There have been some concerns raised about the compatibility of the new wireless GameCube controller with “other” games on the Switch 2, so we reached out to Nintendo to ask about the specifics.
Firstly, this controller is primarily designed for use with the GameCube classics collection, which is tied to the Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership tier, and can be used as an “optional” way to relive these retro titles. If you do want to use this gamepad with other games on this platform though, there may be some “issues” but it will still apparently be compatible.
We also asked if the triggers on this particular wireless controller were analogue, but did not get a response about this.
Nintendo Life: Can you confirm if the new Switch GameCube controller will work on the original Switch and if it will be usable with games outside of the Nintendo GameCube Classic games app?
Nintendo: The Nintendo GameCube controller is designed for use with the Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics collection of games and is an optional way to play those games. Since it doesn’t have all the buttons and features found in other controllers that can be used with the Nintendo Switch 2 system, there may be some issues when playing other games. The Nintendo GameCube controller can only be used on Nintendo Switch 2 and is not compatible with Nintendo Switch.
As noted by Nintendo, this controller will only be compatible with the Switch 2 and won’t work with the original system. Fortunately, you can still hook up wired GameCube controllers to the first system using the GameCube Controller Adapter. According to Nintendo’s official website, this adapter is also compatible with the Switch 2.
Along with this, Nintendo is making various controllers forward compatible – such as the original Joy-Con and Pro Controller (even with “Switch 2 exclusive” games), but not all functions and features may necessarily work. You can find out more in our existing coverage here on Nintendo Life.
