If it wasn’t for the NES, the gaming industry would almost certainly be just a fraction of what it is today. Nintendo’s first console revitalized the home console industry from the jaws of defeat after the revolutionary Atari 2600 fell from grace with E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Pac-Man. The SNES expanded upon the foundation that the NES built and provided masterpieces like Super Mario World and The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. This was then followed by the N64 which revolutionized gaming with its 3D capabilities and an incredible line-up of games. Suffice to say, the GameCube had some weighty expectations on its shoulders.
It would be unfair to say that the GameCube was a disappointment, although even the most loyal Nintendo supporter would be hard-pressed not to admit that the console lacked the revolutionary innovations of its predecessors. Furthermore, the GameCube faced stiff competition from Sony’s PlayStation 2, which ultimately over-shadowed it as it became the highest-selling console ever. Despite this, the Gamecube, as with any Nintendo console, had an excellent line-up of games. Many of which, are among the console’s highest-ever sellers.
10 Mario Party 4 (2.47 Million)
One of the many series that carried over from the N64 to the GameCube was Mario Party. The 4th Mario Party game picked up where the N64 trilogy left off and significantly improved the series’ visuals thanks to the GameCube’s improved hardware.
Although the visuals were improved, Nintendo didn’t try to re-invent the wheel in terms of the gameplay, and Mario Party 4 was subsequently very similar to its predecessors. The game was criticized for this at the time, although retrospectively it’s recognized by many, including The Gamer, as the best in the series.
9 Pokémon Colosseum (2.54 Million)
It’s always a safe bet to assume that a Pokémon game will feature among the best-sellers of a Nintendo console and the GameCube is no exception. Unlike most Pokémon games though, Pokémon Colosseum received lackluster scores from critics.
The game differentiates itself from others in the series with its role-playing elements and lack of random encounters. Instead of catching Pokémon in the wild, Pokémon Colosseum requires players to “snag” them from other players.
8 Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (2.56 Million)
Considering that Sonic is one of gaming’s most recognizable characters, it’s fair to say that the hedgehog’s catalog of games hasn’t matched up to his stature. This is especially apparent when comparing him to other leading mascots like Mario, Link, and Master Chief. Modern Sonic games like Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic Forces, and Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, have been considered among the worst games of their corresponding year, but yet the blue hedgehog is still going strong today.
One of the reasons that fans still hold hope for Sonic is Sonic Adventure 2 Battle. The game picked up where the equally excellent Sonic Adventure left off and again proved that Sonic’s fast-paced platforming gameplay could work in a 3D world.
7 Metroid Prime (2.82 Million)
Metroid Prime is the most critically acclaimed entry on this list. It’s the joint 6th highest-rated game ever on Metacritic, putting it alongside incredible titles like Super Mario Galaxy, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Halo: Combat Evolved. The game also won numerous awards upon release, including GameSpot’s 2002 Game of the Year award.
2002’s Metroid Prime was the first main console Metroid game since 1994’s Super Metroid on the SNES. The jump in two generations of Nintendo console resulted in a huge change to the gameplay, as Metroid Prime ditched 2D side-scrolling for 3D first-person shooting.
6 Animal Crossing (3.15 Million)
Animal Crossing is the first entry in the now-iconic life-simulator series. The game introduced the core gameplay mechanics that the series is still based around, such as the minimal plot, open-ended gameplay, friendly animal villagers to communicate with, and real-time effects.
Along with the real-time gameplay, one of Animal Crossing‘s most unique features was that players could collect playable NES games. Classic NES titles like Donkey Kong, Excitebike, and Baloon Fight were all obtainable.
5 Luigi’s Mansion (3.60 Million)
Back in 2001, Nintendo fans worldwide were gutted when the GameCube’s launch titles were announced and a Mario game was no-where to be seen. Their disappointment is understandable as the NES launched with Super Mario Bros., SNES with Super Mario World, and N64 with Super Mario 64, all of which are revolutionary games that are considered among the best platformers of all time.
Instead, it was the world’s most overshadowed younger brother Luigi who was finally getting the limelight. Granted Luigi’s Mansion doesn’t hold a candle to any of the aforementioned Mario games, but it certainly didn’t disappoint and the unique game was more than good enough to kick off the GameCube.
4 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (4.60 Million)
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker had the thankless task of being the first main-console Zelda game after the N64’s Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask. As is common with Nintendo, they commendably didn’t take the easy option of just making Ocarina of Time 2, and instead tried something very different.
To say that this didn’t go down well would be an understatement though, as fans saw the cartoony Link as being a step towards a watered-down, simplistic, and kid-friendly direction. Evidently, the game still sold very well though, and retrospectively The Wind Waker is considered among Link’s best adventures.
3 Super Mario Sunshine (6.31 Million)
As previously mentioned, fans were understandably disappointed that the GameCube didn’t have a Mario launch title, but they didn’t have to wait long before the plumber’s next adventure was released. Similarly to The Wind Waker, Nintendo didn’t go for the safe option of making Super Mario 64 2, or the heavily rumored Super Mario 128. Nintendo instead introduced the gaming world to F.L.U.D.D. and took them to the beautiful island of Isle Delfino that showed off the GameCube’s improved hardware.
Super Mario Sunshine suffers from a problem that many pieces of media in iconic series’ face. Even if they’re great, which Super Mario Sunshine is, they can be seen as lackluster if they don’t measure up to the extreme heights of their predecessors.
2 Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (6.95 Million)
It’s not often that a spin-off sells higher than its corresponding main series, but Mario Kart is not an ordinary spin-off series.
As the name suggests, Double Dash!! introduced a new mechanic to the series in which two players race in a single kart, with one driving and one using items. As well as mixing up the gameplay, this new mechanic allowed for co-op, something that is rare in the racing genre. Despite the game’s critical acclaim, Nintendo surprisingly hasn’t re-visited the co-op formula in subsequent Mario Kart games.
1 Super Smash Bros. Melee (7.07 Million)
The original Super Smash Bros. on the N64 was seen as a fun game based around a great idea, but not much more than that. Many fans thought that Super Smash Bros. would be the only Smash game until Super Smash Bros. Melee was released just over two years later.
The game proved that the series could become far more than just a fun idea, as Super Smash Bros. Melee encapsulated gamers worldwide with its addictive fighting gameplay. The game was a perfect example of easy to play impossible to master, as what may initially seem like a surface-level fighting game offered great depths to its gameplay that inspired multiple real-life gaming tournaments.
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