5 GameCube Games That Defined the 2000s

The GameCube had the unenviable task of going up against both the PlayStation 2 and the upstart Xbox. The PS2 was an absolute juggernaut, and Microsoft’s first console proved the software company could hang with gaming’s stalwarts. And while the GameCube comfortably lost the generation in terms of units sold, that doesn’t mean Nintendo’s little cube didn’t have dozens of great games. After all, this is Nintendo we’re talking about here. Even when they’re seemingly going against the grain, they still know how to churn out quality video games. That said, only a few games can define the era for GameCube fans.

Here are the five GameCube games that defined the 2000s.

5) The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Depending on the day, you could easily swap this entry with Twilight Princess. Both Zelda games are absolute gems that showed off Nintendo’s range. I slightly prefer The Wind Waker, largely because the striking cel-shaded look remains one of Nintendo’s best-looking games decades later.

Sure, many players were annoyed by the sailing mechanic, and rightfully so, but beyond that, The Wind Waker is an absolute banger from Nintendo, introducing several fan-favorite characters, with Tetra (who is technically a returning character, but you get the picture) being a particularly great addition. Thankfully, Toon Link has gotten his flowers in the years since with several sequels and tons of fan support.

4) Animal Crossing

Animal Crossing technically launched on Nintendo 64. However, the Japanese version of the hit game didn’t come to the West until it was ported to GameCube. So, while Dōbutsu no Mori deserves some recognition, it’s the GameCube version that most fans see as the beginning of the series.

Featuring non-traditional gameplay, Animal Crossing became a massive hit, selling nearly three million copies. That might sound relatively small compared to Animal Crossing: New Horizons‘ nearly 50 million copies sold, but AC is the seventh-best-selling game on the GameCube. As the game that kicked off one of Nintendo’s best modern series, it has to be on this list.

3) Resident Evil 4

This is the only game on this list not developed by Nintendo. In 2002, Capcom revealed five upcoming games that were exclusive to the GameCube. Nintendo wanted to show off third-party support and boost flagging sales, so it brought in Capcom to make P.N.03, Viewtiful Joe, Dead Phoenix, Killer7, and Resident Evil 4.

Dead Phoenix was never released, but the other four games had varying levels of success. RE4 was, by far, the most successful of the quartet, becoming one of the best-selling games of all time and completely reinventing the fan-favorite franchise. Leon S. Kennedy’s journey to Spain eventually came to every console in existence, but it started on GameCube, giving Nintendo one of the era’s best, genre-defining games.

2) Super Smash Bros. Melee

The original Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo 64 was a solid game, letting players duke it out as one of 12 playable characters from Nintendo’s massive back catalog. Melee took that central idea and filled it to the brim with content. Now, there were 25 different characters, with many of them requiring specific gameplay challenges to overcome.

On top of that, Melee‘s single-player offerings gave players hundreds of hours of fighting action to dive into. Toss in the must-play multiplayer mode that had surprising levels of depth, and you have a game that many players lost years in. Heck, there are still Melee tournaments happening these days.

I flirted with putting Mario Kart: Double Dash here, but Melee was the go-to party game for most. Plus, I’ve always been a Mario Kart 64 fan, which I know is going to make a lot of Double Dash sickos angry, but you love what you love.

1) Metroid Prime

When Retro Studios and Nintendo were deciding what to do with the first 3D Metroid, the team ultimately decided it was high-time the series put its own spin on the first-person shooter genre. After all, Retro founder Jeff Spangenberg had had success in the genre on the Nintendo 64 with the Turok series, so why not bring Metroid back in a fresh, new way?

What followed is not just one of the GameCube’s best, but one of Nintendo’s most-beloved games of all time. Metroid Prime was a revelation at the time, showing that Nintendo could go up against mature FPS games and come out on top with its trademark family-friendly content. The first Prime was a critical and commercial hit, breathing new life into Metroid and giving the GameCube two more solid games, as Retro finished off the trilogy.

Sure, the series disappeared for more than a decade after Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (unless you count the spin-offs), but it finally returned with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on the Nintendo Switch 2. It’s not the best game Retro’s ever made, but veteran fans are hoping it’s just the first step in Metroid Prime getting back to the good old days.

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