Nintendo Switch Online Leak Reveals 2 New GameCube Games on the Way

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Walmart mistakenly listed upcoming games for Nintendo Switch Online, revealing two popular sequels from the GameCube era are on their way. Nintendo’s online service has already had a good start to the year with a great selection of classic games, and now fans have gotten an early look at what’s next – a reveal that’s both thrilling and a little bittersweet.

Nintendo kicked off 2026 with a surprise release, adding Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance to the Nintendo Switch Online service early in the year. While playing GameCube games like this usually requires the $30-a-year Expansion Pack and a Switch 2 console, a physical copy of Path of Radiance can be quite expensive, often costing $100 or more. With most of the year still ahead, it’s likely more classic games will be added to NSO, and information about two of them has already appeared online.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Pikmin 2 Are Coming to Nintendo Switch Online

A recent promotional image on Walmart’s website revealed two unannounced Nintendo Switch Online games: Metroid Prime 2 and Pikmin 2. Both games were originally released on the GameCube, and Nintendo has been focusing on adding GameCube titles to the Nintendo Switch Online service lately. This suggests we may see more classic GameCube games become available in the future.

The arrival of Metroid Prime 2 on Nintendo Switch Online is a mixed bag for fans. While some are happy to have access to the game, others are disappointed because it likely means a full remaster of Metroid Prime 2 and 3 is less likely. Nintendo recently remastered the first Metroid Prime, leading to speculation about the other games, but offering them through NSO allows fans to play without needing older hardware and still generates revenue for Nintendo. Since the remastered first Prime isn’t available on NSO, this move suggests that remasters for the sequels are probably not happening.

Image via Nintendo

Fans are excited that the second Metroid Prime game is now playable on modern systems. It’s also great to see Pikmin 2 arrive, as the Pikmin series is popular with players but often overlooked by Nintendo. Plus, with rumors of a Switch 2 upgrade for Pikmin 4, this could be a fantastic year for the Pikmin franchise.

Image via Nintendo

While Nintendo hasn’t announced it yet, Metroid Prime 2 and Pikmin 2 could be coming to Nintendo Switch Online soon. Promotional materials have already appeared at some stores, and Nintendo has recently been releasing games on the service without much advance warning. If you’re excited about these games, it’s worth keeping an eye out for a surprise launch. For those hoping for a remastered Prime 2 or other GameCube titles, more information will be shared at a later time.

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2026-01-27 20:04