Best GameCube Games to Try Right Now
Nintendo was one the 1st companies to step into the video gaming industry, and its legacy in the field is impressive. It was created in Japan and featured an incredible roster of some of the greatest games of all time, attracting a massive audience. However cutting-edge future platforms like the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X may be, the legacy of the first home video game consoles will never be forgotten.
The Nintendo GameCube, released in 2001 and decommissioned in 2007, was home to some of the best first- and third-party titles for a Nintendo home console. Many of Nintendo's flagship series received GameCube instalments. At the same time, the platform also saw the introduction of many innovative titles that advanced the state-of-the-art in the industry and improved upon existing intellectual properties.
Still, it was never short on quality, hosting some of the best instalments in the Zelda, Metroid, and Resident Evil series and introducing various amazing, unique content. Weirdness is encouraged as we honour the best GameCube games of all time.
A list of the Best GameCube Games is below!
Explore the list of the best GameCube games
Kirby Air Ride
The best multiplayer games on GameCube are some of the most accessible titles. If you're new to gaming, don't worry; these acclaimed games are easy to pick up and play from the get-go. Kirby Air Ride is at the top of the list because it's easy to pick up and play and is one of the best racing games for the Nintendo GameCube.
The goal of the race is straightforward: be the first to cross the finish line. But Kirby Air Ride is all about the journey in the middle. Use your abilities in the heat of battle to outmanoeuvre your opponents, whether gliding through the air or racing past them. Kirby isn't the only playable character; you may acquire the rest of the cast by completing various challenges.
One example is the sword-wielding knight, Meta Knight, who can slash at anyone nearby. He's pretty strong, so give him a shot when you get to the game's harder levels. There's another character available, King Dedede, who has a similar trait thanks to his built-in hammer.
Kirby Air Ride supports split-screen and local area network (LAN) play for up to four players, demonstrating the game's potential for multiplayer interaction. With the latter, you and a group of friends can play Kirby Air Ride locally and compete in one of the game modes together.
It is one of the most loved Racing games available on androids.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
The nonstop action in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance has earned it many accolades. The isometric top-down camera gives you full third-person control of your character. The game lets you choose from one of three available race options right off the bat.
The human archer joins these ranks with the dwarven fighter and elfin sorceress. They're better suited to specific play styles. In-your-face fighters will gravitate to the Dwarven Fighter.
Conversely, the Human Archer is best for people who prefer to avoid the action. Another ranged character skilled at showering down death from a distance is the Elven Sorceress.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
There can't be many people who don't enjoy Final Fantasy, especially considering how innovative the gameplay and graphics were when they first came out. There is no one focus on presenting the player with a specific type of gameplay in Crystal Chronicles, as the game instead combines several various genres. As a GCN treat, it's a must-see.
We have a novel idea to try out for the game's multiplayer components. When you enroll in an IP, you join a team of other soldiers working toward the same objective. The latter might refer to either completing a specific objective (such as eliminating a specific number of adversaries) or reaching a specific score goal.
To succeed, you'll need to work together to accomplish the goal, as going it alone won't get you very far. This refreshing concentration on the game's online play is welcome. Cooperation with the other players aids in completing the task.
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime defies the definition. An FPS? Metroid Prime was a first-person shooter in 2002 but didn't feel like Halo. The universe was as detailed as a Zelda dungeon. The first step was exploration.
Metroid Prime is unrivalled in how it lets you explore its intricate locations. You could search for lore and spider-ball-up walls and ceilings. She hasn't aged a day. Nobody compares.
Metroid Prime exists. It's uncopyable since it's unique. It was futuristic in 2002. Everything else is playing catch-up 19 years later.
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Retro Studios reimagined Nintendo's atmospheric side-scrolling game as a first-person adventure. Its sequel, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, added more complex environments and bigger bosses, creating another GameCube classic.The setting was the highlight, as in the original.
About A Link to the Past, Samus crosses two mirror worlds in Metroid Prime 2: the dry Aether and its dark counterpart, a murky parallel realm created after the planet was struck by a rift-forming meteor. This made Aether even scarier than Tallon IV, thanks to the dark world's oppressive atmosphere, and employing power-ups to solve the environmental challenges felt great.
Metroid Prime 2 included some of the toughest bosses in the series' history. Nearly every foe had a pattern or problem to solve; thus, these battles tested both mind and reflex. Metroid Prime 2 may not be as well-remembered as the original — few games are — but it was another gripping first-person adventure.
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Put all its famous characters into elaborate arenas and have them duke it out until only one is left. In a faithful replica of the first level from Super Mario Bros., Mario faces off against Link, Samus, and Bowser. This match is created in hell, where both parties are guaranteed to die.
Anyone can pick it up and play without trouble, while seasoned veterans of the genre will discover many reasons to keep coming back for more.With the same moves and stunning animations as the fighting game, the adventure mode turns the game into a side-scrolling romp that is more difficult but still fun to play.
This is a massive ode to everything Nintendo, with unlockables galore. Melee sold the most copies on GameCube and received overwhelmingly positive reviews. Many people still prefer this version despite the improvements made in Brawl for the Wii.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is Mario's best role-playing game. The Thousand-Year Door is a sequel to Nintendo 64's Paper Mario and one of its best RPGs.The Thousand-Year Door's aesthetic style was like the original's. The game's polygonal landscape and flat figures gave it the look of an interactive pop-up book.
The Thousand-Year Door relied significantly more on paper than its predecessor, including it in gameplay. Mario could now slip between cracks and fold himself into a paper aeroplane and boat, offering more exploration and environmental puzzle solving.
The game's comedy made it so engaging. The Thousand-Year Door has a smart, self-referential storyline and unique characters. The Thousand-Year Door is one of the funniest games ever made, and it's still many fans' favourite Paper Mario game nearly 20 years after its release.
Tales Of Symphonia
Symphonia is likely the first Tales game to be a major success in countries other than Japan. As one of the few in the series with a direct sequel, it maintains a high prestige among fans. In a genre dominated by turn-based JRPGs, the Tales titles have always stood out for their emphasis on real-time battles.
The ability to take on opponent encounters in multiplayer was a lot of fun, and having direct control over your character and inputting combos to mesh well with the rest of your group was a pleasure. These titles were for you if slaying monsters via in-game menus wasn't your thing.
Symphonia's full anime cutscenes were a rarity on GameCube, but they made the game look extremely stunning. The game's length and the tale's depth allowed you plenty of time to care about the characters. This role-playing game enthusiast has been a dedicated Tales player ever since.
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Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King
Many people are likely to rush out to see The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King because they are fans of the iconic film series. In terms of gameplay alone, EA Redwood Shores' hack-and-slash is outstanding. The game's story is so compelling that it won't let go of your attention for a second.
The gameplay of the game is top-down and is similar to that of an action RPG. To add insult to injury, online multiplayer is available for all platforms save the Nintendo GameCube in The Return of the King. The latter is only possible in the game's co-op mode when two players work together to complete objectives.
To deny our devoted audience, this masterpiece would be a tragedy. The voice acting, the sound effects, the cutscenes, and the THX-certified audio are all crafted with shuttle-launch accuracy.
Pikmin 2
Pikmin 2 is the sequel to the first game in the series. Being the sequel, the IP can introduce many enhancements over the original game and pave the way for the manifestation of new and exciting ideas. It's easy to see why it garnered the approval of so many critics during its run.
Nintendo meticulously designed the sequel, and it shows after just a few hours of play. You take the role of a microscopic agent in Pikmin 2, exercising complete command over various plant-like animals. In actuality, the Pikmin are the later part of the title.
The other player's in-game resource focuses on one of the game's competitive multiplayer modes. In Pikmin 2, you and a friend control Olimar and Louie, the game's two heroes. All play and no serious business.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
This horror epic takes place over thousands of years. It draws heavily from the works of famous horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, placing you in charge of a group of twelve individuals as they fight against horrors from beyond the stars.
With this loaded, you can engage in activities like exploring eerie ruins as an escaped enslaved Cambodian, slamming your way into an ancient cathedral's hidden chambers as a Franciscan monk, and escaping a horrifying dungeon as a Canadian firefighter. Throughout the entire experience, you will be scared.
What makes Eternal Darkness so effective is that it doesn't rely on jump scares to terrify its audience. The game's pleasure in toying with your mind makes even the worst monsters and traps seem like child's play. It's possible to walk inside a chamber, have your head chopped off, and then emerge in an entire state in the primary corridor a few seconds later.
The size you are now wearing is always shifting. The furniture in the rooms starts to flip. Monsters with no bodies scream insanity into your brain. And it only gets worse when your character approaches insanity's threshold. Do demons exist, or have you lost your mind?
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil revolutionised over-the-shoulder, third-person shooting in 2004. Resident Evil 4 was the first game of its kind to promote the genre before Gears of War. It also revitalised the Resident Evil franchise, which had been repetitive since Resident Evil 3. Resident Evil 4 is a GameCube must-have for these reasons.
Leon S. Kennedy must save the President in Spain in his second Resident Evil game. Leon S. Kennedy is a fierce, exhausting operative in a fish-out-of-water position. He faces Ganados, an infected townspeople. Resident Evil 4 ditches the single-camera gameplay of previous games for third-person gunplay.
Resident Evil 4 does this incredibly effectively, with each kill feeling rewarding. Add a gloomy atmosphere, creepy people, jump scares and close calls for layers of dread. Resident Evil 4 is the first game in the series to reinvent the horror genre since the first Resident Evil.
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Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Even though Mario started as a platformer, the franchise's enormous success has led to several spinoffs. Mario Golf is a sports spinoff. Nintendo 64 launched Mario Golf. GameCube sequel Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour.
This GameCube sequel improves on the original, as did many. It has 16 playable characters. This is a lot compared to Mario Party and Mario Kart.Even more impressive is how each character has a distinct personality and skill set. Bowser excels in power and distance, whereas Diddy Kong controls and spins. Mario games lack depth and strategy.
Customisation possibilities enhance this game's inherent fun. It's unnoticeable because the game is beginner-friendly. Single-player character unlocking is just as enjoyable as multiplayer. Colourful courses. They're lots of vigour and combine Mario's charm with Golf traditions. Anyone expecting a real golf game will be disappointed.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour's only gameplay fault is the camera. The camera would often miss your golf ball due to obstructions.
007: Nightfire
The most well-known 007 video game on the Nintendo Entertainment System is GoldenEye. Shooting games don't get much more traditional than GoldenEye. The game revolutionised the Nintendo 64 first-person shooter genre. Nightfire is the title of the follow-up 007 films. Nightfire was not as good as its predecessor. Even after all this time, everyone's favourite British spy has plenty to give.
You can play GameCube in two distinct ways. An example is thwarting a global takeover plot by a criminal group. This mode is funny but fails to surprise me. The game's primary appeal is the multiplayer mode. This sets GoldenEye apart and keeps people returning to it. Opt for your favourite villainous character from a cast that includes Jaws and Goldfinger.
Work together with your pals to wipe out the opposition. Alternately, you can alter how things look and function using different maps and preferences.Nightfire has two main issues. The game's story mode and multiplayer artificial intelligence are the first and second, respectively. In a solitary setting, players can compete against computer-controlled opponents.
They wander throughout the map despite having the option to adjust the difficulty of their enemies. While critics widely panned it, it was commercially successful. This franchise is popular since it has a lot of fans.
Super Monkey Ball 2
In 2001, Super Monkey Ball made its debut on GameCube. Players flocked to Super Monkey Ball 2 on GameCube that year. Many people enjoy playing Super Monkey Ball, a third-party game for GameCube. Third-party developers are not affiliated with Nintendo and create content for Nintendo systems. This is the Super Monkey Ball game by Sega.
The game's idea was hazy when it first came out, and it still is. The game's objective is to roll a monkey on a platform for the player to control. The ball is controlled by moving the GameCube's analogue stick. The aim is to complete the task before time runs out. Forgetting one's intended course is failing.
This has to be one of the most frustrating video games ever. A challenge even in the easiest setting. When you finally beat a tough level, the sense of accomplishment is so satisfying that you can't help but play it again and again.
The game's lack of complexity is one of its biggest selling points. There are no complicated rules or riddles to solve. Deliver the ball to the net. The multiplayer mode is the most exciting part. This game is much more fun when played with more than one person. Friendship-based competition increases stress.
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Another gem in the Zelda series is the thirteenth entry. It's generally agreed that Twilight Princess is one of the best Zelda games ever made. Many factors contributed to its overwhelming success. Ocarina of Time is one of those most acclaimed video games of all time, and this sequel manages to build upon the foundations set by its predecessor.
It's an intriguing tale of how the game came to be released. Although it was initially planned for the GameCube, repeated delays allowed it a simultaneous release for Nintendo's next-gen Wii console. Launch support for the Wii console allowed for the game's release, which led to huge sales.
It was the GameCube's swan song, yet Twilight Princess was still playable on the system. In its final days, the GameCube got the classic Zelda game it deserved.Once again, producer Shigeru Miyamoto stepped up to the plate.
A new benchmark for excellence in gaming has been established thanks to his efforts. The world of Hyrule is surprisingly vibrant for a video game. With this, playing as Link for hours on end is a blast. Casual gamers may be discouraged by the series' high challenge. True fans wouldn't want it any other way.
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The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
In 2002, Zelda made one of gaming's biggest decisions. Zelda games were popular before Wind Waker. Zelda games on the Super Nintendo, Gameboy Color, and Nintendo 64 were commercial and critical hits. The first mainline Zelda game on Nintendo GameCube was a surprise. Wind Waker is cel-shaded. Many fans disliked the drastic change in tone.
This divided fans. Splitting caused decreased sales. The game was a masterpiece despite its middling commercial result. Wind Waker is one of the best Zelda games, alongside Ocarina of Time. It won awards for its aesthetics, playability, and story for multiple games of the year.
Wind Waker's art style wasn't designed to be permanent. Its success sparked cell-shaded sequels and a Wii U HD remake in 2013. It requires bravery to change a winning formula. Taking that chance paid off for Nintendo in the end, leading to the growth of Hyrule and the Zelda series. Wind Waker was first unappreciated but is now a classic.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 elevated what had already become one of gaming's most recognisable sports franchises. With the time limit on each closed track removed, players in THPS 4 are free to explore the expansive open world and interact with NPCs for challenges located everywhere on the globe. It also improved the gameplay, making it more malleable and exciting overall.
The music was excellent, as always. While Tony Hawk's Underground and its sequel may have a stronger case for this rank, people believe THPS 4 earns it for its significant innovations to the genre. However, one can agree that THUG and THUG 2 are awesome.
Battalion Wars
Battalion Wars was an Advance Wars (RIP) offshoot that blended real-time tactical gameplay with a third-person action game that felt distinctly different from the Advance Wars series. The game is set in an alternative timeline during a global military battle revival.
While the tale was underwhelming and occasionally monotonous, the game's emphasis on action and real-time tactics helped keep players engaged. Overall, the game's gameplay and strategic elements were approachable and taxing.
After two years, in 2010, the Wii received a worthy successor in the form of Battalion Wars 2. Unfortunately, the development of Battalion Wars and its predecessor, Advance Wars, has stalled.
Ikaruga
For consoles to receive a shooter of such visual and sensory splendour at a time when you largely forgot such games is remarkable. Because of the game's emphasis on duality, your ship has two colours (black and white). While one colour may store incoming projectiles of the same hue for later use in a screen-clearing barrage, the other can deliver twice as much damage to foes of the opposing shade.
You're left with a chaotic blur of black and white dots racing across the screen in an unavoidable whirlwind of activity. When everything is happening at once, it's easy to lose focus and rely solely on instinct. Viewed from a distance, Ikaruga looks like a graceful work of art. To put it simply, it's incredible.
The game didn't fare very well when it came out, but its legacy will continue as a download. Some may not have heard of this game or its obscure Sega Saturn sibling, Radiant Silvergun, but those in the know will defend them as the pinnacles of twitchy shooter craziness and say they sold poorly because of this.
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Mario Kart: Double Dash
Although Double Dash does not usher in a new era for the Mario Kart series, its improvements are more than skin deep. Never before have there been so many unique vehicles and playable characters available, nor have there been so many different kinds of weapons to compliment the returning staples.
Despite Baby Park's seven circuits and round-and-round lunacy, Wario Colosseum's two-lap length is a testament to the former's complex, daredevil layout. Multiplayer is the main draw, and that's where Double Dash shines. During races, two players can take charge of a single kart, with one player behind the wheel while the other uses power-ups to punish the other players.
This activity may go down in history as the best team-building experience in the medium of video games. What other online multiplayer game makes you shout things like "Use the golden mushroom, dam you, use it now!" or "Holy crap, look out for that banana peel!"? The series has declined, but this instalment remains a fan favourite.
Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time
With the aid of one incredible mechanic, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time revitalised a budding series in 2003. Because of the sand infused into his dagger, he can rewind time and try platforming sections over, attack adversaries, or change his perspective.
He could briefly slow time and freeze his opponents in place. It was a brilliant mechanic that gave The Sands of Time an original and strategic spin, elevating the game from the standard action-adventure fare.
The Sands of Time became one of the best adventure games thanks to this mechanism, some creative artificial intelligence, some very good puzzle design, and a captivating plot about duplicity.
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Luigi's Mansion
Luigi, Mario's sidekick sibling, has it rough. Even in his own game, which was released alongside the GameCube, he was tasked with investigating a haunted house. Fortunately, the scares Luigi experienced in Luigi's Mansion were more often a source of humour than anything else.
Luigi's adventure to find Mario, which he undertook with a ghost-busting vacuum, a flashlight, and a hacked-up Game Boy, was full of twists, turns, and secrets. Despite the game's abrupt ending, its puzzles and delightfully spooky ambience were enjoyable enough to inspire a terrific sequel on the 3DS, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, and an even better third instalment on the Nintendo Switch.
Animal Crossing
You've lost track, but there are countless times that you've returned to Animal Crossing's peaceful town. Initially released for the Nintendo 64 in Japan, the town simulator was ported to the GameCube for a wider release. Many people have found happiness in mundane pursuits like apple picking, fishing, and chitchat with the local critters.
Its sequel, New Horizons, was released for the Nintendo Switch and quickly became a worldwide phenomenon. Animal Crossing was the most soothing game for the GameCube and likely the sneakiest time suck.
F-Zero GX
Unstoppable speed. When 29 other racers try to knock your hovercraft out of the sky at 2000kph, it's one thing for a racing game to make it look like you're driving 150mph, but it's a whole other thing when the game can do that. F-Zero GX doesn't stutter even while other cars are racing in a fire-spewing cave with a magnetic pole as a course.
In addition to being one of the most visually appealing games on the system in widescreen, the inclusion of progressive scan support makes this title age gracefully. Harder circuits increase the racing intensity. F-Zero GX requires you to race properly without making a mistake. If you slide, 20 hovercrafts will pass you in half a second.
No other game on the system is so unrepentant about its terrible difficulty as F-Zero GX. Story mode is even tough. Any gamer would be proud to brag about beating these races. Adding a personalised garage mode guarantees hours of entertainment for all you speed demons, gearheads, and hardcore nuts out there.
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Conclusion
For Nintendo, the two most important things have always been the satisfaction of its fans and the excellence of its games. They've made games that seek to be the best for gaming consoles. That in and of itself is a major accomplishment. Compared to Sony and Microsoft, GameCube was a commercial disaster.
Nintendo's strength isn't necessarily in attracting the widest possible audience, but the firm does rely on the dedication of its most devoted customers to propel the platform to success. That's our curated list of the best GameCube games for you. Hope you loved them just as much as we did!
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FAQ's
Five years after the launch of the Nintendo 64, in 2001, the GameCube was finally made available to consumers.
There are now 654 titles available for the Nintendo GameCube. Over 1,500 titles were made available for the Wii, and the assumption was that GameCube would see several releases on par with that. The PlayStation 2 has 3800 games available, but it's not too many. Nintendo has, however, always prioritised quality over quantity.
It may be difficult to track down a GameCube in the present day, but it is not impossible. Used game stores aren't the only places to find a GameCube for sale; internet marketplaces like eBay and Amazon also carry them.
On debut, the Nintendo GameCube was accompanied by a handful of games. Luigi's Mansion, Super Monkey Ball, and Wave Race: Blue Storm were three of the most notable games included with the debut of the Nintendo GameCube. Other games include Madden NFL 2002, Crazy Taxi, Star Wars: Rogue Leader, and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3.