Top 10 Gamecube Games

#10: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (2001)

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For the 2nd Nintendo list in a row, the Rogue Squadron series has taken the 10th slot. This game was a launch title for the system, with its main selling point being the faithful recreation of the original Star Wars trilogies climactic battles against both Death Stars, and the Battle of Hoth. Surprisingly the game was put together in only 9 months, and it was later repackaged in Rogue Squadron 3 as a Co-Op Campaign.

#9: F-Zero GX (2003)

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Without question the best title in the F-Zero series, this high speed racing game has you clock speeds of up to 1600 kph while going up against 30 other racers. Add to that the incredible sensory overload of the environment around the track for a more immersive experience. Fun fact, in 2013 it was discovered that the Arcade AX version was hidden on the game’s disc and obtainable via a hacking device.

#8: Pikmin 2 (2004)

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Pikmin 2, as you might have guessed, is the sequel to the unusually charming Real Time Strategy game that bears it’s name. While the first one was limited by a 30 day timer, this game had no time limit. This extra time was used to focus on the efforts of Captain Olimar and his assistant Louie collect treasures to help their boss pay off a massive debt. It notably brought in an addictive Co-op and competitive multiplayer mode to the mix.

#7: Super Mario Sunshine (2002)

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One of the more unusual Mario titles, but it doesn’t stop it from being a fantastic platformer, set on the tropical Isle Delphino. Herein, Mario finds himself armed with a new watergun/jetpack that he uses both against enemies, for navigation, and for cleaning up the island. One of the more amazing aspects of the game was the moving geometric platform sections, something that Nintendo would later use in Super Mario Galaxy.

The first every M rated game published by Nintendo, this game had you play as Alex, who comes to her grandfather’s house to investigate his murder, and in the process finds out about a historical struggle against evil to stop what’s known as the Eternal Darkness. The game’s main draw was its 4th wall breaking sanity effects which messed with your mind, and starts to distort what’s real and what isn’t. Safe to say, whoever said “Nintendo is just for kids” never played this game.

#5: Animal Crossing (2002)

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The debut title in the frightenly addictive series, this game has you living out in a small village with overly happy anthropomorphic villagers, as you go fishing, catch bugs and collect furniture that falls out of the sky. It also features a Tanukichi who constantly scams you into a mortgage … yeah screw you Tom Nook. Though one of the coolest features that didn’t appear in any sequels was the ability to collect and play classic NES games, for a sweet bit of nostalgia.

#4: Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001)

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The best selling game on the system, Melee was the game that no Gamecube owner could go without. A vast improvement over the N64 original, it introduced faster gameplay, doubled its roster of iconic Nintendo characters, and introduced brand new multiplayer modes make this game the Party game of choice.

#3: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (2003)

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Even though Twilight Princess was amazing, Wind Waker completely trumps it based on originality. An epic sailing adventure with incredibly charming characters, and it was a fantastic follow up to Ocarina of Time. The controversial choice to use Cel-Shaded graphics, proved to be the best choice in the longrun as it meant that the game would age surprisingly well. Want proof? With only a few minor tweeks on the Wii U version, they’re still the same, yet still as amazing as ever.

#2: Resident Evil 4 (2005)

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As much as we love the fantastic remake of the original, the 4th game in the series is in a league of its own. Starting life as a Gamecube exclusive, a drastic and risky redesign of the core mechanics paid off immensely. Removing both the zombies and the static camera in favor of infected villagers and a 3rd Person perspective resulted in a tense, frightening and epic atmosphere that made it one of the best Third Person Shooters ever. Before we get to number #1 here are a few honorable mentions Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door Luigi’s Mansion Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Super Mario Strikers Viewtiful Joe

#1: Metroid Prime (2002)

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Samus takes rolls into the top spot, with her best adventure to date. After missing out on the Nintendo 64, Retro Studio’s made the Bounty Hunter’s transition to 3D flawless, going for a first person perspective, which intensified the combat without sacrificing any of the series trademark exploration. While technically not a FPS in the traditional sense, the isolated environment makes this game a must play for anyone. Do you agree with our list? Which games had your lunchboxes pumping? For more gaming Top 10’s published everyday, be sure to subscribe to Watchmojo.com