The GameCube was a strange machine that paled in comparison to the juggernaut that was the PS2, but it might be my all-time favorite console in spite of itself. Nintendo was firing on all cylinders creatively, but that simply didn’t translate to sales.

And while it has a reputation for lacking heavy-hitters like “GTA III” and “Final Fantasy X,” there are some absolute bangers that deserve another life on the GameCube emulator available on Switch 2.

We’ve already played a bunch of “Soulcalibur 2,” and we’re eagerly awaiting a bigger catalogue on Nintendo’s pricier subscription service. So while we twiddle our thumbs, we might as well do some wish-casting for the months ahead.

‘Viewtiful Joe’

Hideki Kamiya has directed some of the best games ever made. “Devil May Cry” and “Bayonetta” are enough to put him in the video game developer hall of fame by themselves, but we cannot forget Clover Studio’s unbelievable work on the GameCube.

Long before super heroes completely dominated culture, this flashy brawler smashed comics and movies together in a way that made the GameCube a must-have device (at least before the inevitable PS2 port).

It’s confusing why Joe has been out of the spotlight for so long, but maybe Nintendo Switch Online is just the kick in the pants that Capcom needs to relaunch this series. Don’t you folks like money?

‘Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader’

With no real Mario or Zelda games at the ready, the GameCube’s launch line-up was pretty light, but it was bolstered by good ol’ Factor 5. “Rogue Leader” was the long-awaited sequel to “Rogue Squadron” on N64, and this vehicle-focused space shooter delivered the goods.

2020’s “Star Wars: Squadrons” from Motive evokes the glory days on the GameCube, but nothing really comes close to the GOAT. We need the real deal on Switch 2.

Rest in peace, Factor 5! “Lair” deserved better.

‘Star Fox Adventures’

The game that awakened thousands of furries! This action-adventure spin on Star Fox holds a special place in my heart. Not for the fur tech, but for being the first game I purchased outright for the GameCube.

Rare’s swan song as a Nintendo second-party dev certainly has some rough spots, I’m not blind, but I’d love to give it another go during my lunch breaks. And truth be told, I’m more likely to play this than any of the traditional Star Fox entries.

The real dinosaur planet was the weirdly hard button-mashing mini-games we failed along the way.

‘SSX 3’

They don’t make extreme sports games like they used to! Kids these days don’t even know from “SSX!”

“Tricky” certainly has the better name, but “SSX 3” is the superior game all around. If we only get one single entry on Switch 2, this has to be the one. “Tony Hawk” is good and all, but my heart remains packed in ice. Assuming EA is interested in receiving free money, “SSX 3” is a no brainer for NSO.

‘Killer7’

This incredibly strange on-rails shooter was the first time I became aware of Suda51, and I’m so glad that I paid attention to it back then. With beloved classics like “No More Heroes” and “Shadows of the Damned” mixed in with polarizing picks like “Lollipop Chainsaw” and “Killer Is Dead,” Grasshopper Manufacture has continued to put out legitimately interesting games, but none as gripping as this one.

Resurfacing “Killer7” to a new generation of Switch 2 owners would be a clear win for culture writ large. We need a Suda51 renaissance, or we’re never gonna make it as a species.

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Image credit: “Killer7,” Grasshopper Manufacture