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Update: Go here to read about this week’s Nintendo Switch 2 restock in the US if you want to find the console in stock, and read our in-depth Nintendo Switch 2 review.
👋 The Nintendo GameCube controller for Switch 2 is back in stock
📆 Pre-orders began on May 13 exclusively from the My Nintendo Store
👉 You need to have an active Nintendo Switch Online account to pre-order
🕵️♂️ We’re tracking the next GameCube controller restock to help you get one
🚨 Priority Alerts: The Shortcut subscribers get 1:1 help in our Substack Chat
🔔 Turn on notifications for Matt Swider on X to get additional alerts
Update 6/30/25: The Nintendo GameCube controller for Switch 2 is available to buy from the My Nintendo Store again. Stock seems to be keeping up with demand, as previously it’s sold out within a few hours. Orders are limited to one per person, which means you won’t be able to buy a second GameCube controller if you’ve already purchased one.
Nintendo recently announced the next GameCube game coming to Switch Online. Subscribers can look forward to playing Super Mario Strikers on July 3, which is the first entry in Nintendo’s soccer series.
Original story: The Nintendo GameCube controller for Switch 2 pre-orders went live yesterday, May 13, something The Shortcut subscribers knew in advance.
We flagged the GameCube controller pre-order date last month, and Nintendo thankfully stayed true to its word. Pre-orders started around 10am PT / 1pm ET, and members of our Substack chat got the beloved purple controller before it sold out.
Predictably, a queue was in place due to high demand. However, thanks to Nintendo requiring buyers to have an active Nintendo Switch Online account, scalpers and bots were mostly kept at bay and we saw many successful pre-orders. It also helped that orders were limited to one controller per person too.
If you're a fan of Nintendo's classic console, you'll want to pick up a GameCube controller at some point in the future. And that's why we're tracking when the next restock could be ahead of the console's June 5 release date.
You could periodically keep checking the My Nintendo Store GameCube page, but your chances of being in the right place at the right time are slim to none. Instead, save yourself the hassle and follow Matt Swider on X for instant pre-order alerts. You can also join our Substack Chat where our team and community deliver alerts directly to you.
Nintendo has sold out of its initial wave of Nintendo GameCube controllers, which were first offered to those who had an invite to pre-order from May 8 to May 12, and later to the public on May 13.
The amount of active Nintendo Switch Online accounts in the US is roughly 15 million, which highlights the potential difficulty in snagging a GameCube controller.
However, it’s extremely unlikely that everyone who has a Nintendo Switch Online account will buy a GameCube controller, but it shows demand is certainly there and will only increase as more games are added to the service.
Nintendo should have more GameCube controllers in stock on June 5, as it will want to tempt as many people as possible into signing up for its online service when they pick up their new console. Of course, should we see a restock happen before that date, we’ll let you know.
You won’t find any Nintendo GameCube controller restocks at Walmart, Best Buy, Target or Amazon. Like other Switch Online controllers, the Nintendo GameCube controller is being sold exclusively through the My Nintendo Store.
This ensures that the controller will only be sold to those with an active Nintendo Switch Online account, and should make it easier to buy the controller during the Switch 2’s lifespan.
The wireless, improved GameCube controller for Switch 2 features an additional ZL button, C button, capture button, and home button. Basically, you're getting a better version of the GameCube controller that millions still love to this day.
It’s also going to be the best way to play GameCube games because of one specific features: analog triggers. The L and R buttons both have a pressure-sensitive analog range and a digital "click" at full press. This design was unique at the time and heavily utilized in games like Super Mario Sunshine and F-Zero GX.
The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller doesn’t have analog triggers, which could make it and the Joy-Con 2 controllers less than ideal options when playing GameCube games.
If you’ve got your eye on the Nintendo GameCube controller, just remember that you’ll only be able to access GameCube games on Switch 2 if you have a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. GameCube games aren’t available on the cheaper, entry-level Nintendo Switch Online tier, so bear that in mind before you part ways with $64.99 for the controller.
Walmart: Switch Online + Expansion Pack
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.
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