10 GameCube Games That Still Hold Up (And How You Can Play Them Now)

The GameCube isn’t the best console Nintendo has ever launched, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t filled with great titles. Many of those titles still hold up in 2025 as games you should check out if you’re a fan of the genre. Unfortunately, some of those games have never been re-released on modern consoles, making it tough to get your hands on a few of them.

That said, these are the GameCube games we think still hold up and how to play them in 2025.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Despite an initially icy response to the cell-shaded visuals in The Wind Waker, it quickly became a fan favorite. It mixed fluid combat and fun puzzles with mostly incredible level design. Many fans and reviewers were annoyed by how much sailing you need to do to trek around the ocean. Fortunately, most of those issues were fixed with the Wii U version

Unfortunately, that Wii U version has never been ported to Switch, despite years of rumors. For now, the best way to play The Wind Waker is to own a Wii U. Luckily, that changes soon as Wind Waker is going to be playable on Switch 2 through Nintendo Switch Online.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

The Thousand-Year Door has become most fans’ favorite Paper Mario RPG. Each section is full of fun new storylines that have to be experienced, and the paper-based gameplay was a nice improvement on the original.

Thankfully, the game recently received a Switch remake, making it easy to pick up if you own the console. It includes a few important updates and the addition of a few extra bosses, making it worth the purchase price.

Resident Evil

The original Resident Evil remake on GameCube is still one of the best entries in the long-running series. Thankfully, it was given an HD remaster in 2015 to bring it to modern consoles, so you can pick it up on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch platforms. It also includes a new control scheme, though you should still use the superior tank controls.

It’s also worth noting that Resident Evil 4 launched on GameCube and is also worth playing. At this point, you might as well play the RE4 Remake, which was released in 2023 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC platforms.

RELATED: All the GameCube Games on Nintendo Switch

Metroid Prime

Metroid Prime kicked off one of the better trilogies on Nintendo platforms. Importantly, there’s also a fourth game in the series forthcoming, so you’ll want to catch up if you haven’t. It abandoned the classic 2D visuals for a first-person perspective and wowed fans with its gameplay. An HD Remaster launched on Switch in 2023, making this one easy to find.

Super Mario Sunshine

Super Mario Sunshine and the F.L.U.D.D. system isn’t very many players’ favorite Mario game, but it’s still worth checking out. The new water backpack gave Mario several new ways to get around, and Isle Delfino is a fun new world to explore.

In 2020, Sunshine was re-released alongside Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy as Super Mario 3D All-Stars on Switch. That was a limited-time release, so if you didn’t pick it up, you’ll need to purchase it physically on the second-hand market. As of this writing, you’d need to plonk down almost $100 to pick up the three-game bundle.

Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

Rogue Leader was a GameCube launch title that pushed the system to the brink for its outstanding visuals. It also has movie-like sound effects that make you feel like you’re participating in Star Wars battles. Unfortunately, the only way to play this game in 2025 is through original hardware.

Viewtiful Joe

Viewtiful Joe‘s stylish combat makes use of various VFX powers that emulate camera tricks from films. The cel-shaded visuals really pop, and while the bosses might be a little too easy, it sold pretty well compared to its small budget. In fact, the series received three more games before going dormant, so it’s somewhat surprising that we’ve never seen Capcom bring any of the games to modern consoles. You’ll need original GameCube hardware to play it in 2025.

Pikmin

The first Pikmin felt unique among anything else coming out in 2001. Fans quickly fell in love with Olimar and his Pikmin, leading to three more games as of 2025. Fortunately, Pikmin and Pikmin 2 were both given HD remasters for Switch in 2023.

Killer7

If you’re a fan of Suda51 and his No More Heroes franchise, you should check out Killer7. You play as a man with seven different personalities living in the world of assassins. The cult classic adventure game is deeply stylish and strange. It’s a quintessential Suda game.

Thankfully, this one is easy to find as long as you have a PC. The game was re-released in 2018 via Steam. Here’s hoping the oft-rumored Killer7 sequel is announced soon.

NBA Street Volume 2

For this entry, you can basically take your pick between great EA Sports Big games. Between NBA Street, NFL Street, and SSX, the developer was on a tear during the GameCube era. For our money, NBA Street Volume 2 is the best of the bunch because of its excellent Be a Legend mode.

Sadly, the various licensing issues make it nearly impossible for EA to ever bring NBA Street to modern consoles. If you want to experience the joy that is hitting a Gamebreaker while Bobbito hypes up the crowd, you’ll need to pick up the original hardware.