I started the Cheapest Games series quite a while ago and I figured I should revise some of the posts to reflect some of the changing values and give more relevant recommendations. Hopefully, this revised list of Gamecube games will help you start or build up your collection without having to spend much.. (Prices listed are an average eBay price for US games, including shipping)

After a year or two of increased Gamecube game prices (to coincide with the Wii’s success and backwards compatibility), prices have started to come back down for most of the best games — with the exceptions of the rarities and RPGs.   It also helps when some of the popular games receive sequels or re-releases.   So if you want to round out your Gamecube or Wii collection on the cheap, take a look at these picks.

	Metroid Prime: $6 Metroid Prime 2: $8 Sure, it isn’t the 2D Metroid most of us would prefer, but Metroid Prime does a remarkable job keeping much of the feel of the original series to a 3D world. It also happens to be one of the most impressive and compelling games on the Cube. Shop for Metroid Prime on eBay Shop for Metroid Prime on Amazon.com
	F-Zero GX: $8 When two innovative game-makers get together, good things happen. Even though F-Zero is a Nintendo franchise, Mario and Co. let Sega do most of the development work for this racer. Sega’s arcade experience paid off as F-Zero GX is a incredibly fast, challenging, addicting, and visually stunning piece of racing goodness. Dare I say that this game is my favorite racer of all time (I prefer arcade racers to simulations). Shop for F-Zero GX on eBay Shop for F-Zero GX on Amazon.com
	Pikmin:  $9 Leave it to Nintendo to take a rather complex and intimidating genre like Real-Time Strategy and make it something that a mainstream audience can fall in love with while keeping hardcore fans interested.   This wonderful creation from Shigeru Miyamoto is such an engaging experience, you won’t even realize that you’re playing an RTS.   The game was improved a bit in Pikmin 2 and it’s been re-released on the Wii with motion controls, so this original release is now extra-affordable. Shop for Pikmin on eBay Shop for Pikmin on Amazon.com
	Viewtiful Joe: $5 Viewtiful Joe 2: $6 This lovable series from Capcom took old-school beatemup gameplay, threw in some interesting gameplay puzzles and mixed with trendy cel-shading graphics. Capcom may not have been able to improve greatly on the series later on, but the original is still a must-own for a modern retrogamer. Shop for Viewtiful Joe on eBay Shop for Viewtiful Joe on Amazon.com
	Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader: $8 I can’t help but think back to the Gamecube’s launch and recall all the comments about this game and how the developers had to be careful to make the game look too much better than the actual movie it was based on. Rogue Leader II focuses on one of the more popular Star Wars gameplay mechanics, space combat. Shop for Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader on eBay Shop for Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader on Amazon.com
	TimeSplitters 2: $9 If you want a high-quality FPS that is designed for consoles, you need to pick up TimeSplitters 2. Developed by the same team that worked for Rareware on the N64’s Goldeneye 007, Timesplitters 2 has killer level design, great weapons, and a variety of multiplayer and minigame options. It may not have the realism that some modern gamers crave or a fascinating storyline, but it tops Halo in my book in terms of gameplay and all-out fun. Shop for TimeSplitters 2 on eBay Shop for TimeSplitters 2 on Amazon.com
	Super Monkey Ball: $7 Super Monkey Ball 2: $8 The Monkey Ball series was some of Sega’s last true example of pure creativity and genius as a multiplatform developer. Both games have a fun and challenging single-player mode, but also serves as a killer party title due to its diverse mini-games. Just stay away from Super Monkey Ball Adventure. Shop for Super Monkey Ball on eBay Shop for Super Monkey Ball on Amazon.com Shop for Super Monkey Ball 2 on Amazon.com
	Resident Evil Zero: $9 This was not only the first Resident Evil game to really show off the Gamecube’s graphical capabilities, but it also provided fans with a bit more backstory to the series’s beginnings.   RE0 also happens to be one of the most widely produced of the series for the Gamecube, so it’s not hard to find for a decent price. Shop for Resident Evil Zero on eBay Shop for Resident Evil Zero on Amazon
	Soul Calibur II: $5 Anybody remotely interested in 3D fighters should not overlook the Soul Calibur series. After the rave reviews as a Dreamcast exclusive, the original Soul Calibur was followed up as a multiplatform sequel with a great deal of hype. The Gamecube version was an especially high seller due to The Legend of Zelda’s Link as a playable fighter. However, even though Soul Calibur III wasn’t much better, most gamers are selling off their copies and picking up newer installments. Now is your time to take advantage of this bargain. Shop for Soul Calibur II on eBay Shop for Soul Calibur II on Amazon.com
	Wave Race: Blue Storm: $6 Blue Storm was a fan favorite after launch as it was essentially an enhanced version of an N64 classic (although many still swear by the original). Copies have become a bit more scarce the few years, but if you want a unique arcade racer, you may still be able to find it for a decent price. Shop for Wave Race: Blue Storm on eBay Shop for Wave Race: Blue Storm on Amazon.com
	Pac-Man Vs. / Pac-Man World 2: $7 If you want a killer party game for retro freaks and non-gamers alike, look no further than Pac-Man Vs. Pac-Man vs. was actually a project of Shigeru Miyamoto, the mastermind behind Mario, Zelda, and most of Nintendo’s most successful game. It lets up four players battle it out in a Pac-Man “simulation”. One person take the role of Pac-Man while the others possess the ghosts and team up on Pac-Man. Having the platformer Pac-Man World 2 included in the package is just an added bonus. Shop for Pac-Man Vs. / Pac-Man World 2 on eBay Shop for Pac-Man Vs. / Pac-Man World 2 on Amazon.com
	Star Fox Adventures: $7 This game was initially a let-down to Star Fox fans as it doesn’t let you do all the space battling that you would normally expect from a Star Fox game. Instead, Star Fox Adventures plays more like a Zelda game with its action, adventure, and exploration. If you know this going in, you should find Star Fox Adventures an affordable treat. Shop for Star Fox Adventures on eBay Shop for Star Fox Adventures on Amazon.com
	Sonic Mega Collection: $7 If you’re like me and love the two-dimensional days of Sonic the Hedgehog, you really need to look into picking up the Mega Collection.  It has every Genesis Sonic game and some extra goodies.  Unfortunately, if you want the wonderful Sonic CD, you’ll have to pick up the Sonic Gems Collection. Shop for Sonic Mega Collection on eBay Shop for Sonic Mega Collection on Amazon.com
	Alien Hominid: $8 If you don’t mind a few cheap shots here and there, this Metal Slug-inspired shooter with a slick style and sense of humor is worth the price of admission.  Actually, even the bonus games (with multiplayer support) is worth the price tag in my book. Shop for Alien Hominid on eBay Shop for Alien Hominid on Amazon.com
	Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour:  $9 Sure, many Nintendo gamers have moved on to golf games with Wii motion controls, but sometimes its nice to have a game with an old-school control scheme.   The Gamecube installment of Mario Golf is a solid title with classic Nintendo polish. Shop for Mario Golf on eBay Shop for Mario Golf on Amazon.com

Other Cheap Favorites

• Megaman Anniversary Collection: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Animal Crossing – $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Battalion Wars: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sonic Adventure DX: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sonic Heroes: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Killer7: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Tony Hawk’s Underground 2: $4  - eBay / Amazon
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Series: $5-$6 each  - eBay / Amazon
• SEGA Soccer Slam: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Lego Star Wars – $8  - eBay / Amazon
• X-Men Legends: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Red Faction II: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Simpsons: Hit & Run: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Robotech: Battlecry: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• SSX On Tour: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Bloody Roar: Primal Fury: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Midway Arcade Treasures: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com

Nintendo game libraries are always filled with all sorts of collectibles.  Between the cult following of the corporate brand and the fact the platforms have played underdogs at times (especially the Gamecube), it’s not a surprise that there are some treasures to be found in the Nintendo library.  The Gamecube hasn’t been dead for long, but here is a relatively early look at what games are tricky to find for collectors.  I will probably revise this one more often than those of older consoles as the resale values haven’t settled quite as much just yet.

In stark contrast to the Cheapest Games series, this Rare & Valuable series by JJ Hendricks and I  will round up the rarest and most valuable games for a given console or handheld so you’ll know what to look for whether you are buying or selling. JJ owns the video game pricing website, VideoGamePriceCharts.com and writes a Video Game Pricing Blog which analyzes video game prices, pricing trends, and charts historic video game prices. He used his pricing statistics to find both the average selling price and the highest selling price for each game over the last three months. Below you will see two prices beside each title. The first is the average daily selling price, which is typically the going rate for the game by itself. The second price is the highest price in the past three months which is usually the price for the new/sealed game. The list is ordered by the balance of the two prices. Note that some of these games are not rare in the sense that there are not many available, but rare relative to demand, which makes the games expensive.

Treasured Standard USA Releases

	Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix – $56 – $140 DDR Mario Mix is a regular DDR game with Mario characters, music, and art. It is the only US released DDR game on the Gamecube. Nintendo released the game in limited quantities for the 2005 Christmas season and it quickly sold out. In early 2006 Nintendo restocked shelves but quietly discontinued the game soon after.  It should be noted that games with prices below $70 don’t usually include the Dance Mat. Check for Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix on Amazon Check for Dance Dance Revolution Mario Mix on eBay
	Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2 Plus: $55 – $130 Phantasy Star Online Plus is a re-release that fixed a few bugs in the intial release and added a few extra areas. The game primarily sold poorly since the Gamecube’s online community was so poor and most dedicated fans bought the original release. Check for  Phantasy Star Online Plus on Amazon Check for  Phantasy Star Online Plus on eBay
	Phantasy Star Online Eps 1 & 2: $50 – $85 Here’s the original version of the Gamecube port.  Most opened copies sell for just under the price of  the “Plus” version.  I don’t think most people even note the difference on eBay.  It doesn’t get the premium sealed price that the “Plus” version receieves, however. Check for  Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2 on Amazon Check for  Phantasy Star Online 1 & 2 on eBay
	NCAA College Basketball 2K3 – $40 – $100 The rarest game for the Gamecube. NCAA Basketball 2K3 is a college basketball game on the Gamecube so it wasn’t destined to sell very well. Sega helped seal the deal when they cancelled all 2K series games on the Gamecube and stopped this game in the middle of production. This is one of the few sports games to become rare and valuable on any system.  The collectability of the game was hyped quite a bit, but prices have been gradually falling as that has cooled down. Check for NCAA Basketball 2K3 on Amazon Check for NCAA Basketball 2K3 on eBay
	Resident Evil Code: Veronica X: $37 – $60 This was one of the four Resident Evil games Capcom re-released on Gamecube. Code Veronica and Resident Evil 2 received limited production runs after the Gamecube’s poor sales. After Resident Evil 4 released on the Gamecube prices spiked for all four RE games but only Code Veronica’s prices remained high enough to make this list. Check for Resident Evil: Code Veronica on Amazon Check for Resident Evil: Code Veronica on eBay
	Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes: $39 – $61 Twin Snakes is a remake of the original Metal Gear Solid for PS1 and was co-developed by Silicon Knights and Konami. Development was overseen by Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto. Critics loved the game and gave it an 85 average on Metacritic but the remake didn’t sell as well as the original. Check for Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes on Amazon Check for Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes on eBay
	Pikmin 2: $42 – $100 This is one I easily kick myself over.  I really wanted to get this one after playing the first installment in Shigeru Miyamoto’s wonderful take on the real-time strategy genre, but I figured I’d wait for the game to get cheaper.  That day never came.  It’s a bit of a cult classic and we’ll probably won’t see the price drop until a sequel or remake comes out on the Wii. Check for Pikmin 2 on Amazon Check for Pikmin 2 on eBay
	Ikaruga: $34 – $70 Ikaruga is a shooter originally released for Arcade and Dreamcast. In general, the shooter genre doesn’t sell very well and Ikaruga was no exception. If you have read the Rare and Valuable Saturn games list, you’re probably well aware of Radiant Silvergun and its strong following and inflated resale values.  Ikaruga is Silvergun’s follow-up of sorts, but it never quite reached the collectability level — even on the Dreamcast.  Values have also dipped down a bit after the release of the very affordable XBox Live version that is in infinate supply. Check for Ikaruga on Amazon Check for Ikaruga on eBay
	Fire Emblem Path of Radiance: $34 – $77 This challenging strategy series finally made its way out of Japan on the GBA and Gamecube and built a small but loyal following in the States.  The second Gamecube installment was released in rather small quantities as the Gamecube was on its final legs. Check for Fire Emblem Path of Radiance on Amazon Check for Fire Emblem Path of Radiance on eBay
	Pokemon Box – $40 – $65 Pokemon Box isn’t a game but allows players to store and sort Pokemon from the Gameboy Advance Pokemon games. In the US the game was only sold at the Nintendo World store and online, which limited the sales. The European version was never sold in stores but available through the Nintendo of Europe loyalty program. Check for Pokemon Box on Amazon Check for Pokemon Box on eBay

Additional Gamecube Games of Value

• Skies of Arcadia Legends: $27 – $63
• Digimon Rumble Arena 2: $28 – $60
• Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time / Master Quest: $30 – $55
• Tales of Symphonia – $30 – $54
• Cubivore: $30 – $47
• Resident Evil 2: $28 – $53
• Legend of Zelda 4 Game Collection: $31 – $40
• Bust-A-Move 3000: $25 – $54
• Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess: $29 – $40
• Eternal Darkness: $23 – $43
• Super Smash Bros Melee – $23 – $50
• Resident Evil 3L $24 – $40
• Star Wars: Jedi Outcast: $23 – $33

Rarest Games At Affordable Prices

Each of these games are quite hard to find, but routinely sell for $20 or less. If you are an collector and see a mint copy of any of these on eBay for a low price, you might want to snatch them up — you might not see them often and they could be a higher profile target down the line.

• Baten Kaitos Origins: $20 – $30
• Killer 7: $10 – $25
• Goblin Commander: $11 – $17
• Gotcha Force: $10- $23
• Rave Master: $11 – $14
• Chaos Field: $7 – $13
• Spirts & Spells: $12 – $14
• Worms 3D: $10 – $13

Credits: Gamecube game prices provided by VGPC.com. Used prices are the average price between August 4th, 2008 and December 14th, 2008. New prices are the highest price a sealed version of the game sold for during this same time period.

Related Posts:
The Rarest & Most Valuable NES Games
The Best Undiscovered Gamecube Games
The Best Wii Games Under $20
The Best XBox 360 Games Under $10

presented by fastbilly1 with racketboy

The Idea In A Nutshell

Zelda Four Swords Adventure for the Gamecube is a killer party game, but who wants to play on a GBA? We fix this issue with a killer multi-Gamecube, multi-TV setup.

Nintendo Makes Legend of Zelda Multiplayer

It is a fickle slope when traditionally single player series add multiplayer elements. Sometimes it works, but more often than not it feels tacked on, rushed, or are just simply bad. However in 2002, Nintendo added a little something to their GBA port of their famous Link to the Past title, a high-quality side game called Four Swords.

Four Swords provided a random multiplayer world for those who knew one to three other people who owned copies of the game. This was a fantastic sidequest for the series but had a few problems such as the length of the game and the technical limitations of the GBA. No matter the problems, the Zelda series had finally worked in multiplayer, and it was awesome.

Flash-forward two years. Nintendo releases Four Swords Adventure for the Gamecube. This game expands the gameplay of the original and adds some rather nice features. Still using the Link to the Past inspired character and world sprites, it adds in Windwaker styled explosions, a orchestrated soundtrack inspired by Link to the Past, and a deathmatch-styled game mode. It seems like it has everything going for it, brilliant 2D gameplay, beautiful visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, but it has one dastardly hardware requirement that keeps it from being in everyone’s collection, which we will talk about later.

What Makes Four Swords Adventure Worthwhile?

In Four Swords Adventure, you still have your standard adventure, known as “The Hyrulean Adventure” , which involves eight areas; each of which has three stages and a boss fight. For those who have played a Zelda game but not a Four Swords; you work your way through the stages in typical Zelda style but with one twist. Force Gems appear on the stage and without a certain amount you cannot complete it. Whoever has the most of these crystals at the end gets a bonus on who wins the round. By “wins the round” at the end of the stage you are rated on several facets of gameplay.

So it does come down to a nasty game of co-op/counter-op as the game progresses. You also need the all of the players going one direction to change the map on the tv, so if one person is a completionist or just has to cut down every bush, then it can take awhile. This is both alleviated and compounded by the fact you can lift up other players. This most noted in three player mode when one of the Links is essentially dead space until he is put to work. The downside is that if you piss of another player they can pick you up and throw you into pits or take you places against your will. I like to view it as a needed accessory to the game, but that’s just mean spirit in me wanting to throw that prick of a blue player into a pit after he lit me on fire for the fourth time.

However my aggressions are better suited for the other multiplayer mode, “Shadow Battle”. Shadow Battle is simply deathmatch in Zelda. There are ten stages, random weapons and powerups. It is important that this mode is available because more often that not after a few stages in the adventure mode, it ends up being a fight anyway, why not add more weapons and flair? The stages are the standard set you would imagine from a multiplayer Zelda game: a Beachside Cottage, Wind Temple, Fire Temple, Hyrule Castle, etc, but they are all balanced and will provide you with hours of intense battles. Like a Bomberman title, the game is easy to learn (even none gamers should pick it up in a couple of minutes), has a fair amount of depth, and is fun.

Four Swords Adventure’s GBA-Based Weakness

To play Four Swords Adventure in multiplayer, every player needs a Gameboy Advance and a Gameboy to Gamecube cable. So to fully enjoy the game you need four GBA’s, four Gameboy to Gamecube Cables, and the usual Gamecube and TV. (see a diagram of this original setup)

Why does everyone need a GBA? Well the game is played on both the TV and the GBA screen. For example, when you enter a cave or building on the tv, you showup on the GBA. This makes for intense fights and puzzles that span both screens. Essentualy, Four Swords Adventure could not have been done any other way while maintinaing its unique gameplay and appeal.

While playing Four Swords Adventure with the GBA setup may be more affordable, it is definately not the most enjoyable experience for a number of reasons.

• Standard GBA screens are notorious for being hard to see
• GBAs aren’t as comfortable as Gamecube controllers
• All participants will get neck aches from moving their head up and down, alternating from the main TV display to their own GBA.
• When your teammates get stuck inside a dungeon or building, you can’t easily see their situation and help.
• You are limited to wired GBA-to-GC link cables

Our 5+5 Four Swords Solution

To get around the limitations of the GBA-based setup, we used Gamecubes with GBA players linked to a central Gamecube and hooked up to their own TV displays. This is the same method employed in the Pacman Vs setup from last years Momocon, I needed to scrounge up three more Gameboy Players and Gamecubes to take it to the next level.

Breakdown of the Equipment Needed

• One Gamecube or Wii running the Four Swords Adventure Disk
• 1 Large TV for primary Gamecube/Wii
• 4 Gamecubes with Gameboy Players
• 4 GBA-to-Gamecube Link Cables to connect GBA Players to primary Gamecube/Wii
• 4 Gamecube Controllers (Wavebirds are nice for wireless)
• 4 Smaller TVs for the additional Gamecubes

What This Will Cost:

• Gamecubes – $60 Retail / $30 Amazon / $25 eBay / $30 at Gamestop
• Gameboy Players – $30-$40 eBay / $30-$40 Amazon
• Gameboy to Gamecube Cable – $5 used eBay / $10 new Amazon
• Gamecube Controllers: 3rd Party about $10, Official about $15, Official Wireless about $30-$50
• TVs – You can go with new sets or look for used ones at Goodwill, garage sales, etc
• Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure : $12-$25 (eBay / Amazon)

So that comes out a little over $350 before TVs (assuming you don’t have any of the stuff already). BUT if you break it up over time, hunting for deals or re-using older equipment you already have, you can get it all for a lot less. Heck I got a Gameboy Player for $5, and another for $15 on Craigslist.

Small Things To Keep In Mind:

• You only need one disc for the Gameboy players, once they are the loaded you can take the disc out and put it in the next one.
• Also I have been told that you can use the Japanese hardware on the US system.
• However you cannot use the Japanese disc without a freeloader, but they supposedly work with the US disc. (I have not tested this)

The basic principle behind this is that with a TV people cannot complain that they cannot see what is going on on the screen. (They also have a bigger and clearer screen for reading the menus in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, in case you want to play that as well). This makes the games a lot easier to explain, but it also takes up a lot of room. And I just used the cables I already owned.

The 5+5 Zelda Setup Put To The Test

This was setup at Momocon 08 on Saturday in a corner of the Retro Gaming Room, and while it did not get the play traffic we expected it to grab, it was damn impressive. It was always a little daunting for people to jump in on since it does take four people. But people would see it, disappear briefly and then pop in with others to play a few rounds. There were two teams of ambitious people who tried their best to get through the story mode without a memory card., but everyone that jumped in and out seemed to have a blast. (Most player fatigue was probably due to trying to play the whole game without saving — Having memory card space is heavily recommended — my lesson has been learned.)

Photo Gallery | Zelda Four Swords 5 + 5 VideoSadly, I had to take it down Saturday night and transport it home (I only have so much space in the car), and on Sunday there were droves of people who were asking about it and wanting to play it and how to build their own. In the end, it took a lot of planning, friends, and a bit of luck to pull this one off, but it made a good impact on the con. Now that it has been done at our con, and documented, I think I may travel to some of the other smaller cons in my neck of the woods, to spread that strange mix of joy and frustration that this game always brings so more people can light their friends on fire with the firewand.

Other Multi-Screen Gamecube Games To Try

While it never had the potential to be the must-have Gamecube game, or the game that you buy the console for, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure did provide an experience that no other console has duplicated. There are two other games that use a similar setup, readers of the site may know Pacman VS quite well, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. If you do end up getting enough Gameboys for Four Swords, do yourself a favor and try to get the other two. All three are fantastic games and it really is a shame that they do not get the recognition that they deserve.

In a response to many requests, I’m starting a new series covering the best modern 2D games for newer consoles. What’s especially interesting about modern 2D games is that not all of them use old-school sprites or hand-drawn art. Some of them actually use 3D graphics for all of the visuals, but keep the gameplay in a 2D perspective. Because there are a number of excellent 2D games for this system, I’m making a cut-off point of 1998 as the earliest year of original release for a game to included in this list of “modern” 2D games. I have a separate listing of all the Gamecube Retro Compilations if you are interested in older games.

Instead of stressing myself out trying to writeup a summary of each of these games, I’m citing some quotes from my favorite reviews of each of the featured games. I invite you to click on the review link to read the full reviews for the games that grab your attention. Enjoy!

Adventure / RPG

Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door
” Once people got the original Paper Mario in their hands, it was hard not to fall in love with its vibrant color scheme, slick artwork, and undeniable charm. The Thousand Year Door continues that tradition from every angle.The game’s great use of color and animation make it a prime candidate for showing off your Cube in 480p. The art style is classic Nintendo chic, from the environments to the characters’ design, and is so consistent that you could pretty much imagine what to expect from the entire game after looking at a few screens. What’s been improved upon even more since the original is the convincing charm lain out by the first game. Mario’s animations are very detailed and expressive, specifically when he’s pulling off his special moves (like squeezing through cracks or turning into a paper airplane). In general, this new Paper Mario title does a much better job than the first did of consistently taking advantage of the fact that the entire universe is supposed to be made of paper…

Paper Mario is, in nearly every sense, a streamlined role-playing experience. The game casts you in the role of Mario and it tells a very light-hearted, but steadily unraveling story. But the mechanics are as simple as they possibly could be while still maintaining the spirit of a turn-based RPG. The game only asks you to keep a few stats in your head at a time—namely Mario’s hit points, flower points, and badge points, which are used for health, special moves, and equipping badges (which are used to modify Mario’s abilities), respectively. However, just as much as it steers clear of a lot of the nitty gritty found in hardcore RPGs, it also adds refreshing elements that make it much more accessible to the average gamer who might not have the patience or dedication to steamroll through a traditional role-playing title.”
Nintendojo’s Review of Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door
Find Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door : (eBay / Amazon)

Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
“It took two great companies to come together to make The Four Swords. Capcom and Nintendo teamed up to make a multiplayer Zelda game. Originally this was a bonus Game Boy Advance game that was included in the Link to the Past cartridge. However, many people didn’t take advantage of the Four Swords. Two years later The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords Plus gets a number of additions and becomes a full fledged Gamecube title. Not just a standard Gamecube title, but a game that exemplifies what exactly Game Boy Advance connectivity can do…

The graphics in The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords owe a lot to A Link to the Past. Many of the sprites were taken directly from a Link to the Past. While the sprite based graphics pale into comparison to the high level of animation in the Wind Waker, the graphics have a certain style to them. The retro style of the characters, levels and enemies translates perfectly to the Game Boy Advance. So when you’re entering into the GBA there is no loss in translation. The graphics also allow for many objects to be moving around on screen without slowdown. Four characters throwing boomerangs, thirty enemies running around and force pieces falling from the sky can all happen without a hint of slowdown. There are some Gamecube effects like the crisp explosion graphics, reflective water and shiny sword charges. The only time when the graphics have a problem is when you’re looking at them up close. You can see a pixilated edge, which isn’t as clean as you’d expect from the Gamecube. However, this is minor since you’ll be mainly looking at the characters from a panned out camera…

For the people that doubted GBA connectivity after seeing Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords Plus is here to prove that GBA connectivity can enhance gameplay. Nintendo has also put in effort so you can enjoy this excellent title without having a Game Boy Advance. This is because Four Swords Plus is a great game without the use of connectivity. The level design is excellent and the puzzle solving feels fresh since you have four players. Playing through Hyrule Adventure, is like playing through any other Zelda game with slightly more puzzle solving. If you do have a GBA you’re in for more of a treat. Because The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords plus doubles as a party game due to the battle mode, Tingle’s mini games and the Tetra’s tracker mode.”
Siliconera’s Review of Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Find The Legend of Zelda: The Four Swords: (eBay / Amazon)

Run N Gun

Alien Hominid
“ The setup is a simple one and matches the side-scrolling plots of yesteryear, including more up-to-date sidescrollers like Viewtiful Joe 2 or the Metal Slug series. Alien Hominid easily matches the frenetic twitch play of the best side-scrolling shoot ‘em ups. Although Alien Hominid occasionally has use of an energy shield, it’s the traditional “one hit and you’re dead” mechanism that makes for much challenge and allows you to hone your swearing. Once you understand fully the abilities of Alien Hominid (e.g. burrowing underground for short periods, riding the shoulders of FBI agents then biting their heads off, jacking vehicles, the advantages of two-player, etc.) the action becomes more varied but it’s still high-intensity twitch gameplay (with controls that allow you to keep up).

Besides the non-stop action, the aspect that will suck you in is Alien Hominid’s style which seems to combine elements from The Simpsons (bold, solid colors), the old Calvin & Hobbes comic strip (whacked character designs) and a third element that feels familiar but that I haven’t been able to identify. (Though Alien Hominid lifts aspects of the Metal Slug series, including the slashing sound effect, that’s not the third element.) It’s great fun to just watch someone else play. The environments are varied and mid-level and end-stage bosses are huge. Incoming bullets can be completely obscured with the amount of carnage on-screen, but once you get in “the zone” avoiding enemy fire and anticipating enemy movements becomes easier.

Considering Alien Hominid’s humble beginnings as a web-based flash game, the game we get here is as good or better than most side-scrolling shoot ‘em ups in recent memory. It shamelessly lifts elements from other titles in the genre but that doesn’t make it any less original (yeah, that makes sense) or less fun.
The Armchair Empire’s Review of Alien Hominid
Find Alien Hominid: (eBay / Amazon)

Mega Man X Collection
“Although I love all Mega Man action games, Capcom’s compilation of the main series annoyed me with its goofy controls and technical problems. With the spin-off Mega Man X (MMX) series now anthologized, Capcom has returned with a much better effort. Every game in Mega Man X Collection has customizable controls, and the ports are virtually flawless. In fact, the PlayStation games (MMX 4-6) have much shorter load times on GameCube, so you could say that they’ve actually been upgraded.

All of these games are best played with the D-pad, so if you are serious about Mega Man, I highly recommend Hori’s Digital Controller for GameCube. (As of this writing, it’s out of stock at our import partner, Lik-Sang, so check around at other import stores.) In addition to its big D-pad, the Hori controller has a more convenient Z-button for activating Giga Attacks.

So, given that the ports are well done, how good are the games themselves? In general, the SNES games (MMX 1-3) are tighter and more fun than the PSone games (MMX 4-6). The best (and rarest) game of the lot is MMX 3, an epic technical masterpiece that is arguably one of the best SNES titles of all time. An original copy of MMX 3 usually sells for what this entire compilation costs. It should be a huge draw for any fan of the series. It has excellent graphics and special effects, killer music, clever level designs, the most upgrades to find, and for the first time, you can play as Zero, Mega Man X’s mysterious friend. ”
NintendoWorldReport’s Review of Mega Man X Collection
Find Megaman X Collection: (eBay / Amazon)

Shmups

Ikaruga
” To really appreciate Ikaruga, one must understand how the game works. There are no pick-ups, no power-ups, and not a single fairy in the whole game. Instead Ikaruga uses a single fire button and a Homing Laser button. There are two types of enemies and enemy fire: dark and light — no more, no less. A third button switches the ship from dark to light. When the ship is “dark,” it can absorb dark projectiles but is susceptible to light projectiles, and vise versa. This is the gameplay mechanic that’s borrowed from Silhouette Mirage…

To really make it through the game requires a different way of thinking. It’s almost like mentally “blocking out” projectiles that correspond with the ship and avoiding the opposite color. The idea of switching is easy, but doing it on the fly is another matter and requires practice. There’s a certain satisfaction in being able to simultaneously fire and switch back and forth while avoiding enemy ships and structures…

A bit confusing at times, Ikaruga isn’t the traditional shooter. It’s not the type of game that can be played without devoting 100-percent of one’s mental strength to deal with the trials within. Similar to rhythm-action games, it’s definitely not the type of game that is played during a conversation.

Functionally gorgeous — that’s one way to put the visuals in Ikaruga. Treasure faced an interesting predicament when it designed a shooter based on colors. Mass confusion and frustration would set in if the background, enemies, and particle systems were anything but two specific colors. So we won’t see any uber-bright colors or backgrounds in this shooter. What we will see are a lot of hi-tech and industrial looking structures and backgrounds. In its defense, Ikaruga does feature some stage themes to break up the absence of any real color.”
IGN’s Review of Ikaruga
Find Ikaruga: (eBay / Amazon)

Shikigami No Shiro II (Japan Only)
“So what makes Castle Shikigami 2 so good? In most respects, it’s just a run of the mill shooter. But what it does, it does well. Enemies large and small fly on screen and your job is to dodge their bullets and blow them up. There are seven different characters to pick from. Each has a unique standard shot as well as two optional charge shots (you can select one). Tapping the fire button unleashes the standard shot attack, while holding the button activates the charge shot, which the game refers to as a “Shikigami.” Shikigami attacks can often home in on and lock onto enemies, but the downside is that they very often leave you unprotected from excess enemies, as well as the soft bullets that your normal weapon can simply neutralize. Like any good shmup, you can also unleash a “bomb” by pressing the X button.

And so it goes, for ten levels or until you expend 3 lives and 3 continues. In each level, you’ll fly up the screen dodging bullets and shooting minor enemies until you reach a mid-boss. Then you’ll do it again to reach the level-boss. Bosses tend to have multiple forms and transformations, which is always a bonus. They’re also psychotically well armed. In the vast pantheon of shooters, this one falls into the “bullet hell” category… which means that the screen is constantly packed with bullets and lasers…

The ride is certainly pleasing to the senses. At first glance, Castle Shikigami 2 looks like any other old school vertical scrolling shmup–with ship sprites and bullets overlaid over scrolling backdrops. Look closer though and you’ll see that those cities and forests aren’t hand drawn, but are instead photorealistic concoctions made from polygons and high-resolution image elements. You’ll also notice a free flowing river in one level, and moving car traffic on a freeway in another. Meanwhile, the ship sprites and bullets are made out of 2D and 3D elements, but the kicker there is that they’re also highly animated. Your own character’s arms and legs will kick out and sway as you shoot and fly around, and enemies will twirl around and show off their little flaps and engines as they try and catch up with you. There’s some slow down here and there, but that’s understandable given how many bullets are often on screen. Not bad for a 3D shooter designed for old Naomi/Dreamcast hardware.”
PSXextreme’s Review of Shikigami No Shiro II (PS2)
Find Shikigami No Shiro II: (eBay)

Chaos Field
“Like many modern shmups, Chaos Field rewards those who examine and explore the possibilities of the game system, rather than simply blasting away. As you explore, you will find that Milestone have produced a very intricate game of dualities. Departing from what you might expect, each Phase in the game comprises only timed boss attacks, with no lead-up. The fundamental task is to maintain a combo meter, which acts as a score multiplier, for an unrelenting series of these boss encounters…
Visually, Chaos Field manages to impress, despite some seriously ropey textures, mainly by creating its own style. There is something slightly askew about the oversized craft, enemies, and bullets (and the genuinely inventive, unusual backdrop designs) that appeals. Put it next to a more celebrated shmup, however, and it will seem less polished – it is certainly functional, but possesses a certain charm. Adding to the charm, the music is of a very high standard. Chaos Field features a series of quality high-speed trance tunes, which suit the game perfectly.

While the game throws a brutal amount of harm at you from the very beginning, it avoids frustrating too much by offering so many choices of attack and defence. This naturally leads the player to learn the game system, and settle into their own style of play. Chaos Field also offers a choice of pilot to suit your method; Hal who is balanced, Ifumi who is the most manoeuvrable, and Jinn, the most powerful. There is a very long, rather than steep, learning curve too, as new techniques are explored, learnt, and shared. For example, in some instances it may be worth sacrificing a shield, which gains you half the meta stock gauge, but finding the right use of this technique, by balancing the loss with points, will take time to accomplish.”
NTSC-uk’s Review of Chaos Field
Find Chaos Field: (eBay / Amazon)
Excellent Imports:
Hudson Selection Vol. 2: Star Soldier (eBay)
Radio Allergy (eBay)
See Also: Gamecube Shmup Library

Action/Beatemup

Viewtiful Joe & Viewtiful Joe 2
” Joe starts out with basic moves but later is taught VFX moves by Captain Blue. VFX moves let Joe slow down time, fight at mach speed, or zoom in on himself to distract enemies. The VFX powers hatch a variety of different gameplay styles that are as intuitive as they are fun to use. The slow power lets you beat up bad guys in a slow-mo fashion that’s been seen in every action flick. The punches/kicks echo off the enemies’ body and Joe can spot minor details like parts flying off a pummeled robots’ body. Mach Speed lets Joe punch/kick with blazing speed. Beat up a row of enemies and Joe will catch fire, lighting nearby enemies ablaze as well. The zoom power focuses the camera on Joe to dazzle enemies and leave them in awe of his superhero greatness. In the mode Joe can punch bewildered enemies, perform a circle kick, and drill jump towards the sky or pounce down on enemies.

What makes VJ so great is that each VFX power isn’t just for show but is integral to the gameplay. For enemies that shoot bullets, Joe can slow down time to see the bullet and punch it back towards an enemy. Mach speed can speed up a fan-based propeller so Joe can reach a higher platform. And moves specific to the zoom function need to be performed to get Joe passed certain obstacles…

Classic 2D gameplay is the core of VJ’s mechanics. Every movement is snappy, instant, and combos are remarkably fluid with each punch/kick connecting with ease. Viewtiful Joe’s visuals are an amazing concoction of cel-shading and trademark artwork reminiscent of American and Japanese comic books. The bold outlines represent more American style art, while Viewtiful Joe’s muscular yet highly acrobatic movement is all Japanese. The blend is impeccably unique and fun to watch. The voice acting is top-notch as is every smack, shot, and stun sound effect.

VJ is quite a challenge. Each level consists of many areas and a few bosses. But as with all great games with each play you learn something new that will let you proceed a little further or make it right to the next level.

Viewtiful Joe is a stunning example of how creativity can blend seamlessly with gameplay without sacrificing one or the other. The top-notch gameplay coupled with out of this world superhero stunts is the freshest take on a classic side-scrolling action seen in years. ”
Gaming Age’s Review of Viewtiful Joe
Find Viewtiful Joe Series: (eBay / Amazon)

Fighters

Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO
“Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO is an excellent 2D fighting game. It boasts a truly massive roster of all the favorite Capcom and SNK licensed characters (over 44 in total) and each and every one of them has been lovingly re-created to match the earlier PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast versions of the game. The sheer depth of the fighting system along with its myriad of different fighting modes (known as Grooves) produces near infinite replayability and longevity.

Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO features a ton of different gameplay modes, colorful sprite-based fighters, cool 3D locales, and pumping techno-fuelled tunes — just like an excellent arcade beat-em-up should. You can opt to hone your fighting prowess in the training mode and you can even edit the colors of your fighters in the … wait for it … color edit mode. Vs. mode and survival mode are staples, as is the arcade mode (probably where most of the action will take place.) Before you get to dive into the action however, you are required to select one of two control schemes (known as ISMs).

The first is GC-ISM which is an attempt to simplify the art of performing special moves by mapping them to the GameCube’s C-Stick. This was expressly implemented with the intent of letting novice players bust out hard-to-pull-off moves with little or no effort. Auto-blocking also features in this “GameCube exclusive” mode. The second is AC-ISM, which represents the usual arcade control configuration for a fighting game of this nature — e.g. a six-button layout. For most seasoned players, the AC-ISM will be the mode of choice, but ultimately, given the GameCube controllers stiff little D-Pad and extremely awkward six-button configuration, playing Capcom vs. SNK 2: EO quickly becomes nothing more than an exercise in frustration. This is the point where the huge flaw now becomes apparent.

Sure, you could play the game with the easy controls turned on, but anyone who’s played 2D fighting games will feel as though all of the skill involved has gone. Timing special moves, setting up combos, and indeed, the very core of the gameplay has been irreparably wounded. It simply doesn’t feel right.”
Gamespy’s Review of Capcom vs SNK 2: EO
Find Capcom vs SNK 2 EO: (eBay / Amazon)

Puzzle / Maze

Pac-Man Vs.
“Pac-Man Vs’s gameplay is very similar to the original game, however, this time one person uses the GBA to control Pac-Man, while the other three people play as the ghosts (using the controllers). Pac-Man tries to get points by eating fruit, pellets, and power pellets(which turn the ghosts blue and Pac-Man can then eat them), while avoiding the three ghosts.

The ghost that captures Pac-Man will get to play as Pac-Man, and the two people will have to switch the GBA and controller around. Now the new person will try to get as many points as possible before getting caught and give up the GBA. This whole thing works quite well, and it’s pretty easy to understand once you start playing it.

The players in the role of ghosts must coordinate their efforts to track down Pac-Man. The only helpful hint is the color trail that briefly appears in Pac-Man’s wake. Cooperation among the ghosts is crucial and can create a great sense of cooperation and teamwork as one ghost player may figure out where Pac-Man is and yell over to the other ghosts to urge them to team up on him.

The twist is that as soon as Pac-Man is captured, the team of ghosts changes and then two of the ghosts are trying to hunt down a player that they were just cooperating with a minute ago. This goes on until the end of the game, so it is a great rollercoaster of gameplay emotions. Usually there is one player that is a little more skilled than the others. So there can be quite a bond between the lesser players to take the dominant player down. Such love fills the room at this point.”
Racketboy’s Review of Pac-Man Vs.
Find Pac-Man VS: (eBay / Amazon)

Puyo Pop Fever
“Puyo Pop Fever is simply a very solid entry into Sega’s puzzler series to date. It is also in many ways the evolution of the franchise. The object of the game remains as simple as ever, which means that anyone – young or old – can pick up and play it. Like Tetris, players manipulate puzzle pieces, called Puyos, to form columns or rows of the same color. Match four or more of the same color and the entire connected row will disappear and any Puyos on top will fall down like a crumbling building. This is where most of the strategy, not to mention challenge and satisfaction, come in. It’s easy to match four blocks to eliminate rows, but it’s much more difficult to string together a domino effect-like chain where several additional rows are eliminated as blocks topple.

When rows are eliminated, nuisance Puyos are transferred over to the play screen of the challenger – human or artificial intelligence depending on your preference. This mechanic keeps the battles intense and also raises the level of enjoyment for each player. After all, it’s fun to win, but it’s just as fun to cause your opponent to lose.

In previous Puyo games, each Puyo piece consisted of only two blocks, but in Fever the Puyos come pre-assembled in as many as four pieces, many of them a jigsaw of different colors. This seemingly unimportant change adds a welcomed layer of depth when matching columns, for it makes possible new means of performing chains and combos. The game can be played in this simple fashion and novices will be none the wiser. But pros can try for Fever Mode by stringing together as many chains as possible. Fever Mode is all-new to this year’s game and it’s intense. Here, rows of Puyos are assembled and waiting for the final couple of puzzle pieces to set off a massive chain reaction. It’s up to you to solve the puzzle. If you can fill in the gaps correctly in the time limit allowed, you can inflict massive amounts of nuisance Puyos onto your opponent’s screen and usually the damage is irreversible.

Puyo Pop Fever is best played with a friend in two-player mode. In fact, it would have been even better with a four-player mode, which it sorely lacks. But the single-player experience is no slouch either. You can try your hand at the classic Puyo Pop or Fever (both with various degrees of difficulty), and you can practice forever in Endless Puyo Pop. The challenge gets more difficult as you progress. ”
IGN’s Review of Puyo Pop Fever
Find Puyo Pop Fever: (eBay / Amazon)

Bust-A-Move 3000
“If you’ve played any previous Bust-A-Move games, you’ve played Bust-A-Move 3000. You’re presented with a rectangular playing field that is filled with different-colored bubbles. You launch randomly colored balls from the bottom of the field in an attempt to attach them to bubbles of the same color. Once three bubbles of the same color are touching, they pop, and you repeat this process until the field is clear of all bubbles. While Bust-A-Move 3 and 4 both brought a few new gimmicks to this formula, such as conveyor-belt walls and special bubbles, Bust-A-Move 3000 is simply more of the same. The controls remain the same, and the shoddy implementation of analog control will likely have you using the D pad to aim, since you get more precision with digital control. While previous versions of Bust-A-Move featured an overload of gameplay modes to keep puzzle junkies happy, this game is incredibly stripped down. Since it has just three modes of play–single-player, against the computer, and two-player versus–Bust-A-Move 3000 doesn’t even come close to the standard set by previous Bust-A-Move games.

To its credit, the Bust-A-Move trademark graphical stylings are in full effect, with no shortage of bright, happy characters drawn in an anime-inspired fashion. It looks about as good as a Bust-A-Move game ever has, with sharp 2D graphics and a healthy amount of visual splendor. This clean, 2D presentation is probably why Ubi Soft opted to turn Super Bust-A-Move into Bust-A-Move 3000, instead of porting the more-recent Super Bust-A-Move 2, which featured some ugly 3D character models, as well as a preternaturally stupid story mode. The soundtrack and sound effects are almost identical to those found in the original NeoGeo version and every version thereafter. GameCube puzzle freaks who have had their fill of the Monkey Ball games will probably be pleased that a Bust-A-Move game has finally arrived on the GameCube, even though it’s a straight port of a two-and-a-half-year-old PlayStation 2 game. Ultimately, the biggest strength of Bust-A-Move 3000 is not its own inherent quality, but rather the distinct dearth of quality puzzle games on the GameCube. ”
Gamespot’s Review of Bust-A-Move 3000
Find Bust-A-Move 3000: (eBay / Amazon)

Excellent Imports:
Nintendo Puzzle Collection (eBay)

The Gameboy Advance Player

If you really enjoy your Gamecube and 2D games, you may want to look into picking up a Gameboy Player. For around $40, this little device plugs snuggly into the bottom of your Cube and adds a lot of gaming functionality for Old-School fans.

There are tons of great games that will fill in the 2D gaps of the standard Gamecube lineup. If you want puzzle games, the Dr. Mario/Puzzle League combo cart is an excellent choice, and action platformer fans will find lots of great choices like Metroid Fusion, Castlevania, Astro Boy, Omega Factor, or the new Legend of Spyro: Eternal Night. If you need some recommendations on how to build your GBA library up, take a look at The Cheapest GBA Games Worth Your Time and The Best Undiscovered GBA Games. I’m also planning on publishing a new GBA feature next week that you should enjoy…

In addition to being able to play your standard GBA games, the Gameboy Advance Player may also come in handy if you are interested in doing retro party games for either Pac-Man Vs. or even Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure (if you have a lot of hardware). As shown in this Pac-Man Vs. demonstration, instead of having to use an actual Gameboy Advance for the external screen and controller, you have another TV and Gamecube with a GBA Player hooked up to the primary Gamecube. Obviously, this isn’t practical for most people, but the option is there if you want it
Find Game Boy Player: (eBay / Amazon)

When you add a console to your collection, the first thing you want to do is get a handful of games to keep you busy with your new toy. However, most of us can’t spend afford to spend fat pile of cash for a few games. This budget-friendly list should help you quickly find which games will start you off well without emptying your wallet. (Prices listed are an average eBay price for US games, including shipping.)

Check out the other Cheapest Games Worth Your Time articles

	Metroid Prime: $7 Sure, it isn’t the 2D Metroid most of us would prefer, but Metroid Prime does a remarkable job keeping much of the feel of the original series to a 3D world. It also happens to be one of the most impressive and compelling games on the Cube. Shop for Metroid Prime on eBay Shop for Metroid Prime on Amazon.com
	F-Zero GX: $9 When two innovative game-makers get together, good things happen. Even though F-Zero is a Nintendo franchise, Mario and Co. let Sega do most of the development work for this racer. Sega’s arcade experience paid off as F-Zero GX is a incredibly fast, challenging, addicting, and visually stunning piece of racing goodness. Dare I say that this game is my favorite racer of all time (I prefer arcade racers to simulations). Shop for F-Zero GX on eBay Shop for F-Zero GX on Amazon.com
	Viewtiful Joe: $6 Viewtiful Joe 2: $7 This lovable series from Capcom took old-school beatemup gameplay, threw in some interesting gameplay puzzles and mixed with trendy cel-shading graphics. Capcom may not have been able to improve greatly on the series later on, but the original is still a must-own for a modern retrogamer. Shop for Viewtiful Joe on eBay Shop for Viewtiful Joe on Amazon.com
	Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader: $8 I can’t help but think back to the Gamecube’s launch and recall all the comments about this game and how the developers had to be careful to make the game look too much better than the actual movie it was based on. Rogue Leader II focuses on one of the more popular Star Wars gameplay mechanics, space combat. Shop for Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader on eBay Shop for Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader on Amazon.com
	TimeSplitters 2: $9 If you want a high-quality FPS that is designed for consoles, you need to pick up TimeSplitters 2. Developed by the same team that worked for Rareware on the N64’s Goldeneye 007, Timesplitters 2 has killer level design, great weapons, and a variety of multiplayer and minigame options. It may not have the realism that some modern gamers crave or a fascinating storyline, but it tops Halo in my book in terms of gameplay and all-out fun. Shop for TimeSplitters 2 on eBay Shop for TimeSplitters 2 on Amazon.com
	Super Monkey Ball: $8 Super Monkey Ball 2: $10 The Monkey Ball series was some of Sega’s last true example of pure creativity and genius as a multiplatform developer. Both games have a fun and challenging single-player mode, but also serves as a killer party title due to its diverse mini-games. Just stay away from Super Monkey Ball Adventure. Shop for Super Monkey Ball on eBay Shop for Super Monkey Ball on Amazon.com Shop for Super Monkey Ball 2 on Amazon.com
	Soul Calibur II: $9 Anybody remotely interested in 3D fighters should not overlook the Soul Calibur series. After the rave reviews as a Dreamcast exclusive, the original Soul Calibur was followed up as a multiplatform sequel with a great deal of hype. The Gamecube version was an especially high seller due to The Legend of Zelda’s Link as a playable fighter. However, even though Soul Calibur III wasn’t much better, most gamers are selling off their copies and picking up newer installments. Now is your time to take advantage of this bargain. Shop for Soul Calibur II on eBay Shop for Soul Calibur II on Amazon.com
	Wave Race: Blue Storm: $9 Blue Storm was a fan favorite after launch as it was essentially an enhanced version of an N64 classic. Copies have become a bit more scarce the last year or so, but if you want a unique arcade racer, you may still be able to find it for a decent price. Shop for Wave Race: Blue Storm on eBay Shop for Wave Race: Blue Storm on Amazon.com
	Pac-Man Vs. / Pac-Man World 2: $10 If you want a killer party game for retro freaks and non-gamers alike, look no further than Pac-Man Vs. Pac-Man vs. was actually a project of Shigeru Miyamoto, the mastermind behind Mario, Zelda, and most of Nintendo’s most successful game. It lets up four players battle it out in a Pac-Man “simulation”. One person take the role of Pac-Man while the others possess the ghosts and team up on Pac-Man. Having the platformer Pac-Man World 2 included in the package is just an added bonus. Shop for Pac-Man Vs. / Pac-Man World 2 on eBay Shop for Pac-Man Vs. / Pac-Man World 2 on Amazon.com
	Star Fox Adventures: $8 This game was initially a let-down to Star Fox fans as it doesn’t let you do all the space battling that you would normally expect from a Star Fox game. Instead, Star Fox Adventures plays more like a Zelda game with its action, adventure, and exploration. If you know this going in, you should find Star Fox Adventures an affordable treat. Shop for Star Fox Adventures on eBay Shop for Star Fox Adventures on Amazon.com

A Few Must-Haves Slightly Over $10

• Super Mario Sunshine: $11  - eBay / Amazon
• Resident Evil: $12  - eBay / Amazon
• Resident Evil Zero: $11  - eBay / Amazon
• Resident Evil 4: $12  - eBay / Amazon
• The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker: $12  - eBay / Amazon
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: $13  eBay / Amazon
• Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: $12  - eBay / Amazon

Other Cheap Favorites

• Puyo Pop Fever: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Tony Hawk’s Underground: $5  - eBay / Amazon
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: $6  - eBay / Amazon
• Sonic Mega Collection: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• SEGA Soccer Slam: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Luigi’s Mansion: $10 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• XG3 Extreme G Racing: $8 – eBay
• X-Men Legends: $6 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Red Faction II: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Batman Vengeance: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Simpsons: Hit & Run: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sonic Heroes: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Robotech: Battlecry: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• NBA Street Vol. 2: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• NFL Street: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• NFL 2K3: $4 – eBay / Amazon.com
• SSX On Tour: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• NHL 2004: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• NBA 2K3: $5 – eBay / Amazon.com
• FIFA Soccer 2005: $8 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Bloody Roar: Primal Fury: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Midway Arcade Treasures: $7 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com

My Starter Picks For $50 Budget

If I only had $50 to spend on starting out a Gamecube (or a Wii) collection, here would be my top picks:

• Metroid Prime: $7
• F-Zero GX: $9
• Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker: $12
• Viewtiful Joe: $6
• Super Monkey Ball 2: $8
• Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader: $8
• Total: $50

Note: I originally had Timesplitters 2 and Sonic Mega Collection in there instead of Wind Waker as those are personal favorites of mine and Wind Waker was previously more expensive. However, due to falling Wind Waker prices, it’s hard not to recommend it.

You can’t help but admit you like the benefits of newer consoles: wireless controllers, better video connections, faster load times. So is it so bad to want to be able to play a bunch of old games on your new hardware? Of course not.

With classic game compilations you can easily get a solid collection of retro games without spending a lot of cash. In fact, picking up one of these retail packs will be much more cost effective than picking out just a few Virtual Console games on the Wii. Here is the Nintendo Gamecube’s compilation library (which is also playable on the Wii)

Sonic Mega Collection

If you are an old-school Sonic fan and want a way to play the collection on newer hardware, the Sonic Mega Collection is the way to go. Unfortunately, this collection only includes the vanilla Genesis games as opposed to its successors on the Sega CD, 32X, and Saturn. However, most of the good stuff was on the Genesis, so there isn’t much to complain about. Sonic Mega Collection is a top-notch Sonic anthology with plenty to keep you busy. The only disappointment is the lackluster interface when compared to Sonic Jam on the Saturn. It does however, have a wealth of extras such as Sonic Comics, Illustrations, & various Video Clips

The Games

Conversion Quality: Excellent
If you’ve experienced many of the commercial attempts at emulating Sega Genesis games in the past, you can appreciate some of the high-quality emulation demonstrated in this package, particularly in the sound department. With the emulation spot-on, I’ve been more than pleased with the results.

Price Point: $10

• Shop for Sonic Mega Collection on eBay
• Shop for Sonic Mega Collection on Amazon.com

Sonic Gems Collection

Sonic Gems makes up for most of the deficiencies of the Sonic Mega Collection by adding Sonic CD (the main attraction here) in addition to the Saturn racer, Sonic R, and the arcade rarity, Sonic the Fighters (previously unreleased on a home console). Sonic Gems also gives you access to the Sonic Game Gear collection and a few other enjoyable Genesis unlockables.

The main disappointment here is the Knuckles Chaotix from the 32X is not included as it is one of the only Sonic games from the era not re-released and has not been experienced my most gamers due to the obscurity of the 32X.

The Games

Conversion Quality: Excellent
When it comes to the main attractions (Sonic CD, Sonic R, and Sonic The Fighters), you can’t get much better in terms of quality. Everything runs and looks great. If you are like me and are used to the Sega CD version of Sonic CD, you may be a bit thrown off by the brief but odd-looking loading screens that pop up on Sonic CD. Apparently, these were a part of the PC version, which the Sonic Gems edition is based off of.

The decrease in load times on Sonic CD is incredibly significant (thanks to faster optical drives) and the framerate is always steady. Since the game was CD based to begin with, the audio holds up quite well, though I would have loved to have seen an option for you to listen to the Japanese soundtrack, rather than the one in the domestic release. It’s petty, but it’s better music. The animated intro, which was presented in a small box in the original game, is now presented in full screen glory and is still as impressive today as it was twelve years ago.

If you want to spend time with the portable Sonic games, be aware that the Game Gear emulation isn’t the best in the Gems Collection. From what I can tell, all of them are hampered some frustrating frame rate issues.

Price Point: $15-20

• Shop for Sonic Gems Collection on eBay
• Shop for Sonic Gems Collection on Amazon.com

Mega Man Anniversary Collection

This is a fine example of how to put together a game compilation. Mega Man Anniversary Collection includes all the games from the original series on the NES and SNES plus a couple of games previously unreleased on a US console.

Mega Man Anniversary Collection is simply one of the richest, most well-put-together classic compilations ever made, and it manages to not only refrain from sacrificing key elements of gameplay for the sake of making the hardware transition process easier but also makes improvements that are not only great but practically seem like common sense. Perhaps the handiest feature Atomic Planet has incorporated into this great compilation though is the new Navi Mode, which basically allows you to use the great menu from Mega Man 8 in all the other titles and also gives you handy hints throughout the game.

The Games

Conversion Quality: Excellent
The games in this set are not emulated, but instead ported. However, the ports are not perfect. For example, some controversy exists in the fact that Mega Man 7 has its ending (sans closing credits) removed due to Atomic Planet having a hard time getting the Mode 7 effect to work properly. Mega Man 7 also had a few framerate issues when the screen automatically scrolls (usually when the player climbs a ladder to the top of the screen), which do not exist in the original SNES version — however, the Gamecube version is not as noticeable as the PS2 version. The game is also slightly blurry, due to the use ofanti-aliasing, but is very noticeable only on the weapon energy bars on the weapon sub-screen.

The the quality in Mega Man 8 has decreased in some areas; there are noticeable slowdowns in boss battles, and the final four Robot Masters have their voice clips sped up outside of their introduction.

The final complaint (to Megaman veterans) The original functions of the B and A buttons have been reversed in the GameCube release: B jumps while A fires, whereas it was the other way around in the original NES versions. If you haven’t played the game in a while, you probably won’t notice.

Price Point: $10
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Mega Man X Collection

As the logical complement to the Mega Man Anniversary Collection, Capcom later released a similar compilation of the Mega Man X series. It includes all of the installments that showed up on the SNES, Sega Saturn, and/or original Playstation. (The first two games are ports of SNES versions, while the others are based on the original Playstation versions)

Mega Man X Collection doesn’t have the polish or emulation quality of the the original compilation, but it is a respectible effort that fans of the Blue Bomber should enjoy.

The Games

Conversion Quality: Average
Overall, the games transition to the Gamecube is of high quality, but it is not without its issues. Some examples include the lack of rumble support in Megaman X5 and X6, the use of streaming soundtracks in X and X2. There are also some minor glitches here and there, but nothing deal-breaking.

The original three games also have a save function which allows the player to load files rather than necessitating a password (though essentially it will simply save and recall passwords, and can be skipped to input passwords directly)

Price Point: $15
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Namco Museum

I’ve always had a soft spot for the newer Namco Museum packages as the offer a number of my old favorites put together in a modern interface and usually include some enhanced modes to make it worth buying for fans of the originals. The game selection won’t blow anybody away, but the quality makes up for the lack of quantity.

The Games

Conversion Quality: Excellent
With the simple nature of the original games and Namco’s commitment to quality, you can rest assured that these games will play, look, and sound just like the originals. Nothing to worry about here

Price Point: $9
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Namco Museum 50th Anniversary Arcade Collection

If you already own the original Namco Museum release, you probably won’t find much reason to pick this newer version up. This 50th Anniversary Edition drops the modernized “Arrangement” versions and adds a bunch of not as popular Namco classics in their place. Rolling Thunder is a common favorite, but most of the other may draw a yawn. If you only want the most arcade authentic games on one disc, this is your ticket, but if you like the “Arrangement” remakes, you will want to go with the original release.
Games

Conversion Quality: Excellent
With the simple nature of the original games and Namco’s commitment to quality, you can rest assured that these games will play, look, and sound just like the originals. Nothing to worry about here

Price Point: $15
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Midway Arcade Treasures

Midway Arcade Treasure gives retro fans a heaping spoonful of lots of great arcade classics. Unfortunately as a first effort, Midway didn’t seem to put in as much effort into creating an authentic experience as they could have considering the power of the Gamecube. If you can find it cheap enough, it isn’t a bad addition to a classic collection. Just be warned of it’s shortcomings (see below).

The Games

Conversion Quality: Below Average
Given that a large portion of the games in Midway Arcade Treasures feature some sort of nonstandard controller, be it a trackball for Marble Madness, a set of handlebars for Paperboy, a 49-position joystick (as opposed to the standard eight) for Sinistar, or the steering yoke for driving games like RoadBlasters or Spy Hunter, the developers had to make a few changes to make the games playable on a standard controller. For the most part, every game is laid out as logically as possible and can simply be picked up and played. However, games that feature analog input feel very loose and are hard to control, especially when compared to the original games. While you can expect that some sacrifices have to be made when adapting an existing game to play on an entirely different set of controls, it feels as if the developers paid very little attention when it came to making sure the games played accurately. In spite of that, almost every game in Midway Arcade Treasures is completely and totally enjoyable once you get a handle on how they play.

Furthermore, many of the games don’t produce the same sounds that they did in the arcade. With the sound, you would have to be very familiar with the original to notice, let alone care, but it is worth mentioning.
Price Point: $14
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Midway Arcade Treasures 2

Arcade Treasures 2 follows up with more of a fighting them in addition to some other arcade favorites. Unfortunately, much like it’s predecessor, Midway Arcade Treasures 2 isn’t perfect. It has its little glitches and problems here and there. However, the bonus material is nice and most of the games are nearly identical to the arcade originals that they’re trying to duplicate.

The Games

Conversion Quality: Below Average
Many of the games in Arcade Treasures 2 are emulated versions of the arcade games and not actually ports. As a result, some of the games (Mortal Kombat II, Mortal Kombat 3, Pit-Fighter and NARC in particular) have some obvious sound and graphical glitches. The GameCube version of Wizard of Wor game (which is the oldest game in the collection) suffers from some issues as well. Every sound effect in that game plays at the wrong times (for example the original shooting sound effect has become the original “enemy defeated” sound effect, and vice versa), and the game has a very inconsistent framerate, slowing down at almost all times. Luckly, the control schemes for most of these games are simpler than those found in the original Arcade Treasures, so there are not as significant issues in that area.

Price Point: $9
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Midway Arcade Treasures 3

Midway decided to take a different approach with their third Arcade Treasures installment. This time around that stuck to an actual theme (in this case, racing games) and they brought in some more modern titles to round out the retro-ness. While most of the games in this collection are emulations or recreations of the arcade versions, Hydro Thunder and Rush 2049 are based on the console versions. Both games don’t run quite as well as their Dreamcast counterparts, but having these all on one affordable disc is a nice option.

The Games

Conversion Quality: Average
The Gamecube has the best versions of Arcade Treasures 3 as The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions suffer from a few minor and major emulation glitches in some of the games. The GameCube seems to struggle just a little bit more with frame rates in S.T.U.N. Runner and Off Road Thunder, but it’s a difference that’s hardly detectable, and it’s really the only difference.

Like I mentioned up top, if you want the best experience with Hydro Thunder and SF Rush 2049, you might want to go with the Dreamcast version if you have that console. However, this compilation does a respectible job and having them running off one disc on my Gamecube (with quicker loads and wireless controllers) is compelling. It’s all up to your priorities.

Price Point: $15
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Intellivision Lives!

The Intellivision is pretty old, even by my standards and many of its games have a hard time holding up to modern standards (even in the “retro” world). However, there are still a few people out there that get a kick out of some of the Intellivision’s better games. Intellivision Lives! offers a wealth of titles that will keep Intellivision enthusiasts busy for a while. Unfortunately, there are no licensed titles or any third party software lurking within the 60 included titles. Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Burgertime, Microsurgeon, Masters of the Univerese, Zaxxon, Tron are all missing.

The Games
Intellivision Lives! features a rather large number of titles, so I won’t list them all here. But the complilation does include a number of the best Intellivision games such as

Conversion Quality: Excellent
The emulation runs wonderfully on the GameCube hardware, offering the same graphics and sound of the more than sixty games from the Intellivision library. Unfortunately, regardless if the gameplay can or cannot hold up to today’s standards, the GameCube’s controller absolutely cannot represent the complex Intellivision controller, and many games in this compilation are absolutely unplayable because the shortcuts for keypad presses on the controller are no substitute for the real thing.

Price Point: $10
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Nintendo Puzzle Collection (Japanese Import)

This Puzzle Collection was originally slated to be released in both the US and the European markets, but Nintendo apparently didn’t think it was worth the effort. I was greatly disappointed with this decision as this compilation includes three excellent puzzlers. If you are a puzzle fan and have a way of playing Gamecube imports, you may want to look into this gem. Otherwise, the closest thing you can get is a Gameboy Player and the Dr. Mario/Puzzle League GBA cart.

The Games

• Dr. Mario
• Yoshi’s Cookie
• Panel de Pon (aka Tetris Attack/Puzzle League)

Price Point: $40
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