For a lot of people, auditory and visual sensation provokes nostalgia more than anything else, and for many millennial, those associated with the games on the Nintendo Gamecube are no exception to this rule. In fact, it may be the gold standard. Beginning the heated final act of the definitive console wars, the GameCube stood against the original Xbox and the mighty PlayStation 2, perhaps with not the most powerful graphical display, but most definitely with the highest pedigree in IP and original concepts character, gameplay and art design. Scroll through to see the TYF writing staff’s voted favorite 10 games on the console.
- Animal Crossing
Spawning a series that to this day has been a huge success, Animal Crossing for the Gamecube was one of the consoles most unique games. Living in a community inhabited by talking animals, the point of the game is very much abstract. There is no beating the game, rather just enjoying the variety of ways to play the game. It’s so easy to get lost into the weird little world the game creates, from fishing to collecting artifacts, to even just doing oddball favors around town. To this day, Animal Crossing has been a greatly unique addition to the Nintendo universe, showing the creativity that the company to this day still possesses.
– Matt Conway
Advertisement
- Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
As many know (Evan has seen it first hand) there are few games I excel at, so Mario Kart: Double Dash!! is a special case scenario. I can’t say I know much about the history behind it and what not, but I can say that for a long while in my childhood, it was the only video game I owned. This meant a lot of time spent dedicated to perfecting my time on each course and unlocking news one, and discovering that while some of the bigger cars looked cool, it was baby Marion and Luigi that gave us the Chain Chop-aka, one of the games greatest cheats in getting ahead. It is a game that I grew with as I got older, playing it in college while up to some mischief and then introducing the game to my little sister after finding a Game Cube to purchase for $20.00. Such as the case with similar games of its ilk, Double Dash!! has sustained longevity because of how easy it is to play it over and over again and never get bored.
-Allyson Johnson
Advertisement
- Luigi’s Mansion
For as long as I’ve been playing Nintendo, it’s always been “Mario this, Mario that.” He has been the Nintendo mascot since its start and continues to be the main lead of their products. Over time, characters have been made to accompany him, including a younger brother Luigi. Even though they’ve had multiple games together, it always felt like Luigi got the short end of the stick. He’s perfectly capable of saving the day; Nintendo even gave him a princess to save. But he was still reduced to being a part of co-op games rather than have his own centered title. When Nintendo launched the Gamecube, they included the title, Luigi’s Mansion—a game that had the player controlling Luigi. It was only the second title in the Mario franchise that had Luigi in the forefront and turned out to be one of the most memorable games on the console.
If there was ever a video game adaptation of The Shining, Luigi’s Mansion would be the closest portrayal. The story starts when Luigi finds out that he’s won a contest that he never entered. The prize is to stay in a fancy mansion that just happens to be haunted by ghosts. When Mario goes to investigate, he ends up missing and it’s up to Luigi to find him. Equipped with a vacuum called Poltergust 3000, his mission is to suck up the ghosts to make his luxurious getaway a little less spooky.
Although the game was limited to just the house, it felt like an open world setting. There are multiple levels to explore and each room had a different ghost to battle. They all led up to different bosses who were unique on their own(you’re lying if you say that you didn’t love the baby ghost battle).The ghosts may have been cartoonish (as Nintendo always does) but it was still scary. Before completing a level, you were trapped in the dark where anything can pop out in any moment. It kept any player on edge and added more authenticity to the horror setting.
– Yasmin Kleinbart
Advertisement
- The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
If anyone can remember what it was like in the early 2000s to not be watching all the live tech news instantaneously, they may end up thinking of the excitement surrounding the original announcement of this game. After proving everyone wrong with critically adored Wind Waker, Nintendo decided to take a stab at the more realistic Zelda game the fans were clamoring for as a result of that Spaceworld 2000 tech demo.
Twilight Princess certainly isn’t the darkest in tone of the franchise, or the most challenging, but by the goddesses, it has atmosphere in spades. Taking a note from A Link to the Past, Hyrule is encountered with a parallel realm in this game, the Twilight Realm, which is slowly taking over the kingdom with unique looking terrors. When encountering the barrier to this alternate world, Link is turned into a wolf, and meets his new informational companion for the journey, Midna, who is easily the fan favorite among Link’s companions as she exudes mystery and personality instead of simply nagging the player about where to go. Twilight Princess has the most cinematic feel to the franchise throughout, often having reviews cite that it felt like Nintendo’s successor to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films a few years later. This is not simply an observation through dialogue and cutscenes, but through well thought out chase sequences, larger than life boss battles and electrically charged combat through a new list of combos for Link to execute. – Evan Griffin
- Metroid Prime
Samus redefined what it meant to be a heroine in video games with her first adventure on the NES. In the original Metroid title, in one of the most iconic surprise twists in gaming history, it was only after beating the title that you realized the person inside that mech outfit had been a woman all along. IT only seems fitting that Samus would help redefine the sixth generation of consoles in her updated on the GameCube, Metroid Prime.
Taking inspiration from the original’s platformer elements, while updating it for the new generation, Metroid Prime blended puzzle solving, fast paced first person shooting, and grand boss battles to create one of the most highly praised titles available on the Nintendo GameCube. Winning numerous “Game of the Year” awards back in 2002, and getting two equally successful sequels in the process, Prime‘s popularity lead it to be ported to Nintendo’s next console, the Wii, in the form of The Metroid Prime Trilogy. If you haven’t found the time to play this sci-fi action adventure quite yet, we recommend you get on a roll and finally prime yourself for the experience. – Donald Strohman
- Resident Evil 4
Despite being a complete overhaul for the franchise at the time, Resident Evil 4 still contains the thrilling scares and horror ambiance the series is known for. What’s amazing is that it has been re-released and remastered for later consoles several times since its release. This speaks to the longevity and legacy of the game, which is still a blast to play a decade later. That said, it’s impossible to overstate the game’s influence on the survival horror genre. Later installments in the series have all switched to third person perspectives, further pushing the bounds into full blown action games (RE 6 anyone?). 4 strikes a perfect balance between shooting mechanics, quick thinking and puzzle solving established by the first 3 games.
What keeps me coming back is the constant sense of sensory overload and impending dread. The sound design and creepy hordes of enemies always manage to make my trigger finger itch. That said, escorting Ashley is still a pain in the backside and her A.I. is still one to run in the trajectory of your bullets. The difficulty in defending her from enemies makes the game both challenging and rewarding. When she vanishes for periods, you almost want to breathe a sign to relief. It’s Leon’s story first and foremost, aided by the best voice work in the series at the time. With extra content such as the Mercenaries Mode and Assignment Ada, there’s plenty of content to justify purchasing the recent re-mastering for the PS4 and Xbox One. – Matthew Goudreau
- Soul Calibur II
Soul Calibur II is the continuation of the Soul series. A fighting game in which characters continue to battle for the power of Soul Edge, to harness it or destroy it. This game is a classic in the GameCube titles. With Link of the Legend of Zelda as a guest character for the GameCube, Soul Calibur II is tons of fun! With quotable characters, like Nightmare, Ivy, and Yoshimitsu, each with their own vibrant personalities, creative backstories, and unique fighting styles, it makes for a good fighting game. Obviously one can fight against a friend, or by themselves, but a fun addition to this game is the two costumes each character has, as well as a variety of weapons each character can use to enhance the fight experience. The musical soundtrack here is somewhat memorable, but not too noteworthy. What IS noteworthy however, is the simplicity of the fights. There aren’t so many finishing moves, no complicated forms or anything, it’s just a simple fight that makes it simple. However, fans of the series have noted that the CPU AI has a tendency to “cheat” and anticipate your moves to make the fight more difficult, but it isn’t so debilitating that the game is impossible. – Thomas Cregge
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
My brother and I were introduced to the franchise with Ocarina of Time, but for a personal accomplishment, this was the first ever Zelda game I had completed myself, instead of just looking at the guide book in the back of the room. I had a strong connection with this game, maybe even because of the oceanic setting resonating with a kid who grew up on an oceanfront town. Everything about The Wind Waker was inspiring, and the lengthy boat rides on your small ship, the King of Red Lions, weren’t bothersome to me because I just so happened to have a sea chart for the game out of my Prima strategy guide.
Knowing the lore of games prior to playing The Wind Waker makes for an even better experiences, as well, as the drowned Kingdom of Hyrule, the death of its culture and the will of its King all present a sense of conclusion to the worlds seen in A Link to the Past and Ocarina of time, and shows the villain, Ganon at his most relatable, as he and the King equally desire their home to see the sunlight again, despite their differing actions upon that wish. If you have not played this game, the HD remake on the Wii U is only 20 dollars now, so you have no excuse. It is nothing but exceptional. – Evan Griffin
- Super Mario Sunshine
This game was a staple for the Gamecube as a platform. Much like Wind Waker, this standard definition, cel shaded graphical world has so much vibrance and color and presentation value that it ages exceptionally well in an era where gamers are mostly obsessed with their games running at 1080p/60fps. Super Mario Sunshine is an absolute joy in regards to its gameplay for about the first half. While Mario’s 3D platforming control is sensitive and responsive throughout, it is counterbalanced by the FLUDD water propulsion unit, providing some unique gameplay challenges, particularly as the jetpack evolves over the course of the game. There are certain challenges in here, with and without the water backpack, that are crushingly brutal at times. I never actually 100% completed this game until 2013, to be completely honest. That being said, it is still an equally rewarding game to complete as its predecessor Super Mario 64, and its successor, Super Mario Galaxy. – Evan Griffin
- Super Smash Bros. Melee
Imagine being Nintendo and HAL Laboratory in late 1999, basking in the glory that was Super Smash Bros. After performing the miracle of bringing all of Nintendo’s beloved characters together for a 3D free-for-all fighting game that was fun, colorful, and successful beyond expectation. Just as their popping champagne and soaking in the glory, there must’ve been a moment where they all stopped for a second and asked themselves:
“Now what?”
Because no matter how good the first Smash Bros. was, there was always more possibility to it. Two years later, more of that possibility was fulfilled with Super Smash Bros. Melee. It’s not only the Gamecube’s best-selling work (7 million), but one of Nintendo’s definitive titles in its entire catalogue and one of the most outstanding titles in the fighting genre. Everything the first game laid the groundwork for, Melee expanded on: More characters, richer graphics, bigger stages, epic music. Gameplay was cleaner and more fluid, which makes it all the better to watch Kirby drop a brick onto the Ice Climbers. Stages popped off the screen and could host battles on multiple areas, like the iconic Hyrule Temple. Smash Bros. represents the best of what the GameCube represented: taking possibility and expanding it to it’s full potential. – Jon Winkler
Advertisement