10 GameCube Games That Influenced Modern Gaming

The Nintendo GameCube is an incredibly underrated system.

It was sadly lost in the shuffle compared to the PlayStation 2, one of the best consoles of all time, and the emergence of the Xbox and the popularity of Xbox Live. Despite that, there were still plenty of great games on the GameCube, many of which have proven themselves to be quite influential.

We'd like to think that we hold the GameCube in high regard today, especially with its long-awaited release on Nintendo Switch Online and the accessibility of previously hard-to-track-down games, such as Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. When you take a good, hard look at things, though, one thing is apparent: the GameCube delivered a lot of games that helped shape the modern era of gaming.

10 Metroid Prime

Still One of the Best

Full disclosure: the only reason Metroid Prime is so "low" on this list is that I feel like its impact on modern gaming is pretty obvious. Yet, due to the inexplicable lack of sales the Metroid franchise has (say what you want about Metroid Prime 4, it was still a good game), Metroid still feels under the radar.

Given the popularity of Metroidvania today, particularly in the indie scene, I don't quite understand it. If it's because people don't view Metroid as a system seller, I'm going to have to disagree. A lot of the storytelling, genre design, and visual prowess we see in Metroid Prime are still widely used in the industry today.

Go play Metroid Prime Remastered, an experience that is functionally the same as it was 20 years ago. It's better than almost every other game that comes out today.

9 Pikmin

Real-Time Strategy Done Well on a Console

One of the biggest hurdles the Nintendo GameCube faced at launch was the public's perception of the console. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and we now know that games like Super Smash Bros. Melee and Rogue Leader were excellent for its launch window.

There was no traditional Mario game launching alongside the GameCube; it was just Luigi's Mansion. Never fear, though, because Miyamoto was here with a brand-new IP based on his garden. I know that's not necessarily the best way to sell Pikmin to a cautious audience, so here's a better way: it's a real-time strategy game that works exceptionally well on consoles.

Its only real critique is the limiting nature of its narrative structure; you only have a finite amount of time to play through the game. It's something that the sequels would thankfully expand on, but it also helped pave the way for what was possible from a console RTS game.

8 Kirby Air Ride

The Cult Classic That's Finally Getting Its Due

As much as I love this game, I always have to be honest with myself: the traditional racing in Air Ride mode isn't fun. It also pales in comparison to what we have in Kirby Air Riders. Having said that, Kirby Air Ride is on this list for another reason: City Trial mode.

Long before the days of Warzone and Fortnite, when no one even knew what a Battle Royale game was, we had City Trial. Five or so minutes to pimp out our ride before competing in a winner-take-all mini-game. It was chaotic, random, and some of the most fun I had playing video games in the 2000s.

With the return of the franchise last year, there was never a doubt that City Trial would still have a place in gaming today. We can see all the hallmarks of what makes a Battle Royale great in the original City Trial mode. Add in a dash of the chaos and calamity that comes with multiplayer party games, and it's easy to see how Kirby Air Ride helped shape modern gaming.

7 Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

Down on the Farm

Cozy games are all the rage these days, particularly following the success of Stardew Valley.

Nintendo is no stranger to this genre; just look at Animal Crossing, for example. However, as innovative as the original Animal Crossing on the GameCube was, it felt lacking in many areas. I always argue that Animal Crossing never really took off until it was released on the Nintendo DS. However, the GameCube saw another hit cozy game release that is still helping to shape modern games: Harvest Moon: It's A Wonderful Life.

While time hasn't necessarily been kind to the game, there's no denying the impact it had on the genre. A lot of millennials who currently can't get enough cozy games in their life got their start here.

6 Mario Kart: Double Dash

Double the Pleasure, Double the Fun

One of the things I loved, and sometimes hated, about Mario Kart 8 was the ability to hold two items at once. It resulted in a lot more chaos, sure, but also a lot more strategy. Rather than holding items behind us and forsaking anything else to serve as a defensive measure against incoming red shells, we were now able to hold something in reserve while still playing defensively.

While you may think that Mario Kart 8 was the first game to introduce this, it wasn't. Double Dash had already pulled this feat off through the gimmick of two riders per kart.

Beyond that, Double Dash's track design was a massive step forward from what we saw on the Nintendo 64. That's not to say that Mario Kart 64 lacked iconic courses, but Double Dash took things up another notch, paving the way for what was possible in the kart racing genre.

5 Tales of Symphonia

A Mainstream JRPG

Let's get one thing out of the way: the story gets the job done. Nothing more, nothing less. It does an excellent job of tackling some complex themes that are still relevant today, but I could do without the constant twists and turns. That's not why Tales of Symphonia is held in such high regard, though.

The Tales franchise had already been well established before 2003, when Symphonia was released. This is the one that truly worked in every aspect, though. The obvious appeal is the game's combat system, which uses party-based real-time combat that feels more in line with what we see today than what we saw 20 years ago. The action is fast, furious, and incredibly rewarding, especially when you find the perfect party composition.

More than just that, though, Tales of Symphonia's voice cast remains one of the best gaming has ever seen. Jennifer Hale, Cam Clarke, Tara Strong, and Scott Menville all lend their talents not only to give Tales of Symphonia credibility with mainstream audiences but also to win them over and convert them into lifelong JRPG fans.

4 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Sailing for Adventure on the Deep Blue Sea

It is March 2003. Grand Theft Auto III had been released a few months prior. Open-world gameplay was more than just the future of gaming; it was the present. While Nintendo didn't see the release of any PS2-era GTA games on the GameCube, it did have an ace up its sleeve in the world of open-world games: Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is far more than just an expanded open-world Zelda experience. It's a technical achievement in visual storytelling. Yes, many rolled their eyes at the cartoony cel-shaded graphics. Given the game's story and themes, though, cel-shading makes total sense. It proves how effective it can be in telling a story with an expressive silent protagonist, as well as hammering home its more emotional scenes through cel-shaded graphics.

There's a reason why so many people were clamoring for a Nintendo Switch release of Wind Waker HD. This game is a work of art and deserves that high-definition treatment. We'll have to settle for the GameCube version on Nintendo Switch Online, I suppose.

3 Killer7

Hurts, Doesn't It?

Goichi Suda, then only known as Suda51, was not a household name in 2005. To be fair, you can make the argument that he still isn't a household name today, but Suda has far more brand awareness today, as indicated by the buzz surrounding his latest game, Romeo is a Dead Man.

Throughout the years, Suda has delivered unique and provocative arthouse games that aren't afraid to push the medium forward. It's all thanks to the breakout success of Killer7, a game best described as an acid trip in the middle of a carnival funhouse.

Its gameplay isn't anything to write home about, primarily being an on-rail shooter, but we're not here for the gameplay. We're here for the unique narrative, the innovative art style, the over-the-top story, and the experience that we won't find anywhere else but Goichi Suda and Grasshopper Games.

2 Resident Evil 4

Survival Horror Redefined

There was a lot to love from Nintendo's famous E3 2004 press conference. Reggie Fils-Aime came out onto the stage, forever etching himself a spot in video game history, and made one thing clear: Nintendo was about making great games.

While we all remember that "one last thing for Nintendo GameCube" leading into the reveal of Twilight Princess, there's something else that has stuck with me from that show: the Resident Evil 4 trailer, which ends with Luis Sera saying, "It's game time." It was indeed game time.

The iconic survival horror franchise had arguably been stuck in a rut, clinging to outdated gameplay mechanics for the sake of preserving the "survival" aspect of survival horror. Resident Evil 4 redefined what survival horror could be, leaning into retooled controls that gave Leon S. Kennedy far more fluidity in his movement. Yes, it feels far more like an action game than we were used to, but the game compensates for this by throwing far more menacing enemies at us, requiring us to always stay on our toes. It was the breath of fresh air Resident Evil needed, and we're still feeling its effects in gaming today.

1 Super Smash Bros. Melee

Final Destination, No Items

Today, Super Smash Bros. is viewed not only as one of the biggest franchises in Nintendo's catalogue, but a full-blown gaming event. The success of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, along with the impressive roster of characters from non-Nintendo IPs, brought gamers together. It's something I hope we get to do again on the Nintendo Switch 2 whenever we (hopefully) get a new Smash Bros. game.

It wasn't always this way, however. While the series made its debut on the Nintendo 64, the original Smash Bros. was a fun, albeit shallow, fighting game. It wasn't until the GameCube and the release of Super Smash Bros. Melee that Smash became a cultural phenomenon.

There wasn't a specific reason this happened. The roster, while expanded, was nothing like it is today, but it was a much-welcomed expansion of iconic characters. The stages offered an excellent balance between traditional fighting-game settings and over-the-top backdrops. Above all, though, is the fact that the gameplay remains the best in the series. It's still the gold standard, not just for the franchise, but for all party fighting games. There's a reason we've seen so many Smash clones over the years, but none have come close to dethroning the king.