So I'm thinking about getting a Gamecube.
 

So in this generation I've had a Dreamcast, PS2, and X-Box. The only one I still have is the X-Box, and I love it. The Dreamcast is dead, and the PS2 has no real exclusive games I'm interested in. IMO, everything like Madden and other games that come to all consoles look and play better on the X-Box.

But I grew up on Nintendo, and some classic 1st party games still are pretty cool. With the Gamecube so cheap (I can get the console, 2 controllers, and Mario Kart for $99), I think I may have to give in and get one. My question is, what games are there that are must haves?

Mario Kart is a must for me, perhaps Super Smash Bros, maybe a Star Wars Rogue Squad game if it's cool enough, perhaps Metroid or Zelda . . . what do you guys think? What are some cheap deals on some classic games that have come out in the past 3 years? Should I even bother with the Gamecube?

Interested in the Resident Evil Series at all?

Depends on what kind of games you like now. If you're only interested in sports and guns games, then I'd say you're set to go with an Xbox. Otherwise, I'd say a Gamecube is worth it for Zelda Wind Waker and Metroid Prime alone. As always, must-haves will change depending on what you're looking for.. I'd say Tales of Symphonia is a must-have, but if you aren't into RPGs what good would that do?

Yeah, I do primarily play sports games and FPS games. But I always liked the classic platform games like Mario and I enjoyed Mario Kart on the N64

Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime 2
Zelda: Wind-Waker
Zelda: 4 Swords
Resident Evil 0
Resident Evil 1 Remake
Mario Sunshine
Mark Kart

Are all worth picking up

If you were planning on buying a new Gamecube, Someone at CAG said that the Metroid bundle GC's are scanning for $49 at Sears. YMMV, but they have a few different people with receipts proving it.

So might be worth your while to check it out.

Well, I'm no Mario Kart fan but Double Dash is a lot of fun and if you're already a fan.. should be a no-brainier. The new Mario (Sunshine) is a lot removed from it's classic platform siblings, and I'm not really a fan of that either so I can't advise there.. Zelda and Metroid series are VERY well represented in 3D and are essentially what got me back into gaming after a decent break and distaste for where gaming was going. Viewtiful Joe (and part 2, I'd assume) are major throw-backs to classic platforming and beat-em-ups. Of course, it's no longer a Cube exclusive but still a must-have if you get one.

If you have a non-Gamestop/non-EB game store in your area, stop in and ask to try a few games out.

They also have the Mario Kart DD bundle. Comes with a gamecube (obviously) two controllers and Mario Kart for $99.96. Great value.

Check your local Sears -- some CheapAssGamers have found the Metroid bundle ($99.99) marked as clearance for $49.95.

Can't go wrong with a $50 GC with one of the best games ever bundled in!

I am currently playing my xbox the most, but the gamecube has gotten a lot of use. Even at full price you can't go wrong.

I will sell you mine in a package deal...take a look


http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=397412

Mittman

Yes, well worth it now with a lot of titles becomeing "Player's Choice". Zelda: Windwaker, Mario Sunshine, Super Smash Bros, Mario Golf, Rogue Leader, Rebel Strike, Resident Evil to name a few. Oh, and Paper Mario is fantastic!! A lot of games to love. I have had my GCN for 3 years now and it still gets the most playing time. I bought a PS2 (the new small version) last month (for Battlefront mainly) but I still can't turn off my GCN. Go for it. You can't go wrong with some of the bundles avail.

With Mario Kart and two controllers you should definitely pick up a cube. Pick up Metroid Prime and Zelda Wind Waker for $20 and Eternal Darkness for cheap (can be less than $10 used) and you are set.

In my opinion Super Monkey Ball 1 and 2 are must haves. They were pretty much my only reason for picking up a Gamecube...

It's definitely worth it, since the Player's Choice games are all $20 now.

However, you did say you primarlily play sports and FPS games. If that's all, I guess there wouldn't be that much to get for GC. With sports, you're better off sticking to the Xbox, since:

1. Xbox has a hard drive, so you don't have to buy big memory cards for GC (although they are more affordable now and available in larger sizes-the one with 1019 blocks is now out)

2. With GC, you're limited to EA Sports' offerings since Sega doesn't make sports games for it. However, if you like the Mario Golf and Tennis games those are options as well.

3. The controller isn't quite as good as the Xbox's (IMHO anyway), and there's no Dolby Digital 5.1 sound as the GC doesn't have a digital audio output or the special hardware needed for it. Many games support ProLogic II though.

4. (If this appeals to you) There is no online play for any GC games other than Phantasy Star Online, except the Warp Pipe Project for the few games that support LAN play.

AFAIK, the Metroid Prime games are the only worthwhile exclusive FPS for the GC. I would get it for the Rogue Leader games though. I recently got the first one again for $6.99 used at Gamestop. Viewtiful Joe may no longer be exclusive to GC, but it might as well be, since you don't have a PS2 anymore.

One more thing: don't forget your Wavebird.

There's a ton of great games that are exclusive, though many might not fit your tastes if you're mainly into sports and shooters. I'll add Eternal Darkness and Pikmin 1 & 2 to the list of games to check out.

Plus, the controller is great IMO. It's by far my favorite. It's just super comfortable IMO. And there's not topping the Wavebird!

Don't forget F-Zero!

The Good:

Metroid Prime: Haven't played the second game yet, but the first one is REALLY good. Retro really did an awesome job of translating the Metroid series into 3d. The game may be in a first-person perspective, but it's not your typical FPS. If anything, it controls a lot more like the 3d Zelda titles (with the lock-on and all..). One thing to note if you get the game, turn the hints off. For some reason, Retro decided to have them default to on, and they tell you exactly where to go next, which is really annoying. I personally found it much more fun to explore on my own and figure things out.

Pikmin 1 & 2: One of Nintendo's few new franchises this generation, and one of their best. There's just so much charm in both games, and they're different from practically everything else out there. If you do decide to get into this series, be sure to play both games instead of just jumping straight to the second one. While the second one is good, I found the first one to be a lot better in a few ways.

Cubivore: This is another weird little quirky title, but it's worth checking out if you can find it (it's supposedly really hard to find now).

Super Monkey Ball: Haven't played the second game, but the first one is great simple fun. You essentially control the entire game with just one joystick, but it gets really difficult really fast.

Donkey Konga: A bit on the easy side if you have any rythm game experience, but there's something to be said for playing a rythm game with something that looks and feels like an actual instrument. The song selection in the US version leans mostly towards the bland, but the game's still great fun, especially with 2+ people.

The Bad/Disappointing:

Zelda: The Wind Waker: While it's not bad per se, it's the weakest Zelda game by far. There's absolutely no challenge if you've played any of the previous Zelda titles, and the game reeks of being rushed through development, as there's quite a few filler spaces. However, the graphics are drop-dead gorgeous (probably the best looking game I've seen in a while), and at least in the beginning, there's a neat sense of exploration.

Mario Sunshine: Much like The Wind Waker, it's not a bad game on its own, but again, it's the worst game in its respective series. It has some great moments, but there tends to be more junk and filler than anything else. It's the only Mario game I didn't complete 100%. I stopped as soon as I got far enough to beat the last boss, then never played it again.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron: It's a good-looking game, but quite shallow. There's also a strange difficulty curve, too. Just doing the missions themselves is quite simple, but getting gold medals on them is insanely hard. It could be entertaining if you're a Star Wars fan, though.

Just a warning, I found Double dash to be no where near as fun as mario kart 64. So since I bought a cube primarily for this game I was initially disappointed. I notice that there are a few others who feel the same but many others do love the cube version.

I would consider Tales of Symphonia (if you like rpgs), and Harvest Moon (if you want something really laid back) as possibilities. The new rpg Baten Kaitos looks interesting too. Good to see the cube getting some some rpg love.

One game I've been meaning to get for ages is the cube f-zero. I loved the n64 iteration and based on the reviews, the cube one surpasses it.

I have always loved Nintendo and support most everything they do. I've had Gamecube twice and still have one. I had and sold PS2 and haven't looked back. While there are games on the PS that I do want, I just love the little cube and the Wavebird is so awesome to use.

Metroid has always been my favorite franchise and that is my primary reason- I have Prime 1 & 2, beat and sold Fusion and have Zero- and so glad that has the original NES version!

Then came Viewtiful Joe which used to be just GC exclusive and that game is awesome- I had the Japanese version when my cube was easily converted with a push button to play other regions- that's a neat little feature and now have the Am. version. Plus, now I am looking forward to Alien Hominid. And then my favorite game of all time came to only the cube- the original Star Wars!!! part of the Rebel Strike bonus disk. Though it plays awkward I still love having it.

I just love the cube. I will always have the cube in my home!

Two words -

Eternal Darkness

I'll see your Eternal Darkness and raise you Animal Crossing.

One more reason to possibly get a gamcube, I believe it is EBGames tomorrow having a special of 2 for 25 on all players choice games(I assume the $19.99 ones, since gamecube does have a few that are $29.99) and there are definitely some must haves that are at this price.

All Gamecube are $19.99 now.

I'll see both of you and raise you a Gameboy Player :D

another very strong vote for ETERNAL DARKNESS!!! i love my gamecube for the obvious games... the control stick i don't care for as much as the 64, but oh well, take the good with the bad... one HUGE disappointment is that RARE went to microsoft i believe, so the much anticipated sequal to CONKER'S BAD FUR DAY will be on x-box, so i might have to end up with one of those for the halos and conker...

Actually, the upcoming Conker game on the Xbox is just a remake of the N64 title with Xbox Live mutliplayer added in, as far as I know.

Yep, it's just a remake. The single player game is identical, except for much better graphics.

The Mario Party games are a lot of fun, and another vote for the heroin that is Animal Crossing.

I've seen a few recommendations for F-Zero GX in here, and had to throw in my own two cents...

Don't bother with it.

Don't get me wrong, the game has a LOT of potential. The graphics are really good, and most of the time, the racing is pretty entertaining. The problem comes from the difficulty.

The game is way too hard.

Now, I don't mind a hard game. I love a game that requires me to practice and get better in order to do well in the game. However, this is not what makes F-Zero GX difficult. The difficulty in the game comes from the incredibly cheap physics, which tend to go all screwey at random intervals. There will be times when you brush against the side wall of the track, and instead of just taking a little damage and bumping off, your vehicle will get tossed, upside down, into the air and sideways with quite a bit of momentum. There's really no way to recover from this as it happens way too quickly (and you're upside down), so it's time to start the race over.

It gets even worse when, after spending the whole race carefully trying to avoid even brushing against the walls in fear of being randomly tossed into the wild blue yonder, an AI racer will come barreling up from behind you, ramming you into the wall and sending you flying off anyway. Sometimes you don't even need to hit anything to go flying sideways, sometimes it just randomly happens as you're trying to adjust your heading. Your craft will suddenly fly sideways, smacking you into the wall (or just plain off the track, if there's no wall)

The worst part is that it's not a rare event. Every circuit I've won has required at least one restart due to running out of lives in these random occurances, and it usually puts me off playing the game for a few months. I just got finished with yet another frustrating session not more than a few minutes ago, and felt the need to vent.

Two things about the above paragraph... 1.) Physics? You are driving a freaking hovercraft. and as for bumping off walls 2.) You are going 800 mph! You think at that speed you are just going to scratch the paint? I don't think so. Flipping over is more than likely the case.

The game is not for the faint of heart. I never finished it, but I still had a blast with it. I would hardly not recommend something because of difficulty.

Okay... I bought a GAMECUBE today (black friday)The Double Dash pack and they gave Mario Golf FREE with it too.

1.) I only got 1 controller and I thought FOR SURE it came with two.

2.) They no longer make the digital out on the NEW gamecubes so I cannot play 16:9 progressive scan! STUPID!

I am so bummed, I wanted to play Metroid Prime 2 in PO-SCAN. I might take it back and look for a used GC with the digital output :(

But the platinum is sweet!

Your post got me curious, since I recalled seeing the bundle with two controllers at Best Buy. Sure enough, I checked BB's website and there are two controllers.
http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US...6915065_ra.jpg

...but then I checked EB Games website.
http://www.ebgames.com/ebx_assets/pr...ges/245878.jpg
Here's their description of the bundle:
The Nintendo GameCube Holiday Bundle includes:
Platinum Nindendo GameCube console

Platinum Controller

A/V Cable

Power Cord

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

So they rip off consumers again. Typical.

I think difficulty is an important thing to factor in when buying a game, so I usually mention whether I thought a game was too easy or too hard.

I don't like to waste my money on games falling into either category, so I point those faults out to others when reccomending games.

Yes, physics, as in the way things move and are affected by other objects in-game.

And while it may be "realistic" for an object moving at that speed to go flying even if it brushes against a wall, it's quite obvious that that's not what's supposed to happen in-game. If it were, it would happen more often. As is, it's just a random occurance, and most bumps into the wall have the correct reaction of penalizing you a little speed and energy, instead of arbitrarily chucking you completely off the track.

Like I said, it's not the difficulty in and of itself. If the game didn't have the repeated bullshit unavoidable insta-deaths, then I'd actually really be enjoying it. However, the fact that you can lose a race (and potentially a half an hour of work if it happens at the end of a circuit) over a random glitch in the collision detection that you often have no chance of avoiding should be MORE than enough validation for any recommendation against a game.

16:9 and Progressive scan are two totally different things. 16:9 is an aspect ratio, anamorphic widescreen. Most games are not 16:9 b/c it affects the framerate.

Umm the one at EB also comes with $15 gift voucher which can be used towards a purchase at participating retailers, and this weekend at EB you get another game free anything $29.99 or less.

Yep, and since the price on Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles drops in price to $29.99 tomorrow, that would be a great choice.

So to sum up, for $100, you get a platinum GameCube, Mario Kart: Double Dash, a $30 game, and $15 towards the purchase of another game (which, if Best Buy is a participating retailer, will net you a free copy of Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, or any other Player's Choice title).

A pretty incredible deal if you ask me.

I don't care how many regular controllers it comes with, you're going to want to buy wavebirds... :)

On the F-zero sidebar:

Three things I hate about F-zero:

The fact that I'll never seen an F-zero arcade machine in my life, and I'll never be able to download any of that content (or is it available elsewhere?)

The insane difficulty level, which ramps up so significantly that you can breeze through the first three races of a circuit and then lose all your lives on one track, forcing you to start over

The fact that the game is so addicting that I keep on playing it hoping to get lucky one of these times...

You might want to try giving Nintendo a call. Some people have gotten a replacement unit with the digital out by calling and complaining. You'll need to contact Nintendo anyway to buy the component cables. It's definitely worth it. The jump in quality from composite to component was dramatic in some games.