Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Leaks Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Pikmin 2 (GameCube Ports)
The Walmart Nintendo Switch Online (NSO) + Expansion Pack leak continues to dominate gaming news into the evening, with fresh coverage from major outlets like IGN, Kotaku, GameSpot, Nintendo Life, VGC, and GamesRadar+.
The promotional banner was quickly pulled from Walmart's site (now behind a captcha), but widespread screenshots confirm Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and Pikmin 2 as incoming GameCube additions to the service.
1. Walmart Promo Banner Confirms Metroid Prime 2: Echoes & Pikmin 2 (GameCube Ports)
- Leak Breakdown: Walmart's Nintendo brand page featured a collage promoting NSO + Expansion Pack's "Nintendo Classics" libraries (NES, SNES, N64, GBA, GameCube).
It blended confirmed titles like Super Mario World, Star Fox 64, Mario Kart 64, and Zelda:
A Link to the Past with the two unannounced GameCube covers: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Samus in blue Phazon armor battling a dark enemy) and Pikmin 2 (purple Pikmin atop the red Emperor Bulblax).
Fine print noted "Only available on Nintendo Switch™ 2" alongside GameCube controller icons and Expansion Pack branding.
- Timeline: Spotted around 4 AM EST; exploded via X shares, leading to Walmart scrubbing the page hours later.
- Visual Proof: Screenshots capture the full collage grid mixing retro eras, with MP2 top-right and Pikmin 2 in the second row middle. Close-ups highlight the exact box arts.
- Credibility: Ironclad—official Nintendo assets matching prior retailer NSO slips (e.g., Target's Luigi's Mansion).
Fits GameCube library's monthly rollout since 2025 launch.
- Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (2004 GC) Deep Dive:
The original delivered a dual-world adventure across Aether and Dark Aether, lauded for beam-switching and narrative but dinged for tough bosses like Boost and Spider Guardians; it included 4-player multiplayer (with cut Space Pirate playable tease).
NSO brings the raw GameCube version (30fps, no widescreen or motion controls from the Wii Trilogy), quashing hopes for a premium $60 remaster like Prime 1. Still, cheap sub access bridges to Prime 4.
- Pikmin 2 (2004 GC) Deep Dive:
This RTS-puzzle gem packed 100+ caves and 2P co-op Battle/Mission modes (with quirky product placements like Cup Noodles ads, later cut).
The GC port restores those absent from the 2023 Switch HD remaster ($50, no co-op battles), offering sub perks like potential online play—redundant for owners but a preservation boon.
- Broader NSO + Switch 2 Context: GameCube titles require the $50/year Expansion Pack; "Switch 2" text suggests enhanced backward compatibility on the successor. Aligns with Feb Direct hype for more reveals.
- Fan Reactions (X/Reddit): Over 100K views in hours—hype for "legal Prime 2 at last," salt over "no remaster, GC controls suck," and Pikmin gripes like "why not 1/3?" Overall: Preservation victory, but Nintendo's port-first approach draws "cheap" jabs.
2. Ties to Nintendo Direct (Early Feb 2026)
- Insiders eye a Feb 4-5 showcase for Switch 2 and NSO. This leak screams pre-announcement bait, potentially unlocking more GC gems like Sunshine or Double Dash.
No official word yet—these retailer slips almost always confirm soon. NSO subscribers mostly rejoice.
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