Super Smash Bros. Melee Hits Nintendo Switch Alongside Dozens Of GameCube Games

3 hours ago 7

Published Apr 21, 2026, 5:46 AM EDT

Paul Farrelly is a Contributing Writer for Screen Rant’s Gaming section and the founder of GeekGasm.org, a site dedicated to celebrating all things gaming, from triple A blockbusters to weird and wonderful indie hits. Based in Louth, Ireland, Paul has spent years writing about games, pop culture, and tech, turning his lifelong love of gaming into a career that lets him talk (probably too much) about what makes this industry so endlessly fascinating.
He’s previously written and collaborated with several entertainment outlets, including LADbible, gaining a wide perspective on how gaming fits into today’s pop culture conversation. His work blends genuine enthusiasm with thoughtful analysis, exploring how design, storytelling, and community have made gaming one of the most creative mediums around.
When he’s not glued to a controller or keyboard, Paul’s usually spinning vinyl, plotting his next horror marathon, or debating which Resident Evil entry really reigns supreme.

The Gamecube was such an anomaly. It followed one of the all-time greatest consoles, the N64, and offered more power, far superior storage capacity with its mini discs over cartridges and a gaming library that would make a dungaree-wearing plumber blush. Yet it never really got the love it deserved. Sandwiched between the N64 and the Wii, the Gamecube didn't have as much success for Nintendo.

But as mentioned, it has such a strong game library that any Nintendo friends with a sense of nostalgia can appreciate. Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Resident Evil 4 and Super Smash Bros. Melee are some of the greatest games of all time, and they all began their life on the Gamecube. Thanks to GitHub, getting the chance to play Super Smash Bros. Melee again on modern hardware, in particular, feels too good to be true.

Super Smash Bros. Melee Lands On Switch, With A Catch

Git Gud on GitHub

Thanks to some tinkering with the now famous Dolphin emulator, those good folks over on GitHub have a version that works natively on Nintendo Switch. No Linux or Android versions needed, this emulator will see you replaying Gamecube classics along with some working Wii titles as well. Super Smash Bros. Melee in particular is meant to run surprisingly well with only some stutter while loading new stages due to shaders compiling for the first time.

Sure, the catch is, you're running it through an emulator and not playing an updated Switch version of the game, but that's not the end of the world. Getting a chance to replay your old Gamecube games on your newer Nintendo console is a gift and a game like Super Smash Bros. Melee is perfect for handheld gamers. Sure, NSO has some Gamecube games available in their library for Switch 2 players, but it's not exactly a huge list. Worst of all, it doesn't include Super Smash Bros. Melee. I mean, who doesn't want to kick Kirby in the face while catching the bus? Oh...just me then!

The GameCube Remains An Iconic Console

Stellar Games Library

The Gamecube has such a library of amazing titles that it's genuinely exciting to get the chance to revisit some of these classics. Sure, we'd all love for Nintendo to get on board and remaster all our old favorites for modern consoles, but until that happens...emulation is the next best thing. Games like Eternal Darkness or Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader deserve a modern makeover and a re-release, but until that happens, we'll have to contend with playing our back-ups through emulation.

With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie currently smashing it on the big screen and hitting new milestones, it seems like the perfect time to dust off the old Wii version of the game and test it out on the Switch. Will it play as well as the re-released enhanced version? Absolutely not, but there's something very nostalgic about playing the original. Like you're revisiting a slice in time. The Gamecube library deserves more love. Now, what do I need to do to get Half-Life 2 running on a FitBit? Asking for a friend!