With Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games joining the Nintendo Switch Online library, many have been speculating as to what future retro consoles could see their library added to the service. While the Nintendo DS seems to be a likely candidate for the next system to make its way to Nintendo Switch Online, the GameCube has yet to get the Virtual Console treatment in any form and should be next to hit the online service. What really makes the need for GameCube games to get a virtual release obvious is the rarity of one game in the popular Fire Emblem series.
The most recent home console to hit Nintendo Switch Online is the N64 via the Expansion Pack. While titles for this console definitely fit with the retro feel the subscription service is going for, the GameCube is over 20 years old at this point, making the fact that its titles have never appeared in one of Nintendo's Virtual Console libraries all the more necessary with the inflating price of original physical copies. Players who want to play a game like Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance may have a tough time doing so as copies are scarce and, if available, are very expensive.
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is Begging for a Nintendo Switch Online Release
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance was originally released somewhat late into the GameCube's life in 2005, just prior to the Wii's release a year later. The game introduced the protagonist Ike, who would also appear in its direct sequel, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn on the Wii. While the initial sales of the game were fairly solid, as the years have gone on it's become harder to find compared to more popular titles on the GameCube like the now 20-year-old The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker or Super Mario Sunshine.
With how popular of a character Ike has become through his appearances in the Super Smash Bros. series and most recently as an Emblem Hero in Fire Emblem Engage, it's surprising that Nintendo has never re-released his home game outside of its original console. The only way Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is available is through a physical GameCube copy, and those can end up costing hundreds of dollars. Adding GameCube games to the Nintendo Switch Online library would help alleviate this massive price hike and give new fans of the series a chance to experience one of its classic titles.
Nintendo has made it clear it is committed to bringing other classic Fire Emblem titles to the Switch with Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade set to join the other Game Boy Advance games available via Nintendo Switch Online, and the rumor that Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones could come to the service as well. The company also released a special edition of the original Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light in 2020 to commemorate the series' anniversary. With this precedent set, it makes sense that other Fire Emblem titles would be a priority for digital re-releases on the Switch, opening the door for GameCube games in general to hit the online service.
It may be an unexpected herald, but Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance could be what ushers the GameCube library onto the Switch. While there are a variety of other titles on the GameCube that would draw bigger interest from fans should they come to the Switch, the rarity of a game in what has become such a popular franchise warrants some form of modern re-release. While they could go the route of a remastered version similar to Metroid Prime Remastered, likely the easiest and most accessible option is to bring Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance to Nintendo Switch Online.