Best GameCube games of all time, ranked

When Nintendo released the GameCube in 2001, they focused on what they did best: creating games that were precise, refined, and incredibly fun to play. The console, a small purple cube, prioritized quick loading times and a uniquely comfortable controller over features like DVD playback or large storage. Nintendo designed the GameCube to be all about the gameplay experience, emphasizing how the game felt rather than focusing on technical specs.

The GameCube boasts a fantastic library of beloved and timeless games. Super Smash Bros. Melee remains a popular competitive game even now. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess were both visually striking and offered grand adventures. Metroid Prime innovated the first-person adventure genre, and Resident Evil 4 redefined action-horror. Games like Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Super Mario Sunshine, and Luigi’s Mansion showcased Nintendo’s classic style, while titles like Eternal Darkness, Tales of Symphonia, and Skies of Arcadia added even more variety and appeal to the console.

Okay, so the GameCube didn’t sell as many units as the PlayStation 2 or Xbox, but honestly, it’s become a legend for all the right reasons. It was all about fantastic, inventive games that still hold up incredibly well today. It’s a console I really appreciate, and it’s earned its place as a classic!

With that in mind, here’s our ranking of the best GameCube games.

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Super Mario Strikers

Release date:

November 18, 2005

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Super Mario Strikers is the first game in the Mario Strikers series, it features a version of soccer without referees and rules and has power-ups and special strikes which count as two goals. In comparison to actual soccer, the game features a smaller version of the soccer field and each team has only five members instead of the usual eleven-a-side rule. The match time can be manually set from 2 to 15 minutes but is defined as 5 minutes by default. If time runs out when scores are level, a Sudden Death follows the regular game time where next goal wins.

Chibi-Robo!

Release date:

June 23, 2005

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Like most families, the Sandersons bicker about money and cleaning. Unlike most families, though, they also have robotic spiders, aliens, and talking toys to worry about. Enter Chibi-Robo, a tiny robot programmed to spread happiness. Join him on his quest to restore order to the Sanderson house and SAVE THE WORLD!

Sonic Adventure 2: Battle

Release date:

December 20, 2001

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is a complete conversion of Sonic Adventure 2 from the Dreamcast with additional features. Exclusive to the Gamecube are improved visuals, new 2 player battle games (including Kart Racing, Hunting and Chao Karate) and the ability to grow your Chao and exchange them to the Game Boy Advance game Sonic Advance for portable training.

Mario Party 4

Release date:

January 1, 2002

3(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Toad, Koopa, and other party-planning pranksters have hidden birthday presents for their closest friends inside the Party Cube. To win the presents, Mario, Yoshi, Peach, and other Mushroom Kingdom favorites will have to plunge into a circus of minigame trickery. As always, keep an eye out for Bowser and his trouble-making goons. Even Whomp and Thwomp have rockin’ surprises for you in their Extra Room. Packed with surprises, wild multiplayer action, and zany challenges, Mario Party 4 is your ticket to a good time.

Pokémon Colosseum

Release date:

November 21, 2003

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Pokemon fans can now battle their favorite Pokemon on the grand stage. Starring a brand new leading character, Pokemon, Colosseum offers a story mode that pits you against tough trainers who routinely catch damaged Pokemon. In Battle mode, you can use the Game Boy Advance cable to send your team from your Pokemon Ruby or Pokemon Sapphire Game Pak to your Gamecube, then witness the true potential of your team. Rescue Pokemon and watch them come to life in spectacular Colosseum battles.

Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

Release date:

December 5, 2003

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: An original roleplaying game for Nintendo GameCube from the team behind Xenosaga. The game makes heavy use of cards for everything from fighting battles to purchasing items. Cards are actually a central part of the story as well, as they are holders for “Magnus” which is short for “Magna Essence.” Magnus is the true nature of all things throughout the world, including swords, magic spells and even apples that are gathered in the town in which your adventures start out. A real item can be turned into Magnus form and stored in a blank card. It can then be taken out from the card and will turn back into real form. Features detailed CG cutscenes to tell the story and turn-based battle sequences.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles

Release date:

August 8, 2003

4(4 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Join a crystal caravan! A deadly miasma has swallowed the land, and it’s up to you to hold it at bay! Many dangers lie along your journey, but you need not face them alone. Enlist your friends in a crystal caravan and make your mark together in the Crystal Chronicles!

The Simpsons: Hit & Run

Release date:

September 16, 2003

4(5 reviews)

Platforms:

PC (Microsoft Windows)
PlayStation 2
Xbox
Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Strange wasp-shaped spy cameras, shady black vans lingering about, and a brand new flavor of Buzz Cola that everyone seems a bit too excited about. What could it all mean? Find out as you take to the streets as America’s most beloved dysfunctional animated family: The Simpsons! In this timeless action-adventure game, you can work to uncover the conspiracy taking place in Springfield while playing as these beloved characters. As you progress through the game, you’ll explore 3 unique areas of Springfield made up of many locations from the show. You can ride around in style with a memorable array of vehicles from the show or take a walk around on foot. You’ll stumble into adrenaline-pumping story missions, take part in some fast paced street races and help out some of the townsfolk in bonus missions. Around every corner there’s pesky wasps to be destroyed, collector cards to find and secret gags to uncover.

Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

Release date:

September 12, 2003

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life will span a lifetime on the farm and follow the drama that goes with it. Not only must you build and successfully run a farm, but you must also build a successful life with family and friends! This new Harvest Moon experience will take the best qualities of the series and add more…more animals, more vegetables and more drama! What sort of life will you live?

Star Fox Adventures

Release date:

January 1, 2002

3(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Star Fox Adventures takes place in a vast 3-D world full of strange scenery, brain-teasing puzzles and intense action. Learn the secrets of a mystical staff to fend off enemies and cast a variety of spells. Plus the intuitive, enemy-locking target system allows you to battle foes without skipping a beat. And you’ll need to build clever strategies to defeat the huge boss enemies.

Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

Release date:

December 16, 2004

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Donkey Kong Jungle Beat is a Nintendo GameCube video game featuring the ape Donkey Kong and played with the DK Bongos. It was released in Japan on December 16, 2004, in Europe on February 4, 2005, in North America on March 14, 2005, and in Australia on March 17, 2005. In 2008 and 2009, the game was re-released in the New Play Control! series of revamped Nintendo GameCube titles. This is the first game to be rated E10 by the ESRB.

Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

Release date:

July 28, 2003

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Hit the links in the Mushroom Kingdom!

Mario, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong and others have tee times reserved in the Mushroom Kingdom! Challenge them to tournaments, or take them on in character matches to collect rings or nab coins! Play on resort-style courses or look out for Chain Chomps, Warp Pipes and Thwomps on the Mushroom Kingdom courses!

Wave Race: Blue Storm

Release date:

September 14, 2001

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Racing atop a bed of dynamically changing waves, gamers must navigate their way through eight different environments under random weather conditions, including the powerful and visually impressive Storm setting.

Play through, tutorial stunt, time trial challenges, and Championship mode, which offers shortcut-laden Normal, Hard, and Expert circuits, sending you and seven other racers around eight different course environments loaded with buoys.

Luigi’s Mansion

Release date:

September 14, 2001

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Luigi steps out from the shadow of his brother Mario and into the gloomy shadows of a very haunted house in this, his first-ever starring role. When Luigi learns that he’s the proud new owner of a creepy old mansion, he’s thrilled. Of course, his feelings immediately shift when his brother, the storied Mario, disappears from the house. Now, you’ll have to help Luigi track his brother down, making your way through expansive 3D levels. Each stage is packed with ghosts and ghouls to put you on edge; and you’ll be armed with a flashlight and a vacuum cleaner to help you capture your foes. Armed with a flashlight and a customized vacuum cleaner, Luigi must rid the mansion of Boos and ghouls — and find his missing brother to boot!

Skies of Arcadia

Release date:

October 5, 2000

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Dreamcast

More info

What it’s about: Arcadia is a world where continents float high above, and people travel by airships. Among the countries of this world, the most powerful one is the Empire of Valua. Guided by its greedy admirals, Valua strives to possess all the power in Arcadia. The boy Vyse and the girl Aika are members of the Blue Rogues – noble pirates who attack only Valuan war ships. During one of their confrontations with a battle ship, they encounter a girl named Fina, who is on an important mission whose secret she cannot tell yet. Involved in the conflict with the Empire of Valua, the trio of the heroes must explore the whole world of Arcadia in order to defeat the admirals.

Pikmin

Release date:

October 26, 2001

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Pikmin is a whole new breed of gameplay from Nintendo. The quirky, life-under-the-microscope title delivers a unique experience like few before it with a blend of real-time strategy, adventure, and puzzle elements. Taking advantage of the GameCube’s graphics power, Pikmin sports lush texture work that brings to life a microscopic fantasy world. Players control Captain Olimar, a lovable little astronaut, who crash landed on a planet inhabited by even more lovable little plant creatures known as Pikmin. Olimar can command these creatures RTS-style, assign them tasks, make them attack foes, and gather resources. The ultimate task is to rebuild Olimar’s space ship before a 30-day time window elapses.

Tales of Symphonia

Release date:

August 29, 2003

4(3 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: In a dying world, legend has it that a Chosen One will one day rise from amongst the people and the land will be reborn. The line between good and evil blurs in this epic adventure where the fate of two interlocked worlds hangs in the balance.

Super Monkey Ball 2

Release date:

August 25, 2002

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: The objective of Super Monkey Ball 2 is to guide a monkey trapped inside a plastic ball through a maze to the goal. There are three variations, story mode, challenge mode, and practice mode. In story mode you have an unlimited number of tries to complete a stage, and after clearing 10 stages a movie clip is shown followed by a new world of 10 stages. In challenge mode, you have a limited number of monkeys and a time limit to complete numerous levels of increasing difficulty. In practice mode, you can play any stage already completed in the other two modes.

In addition to the main game options, numerous party games are also included. These are monkey race, monkey fight, monkey target, monkey billiards, monkey bowling, monkey golf, monkey boat, monkey shot, monkey dogfight, monkey soccer, monkey baseball, and monkey tennis. The party games can be played by one to four players.

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

Release date:

April 20, 2005

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is a tactical role-playing video game developed by Intelligent Systems and Nintendo SPD, and published by Nintendo for the GameCube home console in 2005. It is the ninth main installment in the Fire Emblem series,[c] and the third to be released in the west. As with previous installments, gameplay revolves around positioning characters on a battlefield to defeat an opposing force. If characters are defeated in battle, they are removed from the rest of the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Release date:

June 7, 2004

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures is the only console Zelda title to date to incorporate multiplayer elements into its main campaign. Because of its single-player elements, Four Swords Adventures is also the first game in the series to allow a single player to control more than one Link at once, and it utilizes various methods to allow the player to make use of the four Links, such as formations. Also it is the only title to break locations and temples up into succinct, separate stages and levels which can be replayed even after beating them once. The game itself, though an innovation in Zelda gameplay, is heavily inspired by the music, graphics, and locations of A Link to the Past.

Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes

Release date:

March 9, 2004

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: The Twin Snakes features graphical improvements over the original, new cutscenes written and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, and gameplay functions originally introduced in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The game also includes a revised translation with re-recorded voice acting using all of the original English voice cast. Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto oversaw development of the game. It was also intended to allow the player to play Metal Gear Solid as it was meant to be played

Ikaruga

Release date:

December 20, 2001

4(6 reviews)

Platforms:

Arcade

More info

What it’s about: In this vertical scrolling spaceship shooter, you control a ship that can change its polarity at will. As blue/white, the ship can easily destroy red/black enemies, and vice versa. Bullets of your polarity can be collected to fuel your energy gauge, but those opposite will kill you. Destroying an enemy ship causes them to fire revenge bullets which can be absorbed and fired back by the player. Different difficulties exist to change exactly how you interact with polarized points, or how they appear. It is the spiritual successor to Radiant Silvergun, featuring similar level and boss design, as well as it’s buddhism inspired themes and aesthetics. Both are directed by Hiroshi Iuchi, who also composed Ikaruga’s soundtrack.

Resident Evil Zero

Release date:

November 12, 2002

4(3 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Resident Evil Zero is a third-person survival horror video game and a prequel to the first Resident Evil. The gameplay remains largely the same as previous entries in the series but also introduces what it calls a partner zapping system, which allows you to switch between the two characters Rebecca and Billy at any time. This feature must be used at times, as the game requires both characters to work together to solve some puzzles. New to the game are a bunch of terrifying enemies, like the mutant centipede, new areas to explore, and the ability to drop items on the ground instead of having to find an item box.

Animal Crossing

Release date:

September 16, 2002

4(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Occasionally strange but completely addictive, Nintendo’s Animal Crossing for the GameCube is not so much a game as a simulation of life on a small town. Players begin the game by setting out to live life on their own in a colorful town, where they are greeted by a seemingly endless supply of things to do and characters to meet. Time passes in Animal Crossing in real-time, as the month, day, season, and time of day matches that of the player’s. Holiday seasons come and go in Animal Crossing, just as they would in the real world. Experience the freedom to fish, decorate your house, go bug catching, garden, write letters, and even play original Nintendo NES games in this imaginative, and addictive game.

Beyond Good & Evil

Release date:

January 1, 2003

5(5 reviews)

Platforms:

PC (Microsoft Windows)
PlayStation 2
Xbox
Xbox 360
Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Beyond Good & Evil is an action-adventure game with elements of puzzle-solving and stealth-based games. The player controls the protagonist, Jade, from a third-person perspective. Jade can run, move stealthily, jump over obstacles and pits, climb ladders, push or bash doors and objects, and flatten herself against walls. As Jade, the player investigates a number of installations in search of the truth about a war with an alien threat.

TimeSplitters 2

Release date:

October 9, 2002

5(2 reviews)

Platforms:

PlayStation 2
Xbox
Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: TimeSplitters 2 is a first-person shooter that requires players to kill enemies and complete objectives using a variety of weapons and tactics in different predefined scenarios. Armour and health bars on the sides of the screen lower when the player is shot, which can be increased by walking over body armor and medical kits.

F-Zero GX

Release date:

July 25, 2003

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: F-Zero GX is the fourth installment in the F-Zero series and the successor to F-Zero X. The game continues the series’ difficult, high-speed racing style, retaining the basic gameplay and control system from the Nintendo 64 title. A heavy emphasis is placed on track memorization and reflexes, which aids in completing the title. GX introduces a “Story Mode” element, where the player walks in the footsteps of Captain Falcon through nine chapters, completing various missions.

Burnout 2: Point of Impact

Release date:

September 30, 2002

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

PlayStation 2
Xbox
Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Burnout is a street racing game focused around speed and crashing. Unlike many games which focus on closed course driving, you get to drive through cities with real traffic and city infrastructure. Designers have built an entire city and surrounding areas, and implement the race courses throughput the countie’s streets. As a result, many times certain parts of race-courses interlace with other parts of other races. As well, instead of encouraging strategic driving and safe driving, Burnout strongly encourages offensive driving. Driving on the wrong side of the road, barely missing passing traffic, drifting, and jumps all add to your boost “burnout” meter. Speed boosts and jumps aid your attempt to dive past buses, trucks and anything else that gets in the way. The more offensive and dangerous your driving is, the more boost you get!

Viewtiful Joe

Release date:

June 26, 2003

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Joe is no ordinary man and Viewtiful Joe is no ordinary game. Capcom’s new superhero action game mixes funky cartoon-style visuals with classic side-scrolling gameplay and introduces the world’s quirkiest million dollar action hero. More than just any ordinary dude, Joe must transform into the ultimate superhero. It’s up to you to activate the correct view mode like “slow” or “zoom in” in order to clobber your enemies with beautiful style. You can also speed up or slow down your visual effects for even more “viewtiful” moves. Viewtiful Joe mixes an innovative viewpoint with an amazing stunt-filled action movie universe.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II – Rogue Leader

Release date:

November 9, 2001

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: In Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader you get the chance to jump into the cockpit of an X-wing and join Luke Skywalker and the Star Wars galaxy’s most daring pilots as they return to face off against the Empire. As in the original hit game for N64, you’ll relive favorite Star Wars battles including the perilous Death Star trench run, a daring space attack on a Star Destroyer and the legendary battle on the ice planet Hoth. Rogue Leader features stunning, movie like visuals and immerses players in an intense action-arcade experience. Aerial conflict takes place in a variety of craft such as the legendary X-wing, A-wing, and B-wing. For the first time, the game also features on-foot ground combat in missions directly based on or inspired by the original movie trilogy.

Pikmin 2

Release date:

April 29, 2004

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: In Pikmin 2, Captain Olimar returns to the planet he was originally stranded on, to collect trinkets for his failing company to sell back at home. The game features a 2-character mechanic, which allows players to switch between two spacemen while collecting items. Two-player co-op challenge missions and a competitive mode are also available.

SSX 3

Release date:

October 20, 2003

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

PlayStation 2
Xbox
Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Players can discover the open mountain in the newest version of the smash-hit SSX snowboarding franchise. SSX 3 allows gamers to go anywhere gravity will take them. Players will discover a colossal mountain where they can immerse themselves in a free-roaming snow paradise. The ultimate all-mountain experience, SSX 3 features all-new events and courses, awe-inspiring tricks and a cast of cool, customisable characters. Discover the open terrain, explore its hidden crevices, and conquer its peaks. Produced under the EA SPORTS BIG brand, the SSX 3 development team at EA Canada is adding technologies that bring to life rich natural graphics such as snow that sparkles and blows in the wind and realistic character shadowing. A new gameplay experience allows users to seamlessly ride from one awesome area to the next- entering competitions, taking on Big Challenges and discovering hidden collectibles. SSX 3 has blown out the trick component with unlimited combos and new, over-the-top tricks. In addition to the new boarding venues, Big Challenges rewards players for completing any of the more than 100 unique challenges as they explore the mountain’s vast world. Grind billboards, board press logs, even hand plant the fence line. The musical soundtrack features a broad range of music from artists including the X-Ecutioners, Felix Da Housecat, Queens of the Stone Age, N.E.R.D., and many more.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

Release date:

November 7, 2003

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: The Mushroom Kingdom just got a whole lot more hectic as Mario and friends double up for furious kart racing. This time around, each kart holds two racers that can switch places at any time, so choose from a huge cast of favorites and pair them up any way you see fit. The character in front handles the driving duties, while the character in the rear doles out damage with six normal items and eight special items that only specific characters can use. Get ready for some intense multiplayer mayhem with your favorite characters, including Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Peach, Bowser, and Koopa.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4

Release date:

October 23, 2002

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

PC (Microsoft Windows)
PlayStation 2
Xbox
Mac
Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Drop into the ultimate challenge. In the next chapter in the Tony Hawk series, pros challenge you to make your mark in huge free-roaming levels, taking on 190 progressively harder goals with no time limits to hold you back. Decide when you’re ready to take on your Pro Challenge and move into the pro ranks, where it’s a whole new game. Build your skills, perform all-new tricks, play up to eight players online, and show that you’ve got what it takes to go Pro.

Super Mario Sunshine

Release date:

July 19, 2002

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Super Mario Sunshine is a Mario action-adventure 3D platformer. It follows Super Mario 64, and is the second 3D Mario platformer. Gameplay features a combination of action and puzzle solving, with numerous stages and multiple episodes to each stage, and plenty of hidden secrets and surprises. This game introduced many recurring characters and bosses in the Mario series, including Toadsworth, Bowser Jr., Petey Piranha, Gooper Blooper, Piantas, Nokis, Shadow Mario, and F.L.U.D.D. Super Mario Sunshine pays homage to Mario’s Italian heritage and upbringing, with many of the locations in the game having Italian names and sometimes referencing Italian culture.

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes

Release date:

November 15, 2004

4(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: An exploration-driven 3D metroidvania/first-person shooter hybrid and sequel to Metroid Prime (2002) in which Samus lands on Aether, an intricate planet torn into light and dark versions of itself, to help its remaining inhabitants defend against the invaders from its dark incarnation by traversing both the light and dark worlds, acquiring new power-ups and braving oppressive environments.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Master Quest

Release date:

February 28, 2002

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube
64DD

More info

What it’s about: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Master Quest is a reworked version of the original Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64. Master Quest contains largely the same content as the original game but with more redesigned and difficult dungeons. Master Quest was available on a special bonus disc that also contained the original Ocarina of Time, it was given out in limited quantities with preorders of The Wind Waker. It was previously developed to be released as an expansion to the original game via the Nintendo 64DD, but that version was cancelled due to the lackluster sales of the hardware.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Release date:

November 11, 2003

4(7 reviews)

Platforms:

PC (Microsoft Windows)
PlayStation 2
PlayStation 3
Xbox
Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Deceived by the treacherous Vizier, I was led to unleash the Sands of Time curse upon the Sultan’s kingdom. With little but an ancient dagger and a devious princess to aid me, I must undo my fatal mistake. Mine is a fight for survival… not glory. • Reverse, accelerate, and slow time itself with the almighty Sands of Time. • Master the Prince’s speed, agility, and ferocious fighting skills. • Explore and survive the vast kingdoms of medieval Persia.

Eternal Darkness

Release date:

TBA

Platforms:

Nintendo 64

More info

What it’s about: Reportedly, when Nintendo saw Silicon Knights’ survival horror title at a trade show, they quickly set the wheels in motion to bring the company in as a second party. Development of Eternal Darkness continued on the Nintendo 64 for a short time before being ported to the GameCube as Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem. The Nintendo 64 version seemed to contain at least one playable character who only appeared as a bit-part in the final game: a knight named DeMolay. There appear to have been many other chapters cut from the final game as well, suggesting that Silicon Knights intended the game to have further sequels. Unfortunately, these also failed to appear.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Release date:

November 21, 2001

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: Super Smash Bros. Melee is the second installment in the Super Smash Bros. series and the follow-up to the Nintendo 64 title. It includes all playable characters from the first game, and also adds characters from franchises such as Fire Emblem, of which no games had been released outside Japan at the time. Super Smash Bros. Melee builds on the first game by adding new gameplay features and playable characters: it’s major focus is the multiplayer mode, while still offering a number of single-player modes.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess

Release date:

December 2, 2006

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is the last Zelda game for GameCube, it was highly anticipated by many members of the gaming community and was regarded as finally fulfilling the dreams of those who wanted a much more realistic and mature game than the ones before. The art is similar to the naturalistic style of Ocarina of Time, rather than the cel-shaded look of The Wind Waker. The main adventure takes place in several provinces with dungeons and temples. New to this game is the ability for Link to transform into a Wolf when entering the Twilight. As a wolf, Link can use his senses to solve puzzles and get past obstacles, he can also dig holes to find hearts and rupees. Twilight Princess has received universal acclaim from reviewers and journalists, who cited it as the greatest Zelda game of all time.

SoulCalibur II

Release date:

July 1, 2002

5(2 reviews)

Platforms:

Arcade

More info

What it’s about: SoulCalibur II is the third installment in the Soul series and continues the tradition of his predecessors with improved graphics, new characters and new levels. A majority of the action takes place in Weapon Master mode where you have to choose a character and travel a set map to fight the many other warriors through different levels and challenges. Console ports were released, including guest characters from other franchises. The Arcade version has a unique mode called “Conquest Mode”. This mode, which uses a name and password system to save data, allows the player to select one army among four. The player then fights against enemies in a series of eight 1-round battles, win or lose (the first seven are based on the player’s rank, and the eighth is chosen by the player – this can only be interrupted by a Versus challenger.) After each round, the player earns EXP and can be promoted, and the game also rates the player in four categories: Soul, Power, Wisdom and Skill. The game also keeps track of which moves the player knows and uses most often. After the eight battles, territory control is updated and the player has the option to fight a bonus round against their character played by the AI.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Release date:

December 13, 2002

5(1 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

More info

What it’s about: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the first Zelda game for the Nintendo GameCube and also the first in the series to employ cel-shading, a lighting and texturing technique that results in the game having a cartoon-like appearance. Like its predecessors, The Wind Waker is an action game with puzzle-solving and light role-playing elements. Basic gameplay mechanics are similar to those found in Ocarina of Time, but it differentiates itself with its massive Great Sea which must be explored using a boat named King of Red Lions.

Resident Evil 4

Release date:

January 11, 2005

4(5 reviews)

Platforms:

Nintendo GameCube

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What it’s about: Resident Evil 4 is the sixth installment in the Resident Evil series and is often noted for its departure from the fixed camera angles of earlier titles. It introduced an over-the-shoulder third-person perspective, faster-paced gunplay, and more dynamic controls. The game features larger, more open environments and a new AI system that enables enemies to coordinate attacks and attempt to corner the player. Enemies exhibit more human-like behavior, such as climbing ladders, opening doors, and using weapons.

2026-01-17 07:22