Top 10 essential Gamecube games – Get more out of your Wii
The Wii is everywhere. You’ve probably got one, your friends have probably got one, and even your aged parents might have one. But popularity doesn’t always equal brilliance, and many Wii games are shallow tepid affairs. Lucky for you then that the Wii is backwards compatible.
If you’re reading this, then the chances are you own a Wii. You probably bought it after hearing about the motion-sensing control method and how fun it makes games such as Wii Sports and Wii Play.
However, many Wii games suffer because they are only playable in short bursts, or when you have friends around and want to show off. But there is a solution – buy yourself a Gamecube controller (or two) and play some of the classic last-gen games that will likely offer you much more playing time than any Wii game.
In its infinite wisdom, Nintendo decided to make the Wii fully backwards compatible, so that every last-gen Gamecube game works on the current-gen machine. Sony did the same with the PS3 before it realised that would lose them money as no-one would then buy a PS2.
What this means is that Wii owners have the luxury of being able to pick up some cheap Gamecube games and play them on their console. And there are some doozies out there. Here are the top 10 essential Gamecube games to buy for your Wii.
1. The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
2. Resident Evil 4
3. Metroid Prime
4. Pikmin 2
5. Super Mario Sunshine
6. Animal Crossing
7. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
8. Mario Kart: Double Dash
9. Super Smash Bros. Melee
10. Battalion Wars
Some of you will obviously have owned a Gamecube and, no doubt, played some of these games already, but the Wii is already a bigger sales hit than the Gamecube ever was, and these games deserve a bigger market to play to.
Some of these games have obviously been superseded by a sequel, Mario Kart, Smash Bros., and Zelda being the obvious examples, but these older games offer just as much, if not more, enjoyment than their Wii successors.
The Nintendo Wii is a fine console, but your games collection for it will be made finer by the addition of the above top 10 Gamecube games. And the best thing about it all: you’ll likely be able to pick these games up in the bargain bucket of your local game store. If that fails, then there’s always eBay.
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13 Responses to “Top 10 essential Gamecube games – Get more out of your Wii”
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September 28th, 2008
Good list. The Gamecube had quite a few good games that deserve a good play, and considering there are people with a Wii now that didn’t have a GC last gen, its the perfect time to catch up.
I started another Wind Waker file just today, wonderful game.
RE4 doesn’t need to be bought for the GC, though. In its place, may I suggest Skies of Arcadia: Legends? This game didn’t get what it deserved on the GC or Dreamcast!
MP and MP2 should be bought for anyone wanting the third game. Neither are as good as the third though, mostly due to the amazing controls the Wii brings to the genre.
Pikmin and Pikmin 2 are two of the most underrated games…ever.
Super Mario Sunshine was underrated as well. In retrospect, the different way of controling Mario was a great idea.
Anyone that hasn’t played Animal Crossing needs to try. I think some people think its too casual, but its the kind of game that will be looked back on as the great grandfather of games in the future. Though anyone without a friend to have another town should probably skip it, since other towns are important…
MK:DD was one of the worst of the line, but at least it was different. The Wii version is better, but I have to say I like the DD tracks more.
SSBM is good for anyone that missed it and is interested in how we got to where we are today with the series. Brawl is better, though, for anyone not interested.
Battalion Wars is an overlooked game. No one that has played it would talk down about it, though. In fact, I’ve not heard a single bad thing about this game from anyone that has played it.
It’s a pretty good list, overall. I may drop one, probably MK:DD, for Luigi’s Mansion, since, its so different from anything else.
For the really hardcore, The GC Paper Mario, Thousand-Year Door is one of the most ruthlessly hard games in existance. The final boss makes it one of only a select few games that I have never finished, and its not for lack of trying…
Maybe those that didn’t have a GC last gen can get something out of these games while we wait for developers to take the Wii seriously. It’s comming, but the Wii surprised too many people.
September 28th, 2008
wheres metal gear solid.
September 28th, 2008
Once I’d chosen to go with 10, there were always going to be games that just missed out.
Metal Gear Solid was one of those, as was Paper Mario and Skies Of Arcadia (better on the Dreamcast?)
Matt, I couldn’t agree more with your comments. Most GC games were woefully underrated, as was the console itself. I think its poor performance had more to do with the PS2’s popularity than anything else.
September 28th, 2008
And Fire Emblem Path of Radiance perhaps? Hey, I’m one of the folks that skipped on the Gamecube and started buying GC games earlier this year… Gamecube was a hugely underrated system as everyone was enamored with first person shooters last gen and for some reason Metroid wasn’t noticed even though it is rated much higher than Halo.
AND – the Gamecube controller is still the best ever made IMHO.
Rock on.
September 28th, 2008
Erm, i was being sarcastic? was MGS even on gamecube?!
September 28th, 2008
Bourne, yes it was, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_Gear_Solid:_The_Twin_Snakes
It was a bit like the Gamecube Resident Evil, an enhanced remake of the original PS1 game.
September 28th, 2008
“Erm, i was being sarcastic? was MGS even on gamecube?!”
There was a time when Final Fantasy wasn’t on the PS too.
September 28th, 2008
MGS twin snakes please.
September 28th, 2008
Was a Wii never heard of that the name sounds too gay.
September 29th, 2008
Wow thats awesome. I loved metal gear solid, i could still play that today for hours. My best game of all time in my opinion.
September 29th, 2008
Good list but surely F-Zero GX is missing.
September 29th, 2008
Great List. I loved the Game Cube. The wind waker and Resident evil 4 are amount my top 10 games of all time.
September 30th, 2008
Good list, but as to RE4, it’s better to go with the newer Wii Edition, IMO. Wii Edition has everything the GC version had as well as the additional missions/content from the PS2 version.
And, RE4 Wii is a great example of Wii controls being PROPERLY implemented onto what is essentially a last gen port (and by a 3rd party dev, no less). Wii Edition also allows for Classic Controller (but not GC controller) use, but the Wiimote/’chuck combo works fabulously.
Plus, RE4 Wii is currently around $20 USD new. I say go with that one.