With 21 million units sold, the GameCube certainly wasn’t the best selling console of its generation. But plenty of us have great memories with it and it has a ton of classic games in its library. The first party titles go without saying, but there are a ton of interesting and unique games offered on the console that possibly flew under the radar and that often get overshadowed by heavy hitters like the Mario and Legend of Zelda games. Some of these classics don’t exactly hold up as well as they did all those years ago. While other games just completely flew under the radar.
Looking back at all the games in the GameCube’s library, it isn’t all that hard to imagine that some great ones just went unnoticed by the majority of players. There were tons of quality IP’s being developed for the console and a litany of instant classics to compete with as well. On the flip side, some of these super popular games have had some of their imperfections slip by for years now. That isn’t to say that they’re not good, just that there are issues that often go overlooked simply due to a game being so positively viewed by fans.
So here are 15 classic GameCube games that everyone missed and 10 that are worse than fans remember them being.
25 Missed: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings And The Lost Ocean
If you’re looking for a solid JRPG on the GameCube, Baten Kaitos is definitely worth a look. Developpped by the same studio that would go on to make the Xenoblade games, Baten Kaitos was well received by critics.
Despite the generally favorable reviews, the game never sold well. The sales numbers never got anywhere near what publisher Namco anticipated them being. The series got a prequel released on the GameCube a few years later that also suffered from lukewarm sales numbers, despite the overall positive reception by fans and critics.
24 Missed: TimeSplitters 2
The original TimeSplitters is a great game but was exclusive to the PS2 when it released back in 2000. Its sequel released on most gen 6, but the exclusivity of the first entry might’ve caused some Nintendo console owners to miss the boat entirely.
TimeSplitters 2 was met with as much – if not more – acclaim as its predecessor. The game sold much better on the PS2 however, with sales figures of the GameCube version being nearly half of what the PlayStation version sold.
23 Aged Worse: Shadow The Hedgehog
We come now to a game that wasn’t really met with all that many positive reviews, but seems to hold a soft spot in some gamers’ hearts regardless. Shadow the Hedgehog is remembered for trying to add a little more edge into the Sonic franchise – something that definitely hasn’t aged well.
The game is drastically different when compared to other Sonic titles. Throw in the sloppy mechanics and you get a clearer picture as to why this game just isn’t very good. You might have some fond memories of it, but just try playing it again and see how you feel about it now.
22 Missed: Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
It may be weird to see a Pokémon game on this list, but you have to understand that we aren’t talking about one of the core entries to the series. Part of the Stadium series, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness borrowed a lot of its mechanics and ideas from its predecessor; Pokémon Colosseum.
The game sold over a million units, which made it a commercial success. Still, that’s just a fraction of what Ruby & Sapphire sold. Due to it not being part of the mainline series, along with lukewarm reviews, XD is a game many might’ve easily missed.
21 Missed: Killer7
A great game developed by the same people behind No More Heroes and Let it Die, Killer7 didn’t really sell well and can be seen as a commercial failure – though it did retain a cult following years after its release.
The game is stylish but experimental which doesn’t always bode well for sales. Not many people played this game when it came out – and despite the miniscule amount of units moved the game was still received well by critics. It’s definitely worth picking up if you haven’t already given it a go.
20 Aged Worse: Resident Evil
At the time of its release, the Resident Evil remake on the GameCube received a multitude of praise, though it isn’t without its flaws. The game still proves to be an engaging experience, regardless of some issues.
The camera angles are something that can really challenge you on how you approach exploration and add an extra sense of caution. But they’re sometimes inconvenient and janky. The AI isn’t all that great either and can be figured out pretty quickly for most players. All in all, it’s still a great game, but maybe not as great a game as you once thought it was.
19 Missed: Skies Of Arcadia Legends
Originally released as a Dreamcast exclusive, Skies of Arcadia came out all the way back in 2000. The Gamecube port, Legends made a number of improvements that were met with praise from critics and fans alike.
Legends was pretty similar to the original but improved upon the game’s graphics, frame rate, and long loading times. DLC content on the Dreamcast was also added into the base game with the port, due to the Gamecube’s lack of connectivity. It ended up working out just fine in the end.
18 Missed: Sonic Gems Collection
This next entry technically doesn’t count as one game, but a compilation of several great older titles. The quality of modern Sonic games hasn’t exactly been great, but Sega struck gold with this title.
There are some pretty great games in the collection, most notably; Sonic CD, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Tails Adventure. You can also find the Vectorman and Streets of Rage games in there as unlockables. Some of the titles in there are pretty bad though, so it’s up to you to find the “gems” among them.
17 Aged Worse: Pikmin 2
You don’t have to look too much to find that Pikmin 2 was one of the most well-received GameCube exclusives out there. Pikmin 2 is still a great and enjoyable strategy game, but might not be as challenging as some remember it being.
There are some nitpicky faults you can find in the game; mainly in how the game’s camera sometimes obscures objects. The AI seems improved when compared to its predecessor but is still not all that great overall.
16 Missed: Eternal Darkness
When you think of the GameCube, horror games aren’t exactly the first thing that pops into your head. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem was one of the most well-received horror games of its generation and just so happened to be a GameCube exclusive.
The game sold less than half-a-million units worldwide but was so well received that it was intended to get a sequel before that was canned. This is a survival-horror classic that you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
15 Missed: Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
We’re used to seeing Metal Gear Solid games land on Sony's consoles, but not this one. The Twin Snakes is basically a remake of Metal Gear Solid that featured improved graphics, new mechanics, and an improved translation that featured most of the original English cast.
Despite all this, the game didn’t sell all that well. Critics and fans loved it and noted the improvements it made from the original. But for some reason, this one just flew under the radar at the time of its release.
14 Aged Worse: Mega Man Network Transmission
Something of a forgotten Mega Man game, Network Transmission doesn’t really offer anything of note to fans of the series or even newcomers. The game wasn’t all that great when it came out and it certainly hasn’t aged much better after all these years.
The game takes some getting used to and definitely proves more of a challenge earlier on. After you get accustomed to everything though, the difficulty level takes a steep dip to the point where clearing levels isn’t all that fun.
13 Missed: Battalion Wars
Battalion Wars is a challenging RTT and a hidden gem in the GameCube’s library. The game might look a little childish due to its cartoony art, but don’t let that fool you – this is a genuinely fun and often challenging game.
There are some minor problems with the game; mainly some issues with the controls. But it’s still loads of fun and any technical issues don’t really impede the flow of the game, or take away from the experience.
12 Aged Worse: Luigi's Mansion
Certainly, an iconic part of the GameCube’s library, Luigi’s Mansion kicked off what’s been a successful series for Nintendo, with a third entry coming for the Switch sometime this year. While it has certainly proved to be a popular IP for Nintendo, the original Luigi’s Mansion hasn’t aged all that well when compared to other GameCube games.
One big knock on the game is how repetitive it is. The level design takes a rinse and repeat approach and while there are some fun puzzles in there, things can get stale quick.
11 Missed: Beyond Good & Evil
Beyond Good & Evil was a cult hit that failed to do anything of note commercially. The game just did not sell well on any console, but the GameCube’s numbers were especially bad. Sadly, a lot of people missed out on this great game when it first came out.
Despite its lackluster sales, the game was received well by critics. The game was praised by some for its storytelling and graphics though there were some noticeable performance issues here and there. Overall though, Beyond Good & Evil is a fun game worth playing.
10 Aged Worse: Sonic Riders
Having sold just fewer than one million copies, Sonic Riders definitely wasn’t a financial bust for Sega. Despite its solid sales numbers, Sonic Riders isn’t really all that good of a game.
Though not the worst Sonic game to have come out in the last 15 years, Riders suffered quite a bit from poor level design and abysmal controls which contributed to it being a very mediocre gaming experience. Fans who loved the game in 2006 might be surprised to see just how poorly it’s aged – though it wasn’t very good in the first place.
9 Missed: Worms 3D
If you’ve never played a Worms game then you’re missing out on some over-the-top fun. Worms 3D doesn’t really do anything that different from its predecessors, but that ends up working out just fine.
The gameplay is solid and the style is cartoonish and quirky. The campaign mode features some hilarious movie references. The whole game is just a bunch of fun and unlike some of the games on this list, it still manages to retain some of its charm years later.
8 Aged Worse: Metroid Prime
It’s one of the most celebrated releases on the GameCube and a game that still gets a lot of love today. There’s no denying that Metroid Prime is a solid and enjoyable game. But looking back at it after all these years, the game might not be as perfect as you once thought it was.
The controls are a little off at times and the game would’ve really benefited from the ability to adjust the sensitivity. The game itself relies too much on repetition and can get tedious at times.
7 Missed: Alien Hominid
If you look at the sales numbers, you would be quick to mark Alien Hominid off as a commercial failure. But while the game didn’t sell well, it received a ton of critical acclaim from critics at the time of its release.
A side-scrolling shoot’em up, Alien Hominid actually debuted on Newgrounds prior to getting a console release. It’s really at its best when enjoyed with other players, and stands out with its fast paced gameplay, crazy power-ups and various multiplayer modes.
6 Aged Worse: Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
Another beloved title that sadly hasn’t aged all that well years after its release, Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life still functions as a pretty solid simulation game – though its flaws are much more noticeable today than they were in 2003.
The game’s graphics and sound design were seen as somewhat subpar when it first released, and looking at it now that stands as its biggest and hardest to overcome flaw. It’s very hard to get into the game with such terrible sound quality harassing you every step of the way.