List: Best 30 Gamecube Games (What do you want on yr shelf)

[fastbilly1]

Question, outside of the little sleeve version, is the only way to get Pac-Man Vs. with the Player's Choice - PacMan 2 PacMan vs. Bundle? DEALBREAKER!

Yes, sleeve or the one bundle. When it came out, if you bought a Namco Cube game you got a sleeve copy.

[mjmjr25]

Accordingly - and IMO - this list should focus on games that: (1) remain exclusive to the GC; or (2) that have not received a superior port to any other system.

Excellent post, as usual.

Let me speak to this bit though.

As is the case with Super Monkey Ball and others (Phantasy Star, Soul Calibur II, etc) if the GCN version is the superior version, or because of controls it plays best on GCN, then it should be on a definitive list.

Again the idea is what would be on your GCN shelf if limited to 30 games.

With that; my top 30 for GCN and my top 30 for Wii U would both have Windwaker. My top 30 for GCN and for Wii would both have RE 4.

There is enough differences (to me) that I enjoy them as different experiences.

Now on the other hand, something like Ikaruga would never make my top 30 GCN list because there are 3 different versions that are significantly better than the GCN version and playing on GCN hardware does not improve the experience; as it does for Monkey Ball and Soul Calibur.

[Exhuminator]

Again the idea is what would be on your GCN shelf if limited to 30 games.

The reason I didn't mention 30 games, is because of course at least half of those would be the mandatory Nintendo first party developed and published games. Just sayin'.

[Flake]

Zelda: Four Swords Adventures - let's get it out of the way. There is no reason this game should be excluded. It is a fantastic puzzle game that is an engrossing experience single player with the option to include more players provided you have hardware that was nearly ubiquitous at the time and is insanely cheap now.

It is a seamless blend of the classic gameplay of Link to the Past and Link's Awakening with the polish and higher visual resolution that came to be expected after Wind Waker. The only argument anyone has ever had against this game is that it is not a classic Zelda game and I don't think that should automatically be interpreted as a bad thing. This is Zelda if Zelda were reimagined as a four player Konami arcade cab. It is fast, competitive, and fun.

[fastbilly1]

This is Zelda if Zelda were reimagined as a four player Konami arcade cab.

That is a great way to think of it. I hold it as the best exclusive on the console. It will sadly never be replicated, but I am very glad I have five gamecubes to play it on.

[jmbarnes101]

My favorite non-backwards compatible console by my favorite console maker with my favorite controller, the Wavebird. I was late in grabbing the Gamecube at retail but it has turned into my favorite console only to be partially replaced by the Wii (because it can play all the Gamecube games with a graphical update).

My #1 game has been mentioned once and not as a recommendation but as a potential one. Chibi-Robo is criminally overlooked by everyone but is an absolute joy to play. From the kooky characters to the interesting game play it has all the charm and panache I could ask for. As far as I am concerned, if it's not in a top 30 list the list isn't legit.

With that being said I'll list my other recommendations with the caveat that I haven't played some games due to cost and/or being unable to find them (ex. PSO I & II, Cubivore, MGS) or I have them but haven't played them due to technical limitations (Four Swords & Crystal Chronicles). On with the list (in alphabetical order):

Battalion Wars
Beyond Good and Evil
Chibi-Robo
Eternal Darkness
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
F-Zero GX
Gauntlet: Dark Legacy
Gotcha Force
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - this is until it was reversed and Wii controls were added - I'd consider it the better of the two
Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Luigi's Mansion
Mario Golf Toadstool Tour
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Mario Power Tennis - while I prefer the original Mario Tennis or Mario Tennis Advance this is still a great time and links up with the Advance version
Mario Superstar Baseball
Mega Man Network Transmission - as mentioned earlier this is much different then the GBA versions
Mega Man X Collection
Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Pikmin
Pikmin 2
Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 4
Super Mario Strikers
Super Mario Sunshine
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Wario Ware: Mega Party Game$
Wario World - this was #30 (nothing was ranked except first and last)
Wave Race: Blue Storm

Their were an additional 20-30 games I could have easily listed on here and just didn't have the room for them.

Killer 7 and Kirby's Air Ride are a couple of games that have been mentioned that I just didn't get into and for whatever reason didn't particularly enjoy.

[foxhound1022]

Okay, this would be my 30 in no particular order.

Gotcha Force
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Kirby Air Ride
Wario World
Super Mario Strikers
Luigi's Mansion
Super Mario Sunshine
Custom Robo
F-Zero GX
PSO 1&2 Plus
MGS: The Twin Snakes
F.F. Crystal Chronicles
LoZ: 4 Swords
P.N. 03
Battalion Wars
Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction
Killer 7
Mario Kart: DD
Timesplitters 2/FP
RE series (0-4)
Viewtiful Joe
LoZ: Wind Waker
Xlll
Starfox Assault
Super Monkey Ball
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Donkey Konga 1&2
Soul Calibur ll
Mega Man X Collection
Lost Kingdoms series

[BogusMeatFactory]

1. Phantasy Star Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Battle – Honestly one of my all time favorite games on the Gamecube and one that I definitely feel is more entertaining that Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 Plus. The game features an unrivaled level of strategy, collectability and challenge as you build your decks from cards you collect through the main campaign. Both campaigns as the Arkz or the Heroes are fun and varied and the two different strategy levels involved create such a unique dynamic.

Much like with the previous episodes, the level of depth is also dependent on the level of attention you give to the game. Playing at higher difficulties and utilizing different strategies result in rarer cards. Also, if you have saved files from other sega games you unlock unique cards available only through those save files.

2. F-Zero GX – A game that definitely brings a complex level of challenge that is both infuriating and addicting. Sega meshed speed and responsive controls to an all time high as you reeled through the courses at breakneck speeds. I cannot stress how much time I spent trying to hone my racing skills with this game, only to be denied over and over again. At no point in time did I ever feel that the game was impossible however and came back for more.

3. Pikmin 2 – The game brought the same exact level of strategy as the first, but I feel that the removal of the time limit opened up a lot of leeway to explore. I for one find time limits to be really suffocating and I tend to break against the pressure, always struggling to beat the clock and Pikmin 2 allowed me to take it easier and move at my own pace. I loved it!

4. Luigi’s Mansion – A game that I didn’t appreciate until very recently, Luigi’s Mansion really brought the Luigi we know today into the limelight. He became more than a stereotypical mirror of Mario and made him a very animated and lively character that makes him far more charming than his brother. I feel like this game was a blast to play and, although the choices of making Luigi a ghostbuster with a vacuum cleaner made every scratch their heads, it really paid off as being a true gem that only now has come into its own as a series.

5. Paper Mario & the Thousand Year Door – This is honestly the best in the Paper Mario series as it meshes the unique diorama art style with the epic Japanese RPG. There seems to be a lot going on and tons of details that you can investigate as you explore. Nothing beats getting info from Goombella about the area and the people around you. I found it to be an absolute treat wandering through the environment and taking part in the simple, yet robust battle system iconic of the Mario RPGs.

6. Battalion Wars – A game most people forgot and I feel is deserving of a lot more attention that it has received. The game is a great 3rd person action strategy game that brings a lot of depth and challenge to the player, who must multi-task giving commands to your units and taking part in the battle. It really was a breath of fresh air during those strange hybrid games of game design. We were seeing this genre of game a lot on the PC and it was pulled off almost flawlessly on this system, something that should earn it merit in its own right.

7. Chibi-Robo – Chibi Robo is another game filled with charm and personality. In it, you play as a small cleaning robot purchased for a little girl on her birthday. Everything isn’t roses in this household as the family is being torn apart by the crippling debt the deadbeat dad has placed them in, as well as the strange behavior of their daughter who believes she is cursed and can only speak in frog-like ribbits and all the toys which come to life with their issues and problems. The real joy is exploring and watching the drama unfold as you work to fix the family and bring everyone together happily. There is so much replay value in this game as you work to make everyone happy. This was definitely a title that, like with Luigi’s Mansion brought real charm to all the characters as they move and behave in a very animated and relatable manner. I only wish that the sequels kept the same charm.

8. Donkey Kong Jungle Beat – Although it was re-released on the Wii, nothing could ever emulate the absolute visceral appeal of playing this game on the bongo controllers. This game masterfully made a bongo controller the perfect accessory for a platforming Donkey Kong Country game. It seriously did the impossible in making this a stand alone, stellar experience.

9. Odama – Another strange and absurd game from the creator of Seaman, Odama is a real time strategy pinball game. The goal of the game is to use your pinball to destroy an enemy’s gate and send your troops in. With the microphone accessory, you issue commands to your soldiers as they move and engage others in the battlefield, all the while playing pinball to help cause mass destruction. This game has a lot of great strategy elements tacked on to a great video pinball game. There really is nothing quite like Odama and is reason alone to make it worth being on this list.

10. Skies of Arcadia Legend – We all know Skies of Arcadia for its breathtaking and unique world and colorful cast of characters, as well as its awesome ship combat system, but the Gamecube version does do a lot more to make it the definitive version. Since there is no VMU, the game offers new landmarks to locate as well as a series of bounty hunting side missions that offer up a whole new story via a pirate rival. Also, there is an added moonfish hunting game that you can partake in as you explore.

11. Soul Caliber 2 – Link. ‘nuff said.

12. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker – A great game that really defined the system. It crafted a unique and compelling world that seemed so alien and different from any Zelda game previously played. Sure the sailing could be tiresome, but there seemed to be plenty to explore. Also, its use of the GBA connector to play as Tingle made it all the better! Tingle rocks!

13. Super Mario Sunshine – Yes, I get it, the game was a great departure from what we understand as a standard Mario game, but I still feel that it brought the great variety and style of Super Mario 64 and added to it a lush and vibrant world filled with character. I wish there were more games in the Mario franchise that had more of a story like Sunshine. Sure the F.L.U.D.D. wasn’t truly successful, but I feel like it was a great change of pace to keep a 3D Mario game fresh. I really wish they would re-release it with motion controls though to make it really definitive.

14. Phantasy Star Online Episode 1 & 2 Plus – As stated by many out there, this is definitely the definitive console version of Phantasy Star Online. With the split screen co-op, tons of scenarios and gear and a lot of awesome challenge, this really is a testament to the grandfather of all on-line console gaming.

15. Kirby Air Ride – For City Trial alone this game is worth it. Kirby Air Ride itself is a competent, light and fluffy racing game that is a lot of fun with varied modes, but City Trial really brings a level of fun and entertainment almost unparalleled. In it, you roam around a city collecting power ups and stat boosts for your ride, all the while avoiding damage and other players. When time expires, you use those powerups in different trials to win. Smash Bros. on the 3DS did something similar with their Smash Run mode and I wish more games utilized a mode similar.

16. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles – Let’s be honest for a second and just say that I love the GBA connector. I have almost every game that features it prominently in gameplay and enjoyed using it immensely. Crystal Chronicles here is no exception. Stand alone, the game seems like a standard action rpg, but in reality, you had a truly challenging, seemingly open world sandbox rpg that mixed a lot of great elements to make it a unique and interesting world and one heck of a wild ride. This is a game I have never beat, but have the tools to at least get a two player co-op experience out of it and hope to do so one day. Man do I love it!

17. Donkey Konga – Another conga-based game, this one seems more natural than Jungle Beat, but is still a blast to play. Developed by Namco, the game borrows heavily from the Taiko Drum Master series as players follow onscreen commands to the beat of music. I for one never understood how games like Guitar Hero were more successful than some of the quirky and character filled rhythm games. Guitar Hero just lacked the personality that games like Donkey Konga and Samba De Amigo had.

Those are my picks for now. There may be more that I will add if any come to mind, but from my personal gaming experience those are the ones that stand out as being awesome.

[bryan_65]

On my self will be the Resident Evil games, LOZ OoT Master Quest, Viewtiful Joe some generic multi-platform racing games, the multi-platform Konami TMNT games ect. Can't forget Midway Arcade Treasures 2, cause my wife digs Gauntlet.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Glad to see Crystal Chronicles getting some love. I mentioned the "sequel" in the Wii thread, but that one doesn't seem nearly as popular.

These threads are fun. I eagerly await the PS2 and oXbox ones.