Hottest Gamecube Games

In no particular order, here are the hottest GameCube games available today.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requieum

Eternal Darkness is perhaps one of the best kept secrets on the GameCube. It didn't arrive on the market with the same kind of fanfare as the latest instalment of Resident Evil, but this horror game arguably blows Jill Valentine and crew clear out of the water. While the main protagonist is a young lady who goes to her grandfather's mansion after he is brutally murdered by an unknown monster, you get to take on the persona of eleven different characters in this game, spanning over two millenia. There is plenty of action and loads of puzzles, but what really sets Eternal Darkness apart from the competition is the innovative "sanity meter." As you encounter countless beasts, monsters, and grotesque creatures, your character -- understandably -- goes a little crazy. If your sanity meter is drained too low, you start seeing things. There are said to be about 100 different "sanity effects" in this game, from flies crawling across your screen to being thrown into a room filled with zombies… and it only gets stranger and more twisted from there. If you're into the deep, dark scary game genre and have an interest in the occult, you will certainly enjoy Eternal Darkness as you battle as a Roman centurion, a tomb-investigating archaeologist, and a Prince of Persia-like warrior, among several others.

Super Smash Bros Melee

Fast, furious action in an easy-to-pick-up title, Super Smash Bros Melee pits several Nintendo icons against one another in an all out battle for supremacy. Mainstays like Mario and Donkey Kong are here, as well as Fox McCloud from Star Fox, Captain Falcon from F-Zero, Ganondorf from Zelda, and even that yellow, electric rat-thing that we all affectionately know as Pikachu. The fighting environments are interactive, and there are several "weapons" that can be attained (like a light saber or Poke-ball). The gameplay is nowhere near as complicated as a Tekken, Soul Calibur, or Street Fighter, but it was never meant to be. Like many other games featuring our favourite Italian plumber, Super Smash Bros Melee is a great party game. As such, I can't wait to see Super Smash Bros Brawl for the Nintendo Wii in 2007.

Animal Crossing

To some, the premise of Animal Crossing may sound a little strange. As the only human (or close enough, anyways) character in a new town, you walk around making friends, sending packages, and visiting the nearby beach for some fishing. There really isn't a "goal" to the game, per se, other than paying off your mortgage and upgrading your home, but you do get to look for unique furniture, clothing, and even the odd classic NES game that is actually playable. Animal Crossing became so popular that it spawned the Wi-Fi capable Wild World sequel on the Nintendo DS. To some, Animal Crossing is vastly superior to even the legendary Sims series.

Madden NFL 2005

Ask any football fanatic what is the best series out there for hitting up the gridiron, and the same name will inevitably come up: John Madden. He may not be the end-all-and-be-all of football -- other series like NFL Street and Blitz also exist -- but if you want an authentic football experience, complete with realistic graphics, gameplay, and commentary, as well as official NFL teams and players, you can't go wrong with Madden NFL 2005. The reason why I selected this particular incarnation (there's a new Madden game every year for just about every video game system) over others is because, for the 2006 edition, the folks at EA Sports introduced the "Quarterback Vision Control" feature, of which I am not a fan. In effect, you control where your quarterback is looking with the C-stick, and if the receiver is in this field of vision, the passes are more likely to be completed. It made for much more awkward gameplay (rather than adding an interesting dynamic), and as such, Madden NFL 2005 is a superior title.

Need for Speed Underground

Let's get something out of the way. Street racing is bad. Very bad. But that's almost why we need to escape the reality of speeding tickets and unnecessary lethal accidents, and enter into the fictional world of Need for Speed Underground for the Nintendo GameCube. Aimed at the same audience as the Fast and Furious movies, NFSU lets you take on the persona of a street racer on the rise. You start out with a lowly econobox, but as you win races and earn the respect of your fellow racers, you gain access to faster cars, bigger modifications, and some pretty sweet "look good" items as well, like new wheels, spoilers, headlights, and graphics. From official licensed vehicles like the Nissan Skyline R34 GTR, Mazda Miata, and Mitsubishi Eclipse to "real" mods from NOS, HKS, Enkei and StreetGlow, this game was (and still is) a bit hit with the "tuner" culture. Follow-ups include Need for Speed Underground 2 and Need for Speed Most Wanted, as well as Need for Speed Carbon due later this year.

Other Notable Titles

The above five games are not the only great titles available for the Nintendo GameCube. Here are some super hot titles to keep you captivated for months, even years to come:

• Soul Calibur II
• Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO
• Super Mario Strikers
• X-Men Legends
• Naruto: Clash of Ninja
• Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
• Mario Power Tennis
• Metroid Prime
• Mario Kart: Double Dash