The best GameCube games of all time

No one could have expected that Metroid’s jump to 3D would prove to be one of the best Metroid games of all time, especially considering that Retro Studios created Metroid Prime as a first-person shooter. We’re placing it in the action-adventure category of our list, however, as it leans heavily on exploring its intoxicating landscape for new secrets, abilities, and baddies to blast into smithereens. Remarkably, Prime captured the essence of what made 2D Metroid games so great — an open world that is retraced repeatedly as you gain new powers. Somehow, Retro and Nintendo managed to convert this model to 3D without it ever feeling repetitive. Smart controls, powers that feel like joys to discover and even greater to use, and all of the novel atmosphere that put Metroid on the map, made Prime an absolute triumph. Seriously, play this game if you haven’t already, especially with a fourth game coming to Nintendo Switch. We’re hoping the Prime Trilogy comes to Switch, as well, but who knows if that’ll ever happen.

Super Smash Bros. Melee is arguably the defining game of the early 2000s. That’s not hyperbole considering that 17 years after its 2001 launch, it’s still played as a competitive esport by a significant chunk of the Smash community. The brawler perfected the formula introduced in the N64 debut, adding more stages, characters, and game modes to choose from. There’s also something about playing Smash with a GameCube controller that’s hard to shake. Even Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Switch has GameCube controller support. We’re doubtful dedicated Melee users will abandon the game anytime soon, despite the game no longer having a place at certain major fight game tournaments.

Probably the weirdest game on GameCube, Suda51’s first game released in North America perfectly displayed what we’ve come to know and expect from the auteur. Which is to say — it’s best not to expect anything, because his games will always surprise you. Killer7 told a convoluted, yet engrossing story about the world’s nuclear weapons being dismantled, terrorist groups, politics, and the relationship between the United States and Japan. Essentially, it was a spy game that was difficult to parse but worth wading into. Stylistic, cartoon visuals and a very odd, stripped-down control scheme probably turned off some players from this pseudo-on-rails action shooter. There’s no denying that Killer7 is a memorable and important title, not just on GameCube, but in video game history in general.

Super Mario Sunshine often feels like the forgotten 3D Mario game. It’s not as revolutionary as Super Mario 64, as flashy as the Galaxy games, or as gloriously open as Super Mario Odyssey — which are all considered among the best Mario games — but it’s still a masterclass in design and platforming. Taking place on the picturesque Delfino Isle, Princess Peach is captured by Shadow Mario, an evil depiction of the lovable plumber. From there, Mario must use a robotic hose that doubles as a jetpack to clean up the muck that Delfino’s residents think was created by him and, eventually save Peach once again. Collecting shine sprites across a stable of unique and aesthetically pleasing levels is pure joy. The addition of F.L.U.D.D. — Mario’s new contraption — make platforming sequences and boss fights more exciting by giving Mario a new way to move about as well as a weapon. Sunshine excelled just as all 3D Mario games have and endures today as the greatest platformer on GameCube. It’s playable on Nintendo Switch!

Drop a monkey into a hamster ball and what do you get? Well, one of the greatest party games ever. Super Monkey Ball 2, the superb successor to the cutesy debut of monkeys rolling around in balls, delivered on so many levels. First, it had a great single-player mode with an awesome villain called Dr. Bad-boon (ha!). More importantly, it was great as a party game for two to four players. Whether you were racing to the end of a stage or playing Monkey Billiards, Monkey Bowling, or Monkey Golf, Super Monkey Ball 2 was a barrel of (monkey) fun. We wish the series would make a comeback soon, aside from the remastered version of the underwhelming Banana Blitz, which launched in 2019.

The fourth entry in the Mario Tennis series, Mario Power Tennis offered a solid mix of traditional tennis gameplay with zany Mushroom Kingdom twists, including courts with strange hazards, and alternative game modes such as hitting the ball in rings. Out of all of the Mario sports games on GameCube, it’s probably the least impressive. Still, we believe it firmly belongs on this list for being both fun when played in single and multiplayer.

The first home console Fire Emblem to arrive in the states, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance came out before the Fire Emblem craze kicked into full gear here. For that reason, it’s probably the most underplayed gem on this list. Although it wasn’t the prettiest game by any stretch of the imagination, it featured the building blocks of the dynamic dialogue system and epic story that fans have come to expect from the franchise. It even had voice acting and some neat cutscenes. Of course, the hallmark of all Fire Emblem games is the turn-based rock-paper-scissors combat, and Path of Radiance delivered and then some. Beware, though — Path of Radiance is brutally challenging, as it came out before Intelligent Systems introduced easier difficulty levels. It’s also extremely expensive these days, so here’s hoping for a Nintendo Switch port.