TheNintendo Switch 2’s GameCube backward compatibility is a major selling point for the Switch Online service, but a new test confirms that playing GameCube titles on the console comes with a significant drawback. As an exclusive Switch 2 addition to Switch Online’s library of retro titles, theintroductory lineup of GameCubeofferings brought backThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker,F-Zero GX, andSoulcalibur 2, withSuper Mario Strikersmore recently joining the fray. While this can be a lot more convenient than tracking down original copies to play on a GameCube or Wii, it isn’t perfect.
A new video fromDigital Foundryon YouTube confirmsa meaningful amount of input lag when playing GameCube games on Switch Online. When testing the high-speed gameF-Zero G, multiple connection and display options all resulted in significantly higher latency than playing on an original GameCube. The original hardware featured roughly 70ms of input latency, while the Switch 2 is around 120ms.
Switch 2 Input Lag Isn’t The Only Change For GameCube Titles
120ms of input latency is generally passable, and when kicking back to playThe Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, it shouldn’t be an issue.For highly competitive games likeF-Zero GXandSoulCalibur 2, there’s more potential to find the minor delay frustrating, although the degree to which it stands out will vary from player to player. This isn’t a reason to avoid playingGameCube titles on Switch 2, but it’s still a potentially disappointing drawback.
Digital Foundry also notes a few other issues with Switch 2 Gamecube emulation, breaking down differences in analog stick emulation, widescreen scaling limitations, and the existence of single-frame drops. Switch 2 emulation also comes with some upgrades, however.Several games feature FPS improvementsaside from the frame drop issue, alongside the higher resolution on Switch 2.
NSO’s GameCube Games Need A Little More Work
It’s Almost Where It Needs To Be
Digital Foundry ultimately concludes thatthe NSO GameCube titles are “faithfully represented” on Switch 2, but the tester also calls for some additional work on Nintendo’s behalf. While all the games can certainly be enjoyed on Switch 2, it’s not ideal for input latency to be worse than fan-made emulation can be.
Nintendo has worked in the past to add post-launch improvements to NSO classics, like anupdate toThe Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Timethat restored previously missing fog elements. Minimizing input latency on the GameCube titles might not be the company’s biggest priority, but it could hopefully still happen at some point during theNintendo Switch 2’s lifespan.
