Top ten Gamecube games

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11 September 2003

The Nintendo 64 was the first mainstream gaming console to include four controller ports. Developers who made games for that console by and large make games for the GameCube as well, so it shouldn’t be any suprirse at all to find a whopping 80% of these games can be played four-player.

Smuggler’s Run

So flawed, so very flawed. Graphics are average, plot is non-existent, the music is incredibly annoying. Oh, and it’s not brilliantly playable either.

But it is addictive, and the concept is great. You’re a smuggler, so you have to dash around huge wide-open landscapes in a variety of vehicles to collect the booty, then return it. There are other gangs of smugglers, and the police, to contend with. At its best multi-player.

Bomberman Generation

With one, two, or even three players, this is an at-best average game. But like every other Bomberman game, once you hit four then it takes off. The extra stages are nice but either unoriginal or poorly thought-out, and the single-player game is dreadful.

Beach Spikers Extreme Volleyball

No, honestly, this is a genuinely good…um…women’s beach volleyball game. Ignoring the extra game modes (because they’re crap), you play 2v2.it lacks depth after repeated playing. What did you expect, though?

Madden 2003

I only watch American Football once the play-offs come around. That’s still better than the other American sports: I never watch basketball or ice hockey and only watch baseball’s World Series. Madden 2003 is allegedly not as good as the Sega game — I forget what it’s called — but it’s good enough for me. If only someone could make a rugby game this good.

Super Smash Bros. Melee

‘So, like, who would win in a fight between Link, Kirby, Captain Falcon — you know, the guy from F-Zero — and Dr Mario?’

Or, beat-’em-up featuring many classic Nintendo characters, intense four-player action, ludcirous power-ups, and huge, inventive arenas.

Mario Party 4

Ever since the stroke of genius that was the original (it’s a board game…on a console!), the developers have been careful not to tinker too much, while ensuring that every version is better than the last. This lacks some of the evil boards of games past, but more than makes up for it with some inspired 2v2 games, of which Dungeon Dash is the best.

Super Mario Sunshine

It’s not as good as Mario 64. Or Super Mario World. Or Mario 3. Or the original. Despite that, it is better than Mario 2 and an excellent game. Miyamoto sets such high standards that this can’t be anything but one of the highest-quality disappointments of all time.

Super Monkey Ball

Perhaps you thought Mario Party or Super Smash Bros. was a little odd. Well how about this? Monkeys, in balls, taking part in Marble Madness-style games, para-gliding, traditional racing, and boxing. Bonkers, and I bet you didn’t know that I can score heavily on Monkey Target (paragliding) when playing with my feet. ’s true.

Winning Eleven 6 Final Evolution

The best football game ever except for its sequel. John Kabira’s commentary (and singing) is the stuff of legend).

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Without a doubt (as Jurassic 5 once sang) the most-visited of all my entries is the Zelda pictures one. There’s a reason.