Author Topic: FEATURE: The GameCube's Lost Gems (Read 15009 times)

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #25 on:** September 26, 2006, 01:15:40 AM »

Hulk: Ultimate Destruction doesn't quite live up to the ultimate part! Like, only one certain looking building can be knocked to the ground, and there's about ten of those in the entire city. The only time I've seen the whole joint crumble was during that boss fight with the gigantic laser shooting robot that needed fire trucks thrown at it or something.

But yeah pretty fun. You can throw cows at petrol stations. One of them will explode, the other will get back up and walk away like nothing happened. :]

UltimatePartyBear · « **Reply #26 on:** September 26, 2006, 05:21:23 AM »

I didn't like Jungle Beat. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that I thought the game would be really fun with bongos, but I didn't like playing it with the decidedly non-bongolike controller that Nintendo provided. It was just two giant, mushy buttons. Bongos aren't mushy. Bongos are tight.

Acefondu · « **Reply #27 on:** September 26, 2006, 08:07:27 AM »

This was a cool article. Great send off for the Cube. It's a shame there was never a Skies of Arcadia 2...

TrueNerd · « **Reply #28 on:** September 26, 2006, 08:12:37 AM »

I would've liked the article better if there was justification for why you think those games are good and why they became lost gems, even if it was just a sentence or two. This is more or less a list.

Anyways, I own 8 of those games, have played 11 of them... so obviously I'm pretty cool.

vudu · « **Reply #29 on:** September 26, 2006, 09:01:08 AM »

You guys should do one for the GBA. There are a lot of really great games that most people skipped over because they were either hard to find or they looked like crap even though they weren't.

Quote
Originally posted by: wandering
What? Vudu never lends me games.

You wanna borrow a game?

KDR_11k · « **Reply #30 on:** September 26, 2006, 09:56:17 AM »

you actually said WarioWorld was better than Sunshine!!@$%%$$???

It certainly was the better jump and run. You could actually SEE where you're jumping in those "secret rooms", mostly because of the camera being actually useful. The rest of the game was pretty bad but Sunshine was really awful whenever it involved precision jumping because its just impossible to see where you are in relation to the platforms.

This was a cool article. Great send off for the Cube. It's a shame there was never a Skies of Arcadia 2...

Arcadia wasn't that great, certainly not sequel-worthy.

Vudu: Yes but we all know that list would read "Ninja Cop".

vudu · « **Reply #31 on:** September 26, 2006, 10:03:01 AM »

Only in crappy countries like Germany. It would read Ninja 5-O in the cool ones.

Karl Castaneda #2 · « **Reply #32 on:** September 26, 2006, 10:06:54 AM »

Nate, there will be other GameCube nostalgia articles coming up, and in said articles, greater justification will be given. This is basically just a small list of games you can pick up that weren't given the spotlight they deserved.

vudu · « **Reply #33 on:** September 26, 2006, 11:06:37 AM »

Wait a second ... why is there no Fire Emblem on this list? (You did give it a 9.5, Karl.) Did it sell better than I thought it did, or did the rest of the staff not find it as amazing as Karl and I did?

Ian Sane · « **Reply #34 on:** September 26, 2006, 11:43:51 AM »

I'm glad to see Four Swords Adventures on this list. Often overlooked games lists have a lot of decent to okay games that didn't sell all that well that later get retroactively overhyped because no one played them. Four Swords Adventures is a actual classic AAA title that I would consider in my top ten Cube games. It's well deserving of the Zelda name and would be talked about in hushed tones if connectivity didn't bomb. It's a shame because this game actually makes proper use of the feature and wouldn't have worked without it (unlike something like Wind Waker which would still be great without the Tingle Tuner).

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles didn't need connectivity. It was just a dull hack-n-slash and the connectivity features were incredibly forced and tacked on. In fact I'd say that connectivity made the game WORSE. It's too bad that that's the game that came out first because that's sadly what people think of when they think of connectivity. If Four Swords came out first the concept might have stood a chance. I was skeptical at first since in theory it didn't sound like the game really needed connectivity but after playing it I realized how crucial it was. The game has this odd combination of teamwork and backstabbing. One second you need your friend to help you push the big rock to get to the chests. Then after making a mad dash to see who gets the most booty you wander down a passage. Your friend can't see what's down there but he can hear the "getting force gems" sound and knows your making like a bandit so he rushes after you. A second later you're fighting a swarm of enemies together. The whole game is "honor among thieves". I guess the game could be done online with headsets but it really does benefit from having everyone in the same room.

It also has a new twist on Zelda: having levels instead of an overworld. In theory the idea sounds offensive but it's really fun. I would like to see a single player 2D Zelda with this format. And best of all this was a fresh new idea from Nintendo, a rarity on the Cube. That alone makes it worth getting. The only problem is to really get the full experience you have some pretty hardcore hardware requirements which is ultimately why connectivity failed. This is like the Steel Battalion of the Cube.

Karl Castaneda #2 · « **Reply #35 on:** September 26, 2006, 12:49:28 PM »

Fire Emblem was not one of the finalists, unfortunately, vudu. However, it most DEFINITELY will be featured soon for its merits. I can say that for a FACT.

hudsonhawk · « **Reply #36 on:** September 26, 2006, 01:12:32 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Pryopizm
I got bored of BG&E.

What's it like to not have a soul?

Seriously though I like the idea of the list but I think that a few of the games go against the idea of a "Lost Gems" list. Viewtiful Joe, Killer 7 and Eternal Darkness are overhyped (and in my opinion incredibly overrated). I don't think anyone's going to say, "Oh Eternal Darkness is supposed to be good? I hadn't heard that."

That said, the Free Radical game that should be on this list is Second Sight. It's a shame that no one bought that game.

Rize · « **Reply #37 on:** September 26, 2006, 01:22:16 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Artimus
Nice list except for Metroid. It sold over a million copies...

I insisted Prime be put on the list because (a) it's the best game of all time and didn't sell nearly enough copies considering that, and (b) it can be had for 5-7 bucks used at GameStop/EB. Anyone who unloaded or passed it by because of lack of dual analog or the first person view point really oughta give it another shot.

And if anyone was crazy enough not to try it at all, what are they waiting for? With any luck, it's inclusion in the list will get Metroid Prime a little more of the respect that it so deserves.

As for Echoes (Jonny

), if a person didn't like the first I can't imagine they would like the second. And if they played the first through, then they should have a good idea of what they're missing. While Echoes is better than Prime in some important ways (bosses and morphball action), it is arguably worse in others (the dark world and it's associated gameplay and especially loading times) and still retains the things that made some people shy away from the first (controls and view point).

trip1eX · « **Reply #38 on:** September 26, 2006, 02:41:45 PM »

The first MP was better.

IF for nothing else than it came out first and MP2 just wasn't different enough.

MP was outta place on the list. I mean if you wanted a well received cheap game that didn't sell then you could have picked say F-Zero GX instead.

wandering · « **Reply #39 on:** September 26, 2006, 02:50:08 PM »

Quote
You wanna borrow a game?

What? Oh, no, not really.

Nick DiMola · « **Reply #40 on:** September 26, 2006, 02:58:32 PM »

I second the motion for Second Sight to be on the list. Phenomenal game with an equally phenomenal story. For the dollars it'll cost you today it is a necessary purchase. AS far as F-Zero GX, I personally liked it but it was REALLY FREAKING HARD. I don't think it's a casual pick up unless you are really into F-Zero. Chibi Robo demands to be on that list as well, though the price tag kind of excludes it currently. All in all though people should definitely go pick up the games on this list, especially BG&E.

Mario · « **Reply #41 on:** September 26, 2006, 03:21:15 PM »

Confirming the greatness of DKJB and Killer 7 in this post. Both definately in my top 5 and DKJB firmly #1. I also enjoyed Wario World a fair bit. Wave Race Blue Storm also flopped and is really fun, even though it's plagued by the rush qualities of a launch game.

Pryopizm · « **Reply #42 on:** September 26, 2006, 05:56:17 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: hudsonhawk
Quote
Originally posted by: Pryopizm
I got bored of BG&E.

What's it like to not have a soul?

Delicious and nutritious. Seriously, though, I bought the game expecting a pretty cool time. I figured out the story ten minutes in, hated the combat, and found the stealth parts (the bulk of the game) lacking. I just got bored.

Kairon · « **Reply #43 on:** September 26, 2006, 06:23:13 PM »

Hmm... sounds like I wouldn't like BG&E either then...

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

Jonnyboy117 · « **Reply #44 on:** September 26, 2006, 08:28:51 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Infernal Monkey
Hulk: Ultimate Destruction doesn't quite live up to the ultimate part! Like, only one certain looking building can be knocked to the ground, and there's about ten of those in the entire city. The only time I've seen the whole joint crumble was during that boss fight with the gigantic laser shooting robot that needed fire trucks thrown at it or something.

But yeah pretty fun. You can throw cows at petrol stations. One of them will explode, the other will get back up and walk away like nothing happened. :]

My memory of the game could be fooling me, but I think almost every building in the game can be destroyed if you're powerful enough and if you use the most insane super moves. It's definitely not a common sight in the early goings, but by the time I unlocked every power (including the ability to play as Bruce Banner -- with all of Hulk's strength and moves), I'm pretty sure that I was blowing up entire city blocks.

TrueNerd · « **Reply #45 on:** September 26, 2006, 09:16:29 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: Rize
Quote
Originally posted by: Artimus
Nice list except for Metroid. It sold over a million copies...

I insisted Prime be put on the list because (a) it's the best game of all time and didn't sell nearly enough copies considering that, and (b) it can be had for 5-7 bucks used at GameStop/EB. Anyone who unloaded or passed it by because of lack of dual analog or the first person view point really oughta give it another shot.

And if anyone was crazy enough not to try it at all, what are they waiting for? With any luck, it's inclusion in the list will get Metroid Prime a little more of the respect that it so deserves.

When you put it like that, I couldn't agree more with Prime's inclusion on this list.

Quote
Originally posted by: ViewtifulGamer
Nate, there will be other GameCube nostalgia articles coming up, and in said articles, greater justification will be given. This is basically just a small list of games you can pick up that weren't given the spotlight they deserved.

Well, okay... as long as there's future articles.

archioverload · « **Reply #46 on:** September 27, 2006, 08:38:06 AM »

Second Sight> I got stuck about the middle of the game involving some jumping, and I swore it was a bug. After beating my head against it 50 times, I gave up. Pretty nice game before that, though.

I was wondering, has anyone played Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the Cube? They have it at the local gamestop for $13 used and wonder if that's a good pickup.

ShyGuy · « **Reply #47 on:** September 27, 2006, 08:59:19 AM »

Baldur's Gate

A is a great coop game.

Svevan · « **Reply #48 on:** September 27, 2006, 09:43:35 AM »

Second Sight was insanely lame as a third person adventure, but the sniping levels were killer. However, that's not enough to merit inclusion on this list, IMO.

Rize · « **Reply #49 on:** September 27, 2006, 11:32:42 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: trip1eX
The first MP was better.

IF for nothing else than it came out first and MP2 just wasn't different enough.

MP was outta place on the list. I mean if you wanted a well received cheap game that didn't sell then you could have picked say F-Zero GX instead.

MP wasn't just well received, it is utterly unique and also (according to GameRankings.com) the most highly reviewed GameCube game, and also in the top five of all time. However, it remains a favorite more of critics and gamers with refined taste rather than the masses. To many people it is truly a lost gem. But at 5 to 7 bucks per used copy, I think some people oughta give it a second (or first) chance.

F-Zero GX, while nice, is relatively similar to other futuristic racers including it's own predecessor on the N64.

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Author Topic: FEATURE: The GameCube's Lost Gems (Read 15009 times)