Gamecube Hidden Games

Join TVGS as the countdown and list some awesome Gamecube hidden gems you might not have known about!

Custom Robo

An action role playing game brought to us by Noise, Custom Robo was the fourth title in the series but the first to see a release outside of japan. In the game the player is known as a commander who operates and customises a miniature robo to battle it out in a virtual arena known as the holosseum… There is a story but essentially the game is just about smahinsng the fuck out of of robots, collecting robos, battle parts and items you may want. The most exciting part of the game is the ability to fully customise your robots before each battle, including its chassis, weapon and attatchments. I found going through each of the setups an absolute joy that all bring there own pros and cons to each battle and really adds a sense of strategy when approaching enemies. Released in 2004 and bringing the fourth entry in a long running japanese only series, you can understand why not many people check this out but if your a fan of virtual on, hell even Zone of the enders I would say there is more than enough here to keep you entertained.

Gotcha Force

Released in 2003 Gotcha Force is a game all about collecting small toys known as Gotcha borgs and sending them out to battle as you take advantage of the specific powers and abilities that each borg possess. Receiving mediocre reviews from critics at the time the game was not considered to be a commercially successful title but it has managed to go on gain a cult following within the gamecube community  mainly due to its insanely fun gameplay which is at the heart of the experience. You take the role of a GF commander who must choose which borgs make up a team or force as its known in the game, each borg will cost you a certain amount of gf energy in order to be placed on the team and once you hav4 decided, the battle begins. Each fight takes place within an arena that you will soon be dodging and darting around as you try to use the environment to your advantage. As well as the borg specific abilities that can turn the tide of a battle in a blink of an eye. With over 200 Gotcha Orgs included in the game there is a surprising amount of strategy invloved as you figure out which ones work best for you and your fighting style. 

Doshin the Giant

Originally released for the Nintendo 64DD, Doshin the giant is essentially a god game that sees you altering the environments geography, taking care of nature disasters and answering the prayers of your followers. It was not until 2002 that it hit the Gamecube and left Japan for the first time, as unfortunately the 64DD add on was never released in the other regions. You take control of Doshin, a yellow love giant as you help or hinder the islands inhabitants and in doing so you receive either love or hate which is absorbed into Doshin as he carries out the actions. As you receive these feelings from the people doshin will grow in size but only for that day… As the sun rises again you will revert back to your normal stature as you take on another challenege. At any time it is possible to transform Doshin in to his evil counterpart Jashin, The destructive red alter ego, who is feared by the natives for his hateful force and nature. He has the ability to send streams of fire across the land as well as being able to raise and lower terrain like doshin. The game is essentially all about getting the natives to build monuments to the giants as you carry out there wishes or go against them, I’ve always had an affinity to god simulation games so I has a blast with this one. Pick it up.

Lost Kingdoms

Developed by From Software, Lost Kingdom is an action role playing game that sees you setting out to save the land of argwyll, the home of the main character Katia. Before embarking on the adventure Katia is granted access to a runestone which is at the centre of the games mechanics… It gives her the ability to use special magic cards in battle against the monsters that have been spawned by a great fog engulfing the land.

One of the main characteristics of any RPG is its battle system and Lost Kingdom will not disappoint… Battles are played out in real time forcing you to keep moving in order to avoid attacks as you plan and execute your strategy using cards which all posses many different abilities. When talking about RPG’s, the idea of a multiplayer mode is not something that is usually on the table but with Lost Kingdom you get to battle it out with a friend and there own deck…. Albeit with a few restrictions thrown in to make it fair. The story is standard RPG fair, so don’t go expecting anything out of the ordinary but overall I enjoyed my time with the game and would totally recommend that you try it out.

Wario World

Wario has never been able to reach the fame and height of his counterpart Mario but that has not stopped Nintendo from releasing some truly spectacular games starring the moustache twislling villain. Wario world is no exception and probably one of the finest Wario games ever made. Developed by Treasure and released in 2003, the game sees you taking on a quest to regain your treasure and castle from Black Jewel… The games villain. The game is more a platforming beaten up as although it does require some platform navigation similar to super mario 64 and sunshine it mainly centres around combating enemies. Wario can grab enemies and spin them around, throw them, or even piledrive them in to the ground in a truly epic fashion. Your also given an ability known as Hyper Suction to collect nearby coins in the environment or ones which are dropped by defeated foes. In order to advance in the game you need to collect the various red diamonds scattered around each level and if you managed to collect all of the treasure throughout the levels you get the option to unlock various mini games from the Gameboy Advance game… Warioware. He’s still not a mario beater but Wario World will provide you with hours of fun and yet another reason to dust off that gamecube.

Battalion Wars

Growing up I was a huge fan of the Advance Wars series for the Gameboy Advance and wasted so much time playing each iteration that came out for that system… So naturally When I heard that the series would be making the transition to the Gamecube, I completely lost my shit. But what we got was something different, something entirely new when compared to the GBA games. At first I was pissed, I just wanted a simple conversion of the game I’d known and loved so unfortunately I cast the game aside and had no intention of playing it. But A few years back I decided to give it a go and was totally surprised at how much depth there is to the strategy… Something I thought that would be lost due to the third person nature of the title. As the player its your mission to command a variety of units, including infantry, armoured vehicles and aircraft as you battle it out for supremacy. You can switch between each unit at anytime as well as relay instructions to other AI controlled units such as follow the player, hold their position and attack specific targets. Requiring you to think on your feet you do not have the safety of turn based tactics and must adapt to each battle as it plays out in real time… In my mind Advance wars shall always be king but Battalion wars is still one hell of a game that deserves a look.

Virtua Striker

Now I’m not a huge sports fan but I have always had a soft spot for the Virtua series, may that be tennis, football or even fighting… Developed by the same guys who brought us F-Zero GX, Virtua Striker 3 is the sort of causal football experience you would expect from the arcades, Ludicrous goals from the halfway mark, a bubbly energetic soundtrack and completely over the top celebrations… it all emotes a friendly atmosphere, a football game focused on fun that you cannot help but being sucked into. Naturally you will not find the depth of ganmeplay present in the likes of fifa here but Virtua Striker 3 stands out as one of the more enjoyable titles for the gamecube and a title that needs a spot in your libary.

Cubivore

Like Doshin the Giant, Cubivore began life on the Nintendo 64DD but was eventually moved to the gamecube. Nintendo were not sure that the game would do well outside of Japan, resulting in the game being picked up by Atlus for its North American release. You take control of a cube shaped beast known as a Cubivore, in order to restore balance to the wilderness, your tasked with taking out the head of a gang in order to be crowned the king of all cubivores… The combat in the game is simple and easy to pick up, but strategic and usually very faced paced as to keep you on your toes. Throughout the game your cubivore shall go through several mutations based on colour, there are five in total and they all possess there own specific strengths and weaknesses. Such as different colours for  improved jumping, attack range and running abilities. This is where most of the games strategy lies and I had a lot of fun with the game exploiting the different colours and there effects on the action. Truly a hidden gem for the system…. Go check this one out.

Star Fox Assault

After Nintendo fucked everyone in the arse with Star Fox Adventures, many fans of the series were eager to get back to what made the franchise so great. A return to its space combat roots, Assault would see our team of loveable characters battling a new threat in the form of insect like creatures, known as the Aparoids who have the ability to infect other life forms, resulting in the host becoming an Aparoid. The gameplay is divided up in to three different aspect, that will see you flying in an arwing… driving a land master and finally some actions require you to go on foot. But thankfully not to the extent seen in star fox Adventures that felt like some sort of peverted tribute to a zelda game. One of the best characteristics of Assualt has to be its multiplayer mode which supports up to 4 players and really helps the game shine, at first the mode can seem pretty limited but more weapons, items and maps are unlocked by eitiher playing a certain amount of multiplayer games or completing specific goals within the game. For some strange reason there are still a few people who do not know about this game so and its unfortunate as it really is a great experience and true to its roots.

Puyo Pop Fever

Developed by the one and only Sonic team, Puyo Pop Fever is the fifth instalment in the popular puzzle franchise. The game  is essentially just an update to the previous titles in the series. Including several new features as well asa really cool fever mode which turns up the intensity of the action and puzzling solving involved in the game. Taking many ques from its predecessors the gameplay remains tight and familiar to anyone who has played the games before but manages to capture and build upon the established formula all the while still proving accessible to new comers. Buried beneath the games pretty basic presentation,Is one of the finest puzzle games to ever grace the gamecube and if your a fan of the genre, there is enough here to keep you busy as all of the different characters all offer different styles of play. Understandably the story is pretty pointless but thats not what these types of games are about, but if your looking for a fun game to maybe play with a friend… Look no further.

Geist

In Geist you get to play as a ghost and have the ability to haunt the hallways of a mysterious organisation known as Volks. Due to the nature of your characters situation you can possess many inanimate objects, humans and animals found in the environments and use the abilities of each to advance. This can include complete puzzles that revolve around possessing different entities, as well as the different benefits they have upon the games combat. Geist truly is an outstanding first person adventure, its completely original and plays to the strengths it creates from its theme and manages to provide some truly unique moments. Thankfully the game includes multiplayer which can be expanded by completing the story mode with extra characters and levels for you to use. Admittedly not the best looking game for the system but if you can get past that you will find an incredibly atmospheric shooter and adventure waiting to unfold.