10 Games Still Trapped Exclusively On GameCube

Key Takeaways

• GameCube had exclusive gems like Pokemon Colosseum, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, and Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance.
• Many popular GameCube games got remakes for future consoles but some exclusive gems remained.
• Super Smash Bros. Melee inspired sequels but is still considered a competitive favorite, even after GameCube’s discontinuation.

There is a reason plenty of people still hold onto their GameCubes. There are still good games that are only on that console! The console’s lifespan was from 2001 to 2007 and has been discontinued since. In those six years though, it became a big part of the Nintendo legacy and is still well-remembered by those who now play on their Nintendo Switch.

Luckily, a lot of games that started on the GameCube that were popular got remakes for future consoles. These include Luigi’s Mansion, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, and more. However, there still are good games that are trapped as GameCube exclusives. Here’s just a handful of them.

Updated xxth October, 2024 by Hilton Webster: The GameCube is one of Nintendo’s most beloved consoles, and also one of its least successful. While it may have lost them much of the third-party support they had gotten used to, it also led to a treasure trove of experimental games that have never seen the light of day since. While the Switch has gotten a few ports, plenty of these incredible games are still locked on the GameCube.

10

Pokemon Colosseum And Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness

Shadow Pokémon did not start with Pokémon Go. They were actually a major part of the stories of Pokemon’s GameCube games: Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. In these games, you did not get gym badges or even capture wild Pokemon.

Instead, it was about saving Shadow Pokemon and using technology to steal them away from their owners. That’s right, you could capture Pokemon in the middle of a battle against another trainer! The Orre Region is also one of the most fascinating of the Pokemon world too. It is definitely worth keeping a GameCube to play this game if you are a big Pokemon fan.

We all know about Metal Gear Solid. It was a pioneer of the stealth genre alongside Thief and Tenchu, and held its own over the decades due to the impressive art direction and sharp writing that defines the later games. As a PS1 game though, it was graphically dated even by the time of the sequel only three years later.

This resulted in a remake, The Twin Snakes, exclusive to the GameCube. It featured much the same story and levels as the original, though with artistic stylings and gameplay more akin to its sequel. Despite being such a big remake of a renowned game, it has remained on the GameCube even with the release of the Metal Gear Master Collection.

8

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

The third installment internationally and the ninth in Japan, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance was the first game of the series on GameCube. It was also the first time in the series that it sported 3D graphics, full-motion cutscenes, and voice acting.

It was widely received with positive reviews. It’s a fantastic entry in the series, one that helped carry the series in the Western world, and likely helped to create Fire Emblem Awakening which gave the series a second wind. Too bad you can’t experience it legally.

7

Kirby Air Ride

The delightful little cosmic horror that he is, Kirby got a resurgence in popularity on the Switch with a whole bundle of brand-new games being released for him. What didn’t fare quite so well were re-releases of his older games, and the racing game Kirby Air Ride was one such forgotten game.

Kirby Air Ride was a racing game that was designed around simple controls. Vehicles moved by themselves, and you simply controlled your direction and attacked enemies. Attacking in this sense was typical Kirby fare – you ate them to consume their powers. It’s a funny little game, and was one of the first GameCube games to feature LAN play.

It was also, like many games during this period, initially developed for the N64 before being completed on the GameCube.

6

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures

Not to be confused with Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures acts as a successor to the original Four Swords, going heavier on the co-op and appearing on the big screen as a GameCube exclusive. It was a pretty big seller around the time of its release, too!

This was a game you could link to the Game Boy Advance with a GameCube link cable, which made it so you used the Game Boy Advance as a controller. The story was also popular enough to get a manga novelization of the game.

5

Star Fox Adventures

Released in 2002, this game was originally going to be for the Nintendo 64 but was redesigned as a Gamecube exclusive during development. It was also the only game Rare ever made for the GameCube console.

It got a pretty mixed reception overall, but that didn’t stop it becoming the fastest-selling GameCube title for the time. And while the series may lie dormant now, some of its older entries have made their way to the Switch. Maybe Star Fox Adventures will be next.

4

Super Smash Bros. Melee

While it was never remade or put on other consoles, Super Smash Bros. Melee definitely inspired many games like it for other consoles such as the Wii and Nintendo Switch. It was the success of this GameCube exclusive that led to sequels such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Today, this GameCube game is still considered as the most competitively viable game of the series by some. Despite the GameCube being discontinued and this game existing for a while, tournaments with Super Smash Bros. Melee are still held and pretty common.

3

Eternal Darkness

Horror games were not typically on the GameCube, so Eternal Darkness was a little unique in that category. Like Star Fox Adventures, it was originally going to be for the Nintendo 64 and changed during development. Some of its mechanics are like those you would find in the Resident Evil series, but it set itself apart with “sanity effects.”

If you have not heard of it before, that would be because it was not a commercial success. Despite that though, it won many awards and has made itself high up in the ranking of games that need sequels, games with untapped potential, and games with amazing heroines.

Released in 2003, this game was the sequel to Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64. It had 16 playable characters with different stats and golfing styles. While it was well-loved by both fans and critics, it was very similar to its predecessor. It was well-reviewed overall but many did admit that it was not very ambitious.

That may be part of why it stayed on the GameCube with no remasters. Also, another huge reason for this is likely due to that it was just a stepping stone for future games of the Mario Golf series.

1

Wave Race: Blue Storm

This jet-skiing race game was made as a sequel to Wave Race 64 for the Nintendo 64. What makes it notable is that it was the 3rd best-selling launch title for the GameCube in North America, sitting behind Luigi’s Mansion and Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader.

The game was most praised for its water and weather effects. For its time, the physics of the water were unmatched.