We already published the list of best GameCube games of all time, now it’s time to discover the best GameCube sports games of all time.
With amazing titles available, the GameCube definitely has a great library of sports games.
So, if you’re a fan of both the GameCube and sports games, there’s a chance you’ll like this list.
And some of you may already know some of the games mentioned in this list.
#25. NBA Street
- Release Data: EA Sports/Electronic Arts Victor, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Arcade
NBA Street is one of those rare games that is simply addictive.
Even after you’ve gone through the city circuit mode or the hold-the-court mode, you’ll find yourself constantly trying to break records either you or your friends set for individual courts.
#24. NHL 2K3
- Release Data: Treyarch/Sega, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Team » Ice Hockey » Sim
Fans who’ve been complaining about hockey games being too arcade-like can rejoice.
The GameCube version of NHL 2K3 is hurt somewhat by its lack of online support, but if you don’t have an Xbox, then don’t let that dissuade you from picking up this otherwise excellent game.
#23. Fight Night Round 2
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2005
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Combat » Boxing / Martial Arts
There’s a lot to like about Fight Night Round 2, most obviously an involving boxing mechanic that allows you to be creative in your approach.
As a sequel to the well-received Fight Night 2004, the game improves on many aspects of its predecessor and ends up as one that will continually challenge your skills the longer you play it.
#22. Tony Hawk’s Underground
- Release Data: Neversoft Entertainment/Activision, 2003
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Skate / Skateboard
The core gameplay is still extremely entertaining, and some of the new additions, like being able to get off your board and execute wall plants, do make for some interesting, new possibilities.
All things considered, Tony Hawk’s Underground is another great installment in the franchise.
#21. Aggressive Inline
- Release Data: Z-Axis, Ltd./Acclaim, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Skate / Skateboard
Aggressive Inline is a success on several levels.
The large number of goals in the game vary in difficulty, giving newer players something to do while not skimping on the difficulty.
It also manages to take the gameplay and design concepts that have worked well in past games and give them enough of a face-lift to make the game feel new.
#20. SSX Tricky
- Release Data: EA Sports Big/Electronic Arts, 2001
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Ski / Snowboard
SSX Tricky for the GameCube features little to no improvements on the PS2 version, but that doesn’t keep it from being a blast to play.
The gameplay is hectic, the new trick system adds substantial depth, and the overall production is top-notch.
If you’re looking for a snowboarding game for your GameCube, it’s hard to go wrong with SSX Tricky.
#19. MVP Baseball 2004
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2004
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
Assuming you do decide to pick up a copy of MVP Baseball 2004, you’ll likely be satisfied no matter which version you get.
The core fundamentals are spot-on, the variety of options and control choices is spectacular, and the presentation totally draws you into the experience of being front and center at an actual ballpark that’s filled with screaming fans.
#18. MVP Baseball 2005
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2005
- Genre: Sports » Team » Baseball » Sim
EA Sports has simply taken the previous game, improved it in myriad ways, and then tacked on a few new features to make the end result that much more appealing.
The bottom line is that if you’re looking for a realistic and feature-rich baseball video game, you can’t go wrong with MVP Baseball 2005.
#17. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2004
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Golf » Sim
From strictly a bullet-point perspective, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 is a more full-featured game than the previous game, and it still stands as one of the best games of golf for the GameCube.
However, many of its improvements over the previous game feel kind of incremental, and owners of PGA Tour 2004 shouldn’t necessarily rush out to get it.
#16. NBA Street V3
- Release Data: EA Canada/EA Sports Big, 2005
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Arcade
NBA Street V3 offers a fantastic amount of content, from tons of unlockables and customizable options in the single-player game to the addition of a smooth online mode.
If you’re a fan of basketball, you owe it to yourself to check out NBA Street V3, which is the king of the court as far as arcade basketball games go.
#15. NCAA Football 2005
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2004
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
Overall, NCAA Football 2005 offers a fine overall package and should appeal to just about any hardcore college football fan.
The new home-field advantage and composure ratings do a lot to give the game a true college sports feel, and the core gameplay has evolved to a satisfactory degree as well.
#14. NBA Street Vol. 2
- Release Data: Electronic Arts/EA Sports Big, 2003
- Genre: Sports » Team » Basketball » Arcade
While it may have a little too much in common with the previous game in the series for some of the more-casual NBA Street fans to swallow, NBA Street Vol. 2 is a great game.
Any fan of basketball who isn’t necessarily sold on the complexities of your average NBA simulation will find plenty to love here.
#13. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4
- Release Data: Neversoft Entertainment/Activision, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Skate / Skateboard
While fans of the previous games will find the redesigned career mode a little foreign at first, it definitely makes for a longer game with a lot less repetition than you saw in previous installments.
In short, anyone with even a remote interest in either the genre or the real-life sport should get this game as soon as possible.
#12. NFL 2K3
- Release Data: Visual Concepts/Sega, 2002
- Genre: Sports » Team » Football » Sim
NFL 2K3 delivers just about everything a football fan could want.
There’s a deep franchise mode, the gameplay is excellent, and the ESPN license has been integrated quite well.
Furthermore, the Sega Sports challenge provides the game with a competitive element that adds replay value to the title.
#11. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004
- Release Data: EA Sports, 2003
- Genre: Sports » Individual » Golf » Sim
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 offers such a complete package, it almost seems like EA is painting itself into a corner.
With the sheer number of courses available, the variety of gameplay modes offered, and the overall polish of the presentation, there just doesn’t seem like a lot of room for improvement for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005.
#10. 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.
#9. 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.
#8. 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.
#7. 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.
#6. 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.
#5. 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!
#4. 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.
#3. 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.
#2. 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.
#1. 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!
Browse GameCube Games By Genre
See also: Best GBA Games & Best DS Games
Are your favorite games on the list?
Deciding which GameCube sports game is the best is no doubt a never ending topic, but it’s fun to do!