The 36 best games on the GameCube
GameCube was an incredible console in terms of the catalog of games that it had. Throughout its years of life, many quality games have come out, so it is difficult to make a Top without leaving out some equally good games. At League of Gamers, we have made a list of what we consider to be the 36 best games for GameCube. Find out what they are, and get ready for a nostalgia trip!
1. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Wind Waker is a phenomenal installment in The Legend of Zelda franchise. The world is flooded with water, so we use a boat to get around. There are many islands to explore and they all hide some secrets. Following the same trend of other games in the saga, one must overcome dungeons, obtain new items and fight against final bosses until one can face Ganon. The aesthetic is very striking; cel-shading graphics suit the game very well!
2. Metroid Prime
The first Metroid Prime is both one of the best games on the console and in the saga. In a way, the jump to 3D and first-person was a bit risky, but the transition was very successful! The new approach gives you a unique new perspective on exploration and combat in the series, as well as having such a well-crafted setting that it's sure to keep you hooked.
3. Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4, similar to Metroid Prime, was another game that changed the perspective of the series. On the shoulders of Leon S. Kennedy, we set out to rescue Ashley Graham, the president's daughter. The place where she is is quite gloomy and unwelcoming, in the vein of other Resident Evil. It is important to manage resources and know well the weak points of each enemy. If all else fails, pull out the knife!
4. Super Smash Bros Melee
Super Smash Bros games have always known how to maintain quality in all installments. With Melee, the saga rose to stardom and gained numerous fans around the world. Many competitions and tournaments also came out of it, and it is not a surprise. After all, the number of characters, playable mechanics, and the many varied modes helped us to play day in, day out, and without an iota of fatigue!
5. Super Mario Sunshine
After the unrivaled success of Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine knew how to take over and show that the 3D approach still has a lot of war to give. It maintains many of the mechanics of its predecessor, and to this is added a talking device that shoots jets of water. It has many uses! Delfino Island is a nice place to explore and each area is home to a dangerous boss. When it seems that Mario was going to have his vacation... danger always comes to him!
6. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem
Eternal Darkness is a horror game that surprises with everything it offers. It puts us in the shoes of 12 playable characters interconnected through a story that affects different times and places in the world. It challenges us to solve puzzles and defeat enemies, and it is necessary to monitor the level of Sanity. If it goes up a lot, weird things happen! We recommend you play it, as it is a very interesting and unique game within the genre.
7. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Baten Kaitos is an interesting JRPG in which Magnus's magic cards take on great importance. We explore a floating kingdom as we follow in the footsteps of Kalas, a one-winged man, and company. Throughout the journey, we find many cards that are mainly used for combat, although they are useful for interacting with characters and completing quests. Fun fact: Cards can change over time, making effects better or worse.
8. Mario Kart Double Dash!!
One of the races and turns that we have given in the Mario Kart! The approach of Mario Kart Double Dash is at least curious due to the fact that there are two characters per Kart: one drive, while the other throws the objects. Apart from this detail, the rest maintains the same seal of quality of the saga. There are ten pairs of drivers to choose from, and there's no shortage of modes like Grand Prix, Time Trial, or Battle. An excellent racing title!
9. Pokémon Colosseum
Pokémon Colosseum has a very striking story mode in which we have to rescue and purify dark Pokémon. We explore the desert region of Orre, which also has a peculiarity: we cannot find wild Pokémon. As we visit towns and cities and participate in cups, we will obtain more Pokémon from the hands of other trainers. The antagonist group, Cipher, is responsible for corrupting these creatures, and we must foil their plans!
10. Animal Crossing
GameCube's Animal Crossing was a localized and improved version of a release that had already been released in Japan for the Nintendo 64. Our mission in this game is to interact with our friendly neighbors, some animals that will invite us to complete tasks and enjoy events together like Halloween or Christmas. Little by little, we improve our home and win the hearts of these little animals.
11. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
The second installment of Metroid Prime repeated the formula of the first part, and it did it quite well! It is a somewhat inferior title due to technical irregularities and a worse difficulty, but it is still a great game. The story and exploration have a greater focus, with two parallel dimensions to explore. If you loved the first part, you must play this game yes or yes!
12. F-Zero GX
As with Mario Kart, F-Zero GX is part of a well-known racing game saga that is faithful to the Nintendo brand. The competitions are much fiercer and faster than the other star franchise. Therefore, it is the perfect title for speed lovers. Each vehicle has different characteristics and can be modified to suit your style of play. It is crucial to learn the circuits well and have good reflexes!
13. Luigi's Mansion
Luigi's Mansion is a game with terrifying touches but without stopping being funny. Armed with a flashlight and a vacuum cleaner, Luigi must break into a mansion and get rid of as many ghosts as he can. It is a quite fun video game in which we need to check each room and that encourages us to find treasures. If you find the first lap unchallenging, finishing the game unlocks the terrifying Hidden Mansion!
14. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Twilight Princess is another very entertaining title that has several virtues. The open-world can be explored on Epona's back or on foot, and it takes us through huge dungeons that take time to overcome. From time to time, we will visit the Twilight Kingdom in the form of a wolf and accompanied by Midna, a rather peculiar creature. One thing we will say: the boss fights are pretty epic!
15. Paper Mario: The Millennium Door
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is an amazing game that mixes 3D elements with 2D. As you might guess, paper is the main element in this game. Whether it's folding like a paper plane or rolling up like a scroll, we have to solve puzzles and beat many levels. The combats take an unexpected turn, as they are turn-based as if they were a JRPG. A cool title!
16. Pikmin 2
Pikmin 2 greatly improved upon the formula of the already excellent Pikmin 1! In it, we control a Pikmin legion commanded by two leaders, to overcome obstacles, defeat enemies and get treasures. Pikmin is divided into colors, which have different immunities and characteristics. It is these details that elevate this title as one of the best GameCube experiences, mixing elements of puzzles and strategy.
17. Soul Calibur II
The first Soul Calibur, along with Soul Edge, were excellent titles that fell in love with thousands of fans of the fighting genre. Soul Calibur II is one of the most complete titles, both for its rich and varied cast of characters and for its fun modes. It also has a fairly comfortable control and playable mechanics that challenge the most competitive. It's a joy to fight in those beautiful settings, and with Link as a special guest!
18. Tales of Symphonia
Tales of Symphonia is one of the benchmarks of the Tales of the saga and the JRPG. Its long story, full of twists, invites you to keep moving forward to discover what is true and what is a lie. The game allows you to manage and improve various characters so charismatic that they will earn a place in your heart, and possess abilities that make them very different from the rest. It is a game that you must play if you like role-playing and anime aesthetics.
19. Resident Evil (Remake)
The GameCube Resident Evil is a remake of the classic horror game. The well-known title receives a good facelift, in addition to some changes in the development of each part, thus improving an almost unbeatable survival horror. You can decide to be Jill or Chris, each with its advantages and disadvantages. This game challenges you to manage your inventory well and memorize the routes well. Do not miss it!
20. Skies of Arcadia Legends
Skies of Arcadia features an airship crew who must stop an empire from summoning a weapon of mass destruction. To do this, the game is developed as a turn-based combat JRPG and allows us to explore freely. From time to time there are also naval battles; a fresh twist on the genre! For that reason, it is not only necessary to improve your characters but also your aircraft and recruit new members for the crew.
21. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes is a remake of the excellent original Metal Gear Solid. The differences are that the gameplay is more similar to the second part, in addition to having an improved visual section, a more intelligent AI, and more cinematic content. It is therefore a more complete experience, perfecting what already worked well in the first version. Pure Solid Snake!
22. Ikaruga
Ikaruga is an excellent bullet-hell shooter that focuses on the concept of polarity. Depending on the enemies you are facing, you have to change to white or black to do damage or avoid being attacked. This premise gives one more nuance to a game of a genre that is already frenetic like few others. To this day it remains one of the most successful and recognized games of this caliber. Watch out for the shots!
23. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
The Star Wars Rogue Squadron saga is an excellent series of highly entertaining action games. We take command of rebel ships to fulfill missions that are related to the movies. For example, we must maneuver around the Death Star until it is destroyed or participate in the Battle of Hoth. Doing 100% is a challenge and, in addition, we can unlock extra missions if we perform well. May the Force be with you!
24. Beyond Good and Evil
In Beyond Good and Evil we play a reporter named Jade, who decides to investigate what is behind some abductions. the game mixes elements of fantasy with science fiction, in an adventure that leaves no one indifferent. Armed with a stick and a camera, you must find evidence and beat your way through if necessary. We've been waiting years for a sequel to this!
25. SSX 3
SSX 3 is one of the best snowboarding games of all time, so of course, it was going to be here! It challenges us to overcome circuits and objectives to improve attributes or unlock new clothes and boards. Doing tricks is vital because the game rewards us the more and better we do the movements. Great detail of SSX 3 is that the circuits are interconnected so that the free mode works as an open world where we move with our snowboard.
26. Super Mario Strikers / Mario Smash Football
Super Mario Strikers combines futsal with the fighting genre in a great way. How? There is no referee, so anything goes! Players can hit and use items or abilities to take the ball away and score all the goals in all the ways you can imagine. Each game is fast-paced and packed with spectacular plays. We didn't know these characters were good at soccer!
27. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia is a beloved franchise, especially for The Sands of Time and The Warrior's Soul. The first contains numerous platform phases and a good assortment of puzzles, while still challenging us in combat. It is a fairly acrobatic and calculating video game, where sometimes time plays against us. An essential game if you want to enjoy a great platformer!
28. Super Monkey Ball 2
Super Monkey Ball 2 is an incredibly cute game in which we control a monkey trapped in a ball. The objective is simple: you must go from one point to another while overcoming obstacles of all kinds. Simple, but fun! And it is that the game presents dozens of levels to overcome, in addition to having a challenge mode and another one based on mini-games to play cooperatively. A very complete title
29. Sonic Adventure 2 Battle
In the Sonic saga, we almost always limit ourselves to controlling the heroes and companions of the blue hedgehog. This time around, we can play the stages from both the heroes' and villains' points of view. That gives it a greater touch of variety, since it tells us more about the main story, and encourages us to overcome each level with all the available characters. You can even play as Robotnik!
30. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
We continue in the line of platform games with a title that doesn't focus so much on getting from point A to B, but on getting the highest score possible. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat presented a very curious novelty; you can play with bongos! Depending on how we hit, Donkey Kong will move, jump, do stunts or clap his hands. All this serves to get more points in a game as original as it is funny.
31. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance was yet another jump from 2D to 3D for a franchise, but without losing any of the art styles. We control Ike and his mercenary gang in order to stop some invasion attempts. The phases take place in tactical turn-based combat, with strategy and character development as the main elements. It stood out for being a very complete game, with a well-crafted story.
32. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Crystal Chronicles, unlike many other Final Fantasy, is a game more focused on adventures, exploration, and action. Our character, whose race, gender, and appearance we can choose, embarks on the important mission of recharging the power of some crystals that protect the towns from a mysterious danger. The dungeons are the focus of attention, all full of enemies, and bosses are not lacking!
33. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 has been considered the pinnacle of skateboarding games for many years. It's a solid title where we can do a lot of tricks and it lets us play the career mode at our own pace. Not for that reason, it is lacking in challenge, because the objectives become more complicated as you advance and take control of the skateboard. If you are a fan of this sport, play it or you will regret it
34. TimeSplitters 2
The GameCube didn't get a lot of FPS in its catalog, so games like TimeSplitters 2 are welcome! For lovers of the shooting genre, this game contains plenty of action and an interesting story in which we seek to safeguard time. The aliens want to break it, so we have no other task than to shoot them down. The game is tremendous in multiplayer due to the variety of weapons, modes, and levels.
35. Star Fox Adventures
Star Fox Adventures is an action and adventure game that combines phases on foot with others in which we drive the Arwing ship. The first type of phase is reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda in 3D, while the ship levels are the same as in other installments of the saga. Therefore, they require precision and a quick reaction! Without standing out too much in any aspect, it is still a great game that can give you many hours of fun.
36. Mario Power Tennis
We close the article with another sports game from the Mario saga. In Mario Power Tennis, we grab rackets and get ready to hit the ball. But is it a normal simulator? No! The hook of this game is a large number of modes and variants that exist in the games, so it never gets boring. It is also a perfect game to play in the company, either cooperating or competing.
