The Nintendo GameCube was the third most popular consoles of its time, being a rival to the PlayStation 2 & Xbox.
With so many popular titles, the GameCube offers you games that are not found on other platforms.
For those of you who have played this remarkable console in the past, I bet you want to know the best GameCube games of all time.
And some of you may already know some of the games mentioned in this list.
#25. Resident Evil
- Release Data: Capcom, 2002
- Genre: Action Adventure » Survival
This classic horror game is brought to new heights in this amazing remake, with updated visuals and controls.
Playing as either Chris or Jill, players must investigate a multi-roomed mansion teeming with zombies and other dangerous horrors.
If you’ve never played the original Resident Evil on PlayStation, this is arguably the better way to experience it.
#24. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time / Master Quest
- Release Data: Nintendo, 2003
- Genre: Action Adventure » Open-World
Originally released as a pre-order bonus for Wind Waker, this compilation includes both the original Ocarina of Time as well as the unreleased expansion, Master Quest.
To save the day, Link must travel back and forth through time, finding new items and solving puzzle-filled dungeons.
Simply put, this is a game that must be played by everyone.
#23. Madden NFL 2005
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 2004
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
This entry in the Madden NFL football franchise delivers solid gameplay while tightening up mechanics and visuals.
The biggest additions are the new hit stick and defense hot routes, both of which offer new strategies during play.
The new mini-games and other small adjustments made this the most refined Madden title available on GameCube.
#22. Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II
- Release Data: Factor 5/LucasArts, 2001
- Genre: Simulation » Space » Combat
Star Wars fans will go head-over-heels for this exciting and addictive space-battle game.
Taking place across all three of the original movies, players zip through space, blowing up TIE Fighters and other Imperial ships.
And only the best pilots will be able to earn all three medals on each level, so start practicing now!
#21. Madden NFL 2002
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2001
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
This entry in the Madden NFL football franchise was a launch title for the GameCube, bringing sports action to players on day one.
Football fans can enjoy a great selection of modes, including quick-play, a full season, and tournaments.
The jump to GameCube hardware presents great graphics and thrilling gameplay, making this a solid purchase for any football faithful.
#20. NCAA Football 2004
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2003
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
This entry in the NCAA Football franchise brings the excitement of college sports directly to your console.
The new “college classics” mode puts players on the field in some of the most important games of college football history.
Improvements have also been made to ball-handling and AI-opponents, updating the gameplay for a better experience.
#19. Madden NFL 2003
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
This entry in the Madden NFL franchise adds a few excellent game modes and tightens up the gameplay over previous entries.
Long-time fans will undoubtedly appreciate the expansive franchise mode, which lets you control the simulate multiple seasons with your very own NFL team.
Generally speaking, this football game has more than enough content to keep you playing for hours.
#18. Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Release Data: HAL Labs/Nintendo, 2001
- Genre: Action » Fighting » 2D
This exciting exclusive doubles as both a fighting game and a party game, as it is easy-to-learn but has tons of complex techniques to discover.
Players can battle it out in a variety of fun modes, including a handful of single-player and multiplayer modes.
If you’re a fan of Mario or fighting games, this is a game you must own.
#17. NBA 2K2
- Release Data: Visual Concepts/Sega, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Sim
This entry in the NBA 2K series delivers exciting on-the-court action, both in professional arenas and street-courts.
There are a plethora of game modes to select, including exhibition, season, playoffs, and franchise modes.
If you’re looking for fun sports gameplay on your GameCube, this is one title that gets the job done.
#16. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Golf » Sim
This entry in the Tiger Woods PGA golf franchise adds a bunch of new characters, 12 fantastic courses, and some great modes of play.
Players can also take on the Tiger Challenge, facing off against a variety of fun characters in one-on-one competitions.
This is a great golf title for players of all skill levels, so start swinging!
#15. NCAA Football 2003
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
This entry in the NCAA Football franchise brings the excitement of college football directly to your GameCube, complete with cheerleaders, real teams, and deep mechanics.
Players can dive headfirst into the expansive dynasty mode, which offers endless amounts of options and fine-tuning.
Any fan of college football will have a blast with this exciting representation of school sports.
#14. Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
- Release Data: Silicon Knights/Nintendo, 2002
- Genre: Action Adventure » Survival
The game follows four characters, each living in a different place and time.
Guiding each character, players must make their way through levels filled with terrifying traps, creatures, and peril.
There is a “sanity” meter that must be maintained over the game, otherwise, you will fall prey to many of the unique scares in the game.
#13. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3
- Release Data: Neversoft Entertainment/Activision, 2001
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Skate / Skateboard
This entry in the franchise introduced a few new game mechanics to utilize.
The new revert option allows you to keep a combo going longer, and new hidden combos encourage players to skate over all obstacles in the level.
This fantastic title gives players an infinitely replayable sandbox of skateboarding fun, so pick this one up if you haven’t.
#12. Viewtiful Joe
- Release Data: Clover Studio/Capcom, 2003
- Genre: Action » Beat-‘Em-Up » 2D
Few action games are as colorful and inventive as this one, with its awesome characters and explosive action.
Joe has several unique “VFX” powers that allow him to slow down time, rewind past mistakes, and boost his attack power.
Overall, this game provides a consistently entertaining and imaginative level design, with fun and challenging gameplay to boot.
#11. Super Mario Sunshine
- Release Data: Nintendo, 2002
- Genre: Action » Platformer » 3D
Like other 3D Mario games, this platformer invites players into a colorful world full of tropical fun and excitement.
The levels are broken up into individual challenges, with hidden secrets and bonus levels to find and unlock.
Players will have to think outside the box to solve dastardly puzzles and their skills will be tested in challenging side-activities.
#10. Madden NFL 2004
- Release Data: EA Tiburon/EA Sports, 2003
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
This entry in the series continues its dominance as the best football game on the market, with realistic graphics and intense gameplay.
This version adds the new Owner mode, allowing players to take even greater control over their custom franchise.
Players can also hone their skills in the training camp mode, which contains a handful of fun drills to practice with.
#9. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
- Release Data: Retro Studios/Nintendo, 2004
- Genre: Action » Shooter » First-Person » Arcade
This fantastic sequel to Metroid Prime effortlessly blends first-person action with exploration and puzzle-solving gameplay.
The game heavily features the concept of alternative dimensions, with Samus able to jump between light and dark dimensions at will.
Any owner of the Nintendo GameCube should check out this unique and exciting adventure!
#8. SSX 3
- Release Data: EA Canada/EA Sports Big, 2003
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Ski / Snowboard
This third entry in the SSX snowboarding franchise sends players flying downhill, flipping and tricking off of massive jumps, and performing amazing air maneuvers.
For the first time, players can freely ride around the mountain, exploring courses at their leisure.
All in all, there’s tons of content to enjoy in this awesome snow-sports title!
#7. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Release Data: Ubisoft, 2003
- Genre: Action Adventure » Linear
This reboot of the classic Prince of Persia game upgrades the gameplay to 3D, offering tense platforming and brutal combat.
Playing as the prince, players must battle through various locations, fighting enemies and free-running around the level.
The excellent level design and cool time-control mechanics make for a stylish adventure and an unforgettable journey.
#6. The Legend of Zelda Collector’s Edition
- Release Data: Nintendo, 2003
- Genre: Casual » Compilation
This compilation includes the original games from the NES as well as Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask.
Each game offers a fantastical journey through Hyrule, with tons of puzzle-solving, action, and memorable characters.
Whether you’re traveling through time or simply saving the princess, this compilation offers truly epic stories that you will remember for the rest of your gaming career.
#5. SoulCalibur II
- Release Data: Namco/Nintendo, 2003
- Genre: Action » Fighting » 3D
This fighting game series brings more than simple fighting into the mix, as each character has a signature blade or weapon to utilize.
In addition to the dozen-plus characters, the GameCube version contains the exclusive character Link from the Zelda series.
Whether you’re a newbie to the genre or a seasoned veteran, this is one fighting game you shouldn’t miss.
#4. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- Release Data: Nintendo, 2003
- Genre: Action Adventure » Open-World
This entry in the Legend of Zelda series breaks the franchise mold with a brand new cel-shaded graphical style.
Players must explore the vast Great Sea, visiting its many islands and delving into dangerous dungeons.
Between the vivid visuals and fantastic gameplay, this is simply one of the best games in the Zelda series.
#3. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
- Release Data: Nintendo, 2006
- Genre: Action Adventure » Open-World
This Zelda game is pretty dark and serious when compared to other games in the franchise, including difficult puzzles and morbid visuals.
Unlike other Zelda games, in this game Link is able to transform into a wolf, giving him new movement and attack options.
In the end, few games are as epic in scale and adventure as this awesome GameCube title.
#2. Resident Evil 4
- Release Data: Capcom, 2005
- Genre: Action Adventure » Survival
This game is widely known as the title that popularized the “over-the-shoulder” camera angle which has become the standard in modern games.
Playing as Leon, you’ll explore several terrifying locations as you encounter horrifying enemies both human and supernatural.
Moreover, the epic boss fights punctuate the amazing story, resulting in a fantastic experience that blends the horror and action genres together.
#1. Metroid Prime
- Release Data: Retro Studios/Nintendo, 2002
- Genre: Action » Shooter » First-Person » Arcade
This absolutely amazing adventure game combines first-person shooting gameplay with fun exploration and character upgrades.
To complete the game, players must find and collect twelve artifacts that are scattered around the planet.
As you progress, you’ll find upgrades for Samus’ armor and weapons, unlocking new areas in the process.
So, fulfill your cosmic destiny and start bounty hunting as Samus now!
Browse GameCube Games By Genre
See also: Best GBA Games & Best DS Games
Are your favorite games on the list?
Deciding which GameCube game is the best is no doubt a never ending topic, but it’s fun to do!
