The GameCube is often considered Nintendo’s most overlooked console. Although it didn’t achieve the same level of success as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, this unique console—often nicknamed the ‘purple lunchbox’—was still a fantastic system and featured some truly incredible games.
The Nintendo GameCube is almost twenty-five years old, but its unique games still hold up remarkably well and are worth playing even now, in 2026. Many GameCube titles remain true masterpieces that are just as enjoyable today as when they were first released. Here are eight of the most outstanding examples.
Pikmin
Shigeru Miyamoto’s Latest IP Was Born Out Of An Odd Experiment
Okay, so Shigeru Miyamoto is, like, a total legend – the guy who created Mario, Zelda, and Star Fox, seriously! Back in the late 90s, Nintendo was showing off what the GameCube could do with this crazy tech demo called Super Mario 128. Miyamoto and his team ended up taking that idea and turning it into something completely new – a game called Pikmin!
This game truly felt special, particularly when it was first released. The idea of controlling a tiny astronaut exploring an alien planet and building an army of unique, expendable creatures was – and still is – incredibly clever. While its sequel, Pikmin 2, is also a fantastic game, many fans believe the original is better because of its captivating atmosphere and simple, understated story.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem
One Of The Most Creative Survival Horror Games Ever Made
In its first few years, the GameCube featured many familiar Nintendo franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Super Smash Bros. But Nintendo also surprised everyone with Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, a mature-rated survival horror game that proved they could create titles for older audiences, breaking the assumption that they only made games for children.
Man, Eternal Darkness is a game I always come back to. It was made by Silicon Knights, a studio that sadly doesn’t exist anymore, and it’s got this really cool story that jumps around through different time periods and places. The gameplay is a bit slower, like the old Resident Evil games, which I actually enjoy. But the real reason this game is special is the Sanity Effects. They’re totally mind-bending and constantly mess with you, even breaking the fourth wall – it’s seriously clever stuff. No other horror game has ever quite managed to do what Eternal Darkness did with those effects. It feels like we’re probably never going to get a sequel or even a remake, so I’m glad the original GameCube version still holds up. It’s genuinely impressive, even today.
The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Nintendo’s Biggest Franchise Took A Big Risk, And It Paid Off
The Legend of Zelda series was already well-loved, but the huge success of Ocarina of Time in 1998 and Majora’s Mask in 2000 made it a gaming phenomenon, leading to incredibly high hopes for future games. When The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was released in 2001, many players initially disliked its cartoon-like graphics. However, over time, it became clear that Nintendo had made the right choice with its unique art style.
I honestly can’t believe how good The Wind Waker still looks, even compared to games that tried to be super realistic back when it came out. But it’s not just the graphics – the whole game just feels so bright, cheerful, and unique. What really makes it a classic, though, is everything else: the gorgeous world you explore, the characters you fall in love with, the surprisingly touching story, and some of the best dungeons and boss fights in the whole Zelda series. Now that the original GameCube version is on the Switch via Nintendo Switch Online, it’s the perfect time to revisit this gem or experience it for the first time!
Although the Wii U remaster is a great way to experience the game, the original GameCube version still holds up beautifully, and some might even say it looks better than the 2013 version.
Metroid Prime
Samus’ First Foray Into The World Of 3D Gaming Changed Everything
It’s easy to forget how surprising Metroid Prime was when it first came out. After skipping a whole generation of consoles, a new Metroid game was finally coming to the GameCube, but with a twist: it was being made by a little-known American team, and it was a first-person adventure. Many worried it wouldn’t work, but the final game turned out to be a huge success, and is now considered one of the greatest Nintendo games ever made.
Metroid Prime brilliantly uses its first-person view to pull players into its world, and cleverly integrates Samus Aran’s various visors and weapons. The classic Metroidvania exploration works surprisingly well in 3D, making the game’s environments a joy to discover. It also features some of the most thrilling boss fights in the series, like the battles with Meta Ridley and Metroid Prime. Overall, Metroid Prime is a near-perfect game, and that’s why even the recent Nintendo Switch update didn’t require major changes.
If you started playing the Metroid series with Metroid Prime 4 and enjoyed it, you’ll appreciate the original Metroid even more. Playing the first game will show you what all the excitement was about when the sequel was announced.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
An Excellent Kart Racer With A Creative Gimmick
It’s funny how the initial, core Mario games for the GameCube – Luigi’s Mansion and Super Mario Sunshine – were good, but not quite classics. Luckily, the Mario spin-off titles really stood out, especially Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, which many fans consider one of the best games on the system. At the time, Mario Kart 64 was seen as unbeatable, but Double Dash!! surprised everyone with a fantastic new way to play.
Switching between two characters during a race, each with their own special items, was a brilliant addition to the Mario Kart series. It’s disappointing that no other games have tried this feature, which is why Double Dash!! remains popular with fans. Plus, the game features a memorable soundtrack and introduced beloved courses like Baby Park and Daisy Cruiser.
It’s understandable that you might not want to go back to older Mario Kart games when Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Mario Kart World are so good, but Double Dash is different enough to still be worth playing.
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
The Best Mario RPG Ever Made
Alongside other successful games, the Paper Mario series really took off on the GameCube. While the first Paper Mario on the N64 was great and followed the beloved Super Mario RPG, many fans consider its 2004 sequel to be the best turn-based RPG starring Mario. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door kept everything players loved about the original—like its unique paper art style and action-based combat—and improved it with better visuals and smoother gameplay.
The game is full of charm, with memorable characters, a surprisingly deep story, and vibrant settings. Fans had been asking Nintendo for years to revisit The Thousand-Year Door, and the 2024 remake delivered, making only small but helpful changes. Because of this, most players will likely prefer the new version, and there’s little reason to go back to the original GameCube release. However, the original game still holds up beautifully and is a joy to play even today – it didn’t need a remaster to be enjoyable.
Resident Evil 4
The Most Influential Third-Person Shooter Was Originally A GameCube Exclusive
Most gamers recognize Resident Evil 4 as a hugely important and innovative video game. It significantly boosted the popularity of the Resident Evil series and changed the way third-person shooters were made, introducing the now-common over-the-shoulder camera angle seen in games like Gears of War and Uncharted. What’s often overlooked is that the game initially launched as a Nintendo GameCube exclusive due to an agreement between Nintendo and Capcom.
Even though the 2023 remake is fantastic, the original Resident Evil 4 from 2004 remains incredibly enjoyable and is worth revisiting in 2026. Its dark atmosphere, frightening enemies and bosses, rewarding gunplay, and delightfully corny dialogue, combined with a highly replayable single-player experience, make Resident Evil 4 a true masterpiece. It revolutionized gaming on consoles of its era, and it all began on the Nintendo GameCube.
The GameCube version of RE4 doesn’t have all the features of the updated versions, but it has a unique appeal that the others don’t quite capture. If you’re used to the newer releases, you might not appreciate it as much, especially if you didn’t play it when it first came out in 2005. Still, I personally enjoyed experiencing the game in its original form.
The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess
The Nintendo GameCube Went Off With A Bang
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was Nintendo’s final game for the GameCube, and it’s rare for a console to end its run with such a critically acclaimed, exclusive title. While it was also released on the Wii, many players first enjoyed the game on GameCube, and it lived up to the hype.
Designed as a response to fan feedback on The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess offered a more mature and realistic experience, with a story that felt like a direct continuation of Ocarina of Time. While its visual style hasn’t held up quite as well over time, the game remains exceptional thanks to its intricate story, expansive world, engaging combat, and memorable dungeons. Twilight Princess is easily one of the best 3D Legend of Zelda games, and the GameCube version provided a fantastic final title for players of that console before the next generation arrived.
While both games are great, I’d suggest playing the HD version of The Wind Waker on the Wii U if you have the option – it just looks a lot nicer. That said, Twilight Princess on the GameCube still holds up really well, and the gameplay is excellent.
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2026-02-23 16:36