Pre-order the ‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ GameCube controller now

By Steven Petite June 19, 2018

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Almost 17 years after its release, you can once again pre-order a GameCube controller. Yes, as long as Super Smash Bros. is around, the funky GameCube gamepad will always be a desired commodity and Nintendo knows it. The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-themed controller is available for pre-order now.

We found listings at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. The controllers retail for $30 and are only available in black. Besides the Smash Bros. logo in the center of the controller, the new controller is exactly the same as the original GameCube controller. As of now, the controllers have a placeholder date of December 31, but we expect the controller to launch on December 7 alongside Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

So yes, if you still have your GameCube, or if you have the Smash Bros.-themed controller from Super Smash Bros. on Wii U, you don’t need to pick up a new controller. In fact, if you played with GameCube controllers on the Wii U, you’re all set. Like the Wii U, the Switch requires a USB adapter to use GameCube controllers. Nintendo is re-releasing the adapter for $20 (also available to pre-order now), but it’s the exact same adapter that you may already own.

In fact, the Wii U adapter already works with the Switch, a neat trick discovered after system update 4.0.0 last October that hinted at the impending arrival of a Smash game with GameCube controller support on Switch. You would be surprised how many Switch games can be played with a GameCube controller right now (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Kirby Star Allies, Sonic Mania, to name a few).

To be clear, you don’t need a GameCube controller to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Both the Joy-Con controllers and the Switch Pro Controller will get you up and running just fine. However, serious Smash players have always gravitated toward the gamepad used in Super Smash Bros. Melee. The GameCube controller has been compatible with all iterations of Smash since Melee (even the 3DS version, with a mod).

Knowing how Nintendo sometimes self-creates scarcity, you may want to pre-order a controller or two if you want to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with a GameCube controller at launch.

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Steven is a writer from Northeast Ohio currently based in Louisiana. He writes about video games and books, and consumes…

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Super Mario Bros. Wonder is getting a very red Nintendo Switch OLED

An image of the Nintendo Switch - OLED Model Mario Red Edition.

Nintendo is launching a Nintendo Switch - OLED Model Mario Red Edition in October. The news capped off the company's Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct today, which shared new details on the upcoming platformer.

This new themed version of the latest Nintendo Switch iteration is completely red across the system and Joy-Cons. On the back of it, players can find a silhouette of Mario and hidden coins. It's not as detailed as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's OLED model, but it does look very sleek. This Mario Red Edition system will come out on October 6, two weeks ahead of Super Mario Bros. Wonder's release.

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Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct: how to watch and what to expect

Mario as an elephant in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

Nintendo will reveal more about Super Mario Bros. Wonder during a Nintendo Direct dedicated to the game that's set for later this week. Nintendo announced this new 2D Mario game during a Direct in June, but we haven't learned much more about it since then outside of the fact that Charles Martinet won't voice Mario in it. As such, this is a presentation Mario fans will definitely want to tune into ahead of the game's release in October. If you're planning to watch the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct live, this is everything you need to know about watching it.

When is the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct
Nintendo confirmed that the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct will take place at 7 a.m. PT on August 31. It says the showcase will last "roughly 15 minutes," so you'll only need to set aside a little bit of time on Thursday morning for it.
How to watch the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct
Like most Nintendo Directs, this Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct will be live-streamed on Nintendo's YouTube channel. The premiere for it is already live on YouTube, and you can watch it from this article with the embedded video below.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct 8.31.2023
What to expect from the Super Mario Bros. Wonder Direct
Super Mario Bros. Wonder launches for Nintendo Switch on October 20, but there's still a lot we don't know about it. Nintendo simply says the Direct will serve as "an in-depth look at Mario's latest 2D side-scrolling adventure," so expect a deep dive into the different characters, gimmicks, and abilities players will encounter during the game.
I personally hope we learn more about some of the new power-ups we can use in the adventure, like the Wonder Flower that makes levels weird and the strange-looking power-up that turns Mario into an elephant. One thing you shouldn't expect from this Direct: other Nintendo games. This is a livestream to tune into if you want to learn more about Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Super Mario Bros. Wonder alone. That's not such a bad thing, though.

Gaming

Super Mario Bros. Wonder: release date, trailers, gameplay, and more

Mario, Luigi, Peach and Yoshi in Super Mario Bros.: Wonder key art.

It's been over a decade since we got the last new 2D Mario game, but that dry spell has finally come to an end. Super Mario Bros. Wonder has appeared and will give us a brand new side-scrolling adventure through the Mushroom Kingdom. While 3D Mario titles tend to get most of the excitement and praise from fans, there's no denying that the 2D games are just as creative and fun in their own ways. Even though they all follow the same basic formula of running through a stage in an attempt to reach the flagpole at the end, they all put fun and creative twists on how you get there that keep each title fresh. If you've been wondering what Mario's next 2D adventure will hold, here's everything we know about Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
Release date

We have waited long enough for a new 2D Mario, and Nintendo seems to agree. Super Mario Bros. Wonder will arrive this fall on October 20.
Platforms