Nintendo has had quite a wild ride as a console manufacturer. They’ve had huge barnstorming successes like the beloved Wii, and they’ve had embarrassing missteps like the Wii U. Nintendo Switch is a little new to be deemed a truly iconic Nintendo console, but it’s certainly got the potential, sales numbers and great games to make it there.
Then there’s the GameCube, which hit the middle ground between the two. It didn’t exactly set the gaming world alight, but it was so much more than a failure. Third-party support was dearly lacking, but the plucky little purple system from 2001 still brought the world a small but perfectly formed catalog of excellent games. Metacritic’s rankings of the best GameCube titles includes some of the greatest video games of all time, in fact. Let’s take a look!
10 SSX 3 (92)
When it comes to essential sports to simulate in video games, snowboarding probably wouldn’t top many gamers’ wish lists. FIFA, Madden and the like tend to hog most of the genre’s limelight, which is to be expected. The SSX franchise is a little more obscure, but the games have always been a relentless thrill-ride of impossible, brilliant and ridiculous tricks.
SSX 3 launched on the GameCube (as well as PlayStation 2 and Xbox) in 2003. It looked and sounded fantastic, and the gameplay built upon the previous entry while remaining faithful to it. It was the perfect sequel, full of high-octane arcade action.
9 Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem (92)
Ah, yes. In any discussion of underrated and forgotten GameCube gems, Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is sure to crop up. This survival horror title from Silicon Knights puts the player in the shoes of Alex Roivas, a young woman who returns to her family estate in tragic circumstances: her grandfather has been brutally murdered. While investigating the estate, she discovers that her family (and an elite band of other heroes) have been battling an ancient eldritch evil for centuries.
Through the magical Tome of Eternal Darkness, she flits between the present and each hero’s chapter in the story (which the player then experiences first-hand). This innovative system of story progression, along with the game’s famous sanity effects (which sees the monsters each character battles taking a mental toll on them which affects gameplay), make Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem one of the GameCube’s most interesting exclusives.
8 NFL 2K3 (92)
With the GameCube’s limited third-party support, it’s not surprising that the system was lacking in quality sports titles. Still, they often say that quality over quantity is key, and NFL 2K3 provided a strong case for that statement.
Sports games are often criticised for failing to advance very much with each new entry, but NFL 2K3 was a true evolution. The animations were much improved, as was the AI. The ESPN broadcast mechanic and in-depth Franchise mode made the action feel far more authentic and engrossing, which is exactly what fans of the sport were seeking.
7 Viewtiful Joe (93)
In a similar fashion, the GameCube was never exactly known as the home of high-octane, madcap action titles. Nevertheless, it did have some such games in its arsenal. 2002’s Viewtiful Joe has to be the most memorable.
This Capcom title is a beefed-up homage to the side-scrolling brawlers of yore. It stars a movie buff named Joe, whose girlfriend gets sucked into the movies and trapped there. With the power of the V-Watch, Joe is able to transform into his new super-powered alter ego, Viewtiful Joe, who must dispatch his enemies across various levels to rescue his kidnapped love, Silvia. The cel-shaded cartoony action was a great fit for the system, and the game performed well enough to spawn a short-lived franchise.
6 Soul Calibur II (93)
In the GameCube/Xbox/PlayStation 2 days, the console wars were just as heated as the Mario versus Sonic debates of the schoolyards of the nineties. Many titles were multi-platform and arrived on all three consoles, though they sometimes still included system-specific bonuses, in an effort to sway gamers to buy one version over the other.
This was certainly the case with Soul Calibur II. This fantastic title is fondly remembered as one of the greatest fighting games of all time, regardless of platform, but there was a little something extra: the GameCube edition featured The Legend of Zelda’s Link as a playable fighter (and a darn good one too). Tekken’s Heihachi Mishima and Spawn’s… Spawn took his place on the PlayStation and Xbox versions respectively, but for Nintendo fans, it’s obvious who got the best deal here.
5 Madden NFL 2004 (94)
With a formidable 94 Metacritic score, Madden NFL 2004 was the GameCube’s most critically acclaimed sports title of all. As with NFL 2K3, it enhanced the gameplay while making just the right changes in just the right areas, ensuring it was so much more than just a re-tread of what had come before.
The engrossing Owner mode allowed the player to tweak every aspect of their team and stadium, while the enhancements to the action on the pitch and intuitive controls kept everything smooth and enjoyable.
4 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (96)
When The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was first announced, even some die-hard franchise fans weren’t sure what to make of it. The cel-shaded visuals were the most controversial element, a punchline for those who disregarded Nintendo’s consoles and games as appealing only to children.
Those who could appreciate the beauty of the aesthetic, however, dove into another fantastic Zelda adventure gleefully. The Wind Waker is not without its flaws (the Great Sea can be a big, empty slog to traverse), but it’s a magical, unforgettable adventure.
3 The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (96)
It’s interesting that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess shares a Metacritic rating of 96 with The Wind Waker. As far as the wider franchise goes, they’re polar opposites. Twilight Princess has a far darker, edgier tone, in stark contrast to The Wind Waker’s adorable storybook aesthetic.
Still, it just goes to show what great franchise entries the two games are. Twilight Princess was also a step away from series norms, in its own way, which some fans were resistant to. Needless to say, though, both are among the best adventure titles in the GameCube’s catalog.
2 Resident Evil 4 (96)
Considering Nintendo’s squeaky-clean, family friendly reputation, it’s odd to think that the GameCube placed a lot of emphasis on the Resident Evil series early in its life. A deal with Capcom saw many past games in the series ported to the system, as well as securing exclusivity (for a time) for Resident Evil 4.
What more is there to say about this 2005 classic? For better or worse, it changed the direction of the series forever (slipping the switch from ‘Slow-Paced Survival Horror’ to ‘Arnold Schwarzenegger Movie’). Is it a good Resident Evil game? That’s subjective. Is it a good game, period? For many, it’s among the best ever made, setting the benchmark for the way TPS titles like the Gears of War series would operate.
1 Metroid Prime (97)
Finally, we arrive at Metacritic’s pick for the greatest GameCube title of all. Trumping The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess and Resident Evil 4 by a single point, it’s Retro Studios’ sublime Metroid Prime.
This first-person adventure was a huge departure for the series, though it still captured that spirit of isolation and danger that Metroid has always delivered so well. From inside Samus’ visor, we were the bounty hunter, and every encounter felt significant and frightening as a result. Not only was the gameplay impeccable, but Metroid Prime was a technical tour de force for the system. The series has stumbled since, but the original Metroid Prime was nothing short of a timeless triumph.