Second only to the Dreamcast with regards to underrated consoles, the Gamecube had
a certain charm to it, and a library of games as odd and obscure as the
console’s aesthetics. Sadly, the “kiddie” image was very pronounced
during this era of Nintendo gaming, which played a role in its
unappreciated nature. Between the odd Barney the Dinosaur lunchbox look,
and the childish looking games such as Super Mario Sunshine and Super
Monkey Ball, many gamers had a tough time giving this console a second
look. Couple this with the often complex games and awkward controller,
and you have a recipe for mediocre sales.
But this didn’t mean the console was lacking in quality titles. In fact, the Gamecube remains one of my favorite consoles, as it is home to many fun and charming games that you simply cannot find a similar experience anywhere else.
In this list, I will help you pick out the ten best of the relatively small Gamecube library. Most of these are underrated gems that have gotten lost amongst the PS2 and Xbox juggernauts, much like the Gamecube itself, so I felt this was a very appropriate top ten topic. So, whether you are digging out and dust off your old Gamecube from the basement, running out and buying a used one for $20, or simply using the backwards compatibility of the Wii for an extra array of titles, here are the games you should not miss during your Gamecube experience.
If there was any reason to be excited about Sega working on Nintendo platforms since their exit from the hardware race, THIS was it. As I did not own a Dreamcast until a few years after buying a Gamecube, this game provided me with that classic Sega experience I was missing out on. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle took the already fun Dreamcast version and made it even better, expanding upon the feature of raising chaos and using them for your amusement in mini games. This game also further fleshed out the muliplayer experience, and with it, added tons of replayability.
I did appreciate the diverse nature of the game, as it diverted somewhat from the “race to the finish!” style of previous Sonic games. This game came with a Tails third person shooter style game, as well as a Knuckles platforming fetch quest, complete with the oh-so-amusing Knuckles rap. But with that said, the Sonic/Shadow race portion of the game is still the most fun, and I wish they had focused more on that aspect of the game. The Tails and Knuckles sections didn’t really feel like a Sonic game, although they were still fun in their own right. If you love fast paced, off-the-wall platformers, then this game is definitely worth checking out, especially if you have a friend to play along with. This is undeniably one of the most fun multiplayer games on the Gamecube.
Just as the previously mentioned game brought a Nintendo-only gamer into the world of Dreamcast gaming, this beautifully polished gem gave us a taste of the Sony Playstation experience. While we clearly got the short end of the stick in terms of 3rd party support, compared to the Sony platforms, we certainly held the superior library of Resident Evil games. Eat that, PS2 fanboys! Apparently, ex Capcom developer and the Father of Resident evil, Shinji Mikami, loved Nintendo and its purple lunchbox, even claiming that he would commit “harakiri” or suicide by disembowelment, should his beloved Resident Evil 4 ever make it on another platform. Damn, now that’s hardcore! His love for the Cube was certainly apparent, as the console remains the greatest option for all things Resident Evil (well except for the most recent entry, RE5). Before we received the Resident Evil 2 and 3 ports, or the awesome Resident Evil 4, which DID in fact eventually make it to the PS2 (to the disappointment of Mikami), we were treated to the original breakout hit – on steroids.
This Gamecube remake of the Playstation classic whet our appetite for the RE survival horror awesomeness to come, and blew our minds with the sheer violence and polished graphics, neither of which had been seen quite often on a Nintendo platform. Playing as either Jill or Chris, each with somewhat diverting paths and storylines, you are to make your way through a creepy mansion crawling with sluggish but eerily frightening zombies, rampant dogs, and other hostile monsters. This game is the epitome of survival horror and adrenaline pumping fun. I literally jumped from my chair from some of the startling bits of frightening action that leaped at me without warning. There are few survival-horror games where your survival instincts ACTUALLY kick in.. Talk about realistic! So shut off all the lights, pop this sucker in, and get ready for countless nights of enticing fear that will keep you awake for weeks.
I know, it is quite a leap to go from a game where you decapitate zombies, to a game where you play as a cute little monkey rolling around in a ball, but such is the diverse and crazy nature of the Gamecube.. Believe it or not, Super Monkey Ball is a deceptively fun and challenging game, and may even give Resident Evil a run for its money in sheer difficulty, at least at the later stages. The game is paradoxically a simple concept coupled with a tough and in depth game, that tests your precision like no other. Don’t be fooled by the vastly inferior sequels that litter every platform from the Wii balance board to the Iphone, THIS game, the original, is the real deal.
So enough appraisal, let’s cut to the chase. What is this game like? I’m glad you asked, aspiring Gamecube gamer! Super Monkey Ball takes you, a small monkey, puts you in a ball, and drops you in a maze of short paths, sharp turns, and booby-traps, as you are forced to tilt the entire level in order to maneuver your monkey towards the goal. It is quite an odd sensation, as you actually ARE controlling the level, which tilts and turns, rather than the monkey himself, which is at the mercy of the ever-shifting plate tectonics below him. There are a vast array of levels, and believe me when I say they get REALLY tricky, to the point where the slightest jerk of the joystick will send your monkey plummeting (now that didn’t sound right…)
These dozens of levels would have been enough, but Sega was kind enough to go one step beyond and include 6 extremely fun multiplayer mini-games as well, which are: Monkey Race, Target, Fight, bowling, billiards, and golf. I will spare you the details on these, as they are pretty much what you expect, but I will note that the target game in particular is an absolute blast, to the point where it could practically be a standalone game. My friend and I have burned countless hours flying through the skies and landing on the giant targets littered with bananas. Seriously, if you want endless multiplayer fun, look no further than this charming ball of fun.
Made by the studio that eventually brought us the excellence of Super Mario Galaxy, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat was Nintendo’s attempt to make a game that utilized the plastic Bongo accessory behind simply functioning as, well, just bongos. And believe it or not, they did a damn good job of it! Jungle Beat takes the charm of 2D platforming and adds a strange twist to it – you control Donkey Kong entirely by bongos, as well as clapping your hands. I know what you’re thinking. What the hell? Again, I don’t think you are appreciating the madness of the Gamecube yet, my friend! What sounds awkward and boring, is actually the exact opposite; it is shockingly fun and addictive, and the controls are quite simple, and quickly become second nature. After you are through with this, you will wonder why the hell more games like this aren’t made. Then you will wonder what kind of drugs you are on in even thinking this. Such is the magic of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat..
Ok, so the meat of this game is essentially combos. Combos, combos, and more combos. That is – stringing together different moves, whether it be grabbing bananas by clapping, hopping from wall to wall by hitting the bongos, or smacking around your enemies – before hitting the ground. Did I mention combos? The essence of this game resembles that of many of the great arcade games of the past, in that is relies on fast reaction times and intense gameplay with the goal of raking in high scores. But it does this with a charming exterior of 2D platforming that is similar to the Donkey Kong Country games. Trust me on this, it is WELL worth the purchase of this game along with a set of bongos, especially now that they are both so cheap. You will kill your hands as you persistently pound of your plastic bongos into the wee hours of the night, in an endless crusade to best your own high scores.
Nintendo has not exactly been known for bringing out new franchises as of late, but Pikmin was one of the more recent examples of a great one. You’d be hard pressed to find a game like this, particularly on a home console. Pikmin takes the formula of a real time strategy, throws in some adventure elements, and adds a touch of puzzle for good measure.
You are Captain Olimer, and your tiny space shuttle has crash landed on a strange planet. The pieces are spread all over the place. So what to do? Well, round of the planet’s indigenous population of small plant-like creatures and use them as slaves to rebuild it of course! In addition to large insects and the like, your other primary enemy is the clock, as you are given a strict schedule of 30 days, with each day lasting only a matter of several minutes. During this brief day, you must scramble to guide your Pikmin to the far corners of the world, break through obstacles, kill enemies, and gather resources, which can in turn be used to “harvest” additional Pikmin. As you build up your Pikmin force, you are then in a position to carry more heavy, valuable objects lying around, kill more powerful enemies, and thus the process repeats.
Pikmin is proof that fun new ideas can still emerge in gaming, much like the Pikmin themselves, and from a artist like Shigeru Miyamoto, I would expect no less. He has managed to take a seemingly boring activity such as gardening, and turned it into a vastly epic and addictive RTS game that will have you wanting to wander uncharted lands with your plant-servants all day long. If you have even a slight interest in either RTS/god games, or the work of Miyamoto, you simply can’t go wrong with this one.
The boxart tells the story here; this game is simply EPIC. This is simply the definitive Resident Evil, on the console with the definitive Resident Evil library. Before the superior Wii port came out, which consisted of the extras of the PS2 version coupled with the quality graphics of the Cube version, this was the pinnacle of Resident Evil greatest. This game simply stood out not only as the greatest RE game to grace a console, but one of the best games of the generation. While RE5 went perhaps a bit too far with the action/shooter style for my tastes, and RE1 had generally slow paced gameplay, this Gamecube masterpiece found a nice midground between the two. There were the adreniline pumping moments of battling the giant sea creature, but there were still those tense and quiet moments of wandering the enclosed corridors of buildings, hoping to God that a infected villager (they aren’t zombies this time) is not waiting around that next corner to feast on your brains.
The variety and amount of rich content in Resident Evil 4 is stellar. From the kick ass assortment of weapons such as the Chicago Typewriter and the rocket launcher, to the long story mode complete with tons of different environments, to the satisfying unlockables that kept us playing, this game was simply packing. The mercenaries mode alone is so fun that Capcom even decided to make an entire game based on it for 3DS (which supposedly sucks, but that’s besides the point). It’s classic arcade-style survival game with hours of fun packed in, where it’s only you, surrounded by waves of enemies thrown your way, some even bearing chainsaws. The unlockables are one of the aspects of this game that truly shine. Beyond simple bragging rights, they add hours of new gameplay, and give you incentive to play through and unlock everything you can. Capcom put some passion into this one, and it really shows.
Oh how I love this game. It is like a colorful and exuberant ride of awesome. Everything from the vibrant cell-shaded visuals and anime cutscenes, to the serenading music throughout your epic journey, to the charming and funny characters, to the very fun battles, this is a JRPG at its best. My lord.. where do I even begin?
Perhaps I am a bit biased because I much prefer real-time battles to often slow and repetitive turn-based RPGs, but this game does battles absolutely right. Not once during my 80 hour journey did I feel bored during my several fights with enemies of all kinds, and trust me, I level grinded A LOT in this game. What is an RPG at its core somewhat morphs into an action fighter each time you engage an enemy, and there is a nice balance of simplicity coupled with strategy and complexity. You can hack and slash your way to victory, but you’ve also got an array of spells at your disposal. And like most RPGs, you will earn SEVERAL of these, along with other customizations and team members to fight at your side as you gain experience.
Aside from my usual hyping of the solid gameplay mechanics and fun nature of the game, the story of Tales of Symphonia is actually quite entertaining as well – and this is coming from someone who usually doesn’t give a rat’s ass about game narratives. This massive adventure/RPG is tough to put down, not just because of its addictive battles and appealing gameplay, but because you will generally find yourself thinking about the story and wondering what is going to happen next. There are also deceptive plot twists as you go deeper into the game, including a major one that completely won me over in terms of the quality of the narrative.
Trust me, this is one game that you will not regret picking up, especially if you’re into RPGs. It is rare to find such a well-balanced and quality role playing game on ANY console, let alone the Gamecube, which was starved for such a genre. Truly a diamond in the rough.
Any game that begins with a quote by Edgar Allen Poe HAS to be marvelous… And Eternal Darkness certainly holds up its end of the bargain in this regard. Combine a historical fiction with a psychological thriller and survival horror, add some adventure characteristics, and you’ve got Eternal Darkness, an aboluste masterpiece of a game created by Silicon Knights. The game was originally slated for the N64, and that should be no surprise as you look at the game’s seemingly blocky dull graphics. Looks can be decieving however, and no game proves it better than this one, which its rich backstory and unique gameplay concepts.
Perhaps the most brilliant element of Eternal Darkness is the sanity meter, which literally plays with your mind as you gaze upon your enemies. The game actually plays mental tricks with you, causing you to feel as insane as your on screen character. Crazy and frightening experiences such as sinking through the floor, seeing blood drip down the walls, and a particularly startling scene in a mansion bathroom that everybody loves to talk about, this game will certainly make you insane. In addition to this ridiculously awesome concept, you are also left to manage your health and magic meters, which should be pretty self explainatory. But even something as seemingly cliched as magic or “mana” is done very interestingly in this game, as you can combine different spells, causing them to have different effects on different types of enemies._(En,Fr,De,Es,It)-5.jpg)
The game is as massive in scope as it is unique. While a single play-through does not take all that long if you stick to the mission at hand, you are given the option to beat the game 3 times, each time picking out a different colored “rune” (it’ll make sense once you’ve played it). Once you’ve beaten it all three times, you get a fun easter egg. This essentially triples both the length and the value of this game, which is already pretty sizable. Also, if you are a bit of a history buff like I am, you will appreciate the narrative of this game, as it is brimming with diverse locations and periods of time. What other game could you play as a gladiator from Ancient Rome, a Renaissance Monk, AND a firefighter from the 1990s? Basically, if you can get past the somewhat unappealing graphics, you will enjoy almost EVERY other aspect of this game. You’d be insane not to try this gem out! Sorry, that was lame…
Like Resident Evil 4, this game has since been given a minor Wii “upgrade” with the Metroid Prime Trilogy set. However, if you’d rather spend $5 as opposed to $65 for all three Metroid Prime games, you’re going to fast realize this may be among the best $5 ever spent. Retro Studios really showed their talent with this first person shooter/adventure for Gamecube. It remains one of the most cherished games of the library to date. While Halo brought multiplayer and intense action to the shooter genre and overtook Goldeneye as the standard of multiplayer FPS games, Metroid Prime engrossed you into a far deeper world and offered a much more enriching single player adventure than Bungie could even dream of.
The original Metroid series of the NES and Super NES eras were loved for their epic sense of exploration, and intensity as you, a space bounty hunter, were pitted against all kinds of creepy aliens with different characteristics. Retro took this formula and applied it to a FPS, though many are quite confident in calling this a “first person adventure.” They do have a point, as you spend just as much time, if not more, wandering the vast landscapes solving puzzles, and rolling around in your ball, as you do shooting enemies. The game has a nice feeling of progression as you advance. After a near death accident causes you to lose most of your equipment, you are thrown out there with next to nothing to fight with. However, throughout your adventure, you gain it all back, and much much more. Soon you’ll have Samus kicking ass and taking names like she owns Tallon IV.
This game is such a superb journey, to the point where I honestly feel that no description can do it justice. It is simply something that must be experienced, preferably in the dark, while blasting the beautiful soundtrack.
We’ve now reached the pinnacle of Gamecube perfection. As you may have guessed by now, I have reserved the top spot for one of Nintendo’s greatest multiplayer franchises ever created, Super Smash Brothers. Before Brawl on Wii took us online (albeit in a half-assed fashion), this game perfected local multiplayer, and pitted friends against friends, sibling against sibling. Melee reigns supreme in trash-talking, multiplayer insanity. It is a fighting game on speed. There always seems to be something happening on screen for a person to shout or laugh about. This game simply defines pure, raw fun. Oh, and it didn't have that annoying tripping that occurred in Brawl..
While the original Smash Brothers on N64 was the breakout hit that showed Nintendo wasn’t necessarily all about rainbows and fluffy bunny rabbits (remember that somewhat edgy and violent commercial in the 90s?), Melee took it to another level. It threw everything at you; more levels, more characters, more moves, greater customization, more epicness. You could get lost in the content pouring from this game, and very quickly lose track of time. Also added to the mix was the new adventure mode, as well as mini games like the home run derby, and collectible trophies designed for nerdy bragging rights.
Smash Brothers melee added more complexity to the mechanics themselves. For instance, now you could charge up and knock your enemy with a “smash attack.” At the same time however, the game remained accessible to many with its simple style of button mashing, which, coupled with its appealing gameplay for all ages, allowed it to be the top selling Gamecube game. This game was so damn fun and meaningful that it is still played to this day by many in competitions around the world. Smash Brothers Melee is one of those timeless classics that will never stop being a blast to play.
And that wraps up my list of the top 10 Gamecube games. If you’re looking for budget gaming, consider picking up a Gamecube with these games. You will probably end up spending 1/10th the amount you would on one of those sleek new-fangled Ipads, yet have 10 times more fun, for 10 times longer.
Stay tuned into the Zone for my upcoming definitive list of must-haves, which will involve an even LESS successful, but equally compelling console, the Dreamcast!
But this didn’t mean the console was lacking in quality titles. In fact, the Gamecube remains one of my favorite consoles, as it is home to many fun and charming games that you simply cannot find a similar experience anywhere else.
In this list, I will help you pick out the ten best of the relatively small Gamecube library. Most of these are underrated gems that have gotten lost amongst the PS2 and Xbox juggernauts, much like the Gamecube itself, so I felt this was a very appropriate top ten topic. So, whether you are digging out and dust off your old Gamecube from the basement, running out and buying a used one for $20, or simply using the backwards compatibility of the Wii for an extra array of titles, here are the games you should not miss during your Gamecube experience.
#10 Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
If there was any reason to be excited about Sega working on Nintendo platforms since their exit from the hardware race, THIS was it. As I did not own a Dreamcast until a few years after buying a Gamecube, this game provided me with that classic Sega experience I was missing out on. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle took the already fun Dreamcast version and made it even better, expanding upon the feature of raising chaos and using them for your amusement in mini games. This game also further fleshed out the muliplayer experience, and with it, added tons of replayability.
I did appreciate the diverse nature of the game, as it diverted somewhat from the “race to the finish!” style of previous Sonic games. This game came with a Tails third person shooter style game, as well as a Knuckles platforming fetch quest, complete with the oh-so-amusing Knuckles rap. But with that said, the Sonic/Shadow race portion of the game is still the most fun, and I wish they had focused more on that aspect of the game. The Tails and Knuckles sections didn’t really feel like a Sonic game, although they were still fun in their own right. If you love fast paced, off-the-wall platformers, then this game is definitely worth checking out, especially if you have a friend to play along with. This is undeniably one of the most fun multiplayer games on the Gamecube.
#9 Resident Evil
Just as the previously mentioned game brought a Nintendo-only gamer into the world of Dreamcast gaming, this beautifully polished gem gave us a taste of the Sony Playstation experience. While we clearly got the short end of the stick in terms of 3rd party support, compared to the Sony platforms, we certainly held the superior library of Resident Evil games. Eat that, PS2 fanboys! Apparently, ex Capcom developer and the Father of Resident evil, Shinji Mikami, loved Nintendo and its purple lunchbox, even claiming that he would commit “harakiri” or suicide by disembowelment, should his beloved Resident Evil 4 ever make it on another platform. Damn, now that’s hardcore! His love for the Cube was certainly apparent, as the console remains the greatest option for all things Resident Evil (well except for the most recent entry, RE5). Before we received the Resident Evil 2 and 3 ports, or the awesome Resident Evil 4, which DID in fact eventually make it to the PS2 (to the disappointment of Mikami), we were treated to the original breakout hit – on steroids.
This Gamecube remake of the Playstation classic whet our appetite for the RE survival horror awesomeness to come, and blew our minds with the sheer violence and polished graphics, neither of which had been seen quite often on a Nintendo platform. Playing as either Jill or Chris, each with somewhat diverting paths and storylines, you are to make your way through a creepy mansion crawling with sluggish but eerily frightening zombies, rampant dogs, and other hostile monsters. This game is the epitome of survival horror and adrenaline pumping fun. I literally jumped from my chair from some of the startling bits of frightening action that leaped at me without warning. There are few survival-horror games where your survival instincts ACTUALLY kick in.. Talk about realistic! So shut off all the lights, pop this sucker in, and get ready for countless nights of enticing fear that will keep you awake for weeks.
# 8 Super Monkey Ball
I know, it is quite a leap to go from a game where you decapitate zombies, to a game where you play as a cute little monkey rolling around in a ball, but such is the diverse and crazy nature of the Gamecube.. Believe it or not, Super Monkey Ball is a deceptively fun and challenging game, and may even give Resident Evil a run for its money in sheer difficulty, at least at the later stages. The game is paradoxically a simple concept coupled with a tough and in depth game, that tests your precision like no other. Don’t be fooled by the vastly inferior sequels that litter every platform from the Wii balance board to the Iphone, THIS game, the original, is the real deal.
So enough appraisal, let’s cut to the chase. What is this game like? I’m glad you asked, aspiring Gamecube gamer! Super Monkey Ball takes you, a small monkey, puts you in a ball, and drops you in a maze of short paths, sharp turns, and booby-traps, as you are forced to tilt the entire level in order to maneuver your monkey towards the goal. It is quite an odd sensation, as you actually ARE controlling the level, which tilts and turns, rather than the monkey himself, which is at the mercy of the ever-shifting plate tectonics below him. There are a vast array of levels, and believe me when I say they get REALLY tricky, to the point where the slightest jerk of the joystick will send your monkey plummeting (now that didn’t sound right…)
These dozens of levels would have been enough, but Sega was kind enough to go one step beyond and include 6 extremely fun multiplayer mini-games as well, which are: Monkey Race, Target, Fight, bowling, billiards, and golf. I will spare you the details on these, as they are pretty much what you expect, but I will note that the target game in particular is an absolute blast, to the point where it could practically be a standalone game. My friend and I have burned countless hours flying through the skies and landing on the giant targets littered with bananas. Seriously, if you want endless multiplayer fun, look no further than this charming ball of fun.
#7 Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Made by the studio that eventually brought us the excellence of Super Mario Galaxy, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat was Nintendo’s attempt to make a game that utilized the plastic Bongo accessory behind simply functioning as, well, just bongos. And believe it or not, they did a damn good job of it! Jungle Beat takes the charm of 2D platforming and adds a strange twist to it – you control Donkey Kong entirely by bongos, as well as clapping your hands. I know what you’re thinking. What the hell? Again, I don’t think you are appreciating the madness of the Gamecube yet, my friend! What sounds awkward and boring, is actually the exact opposite; it is shockingly fun and addictive, and the controls are quite simple, and quickly become second nature. After you are through with this, you will wonder why the hell more games like this aren’t made. Then you will wonder what kind of drugs you are on in even thinking this. Such is the magic of Donkey Kong Jungle Beat..
Ok, so the meat of this game is essentially combos. Combos, combos, and more combos. That is – stringing together different moves, whether it be grabbing bananas by clapping, hopping from wall to wall by hitting the bongos, or smacking around your enemies – before hitting the ground. Did I mention combos? The essence of this game resembles that of many of the great arcade games of the past, in that is relies on fast reaction times and intense gameplay with the goal of raking in high scores. But it does this with a charming exterior of 2D platforming that is similar to the Donkey Kong Country games. Trust me on this, it is WELL worth the purchase of this game along with a set of bongos, especially now that they are both so cheap. You will kill your hands as you persistently pound of your plastic bongos into the wee hours of the night, in an endless crusade to best your own high scores.
#6 Pikmin
Nintendo has not exactly been known for bringing out new franchises as of late, but Pikmin was one of the more recent examples of a great one. You’d be hard pressed to find a game like this, particularly on a home console. Pikmin takes the formula of a real time strategy, throws in some adventure elements, and adds a touch of puzzle for good measure.
You are Captain Olimer, and your tiny space shuttle has crash landed on a strange planet. The pieces are spread all over the place. So what to do? Well, round of the planet’s indigenous population of small plant-like creatures and use them as slaves to rebuild it of course! In addition to large insects and the like, your other primary enemy is the clock, as you are given a strict schedule of 30 days, with each day lasting only a matter of several minutes. During this brief day, you must scramble to guide your Pikmin to the far corners of the world, break through obstacles, kill enemies, and gather resources, which can in turn be used to “harvest” additional Pikmin. As you build up your Pikmin force, you are then in a position to carry more heavy, valuable objects lying around, kill more powerful enemies, and thus the process repeats.
Pikmin is proof that fun new ideas can still emerge in gaming, much like the Pikmin themselves, and from a artist like Shigeru Miyamoto, I would expect no less. He has managed to take a seemingly boring activity such as gardening, and turned it into a vastly epic and addictive RTS game that will have you wanting to wander uncharted lands with your plant-servants all day long. If you have even a slight interest in either RTS/god games, or the work of Miyamoto, you simply can’t go wrong with this one.
#5 Resident Evil 4
The boxart tells the story here; this game is simply EPIC. This is simply the definitive Resident Evil, on the console with the definitive Resident Evil library. Before the superior Wii port came out, which consisted of the extras of the PS2 version coupled with the quality graphics of the Cube version, this was the pinnacle of Resident Evil greatest. This game simply stood out not only as the greatest RE game to grace a console, but one of the best games of the generation. While RE5 went perhaps a bit too far with the action/shooter style for my tastes, and RE1 had generally slow paced gameplay, this Gamecube masterpiece found a nice midground between the two. There were the adreniline pumping moments of battling the giant sea creature, but there were still those tense and quiet moments of wandering the enclosed corridors of buildings, hoping to God that a infected villager (they aren’t zombies this time) is not waiting around that next corner to feast on your brains.
The variety and amount of rich content in Resident Evil 4 is stellar. From the kick ass assortment of weapons such as the Chicago Typewriter and the rocket launcher, to the long story mode complete with tons of different environments, to the satisfying unlockables that kept us playing, this game was simply packing. The mercenaries mode alone is so fun that Capcom even decided to make an entire game based on it for 3DS (which supposedly sucks, but that’s besides the point). It’s classic arcade-style survival game with hours of fun packed in, where it’s only you, surrounded by waves of enemies thrown your way, some even bearing chainsaws. The unlockables are one of the aspects of this game that truly shine. Beyond simple bragging rights, they add hours of new gameplay, and give you incentive to play through and unlock everything you can. Capcom put some passion into this one, and it really shows.
#4 Tales of Symphonia
Oh how I love this game. It is like a colorful and exuberant ride of awesome. Everything from the vibrant cell-shaded visuals and anime cutscenes, to the serenading music throughout your epic journey, to the charming and funny characters, to the very fun battles, this is a JRPG at its best. My lord.. where do I even begin?
Perhaps I am a bit biased because I much prefer real-time battles to often slow and repetitive turn-based RPGs, but this game does battles absolutely right. Not once during my 80 hour journey did I feel bored during my several fights with enemies of all kinds, and trust me, I level grinded A LOT in this game. What is an RPG at its core somewhat morphs into an action fighter each time you engage an enemy, and there is a nice balance of simplicity coupled with strategy and complexity. You can hack and slash your way to victory, but you’ve also got an array of spells at your disposal. And like most RPGs, you will earn SEVERAL of these, along with other customizations and team members to fight at your side as you gain experience.
Aside from my usual hyping of the solid gameplay mechanics and fun nature of the game, the story of Tales of Symphonia is actually quite entertaining as well – and this is coming from someone who usually doesn’t give a rat’s ass about game narratives. This massive adventure/RPG is tough to put down, not just because of its addictive battles and appealing gameplay, but because you will generally find yourself thinking about the story and wondering what is going to happen next. There are also deceptive plot twists as you go deeper into the game, including a major one that completely won me over in terms of the quality of the narrative.
Trust me, this is one game that you will not regret picking up, especially if you’re into RPGs. It is rare to find such a well-balanced and quality role playing game on ANY console, let alone the Gamecube, which was starved for such a genre. Truly a diamond in the rough.
#3 Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
Any game that begins with a quote by Edgar Allen Poe HAS to be marvelous… And Eternal Darkness certainly holds up its end of the bargain in this regard. Combine a historical fiction with a psychological thriller and survival horror, add some adventure characteristics, and you’ve got Eternal Darkness, an aboluste masterpiece of a game created by Silicon Knights. The game was originally slated for the N64, and that should be no surprise as you look at the game’s seemingly blocky dull graphics. Looks can be decieving however, and no game proves it better than this one, which its rich backstory and unique gameplay concepts.
Perhaps the most brilliant element of Eternal Darkness is the sanity meter, which literally plays with your mind as you gaze upon your enemies. The game actually plays mental tricks with you, causing you to feel as insane as your on screen character. Crazy and frightening experiences such as sinking through the floor, seeing blood drip down the walls, and a particularly startling scene in a mansion bathroom that everybody loves to talk about, this game will certainly make you insane. In addition to this ridiculously awesome concept, you are also left to manage your health and magic meters, which should be pretty self explainatory. But even something as seemingly cliched as magic or “mana” is done very interestingly in this game, as you can combine different spells, causing them to have different effects on different types of enemies.
The game is as massive in scope as it is unique. While a single play-through does not take all that long if you stick to the mission at hand, you are given the option to beat the game 3 times, each time picking out a different colored “rune” (it’ll make sense once you’ve played it). Once you’ve beaten it all three times, you get a fun easter egg. This essentially triples both the length and the value of this game, which is already pretty sizable. Also, if you are a bit of a history buff like I am, you will appreciate the narrative of this game, as it is brimming with diverse locations and periods of time. What other game could you play as a gladiator from Ancient Rome, a Renaissance Monk, AND a firefighter from the 1990s? Basically, if you can get past the somewhat unappealing graphics, you will enjoy almost EVERY other aspect of this game. You’d be insane not to try this gem out! Sorry, that was lame…
#2 Metroid Prime
Like Resident Evil 4, this game has since been given a minor Wii “upgrade” with the Metroid Prime Trilogy set. However, if you’d rather spend $5 as opposed to $65 for all three Metroid Prime games, you’re going to fast realize this may be among the best $5 ever spent. Retro Studios really showed their talent with this first person shooter/adventure for Gamecube. It remains one of the most cherished games of the library to date. While Halo brought multiplayer and intense action to the shooter genre and overtook Goldeneye as the standard of multiplayer FPS games, Metroid Prime engrossed you into a far deeper world and offered a much more enriching single player adventure than Bungie could even dream of.
The original Metroid series of the NES and Super NES eras were loved for their epic sense of exploration, and intensity as you, a space bounty hunter, were pitted against all kinds of creepy aliens with different characteristics. Retro took this formula and applied it to a FPS, though many are quite confident in calling this a “first person adventure.” They do have a point, as you spend just as much time, if not more, wandering the vast landscapes solving puzzles, and rolling around in your ball, as you do shooting enemies. The game has a nice feeling of progression as you advance. After a near death accident causes you to lose most of your equipment, you are thrown out there with next to nothing to fight with. However, throughout your adventure, you gain it all back, and much much more. Soon you’ll have Samus kicking ass and taking names like she owns Tallon IV.
This game is such a superb journey, to the point where I honestly feel that no description can do it justice. It is simply something that must be experienced, preferably in the dark, while blasting the beautiful soundtrack.
#1 Super Smash Brothers: Melee
We’ve now reached the pinnacle of Gamecube perfection. As you may have guessed by now, I have reserved the top spot for one of Nintendo’s greatest multiplayer franchises ever created, Super Smash Brothers. Before Brawl on Wii took us online (albeit in a half-assed fashion), this game perfected local multiplayer, and pitted friends against friends, sibling against sibling. Melee reigns supreme in trash-talking, multiplayer insanity. It is a fighting game on speed. There always seems to be something happening on screen for a person to shout or laugh about. This game simply defines pure, raw fun. Oh, and it didn't have that annoying tripping that occurred in Brawl..
While the original Smash Brothers on N64 was the breakout hit that showed Nintendo wasn’t necessarily all about rainbows and fluffy bunny rabbits (remember that somewhat edgy and violent commercial in the 90s?), Melee took it to another level. It threw everything at you; more levels, more characters, more moves, greater customization, more epicness. You could get lost in the content pouring from this game, and very quickly lose track of time. Also added to the mix was the new adventure mode, as well as mini games like the home run derby, and collectible trophies designed for nerdy bragging rights.
Smash Brothers melee added more complexity to the mechanics themselves. For instance, now you could charge up and knock your enemy with a “smash attack.” At the same time however, the game remained accessible to many with its simple style of button mashing, which, coupled with its appealing gameplay for all ages, allowed it to be the top selling Gamecube game. This game was so damn fun and meaningful that it is still played to this day by many in competitions around the world. Smash Brothers Melee is one of those timeless classics that will never stop being a blast to play.
And that wraps up my list of the top 10 Gamecube games. If you’re looking for budget gaming, consider picking up a Gamecube with these games. You will probably end up spending 1/10th the amount you would on one of those sleek new-fangled Ipads, yet have 10 times more fun, for 10 times longer.
Stay tuned into the Zone for my upcoming definitive list of must-haves, which will involve an even LESS successful, but equally compelling console, the Dreamcast!
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