Jason's List
To borrow a quote from John Lasseters introduction on the Spirited Away DVD release: You are really lucky. If you have just picked up a GameCube, or havent really dipped your fingers in the ever-growing library of great games then it is now time to get excited. There are many worlds out there just waiting for you to experience them. Now dont go running to your local game store to browse for games just yet. You will be unarmed with little to no idea as to what games you want. Heck, even the games you think you want, you may not actually want them (or something like that)From what Ive seen through real life observations and even online ones, is that people are generally begging for help when it comes time to shop for a new title. What games are good? What games are worth your hard-earned dough? Well Im here to give you the straight goods on this issue. Ive picked the winners for both released games and upcoming ones as well so that you can avoid potential stinkers. The approach I used to choose the winners was actually quite interesting. I filtered out all the garbage in my head about biases, personal preferences to certain art styles, etc. My one and only criteria for the top games is how much enjoyment they give to the player. Sounds simple, but it is actually quite hard to narrow them down for an avid player such as myself.
Print out the list, pin it on your wall, or jot it down on a napkin. It doesnt matter. Just make sure you have this in your holster next time you mosey on down to the local games store. Saddle up, lock and load.
Released
Note: Choosing a number one game was like a mother choosing a favorite child. Its fairly difficult to rate the different merits of the games and come out with an order. However, I made my choices, and they are listed below. Dont be afraid to try ALL of the top contenders.
1- Skies of Arcadia: Legends.
Just go buy the game if you dont already have it. Reading on will make you hyped for the game, which creates the risk of being over-hyped. Just know now that part of what makes Skies great is the element of surprise. You have been warned.
Without a doubt, Skies of Arcadia makes for the most memorable GameCube experience so far. The games length is incredible, which probably helped to contribute to the lasting impression. I can say with the utmost confidence that this role playing game is the best weve seen since the days of Super Nintendo. And for someone who knows how great SNES adventures/RPGs were, you know that you just cant make that kind of claim lightly. The game either has what it takes to stand up to the 16-bit masterpieces or it doesnt. This game stands tall next to the master games of old and in some ways even trumps them. The plot isnt dark and the characters are not completely serious. But thats what makes the game so incredible. It is, at its core, an adventure that relies on interesting and energetic characters, rather than melodramatic soap-operas. You will be amazed at how well it works in the games favor. In fact, it is the only third-party game where I absolutely must follow the series to wherever it ends up in the future. It really is that great.
2 Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
The game is not overly difficult when it comes to survival. That doesnt stop it from having the most production value of practically any game ever created. So much work went into the creation of this game that you cant help but be impressed while playing. I even got to thinking the other day whether or not there are even any companies out there with the marbles to even compete with this game. I mean, sure they could try. But Nintendo has shown it has talent in areas that other people cant even touch with a ten foot pole. Areas such as play control. Moving link and watching him walk around exactly the way you want him to feels perfect. In fact, even the first hour of game is worth the price tag alone. This is Nintendo with more artistic flair than ever before and boy is it ever a beautiful thing to behold. Even when youre not playing the dungeons, fooling around in side-quests is a lot of fun. Finally, the entire finale in this game is spectacular. Go straight to the store and pick it up. Do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars.
3 Super Smash Brothers: Melee
Talk about standing the test of time. This is the ultimate pick-up-and-play game, with enough depth to last a lifetime. In fact, Ive been playing the game since its release and I am still learning new things. And like all great games from Nintendo, it will take a couple of minutes to learn, and a lifetime to master. The attention to detail in this game is key. The team at HAL must have been programming it on a frame by frame basis, because the balance is too good for a game that moves this fast. Even for those who just want a multiplayer brawler, there really is no match. The fact of the matter is that this game was created so perfectly that we could be playing it for years to come without any need for a sequel (Not that one would hurt). How often do you come across a game that does everything so well that you wont ever need a sequel to correct problems?
4 Super Mario Sunshine
It has been a long time since a game challenged me this much, yet kept me this entertained. Running Mario around on this island is like getting an all-access pass to the best playground on earth. Making Mario do his famous jumps through the air is such a satisfying experience that it will keep you entertained for hours alone. Whether youre running around in the main village kicking fruit, or taking a swim in the ocean, everything is a joy. And yet, the game is as challenging as it is relaxing. One minute you could be relaxing next to the shoreline admiring the beautiful sunset, the next minute youre fighting off giant piranha plants and doing triple wall jumps over a giant pit. But thats really the appeal of the game though. It will keep you bouncing around and having fun in the giant playground even after you finish your main tasks. But remember; only the brave need apply.
5 Metroid Prime
This game truly has it all. Graphics are absolutely superb, and actually do add to the gameplay through immersion and atmosphere. Where the game truly shines though is in the game design department. Level designs and gameplay balance are so excellent it makes my head spin. Particularly the level of challenge present in the game was given a great deal of attention. If you like a challenge in your game, then definitely pick this one up sooner rather than later. It will tests your skills, and bring you to an alien world unlike anything youve ever seen. And finally, rock-solid frame rate and tight control round off the rest of the glowing features present in the title. Dont miss out on the experience that definitely goes into the videogame hall of fame.
6 Animal Crossing
After Harvest Moon on SNES proved that farming could be fun, the sky was the limit for this genre. Though not unlike Harvest Moon, Animal Crossing is truly in a league of its own. Every minute in our world is a minute in the game. When you arent playing the game, you could be missing something going on in the village. Although that doesnt so appealing at first, you have to let it sink in. Soon you will be thinking of your house and village when the system is off. When you are at work or school, youll think to yourself am I missing the carpet salesman right now? The game is quite possibly the most original release this industry has seen in many years. If you have a family that would be willing to play an hour or two every day in a game, do not hesitate to pick up this game right away. You have the Jason Nuyens money back guarantee that there is no other game more relaxing to play. There is no attacking or dying involved. No giant punishments for not getting the nicest house. In a small way this game mimics the Sienfeld code: Its a game about nothing. You could spend hours fishing, catching bugs, talking to villagers (who talk about different things all the time), planting flowers, collecting and playing NES games, and MUCH more. Honestly, the replay value on this game is sickening. The best part is that you dont need to be 18 to play. People of all ages can appreciate this one.
7 Eternal Darkness
Youve probably figured out by now that Im a sucker for adventure stories. But in Eternal Darkness I found much more than just an adventure. I found the most involving videogame experience Ive ever had. Did you ever enjoy analyzing movies in senior English classes? Or how about thinking about a movie long after it is over? This game will test you in more ways than one, and in doing so, makes for the greatest videogame script ever written. And when I say script I mean that in a very loose way. For this game will have you playing the story and watching the story play you. If you can imagine even briefly what it feels like for a game to get inside your head and make you start hearing or seeing things that just arent there (in real life that is), you are on the road to understanding Eternal Darkness. The line between reality and fiction is blurred occasionally throughout the experience in Eternal Darkness to the point where you will begin to question the simplest things both in the game and perhaps your own life. A game that causes paranoia, you say? Perhaps. But the mental games it plays with you are deeper than the loss of your characters sanity. It will make you think of those who dwell behind. For all those who ever thought monsters lived under your bed, or analyzed a movie to death, this ones for you.
8 Resident Evil
Hot on the heals of Eternal Darkness is the straight shooting horror game, Resident Evil. This game sets out to do one thing and one thing only: to scare the pants off of you. And indeed those pants will be scared off, for this is one horrific adventure. The game is designed almost flawlessly to have you managing the scarce amount of ammo that you can find in the hopes that you can survive the dark corridors of the mansion and beyond. Speaking of the mansion, it really does have an excellent feeling to it. The graphics, sound, and atmosphere come together to give the environment an excellent, almost tangible, feeling. In many cases this game can scare you by showing what could possibly be your worst nightmares on screen. And although the game seems to be scary on a cheap level at first, you realize that it truly isnt. Sure they will intentionally use classic b-movie scares, but the result is greater than the sum of these parts. The scares end up coming from a combination of all the elements from the game which ultimately make a title you just cant go without playing. You have to see for yourself how fun it is to be scared sometimes.
9 Timesplitters 2
Forget single player experience here. The multiplayer is where the true beauty lies. This one is a first person shooter with some serious class. You could say it comes from the Goldeneye team, even though its not entirely accurate. How many members from the original Goldeneye team went on to make this game is irrelevant though, because the game carries on the spirit of the classic. The game is masterfully coded to run at 60 frames a second without a hitch, no matter how hectic the action gets. Multiplayer options and setups are practically tailored for the old Goldeneye crowd with healthy upgrades to boost. What makes it even more interesting is that they were able to preserve the feeling of playing that old Goldeneye game. The way the auto-aiming works, the polished hit-detection, and the sense of control in the heat of battle are all traits that veterans can relate to. If you have friends over all the time and are looking for a multiplayer game to keep peoples attention for hours, you need not look further than Timesplitters 2.
10 Pikmin
Pikmin is a strategy game without all of the typical PC strategy game ties. For instance, you dont play the game with a mouse cursor. Instead, you use an ingenious system whereby you are a commander who gives orders to your army of tiny plant creatures. The control mechanics for the game are simply brilliant, as you move Captain Olimar around to give orders to the Pikmin. The title also sports some slick level designs that seem to make the most challenges with the smallest amount of space. Your goal is to repair your downed ship within 30 days (otherwise your life-support systems run out and you will have to breathe deadly oxygen!) Not only will your task be difficult because of the set time limit, but some of the enemies are damn near impossible to defeat unscathed. In fact, to this day Im trying to see how far I can get in the game without losing a single Pikmin. In essence, the game can be as hard as you want it to be sometimes. If you want to push yourself to get high-scores, you will see lots of replay. If you just want to finish the game, you will find yourself restarting sometimes just because you know you could have done better on that last day. Excellent game that should be played before moving on to the excellent looking sequel this Fall.
And just for good measure
11 Monkey Ball
The original Monkey Ball was on shelves for GameCubes release and ended up being the best game of the initial batch of software. At first, the game didnt seem to be all that great, especially after buying an expensive machine to play it on. After a little while though, I got really hooked on the multiplayer rounds of Monkey Target (a parachuting game that has you flying for points with four players) and the single player challenges. The brilliance comes from endless amounts of replay through arcade-like challenges. In single player mode you navigate your monkey around in a ball trying to get through increasingly difficult levels. It is not unlike the old coffee table game labyrinth where you tilt a board with a marble, trying to make your way around holes in a maze. A lot of the fun comes from the excellent use of physics and simple play mechanics. You use one stick to move the monkeys. Thats it. People young and old can appreciate the game because we all have a natural understanding of standard Newtonian physics. Tilt the board left, marble will roll left. This game is extraordinarily addictive when trying to beat entire groups of levels without losing a life, and makes for an excellent party game. Get Monkey Ball before moving on to Monkey Ball 2 (the first one had better single player levels, and a more balanced multiplayer to me).
Hot Releases For 2003:
Allow me to be a bit concise on the upcoming list. Just make sure to keep your eye on these games in the coming months.
1. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! LAN play with up to eight cubesMario Kart formula now with two characters per kart. You do the math.
2. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles GBA link up with four players, where co-operation between players is key. If the game is long enough, it could end up being one of the best party games yet.
3. F-Zero:GX This game looks really good and plays like F-Zero X. This is pretty much an unstoppable formula for fun.
4. Soul Calibur 2 If there is one game that can stand up to Smash Brothers in terms of polished tournament fighters, it is this one. Luckily its really different from Smash Brothers, so now you can have two amazing fighters in your collection and variety to boot.
5. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes Never played the original MGS on Playstation? Then you are in for one HELL of a ride. If you havent gone through the original game then go get your pre-purchase ticket right now without hesitation.
Runners up:
6. Viewtiful Joe.
7. Pikmin 2.
8. Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
9. 1080: Avalanche.
10. SSX-3
11. Rogue Squadron 3: Rebel Strike.
12. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.
13. Beyond Good and Evil.
14: Kirbys Air Ride.
15. XGRA
16. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Well, that about wraps it up. Don't forget to check out N-Sider's release list here to see when all these great games are going to be on the store shelves. There are more games coming, but I only wanted to put down what I felt were going to be the cream of the crop. In the coming weeks and months we will have a better idea of what will be releasing this year as well. For instance, if Geist is coming out this year, you can rest assured it would have been high on this list. If Four Swords for GameCube was coming, it would have been damn near the top as well. Finally, if Nintendo Puzzle Collection comes out this year, it will also be one to look out for (especially because it might be a budget title).
If you have a question, comment, or death threat, feel free to send it to me at your leisure. See you next time.
Jason Nuyens