Nintendo GameCube Review

Overall Rating

The Gamecube has got to be one of the most perfect gaming consoles ever made - Before the Cube I had never owned a Nintendo - I started my gaming career on the ZX Spectrum, progressed to an Amiga 1400, then a Master System, then a Mega Drive, followed by a PS1 and then finally by a PS2 (throughout this list you can also add around 12 different PC's and a few handhelds so all in all I would say I'm pretty experienced when it comes to gaming).

About 2 months ago I found I had about £150 to spare and decided to invest in a new console - the choices were the Xbox and the Cube. I carefully weighed up all the pros and cons - game availability, price etc and much to the shock of my friends settled on the Cube - I had heard lots of talk of it being a console for kids and that there were no games but after reading these reviews and information from other sites I decided that it was the right choice for me.

I found that now is the perfect time to buy a Gamecube - in the time it has been released it has built up a quality catalogue of games that I believe no other console can compete with. Using my £150, patience and a lot of shrewd buying I managed to pick up around 15 top quality games that will be able to keep me busy for the next couple of years - most of these games are exclusive to the Gamecube and all of them are top notch. You can pick up the cube itself for around £25 if you shop around and games can be found second hand for £5 from ebay or £10 from shops that are having sales. Pick your battles, don't get into bidding wars (the item will come around again) and bid wisely - you will be able to secure all the top games in no time.

I've not even scratched the surface of the games I've bought but there isn't a single lemon among them. My Collection (So far):

Zelda, The Wind Waker Special Edition with Collectors Disk (Majoras Mask, Ocarina of time etc)
Pikmin 1 & 2
Super Smash Bros
Metroid Prime 1 & 2
Super Mario Kart and Mario Party 5
F Zero GX
Super Mario Sunshine
Eternal Darkness
Beyond Good and Evil
Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing (for the Girl Friend) :-)
Super Monkey Ball 2
Paper Mario 2
Viewtiful Joe
and Mario Tennis.

These games will keep me busy for years to come and if in the future another must have title is released then I will pick it up when the price has come down - the key here is CHERRY PICKING - only buy what is proven to be the best and you cant go wrong.

The PS2 is good and I really enjoyed playing with it in the past but too many of the games are hit and miss and I now find myself switching on the cube three times as often as the PS2.

Before I bought the consoles I drew up a list of the games I wanted for the Xbox and Gamecube - the Cubes list is above - my Xbox list would have been as follows:

Halo 1 & 2
Star Wars KotoR 1 & 2
Ninja Gaiden
Project Gotham Racing
Forza Motorsport
and ... ?

The Xbox just doesn't have as many must have titles as the Cube and most I can get for the PS2 - in my opinion it was an easy choice to make.

Members' Comments onRocksteady's Review

• GiantElectric on 9th Nov 2005

  This is a well written review & you put your points across nicely, however- there is one thing that worries me: You obviously indulged in the 16 bit retro market from the beginning -
  (placing you approx) in your 30`s ! Supersmash Bros, Super Mario Kart, Mario party... ? Are you positive you have a girlfriend ... hopefully children. (Nice idea about the list btw - Did you actually physically sit somewhere & write it? )
  
  Cheers.

• Rocksteady on 15th Nov 2005

  Hi GiantElectric,
  
  Thanks for the comment.
  You were a bit out about the age though - 21 not 30ish - I started playing at a very young age (it's what happens when you have two older brothers) but I do have to admit I'm still a fan of the retro scene - (A day in the life, Jet set Willy, Dizzy, Flashback and Derby Day - would be a few classics that I would recommend if you want to loose a few weeks of your life).
  
  You are right about the wife and kids - no to both - give me a few more years maybe - girlfriend of 4 years though.
  
  I don't get to play games anywhere as much as I would like nowadays - work and other commitments but give me 30 mins with the gamecube over an episode of Eastenders or Emmerdale any day.
  
  ps I know it sounds like I've got a bit of a Mario thing going on but I promise you set aside an evening, buy in some beers, get your mates around and spend some time on the games you mentioned (maybe throw in super monkey ball as well) - multiplayer gaming doesn't get much better. And about the list - it didn't take long - a good site to check out is ign in the editors choice area.
  
  Cheers.

• sniper4life on 23rd Jun 2006

  Good for you Rocksteady - Mario isn't for kids, OK it isn't as action packed as other games but they are just FUN and whats your user name on IGN mines : harmfulcooldude

• dcoltbolt11 on 25th Nov 2007

  I agree with this review because I feel the same way.