Topic: GameCube in retrospect: Four years of Fun

[IceCold]

By popular demand...

I'll post mine later.  

[Chris1]

Well one fond memory I have was playing Wind Waker for the first time, it was so cool! an acutual controllable cartoon!  It's one of the best memories I have with games.

[Arbok]

How about the fact that I bought Super Smash Bros Melee the week it was first released and still, to this day, play it like it was new.

[Nile Boogie]

As I look back I start to think maybe just maybe the GameCube gave me the best gaming experience of my life with Metroid Prime but the Zelda fan inside me has yet to conceded. MP and F-Zero GX are worth the price alone. Wow how good of a game is F-Zero GX? The best racer ever?

[IceCold]

1) Games - it's all about the games, and the GameCube had the some best games out there exclusively. Whatever shortcomings Nintendo as the console maker had, the games remained constant. From Super Mario Sunshine to Smash Bros in the beginning, then Metroid Prime, Eternal Darkness, Pikmin, Zelda, Resident Evils, and Viewtiful Joe, there were some truly unique and exciting experiences. Whether it be multiplayer/party games or deep single player ones, the GameCube delivered. There were hidden gems too, many of which were extremely satisfying.

2) Controller - Simply the most comfortable controller ever made - it moulded perfectly into your hands and made it a pleasure to play. Shoulder buttons were great. The button placement may have been uninviting for certain games, but overall I loved it. And then along came the Wavebird. Enough said..

3) Media - The optical discs which provided more space with the ability to lessen load times quite a bit provided a good compromise. The moaning from some developers about the lack of space was unwarranted - there was plenty. And they also were a good option for piracy protection.

4) 3rd Party Relations - Say what you want, but the GameCube improved in this category in every regard over the N64. Nintendo tried hard to re-establish solid relations, which translated into more games. Tales of Symphonia was a blessing. The deal with Capcom had potential, but we all know how that turned out. And I believe that the collaborations with third parties to make games like F-Zero went a long way in helping Nintendo get back on good terms with third parties. Now all we can do is hope that the support on the Revolution will increase as it did from the N64 to the Gamecube. Early signs indicate that Nintendo is trying hard to make this happen.


There are more positive notes about the GameCube, and I will try to post them soon.

[ShyGuy]

Buying Animal Crossing and realizing how awesome it was.

Buying Resident Evil 4 right after release, I felt hip and trendy and the game was cool, like the cool kids play.

[Robageejammin]

Same here with Smash bros. Never gets old...ever.

Lets see...making your first step into Hyrule castle in Wind Waker, Taking down your first Big Bulborb in Pikmin, listening to the end credits of Skies of Arcadia, riding Yoshi in Mario Sunshine, reliving the classics with the Zelda collectors edition, hysterical laughing with friends from Warioware:Mega Party Games, Trading items using the PGC forum with Animal Crossing, staring at all the trophies for an hour with Smash Bros, and too many more that I'm forgetting...

[King of Twitch]

Opening the box on that sunday afternoon, holding the controller in my hands for the very first time. I can still remember vividly when I got several of my games. I think 2002 was the best, for me anyways. Lots of good times, but far fewer memorable endless multiplayer matches than with n64. Everyone is I LOVE HALO 2-minded now.

Rogue Squadron 2: launch day (a first for me), (junior year of High school, just after 9/11, etc)
Metroid Prime: aka what I did for thanksgiving break 02
Renting and playing through MGS was fantastic.
Wind Waker preordered and paid in full for my 18th birthday.
F-Zero: 2nd day of college
Splinter Cell got me hooked for a long while last Christmas.

That's how I'll remember the cube.  

[oohhboy]

The fact that I have brought more games this generation than the last is evidence enough for me.

[Rhoq]

Quote
Originally posted by: oohhboy
The fact that I have brought more games this generation than the last is evidence enough for me.

Me too, except I still think of the N64 as my favorite console of all time.

[oohhboy]

Well I did get a heck of alot more multiplayer action out of my N64 than my Cube. Heavy game time with four players on MK 64 , GE, PD kicked massive ass. I loved playing PD with Fist bots maxed out on meatsim so not to steal your gun and shotguns only. Instant multi zombie shooter.

This generation was really different from the last. With the bar been set so high from last gen around FPSs, no FPS this gen has satified me to the same extent. Except for Metroid Prime for bring about the FPA.

We did gain alot in terms of games and gameplay through brute force of the number of games developed this gen across all platforms, but this gen has also been one of the most dishonest of them by all parties. From Nintendo's vapourware online plans to the countless sequal machines to moneyhats and outright lies.

I believe this gen, single-player wise is great compared to last gen, but lacking in the mutliplayer department. Overall tthough it is still ahead of last.

[mantidor]

The high point for me was becoming a Samus fanboy as I already was a Zelda and Mario fanboy, I finally felt complete! after such long hiatus seeing Metroid came back with such strength in both consoles and handhelds was awesome.

I would include Pikmin but i havent got it yet

[kirby_killer_dedede]

Yep...I'd never played a Metroid game before this generation and now I'm obsessed...

[Arbok]

Quote
Originally posted by: oohhboy
I loved playing PD with Fist bots maxed out on meatsim so not to steal your gun and shotguns only.

Oh god, I loved that aspect of that game. Me and my friends created a bot called "Mr. Fist" and the stories related to him were infamous, so many times that we would turn a corner only to drop our weapon as our vision became fuzzy before our eventual demise followed. We had him in a red suit so he was easy to spot, and man it was an adrenaline rush when he was on your tail and you lacked any major firepower to deal with him... *sigh* I wish the Timesplitters series had that same type of "fist" hitting system.

[Ian Sane]

"I would include Pikmin but i havent got it yet"

Buy it NOW!  Make a Christmas list with only the two Pikmin games on it and give it to everyone you know so that if anyone buys you a gift from your list it will be Pikmin.

Pikmin is without a doubt the number one reason I got a Cube.  When I saw the first game at E3 2001 I fell in love with it.  It didn't matter what else was coming out I HAD to buy a Cube for it.  It was such a creative game.  Two common complaints about Nintendo's Cube games was that some of the big ones lacked polish and that Nintendo relied too much on sequels.  Neither complaint can apply to Pikmin.  I would consider both games to be the most polished of EAD's Cube titles and of course they were original concepts.

Pikmin 2 is my favourite Cube game.  It harkens back to the days where almost every Nintendo sequel was essential and made big changes to the game design while still keeping a similar feel to the original.  It's a difficult balance to achieve but it makes a game feel both new and familiar at the same time.  The greatest Nintendo sequels like Super Metroid, A Link to the Past, and Super Mario Bros 3 all did this.  Pikmin 2 is one of the greatest Nintendo sequels.

Other highlights:

Metroid Prime 1&2:  I like 2 better but they're both amazing.  Although sequels these games felt incredibly fresh and new because the first one was incredibly original.  I've never played a game like these ever.  I get mad about stuff like Metroid Prime Hunters because that's making Metroid Prime play like other games.  Metroid Prime is totally unique and that's why it's so great.

Rogue Leader:  I think if Nintendo had given Luigi's Mansion's marketing push to Rogue Leader instead that things would have turned out much better.  This was the REAL flagship title of the Cube and Nintendo somewhat deserves the pit they're in for not noticing that.  This game was playing Star Wars, plain and simple.  No other game had ever nailed Star Wars so dead on and probably no other one will.  The fact the Rebel Strike turned out so bleh is because this game is so damn perfect they had to include the stupid foot missions to justify even making a sequel.  If you took the single player of this plus the multiplayer of Rebel Strike you would get the supreme Star Wars game.  Lucasarts would go out of business because they wouldn't have any justifiable reason to make more Star Wars games.

Super Smash Bros Melee:  There are two ways to make a sequel and if you can't do either you shouldn't even bother.  The first is the Pikmin 2 approach.  If you can't change the game without losing the feel then you should go with the SSBM routine.  Take what was there and perfect it.  This is like if HAL sat down and thought of every possible thing they could do to improve SSB and then did all of it.  I'm worried about SSB for the Rev because there's NO WAY they can top this or at least top the big leap from SSB to SSBM.  How much did HAL improve this game?  I HATED SSB but I love SSBM.

GB Player:  I have a bad neck and that makes portable gaming pretty difficult.  But the GBA has too many awesome games to overlook.  So thank God for the Gameboy player.  This is probably my favourite Nintendo peripheral ever.  Even if I get a Rev I'll still have my Cube hooked up just to play GB games on the TV.

[Revelade]

Bleh, I think you are overexaggerating the foot missions just a bit. RS3 is still the better game because it has so much more content. You get the full RS2 in 2 player form, you get vs. modes and you have a branching storyline. The foot missions provide much needed variety than the usual, aim, press fire, repeat you usually do.

I'm really loving some of the underrated games on the cube like PSO3, FF:CC and Second Sight. These quality titles are unfortunately often dismissed by the blind masses.

I really love the controller as well. When I look at the N64 ones, they feel "cheap".

[Hostile Creation]

I have so many Gamecube moments, too many to mention, really.  But I'll name a few of the most poignant ones

Two on the first day I played it: Just laying my hands on the controller was amazing.  It's by far the most comfortable and ergonomic controller I've ever experienced, surpassing Dual Shock, Xbox, SNES, N64 (blol), all of those.  I just loved the way it felt.
And then marvelling at the brilliant graphics in Luigi's Mansion.  Which are still some of the nicest looking ones this generation.

Super Smash Brothers: The best party game ever, period.  It was the only game I had to play for six months (after beating Luigi's Mansion) and I played it nearly every day, and I still play it fairly regularly, especially with friends.  It's just awesome to play with friends, smack talking and trying different modes (Bob-omb matches) and generally having fun.
Also, playing it with my friend murk.  He and I are both incredibly good at it, so it's tons of fun to play it with him.

Metroid Prime 1 & 2: Both amazing games, new and fresh.  I freakin' love them.  They really got me into the 2D Metroid games, too, so I played Super Metroid, Metroid Fusion, and Zero Mission.
The first is particularly memorable.  Like MJrx, I played it during Thanksgiving break, and my family always vacations in Florida.  Playing the game, aside from being great in its own right, reminds me of playing it there and what a great trip that was.
No particular memories tied with 2, but I really liked it anyway.  Beat it all over on hard mode (plus 100% on normal, items and scans), and enjoyed every minute of it.
Except boost guardian.

Wind Waker: The graphics just blew me away.  I still play the game sometimes just to look at them in awe.  And sometimes I still play it for the fun part, too.  I've completed virtually every sidequest and I'm still finding new stuff.  I found a new enemy cave on Pawprint Island just a few days ago.  That's a wonderful feeling.
My second favorite Zelda game for a whole slew of reasons.

F-Zero GX is great for being a ridiculously hard game.  Never cussed so much ever, except for in SSBM.

Pikmin 2: One of my favorite games, period.  The first day I popped this in, I had no class for several more hours.  It was raining outside, and my clothes were wet.  I changed into dry pajamas and sat on my floor about five hours, just playing it.  It was just like being a kid again, waking up early in the morning and playing before everyone else woke up.  Incredible feeling, I loved it.

Super Mario Sunshine: Playing this game makes me feel like I'm on vacation.  I never bought it (borrowed it twice, extensively), but I'm still tempted to do so just because I simply love playing around in it.

So many others, too.  Heck, I might list more later just for the hell of it.

[Dunnymeister]

Quote
Originally posted by: Hostile Creation
F-Zero GX is great for being a ridiculously hard game.  Never cussed so much ever, except for in SSBM.

I thought F-Zero GX's difficulty was over-rated. I probably just listened to everyone else say how hard it was and expected never to unlock everything though.

Cube moments for me no-one else seems to have mentioned yet:
1. Opening the box to see how damn small the console actually is. I think my Mother was like "Is that it?".
2. Having my TV blow up after playing my Cube on it for an hour. Had to play on a 32cm TV instead of the 68cm...
3. Connectivity: If only because it brought about Four Sword Adventures

[Ian Sane]

I thought of another exceptional moment.  Ocarina of Time: Master Quest!  Easily the coolest pre-order bonus ever.  Just the fact that Nintendo made the unreleased Ura Zelda available was a fantastic gift to the fans but they made it FREE!  They could have charged 50 bucks for that and most of us would have bought it just for the remixed dungeons.  Later making it so that you could play every Zelda game every made on the Cube was pretty sweet too (the only flaw is that you have to use the annoying altered GBA version of LttP) but Master Quest came first so it had more impact and it was new content.

[UncleBob]

And yet, no one mentions Pac-Man vs...

come on, even if you haven't played it, you have to admit, it's the most neatest way to play Pac-Man since the coctail table was created.

[oohhboy]

F-zero GX wasn't that hard, but the last cup track designs were pretty BS. It wasn't about racing anymore. It was more of a death race than anything else.

RS3, the flying/speeder bike/walker bits were pure vanilla. Improved Falcon, a new craft. But the foot missions were ass save the Hoth mission. If they had a over and behind chase camera for the indoor sections, they might have been alot better. But that would not have done anything about the poor targeting system and lack of any tactical gameplay what so ever. Bacisly the best meal you might have, but it came with a turd soup cooked in urine that was the foot missions.

[WuTangTurtle]

I agree, this gen was better than last.  I bought double the amount of games than last gen, and that is just counting the GCN alone.  My favorite moment had to be waking up early in the morning and waiting in line, that or in Zelda: Wind Waker when you leave on your journey and you find your way back to the island, if you try to talk to your grandma.......ah, im getting teary eyed just typin this.......the music is so sad sounding.......she's all lonely and sick....................personally that was the first time a game brought out some real emotion besides just enjoyment and rage.  

Anyway.............

Some other favorites were:

1.  Wave Race, the weather effects were really cool even if the game wasn't that great, still id give it a 7/10 at the least.

2.  Naruto series, take a 3d fighting system and mix it with the simplicity of SSMB attacks, add in 3 other friends and you got yourself a multiplayer cussing fest!

3.  Resident Evil series, IMO RE4 makes up for any so called lack of good Mature titles.

4.  Tales of Symphonia, simply because the game made me get back into RPG's because it was actually fun to play.

5.  Soul Calibur II, Just seeing Link waste Asaroth is simply too awesome!

[Djunknown]

What the I liked about the 'Cube and have stuck with it:

1) Its design. Why NCL pushed the purple box here in the US is beyond me. Its form factor design (In black and platinum) trumps the mutant X-box, and was sleeker than the first PS2.

2)games
  A)SSBM: No real introduction is needed. It stands the test of time. 'Nuff said
  B) The RE series: While the Resident Evil exclusivity deal didn't pay off exactly the way they envisioned, I benefitted from it. REmake and RE  0 were scary to the point I didn't play them at night with the lights off. RE 4 was little more manageable...
  C) Eternal Darkness: There's no game quite like it, and most likely there won't be another one like that again...
  D) Animal Crossing: Played for 9 months straight, took a break, then 4 months straight. Bring on Wild World.
  E) Metroid Prime 1and2: Another franchise that made a perfect jump to 3d. Despite all the contreversy, it paid off.
  F) Viewtiful Joe: Could be described as this gen's Symphony of the Night. 2d is still viable, even the 'HD era...'
  G) Tales of Symphonia: I had my doubts, but its a great thrill ride from begginning to end.
  H) Sonic Adventure 2: While not perfect, its Sega's best attempt of the blue blur in 3d. Can they get right the next generation?
  I) Ikaruga: Proof positive you don't need a battalion to develop a great games. This reminds you why you play videogames extensively     in the first place...
 
3)Controller: There's no wrong way to hold a 'Cube controller. The Wavebird is simply the best innovation this gen cycle. So good that its going to be standard with the next round of consoles.

4)Connectivity: As a replacement for online play, it was a piss poor substitute. As a neat feature, it was great to enchance already solid titles.

Despite getting marginalized, I still held on, and didn't trade it all for something else. That and great customer service from NOA still tickles my Nintendo bone.

[Revelade]

Having the rarest experiences ever:

Playing 4 player Crystal Chronicles, showed me what cooperative games SHOULD be like. Having your partners as clones of yourself and having you fight on the same side is NOT cooperation, it's just an addition. Relying on your friends to cover your weakness as well as doing your role IS cooperation. This is truly an unforgettable experience.

Playing 4 player Pac-man Vs. showed how games don't need uber graphics, extreme complexity or high productions in order to be fun. When it comes down to it, the gameplay is what stands the test of time. Using only a joystick, the game is easy to learn, yet requires teamwork to play. This is yet another unique experience I treasure.

As for Zelda 4 swords, unfortunately, my friends were jackoffs and kept throwing me into bottomless pits. It could have been a great game too... =(

Overall, I really enjoyed connectivity. The people that whine that it's lame, do so because they are too cheap to get 4 used GBAs which only cost $20 around now. It's not fair for someone to comment negatively about something when they NEVER EXPERIENCED it before. It's like saying the 360 sucks just by looking at it. Apple products are ridiculously priced, yet nobody complains about their quality. An irony? Perhaps.

[animecyberrat]

>>come on, even if you haven't played it, you have to admit, it's the most neatest way to play Pac-Man since the coctail table was created<<

I just had to quote that cuz I used to play MS Pacman every day on one of those, talk about memories.


Anyways I have so many great momnets with my GC I dont knwo where to start. Thankfully teh great momnets out way all the dissapointments or else I wouldnt even be here.

First I will say Star Fox Adventures and Zelda Wind Waker. Those 2 games were the ones my best friend showed to me the dfay he showed off his GC. He also bragged about Pikmin and Smash Bros Melee, but seeings hwo much I hated Smash bros and Pikmin looked to wierd for me I chose to play Star Fox and Wind Waker instead. At first I was blown away by SF cuz I hated the other games and it was cool how this one got me into the series. Then Windwaker, I have to be honest the graphics were awesome at first. I loved teh cartoon- cell shading it was remeniscant of the 2-d days. But after playing ot for a while it became rather boring and repetitive and I just lost interest.

Then I bought a Cube and got Mortal Kombat Deadly Allience, I played this game to death, beat it on every difficulty, unlcoked every secret without cheating, mstered all the Konquests and watched all the bonus videos, this was by far the best MK game expereicnce since playing the first arcade game way back when.
Next came Pac-Man World 2/VS bundle. I played Pac Man World 2 a lot when I first got my Cube. This was one hella fun Platformer plus all the cool cntent in th Arcade area was nice too. I didnt have a GBA nor didn any of my friends, we had invested too much into our GBC as this time, so I didnt get to experience VS ever. Next Great Momment wa Star Wars Rogue Squadron II, I loved that game to death. Then I played Sonic Adventures 1 and 2 and spent many days on them, both great games. I also loved Metroid Prime, Sould Caliber II, Dragon Ball Z Budokai( my second favorite fighitng game for GC) and Fianly I gave in and borrowd SSB Melle, and fell in love. Mostly the adventure mode where you ruyn through the old school looking levels like Mushroom Kingdom and such, this more than made up for Sunsine.

Speaking of Sunshine I will say that I got this game along with Luigis Mansion fairly early on in my Cube days, I palyed maybe an hour of Luigis mansion before tarding it in to Game Stop, and Sunshine, I was impressed at first with the graphics and the Levels, but it didnt take long before that damn water hose drove me insane and I had to quit playing. Not teh difficulty mins you the &*&*^ing VOICE! I cant stand the voice so much I couldnt finish the game. which is sad realy cuz I liked playing it and maybe someday Ill go back and try again.

Resident Evil 4 was a great moment cuz its gave me a great looking game to really feal proad to own a Cube to be playing. And then Golden Eye Rogue Agent came out and I put a lot of hours into that game also, still working on it cuz its a fun game but havent finsihed yet cuz too many other games to play not enough time to play them all. Then I also loved Tales Of Symphonia and my favorite GC game (not counting Fighting games) Harvest Moon. having lived ona farm and haveing grandparetns who live on a farm this game realy got my attention. It was fun, great story and very relaxing. Too bad it gets boring very quikly though.



The Zelda Collectors Disk and GB Player were also some great times for me too.