Nintendo that there may be demand for aStar Fox 3.
Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader
Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leaderis perhaps the best title developed in Factor 5’s now-legendary run ofStar Warsgames. The last title in itsRogue Squadronseries was 2003’sRogue Squadron 3: Rebel Strike.WhileRebel Strikewas a great game in its own right, it was considered a step-back fromRogue Leader.
With a slate of new video games in theStar Warsuniverse in development, now is arguably the perfect time to remaster and portRogue Squadron 2to the Switch. Given that the original GameCube title is still impressive 20 years later, and thataRogue Squadronmovie is in the works, a graphical remaster that keeps the core gameplay intact could be a successful venture.
GameCube Legend of Zelda Ports
It’s surprising that the Nintendo Switch has yet to host two classic GameCube-eraZeldatitles that have already been remastered for the Wii U -The Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerandThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.These are some of the only mainline entries that are not available on a current Nintendo console, and it stands to reason that (whether released individually or as part of a compilation) the games would sell incredibly well on the system. WithWind Wakerreaching the 20th anniversarythis year, there hasn’t been a better time than now for Nintendo to port the game to the Switch.
Metroid Prime Remasteredis available now on Nintendo Switch.
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