GameSpy: Top 25 GameCube Games

It's a pretty rare day when a third-party title knocks a first-party heavyweight like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker from the number one GameCube game of all time slot. But Capcom's outstanding action-horror title Resident Evil 4 just did it. A game that's been through more revisions than a Microsoft O/S, Capcom's elite zombie-trainers put together an all-consuming adventure that sees RE2 star Leon S. Kennedy up to his neck in guns, blood, crazy villagers, satanic creatures, and, of course, a plot that's thicker than a whale omelet.

Taking a new slant on the popular toon shading visual style, our hero Link embarks on a fantastical adventure across the oceans of the Great Sea in order to rescue his kidnapped sister. Along the way, Link teams up with a band of friendly pirates, and battles through countless dungeons and locales. With his friend, the talking sailboat -- named King of Red Lions -- Link begins to realize that he's not just any old Joe. Using the fabled Wind Waker wand, he can command the flow and ebb of the worlds elements enabling his boat to cruise the oceans in style.

In many ways, Metroid Prime made first-person shooters enjoyable again. The game had a highly unique visual style, with each of the various environments offering a completely different experience. For the obsessive-compulsive gamers out there, scanning enemies and environments would add them to your database, which helped to flesh out an already interesting and immersive world. In a wonderful throwback to the earlier Metroid games, Samus could once again take the form of a ball to get into tight spaces.

The GameCube sequel was everything that the N64 game was and more. Better graphics, better music, more characters, more gameplay modes, more secrets to discover. It was a fantastic sequel. And, of course, it was also a topnotch multiplayer experience. With three friends together for a full-on four-player melee, you'd have a lot yelling and whooping within minutes.

Namco really knows how to craft a sizzling 3D fighter. Its Soul series has always drawn much love from the fighting crowd, and the GameCube version of Soul Calibur II might just be the best of the three released. It's all about the characters and their signature melee weapons, and unlike the other great series' -- Tekken and Virtua Fighter -- Soul Calibur II is pretty accessible to novices and seasoned players alike.

When the hype machine was running on Nintendo's upcoming survival-horror game, everyone was asking, "Silicon Knights who?" This was an unheard-of company, and it was supposed to be putting together a Resident Evil killer? Despite the unlikely source, Eternal Darkness became one of the best, most intuitive, and most frightening horror games ever released.

Not every game can get away with a Nietzsche reference in its title, but Beyond Good & Evil is so thoroughly excellent that it deserves that bit of self-indulgence. BG&E is the brainchild of Michel Ancel, the French game designer best known for Rayman. This game was to be his opus, and despite unjustly bombing at retail, it turned out to be one of the best Zelda-style action/adventure games of the last couple years.

In 1992, Nintendo released a Mario-themed game for the SNES that actually managed to introduce a brand-new genre to gamers: the kart racer. Featuring many of the most popular characters from the Mario universe, Super Mario Kart succeeded in turning the previously tried-and-true racing formula on its head. While other developers were striving for realistic graphics and physics that mimicked those found in the real world, Mario Kart was full of cartoonish graphics, bright colors, and, above all, downright enjoyable gameplay. Although a slightly disappointing sequel hit the Nintendo 64, the GameCube's Mario Kart: Double Dash!! managed to bring the original's playful spirit to a new generation of gamers.

Since the game takes place in the celluloid world, Joe (or "Viewtiful Joe" to use his superhero name) has a plethora of special-effect inspired moves to help his take down the legion of enemies that he'll be facing. With the touch of a button, you can slow down time, allowing Joe to pull off massive combos. You can also speed things up, making Joe attack so quickly that he bursts into flames. Then there's the zoom move, which brings the camera in on Joe, allowing him to pull off more visually impressive (and powerful) attacks. Both Viewtiful Joe and its sequel are available for GameCube, but the original still holds a special place in our hearts for its sheer originality. It's a fantastic update to a classic genre, and it's not to be missed.

Poor Mario has a lot to live up to with Super Mario Sunshine. It was, after all, not only the plumber's first appearance on Nintendo's GameCube, but it was also the first "true" Mario game since Super Mario 64, a game that many consider to be the finest ever created. Although some people were disappointed with Sunshine because it wasn't as revolutionary as Mario 64 was, the fact is that it's still an outstanding game.

In addition to the simple, yet addictive gameplay of the main game, there are plenty of mini-games that are just good enough to sell on their own. Diversions like Monkey Bowling, Monkey Golf, and Monkey Target will keep you occupied for hours. Toss in multiplayer modes for the mini-games, and Super Monkey Ball ends up being the perfect party game. This sequel expands on the original in every way -- it's more challenging and has even more mini-games.

Animal Crossing happens in real-time. That is, time continues to pass in the world even when you're not playing, so playing at different times of the day will open up new things to do. There are several special events that only happen on certain days throughout the year. This game demands a long-term commitment, but given the amount of fun you'll end up having, you won't mind. And don't forget that by swapping memory cards with your friends you can visit their towns, as well. There's always something new to see in Animal Crossing.

The story was much darker and more intricate than the first effort, and although the split-screen multiplayer modes didn't have quite the impact we were all hoping for -- some online lovin' would have been super, thanks -- the overall package offered by Echoes was a really fantastic single-player romp that tested even the most hardcore skill level.

If you're an old-school Mario fan, this game will simply tug at your heartstrings. Everything about it hearkens back to the bright, wacky, cheery worlds that Mario and his cohorts inhabited back in the day; it's a rare pleasure to explore its ins and outs. You'll find yourself genuinely surprised at how what is essentially a traditional console/RPG can so accurately incorporate all the key elements of the classic platformers we know and love.

Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus features all the content of the original plus a whole new episode to explore. While PSO is an online RPG, it can still be played offline, though it's not as fulfilling. This GameCube version tosses a well-done split-screen mode into the mix, which makes it excellent fun for when RPG-minded friends are visiting. Of course, online is the very best way to play, which requires the purchase of the rather scarce GameCube modem or network adapters. You'll want to track down a keyboard solution, as well.

We chose Pikman's sequel over the original for a number of reasons, the chief one being its awesome multiplayer mode -- but there's more method to our madness than that. Pikmin 2 did away with the sometimes-frustrating time limit imposed on each level of the first game, allowing you to truly get your teeth into every single level. You could be as quick or as thorough as you wanted.

The first thing one notices about F-Zero GX is how gorgeous its visuals are. The colors are bright, the graphics are crisp, and everything moves along at a buttery 60 frames per second. The track designs are amazing, too, offering up some truly extreme moments. In addition to the standard loops and jumps, you'll find yourself rotating around a circular track (similar to a cork screw) and rocketing through an underwater tunnel.

Really, how can one go wrong with four of the greatest action/RPGs ever made? The original The Legend of Zelda is beyond classic. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link enjoys a similar status, though its side-scrolling nature has spawned plenty of controversy. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time took the series into the uncharted territory of 3D, to great effect. And The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask embraced a scarier atmosphere and high-pressure situations to create an entirely different Zelda experience.

While the first two titles in the series only allowed you to choose from select races on predefined tracks, SSX 3 opened things up in a big way -- literally. The whole game took place on a giant, three-peaked mountain that could be fully explored from top to bottom (although players were required to complete events if they wanted to move from the shortest peak to the taller ones). When a race or trick contest ended at the bottom of the slope, you could hop into a helicopter or gondola for a quick ride back up to the top of the peak.

Using four GBA's as controllers, players sit around a GameCube and TV and work together -- and sometimes even against each other -- to solve puzzles, collect cash, and save the princess and her chums from a fate worse than death. Through incredibly cool design and implementation, the action and visuals flit between the larger outdoor areas (on the TV) and the small dungeons and tunnels (shown on the GBA screens). The result is a laugh-riot of epic proportions all wrapped up into a tasty classic Zelda sandwich.

Lucas' open-ended sci-fi universe has had its fair share of clunkers and winners alike, but the one title that stands out the most on GameCube has to be Rogue Squadron II. As one of the very first U.S. launch titles for the system, RSII took the great shooter formula seen in LucasArts' N64 game -- RS -- and added a much-needed visual overhaul. It all seemed to fall into place. The graphics were stellar (progressive scan, no less), and along with the obviously cool soundtrack, decent controls, and brutally challenging stages, GCN owners had themselves a great space shooter.

Every aspect of the game just oozed attitude all over the court, from the stylish, graffiti-inspired graphics, to the huge variety of tricks and dunks you could pull off in an attempt to embarrass your opponent. Street also featured an impressive cast of playable ballers, including a veritable who's who of current and former NBA superstars. You also had the ability to make your own team from scratch, which lead to some interesting pairings. Ever wonder what it would be like to play alongside Pistol Pete and the Big Aristotle? Pop in a copy of NBA Street Vol. 2 and find out. This is one game that will make you feel like anything is possible once you step on the court.

When it was finally released, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes did not disappoint. The worst thing that can be said about it was that its voice work wasn't as good as in the original. Barring that, however, both fans and newcomers were in for a treat: developer Silicon Knights didn't miss a beat when it came to re-creating this classic. All the characters, from the sultry, nihilistic Sniper Wolf, to the grim, determined Ninja, are as memorable as ever, and just as much of a pleasure to do battle with. If you consider yourself a Metal Gear fan, then you owe it to yourself to experience it.

In spite of the stigma among some gamers that the GameCube is a "kiddy" console, the 2002 release of Capcom's revamped Resident Evil went some way in silencing critics of the system and its lack of titles for mature audiences. Capcom managed to take the good (atmosphere and cheap scares) and augment them, while taking the bad (the original voice cast) and eliminating them.

This simple idea leads to a shooting game of surprising complexity; the rapid switching can get downright confusing at times. Persist, however, and you'll find a shooting game of uncompromising challenge and purity. Ikaruga is beautiful to look at, but it's the tough-as-nails gameplay that'll keep you crawling back to the GameCube for your next fix. Ikaruga remains a unique title in the GameCube library, and proof that a shooter, given enough creativity, can still break through to the unwashed gaming masses. Well, almost.