It looks like the Nintendo Switch 2 is getting an additional wireless control to play retro games, as more Metroid Prime 4 info leaks.
It’s been more than 20 years since the Nintendo GameCube and fans refuse to let its controller go. So much so that Nintendo felt compelled to release a GameCube controller adapter for the Wii U, alongside the console’s iteration of Super Smash Bros.
Said adapter is compatible with the Nintendo Switch as well, if only for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and it’s not unreasonable to assume the same will probably be true for the Nintendo Switch 2 when it eventually launches this year (possibly in June).
Alternatively, Nintendo may just make a new kind of GameCube controller altogether, which is what seems to be suggested by a new filing with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Last week, it was discovered, through FCC filings, that the Switch 2 will feature faster Wi-Fi and amiibo support. So, it should come as no surprise that some fans have been keeping a close eye on the FCC’s website for any more information about Nintendo.
Over the weekend, fans on the Famiboard forums soon spotted a filing for a new wireless Bluetooth game controller; one that has the same BEE designation code as the previous Switch 2 filings.
While there are no images or descriptions that give away what it looks like, the lack of any mention of NFC functionality (which is used for scanning amiibo figures) points to it not being for the new Joy-Cons or a hypothetical Switch 2 Pro controller.
Plus, there is an accompanying diagram that shows where the controller’s label will be printed on its rear. This is just a fan theory for the time being, but Famiboards user Pokemaniac has pointed out that if you overlay the diagram over a GameCube controller, the positions of the labels perfectly match.
Are GameCube games coming to Nintendo Switch Online?
So it seems like Nintendo plans to release a new wireless GameCube controller for Switch 2, much like the wireless N64 controller that launched to coincide with N64 games being added to the Switch’s online service.
In fact, this similarity could point to Nintendo finally bringing GameCube games to the service, which has been a popular demand for years. Although, with the controller labelled for Switch 2, this could mean GameCube games will be exclusive to the newer console and serve as an incentive for Switch owners to upgrade.
In related news, an updated Nintendo patent (spotted and shared by MikeOdyssey on X) mentions using AI resolution upscaling. This only further feeds into the theories that the Switch 2 will feature higher resolutions and thus improved visuals.
With any luck, Nintendo will have something to say about these findings during the Switch 2 showcase scheduled for early April. There are no official details for what will be shown but, aside from a closer look at the console, there are bound to be several new game reveals.
Will Metroid Prime 4 be at the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct?
The already teased Mario Kart 9 (or whatever it ends up being called) is bound to make an appearance and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is also widely expected. It was originally announced as a Switch 1 title but it’s unclear if there’ll be a Switch 2 specific version or if it’ll just work via backwards compatibility.
That’s still unclear but a tweet by YouTuber Kiwi Talkz, who has spoke to people at Metroid Prime series developer Retro Studios, claims that the game will definitely be part of the Direct, even going as far as to imply it’ll be the biggest game reveal.
‘In less than a month in the Switch 2 Direct you’ll see that Nintendo and Retro were keeping their cards close to their chest with Metroid Prime 4 for this exact moment,’ he wrote. ‘The true unveiling will blow everything else in the direct out of the water.’
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