The Top Five Gamecube Games of 2003
Dec 31 '03
The Bottom Line What a great year it's been for the Gamecube! Heres to a great 2004!
No matter how you look at it, this has been a pretty darn good year for video games. Each console system has enjoyed great releases throughout the year, and the Nintendo Gamecube is no exception this year. There have been a number of excellent games released across all three platforms and Nintendo has enjoyed a handful of exclusive games to boot, making this a great year to own a Gamecube. I have compiled a short list of my “Top Five Games” to grace the Gamecube in 2003.
Without further ado, on with the list:
#5. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (review coming soon) - It’s been a long time since I’ve played Mario Kart. I loved the original Mario Kart but I missed Mario Kart 64, so all the bad press it got for being a bit of a rehash of its predecessor never bothered me. It was new to me! Nintendo also made lots of people happy by implementing LAN capabilities (even if online isn’t there, it’s a start) allowing MK:DD’s multiplayer to shine, which is what Mario Kart is all about. I’ve really been enjoying this game, definitely a keeper.
#4. NCAA Football 2004 - It’s no secret, I am a college football junkie. NCAA 2004 has everything I could ever dream of from a college football game. From its fantastic recreation of age-old college rivalries to the robust Dynasty Mode, this game has racked up the most time in my Gamecube since I bought it the day it was released. During that time, I have won National Championships, Coach of the Year awards, and even the coveted Heisman Trophy. I’ve taken a cupcake football school to national prominence. It never gets old and playing with friends makes it even better. I will be first in line for NCAA Football 2005.
#3. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (review coming soon) - The next three games could all easily be #1. Maybe Prince of Persia should be ranked higher, it is such a sweet game! The graphics are breathtaking, the music is excellent and the way the story is told is very cool. Sword fighting is the best I’ve seen ever and character animation is superb. Couple all of this with a pedigree like Prince of Persia and you’ve got a fantastic game.
#2. Viewtiful Joe - This game is everything I wanted from a 2-D beat-em-up. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but this is such a fantastic game. Time manipulation seems to be a common theme this year in video games and Viewtiful Joe does it just right. The story is a little goofy but it doesn’t slow the game at all. A superhero who doesn’t even know what he wants to call himsef is just classic. Another easy choice for the top five.
Before we get to Number One, here are a few games I enjoyed this year but just barely missed the Top Five:
Honorable Mention:
Splinter Cell - Sam Fisher can kill a man, just by looking at him. Sneaking around and knocking thugs unconscious has never been more enjoyable. Splinter Cell looks great and plays even better.
Need for Speed: Underground (review coming soon) - Or should it be Need for Speed: The Fast and Furious? Either way, NFS:U is the fastest car racing game since Burnout 2 but with real cars. Very fun, very fast.
NBA Street Vol. 2 (review coming soon) - Freestyle street ball looks great in this game. It’s a little Arch Rivals and a dash of NBA JAMS and a whole lotta style. Dr. J dunking over Big Aristotle (that’s Shaq, if you didn’t already know) is a glorious art. Too much fun to be overlooked.
And finally, drum roll please......
My choice for the Number One Game of 2003 for the Nintendo Gamecube is:
#1. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker - Again, during my hiatus from gaming I missed the classic Ocarina of Time (and the less praised Majora’s Mask) games on the N64 so I wasn’t torn by Link going cel-shaded. In fact, it was probably a realization of what I dreamed a video game could be. Fantastic music and beautifully rendered graphics make Wind Waker a game of the most sublime. I often catch myself gazing in amazement at what this game has become. I fear that many that play this game will not realize what they are experiencing. The time and detail that was paid to this game will probably be missed or overlooked by many, but this game is easily the best game of 2003. A masterpiece that currently rests upon the top of my list of greatest games of all time.
So there you have it, my choices for the Best of 2003. It’s been a great year and there have been some fun surprises but it has been a good year to own a Gamecube!
Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year!
(I have posted this list under the section of "How To Choose a Video Game Console" even though it is a list of Gamecube games and not about video game consoles in general. I looked around for another area to post this but since I didn't find any other appropriate area I decided to post it here.)
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