Crack Pipe in a Cube

I'm a HUGE Zelda fan. It almost causes me physical pain that I won't have access to a GC, and therefore won't be able to play the masterpiece that is Windwaker.

If you're looking for a good game with a low learning curve, the Mario Party series is a good place to start. I also HIGHLY recommend Super Smash Brothers Melee. It throws together exquisitely well executed characters from virtually all the Nintendo franchises. Combined with tons of extras, secrets, and truly innovative play styles, the game is a joy to play. The control system is simple and intuitive, making it easy to learn even the most advanced tactics. Super Smash Brothers Melee was voted by Penny Arcade as "The Best Reason to Have Friends". You owe it to yourself to check it out.

Metroid Prime is a MUST HAVE. It stole 3 straight days of my life: "hello work, (cough) i'm sick... (snicker)"

Zelda is also awesome, at first i worried about the new Zelda art style, but when you play it makes perfect sense.

Robotech is a HUGE disappointment. No game can live up to 17 years of anticipation, but even so, the game design just sucks (example: in one level you have to snipe ammo boxes to finish the level, they won't blow up if you hit them with a hundred missles, you MUST SNIPE THEM... lame)

Great choice with the GameCube. I have had mine since launch day and have not been disappointed.

Super Smash Brothers Melee is good if you like fighting games. I don't, and did not like the game at all. But again, if you like fighting games then it is probably good.

A couple great multiplayer games are: Super Monkey Ball 1 and 2. The first one has six mini-games that are all great, plus the "real" game. The sequel has twice the amount of mini-games, plus hundreds more levels in the real game. It is still one of my favorite Game Cube games, and is an absolute blast in multiplayer. I bought 4 controllers just so I could play this game with people. All of the mini games are easy to learn and great fun to play.

Pikmin is a great game. I can't wait for the sequel.

Metroid Prime is good. I am currently playing thru it. The only thing I don't like is that it has no storyline whatsoever. After a while I find myself thinking, "why am I playing this game?" because there isn't really any reason to keep playing except to see more of the levels I guess. Maybe I just haven't gotten far enough into the game to see everything it has to offer yet or something. Also, there is a ton of backtracking, which gets a little irritating. As far as the gameplay goes and immersion in the game, it is really great.

I've heard great things about both Metroid Prime and Smash Brothers Melee. Strangely enough, I even got a good review of Animal Crossing from a guy who's mostly just a fan of fighting and action games. He said that despite everything strange or silly he had heard, he somehow got sucked into it - to the point that roomates were fighting over who was allowed to play the game when. If there was definitely another Kart (as in Mario Kart) coming out for the Gamecube, I'd almost certainly get one as well. I'm practically drooling over the new look of Zelda and wouldn't mind playing Metroid, Mario, or Smash Bros, though I'm still very happy with my PS2 at the moment.

I second the vote for Super Monkey Ball.

Totally agree with the vote for the Monkey Ball series. Lots of fun and replay value is very high. I'm looking forward to Bomberman being released in New Zealand - not here yet, but if it is halfway as addictive to all the versions I've played on the pc it will be a great multiplayer.
It is definately worth adding some of the wireless Wavebird controllers into the mix. No cables, good weight, huge range allow you to play from wherever you like...

Some great multiplayer games:

Super Monkey Ball 2. Definite buy. Best Party Game ever.

Mario Party. My girlfriend loves it. Plays it all the time, even in single player mode.

Sega Soccer Slam. Easy to learn, great, great fun. if you like soccer, fifa ain't bad, either.

Animal Crossing. You can't play it with several players at the same time, but several players can live in the same city and send each other mail, sell items or exchange furniture. It's totally addicting, probably the most innovative game I've played recently.

bomberman generation is another great multiplayer game. provides hours upon hours uf fun.

sports: get beach spikers. four player game. addictive. easy to pick up, hard to master. nba courtside is kinda neat, too.

somebody else mentioned super smash brothers: melee. while I like it, most of my friends don't. it's too fast for them. an alternative would be godzilla: destroy all monsters melee. it's great fun if you like trashy godzilla movies. don't get legends of wrestling, though, unless you really, really like hulk hogan ;-)

extreme sports: get aggressive inline. two players can play at the same time. don't get thps 4 if you've played 3. it's almost the same. aggressive inline is much better. dark summit sucks. kelly slater's sucks. mx superfly kinda sucks.

four player racers: wave race is great, but a bit hard to pick up. extreme g3 is also pretty good, but too fast for a party game.

other games to consider: pikmin. only a one player game, but I still play it with others. arguing about how to do something is great fun ;-)
super mario sunshine. great jump-n-run-game. burnout. not so great graphics, but probably the best gc-racer at this time. better than need for speed.

bottom line: for party games, get super monkey ball 2, sega soccer slam, mario party 4, beach spikers and bomberman generation. other great four player games: godzilla: destroy all monsters melee, wave race, super smash bros: melee, extreme g3, fifa soccer.

I personally follow squaresoft in my choice of systems: if they announce a game for xxx system, I buy it.

That said I started off with nintendo, and I even foolishly bought a game cube (huge regrets outside of zelda) but what brought me back to nintendo was the new metroid. It was awesome- I usualy am loathe to play a fp shooter but this one stole my heart.

Other great games: Monkeyball, Animal Crossing (a sequel is rumoured to be), and Pikmin.

My only regret in the current zelda is the amount of travel time. Call me crazy but I don't want to wait six minutes just to travel between two islands.

square is working on at least one new game for the cube, final fantasy crystal chronicle (or something like that).

We bought a PS2 because every game machine I have ever bought has been end-of-lined within months. We thought the PS2 was the safest.

A friend has Gamecube though. Super Monkey Ball is worth the price of the whole machine.

Beach Spikers is by far my favorite multi player game for Gamecube, exellent gameplay and chicks in bikinis. Personaly i had to get an Xbox, I love sports games and Xbox has the best gameplay - also the online gaming is the best of the systems, they just need more online games. Tetris Worlds is my worst time warping , addictive game.

Todd - puff, puff, give man!

Seriously - I have a GC too and I absolutely love it. Get Pikmin - it's an incredible game. Metroid is amazing as well (it's really intense and scares you a lot!)

If you like the horror genre do *not* miss Eternal Darkness! It's one of the best games most people have never played!

Oh, and Monkey Ball isn't an option. Just get it. 'Nuff said.

Oh yeah, forgot about Eternal Darkness! Not multiplayer, but one of the best games I've played on the console. Loved it. I played it all the way thru in one weekend. And my wife, who is completely uninterested in video games and actually hates them quite a bit, sat there beside me and watched the entire time I played it, because it is pretty fast moving and kinda like a movie. Great game!

Aslo worth a nod are the Resident Evil games ( RE, and RE 0, not the other two ps1 ports) some people bitch about the controls but I think it is just part of the game, it adds to the drama, and the games have incredible graphics. I am also loving Zelda, and hating travel times, looking to get the warp hooked up. Metroid great, could never get into Matio, too tedious, and I never really got into Monkey Ball though, as here, I always here good stuff. I almost hate to say it, cause I am not even a real football fan, but I did get addicted to EA NCAA College Football for awhile, and lastely Tiger Woods golf is a very good and easy to get into golf game

shit i may have to get a GC as well. I have such a hard time finding games i like on the PS2, well not really. but there seems to be more fun games for GC. SUper duper processor intesive graphics ala XBOX does not always mean fun gameplay. Of course RAYMAN 3 just came out for PS2 .

I was all set to trade my Xbox in for a PS2 but after reading this thread I'm having second thoughts... What's so great about Pikmin anyway?

Pikmin is just a really well done, addictive game. The controls are easy to use, the concept of the game is easy to understand, but it can get pretty challenging at times as well. I don't really know that i can nail down a reason that it is so fun. You really just have to play it yourself. It's just a charming little game that makes you smile.

Basically you are a little alien flying in a ship who crash lands on a planet, your ship is wrecked upon landing, and so you start searching the planet for the pieces of your ship. Along the way you find a Pikmin, which is a little creature that lives in the ground and has a flower on his head. Using a whistle, you can control the Pikmin and have them help you find the pieces to your ship. They can move large objects, attack the other creatures on the planet, and help you in various other ways. There are three classes of Pikmin, red, yellow and blue. Blue can go in the water, but the other will drown in it. Red are the strongest, and yellow can carry little bombs to help you blow up barriers in your way. So you have to use each type of Pikmin's strengths to solve different puzzles and find the 30 something pieces of your ship.

Again it's a little hard to explain, but just really really fun once you start playing. You get attached to the pikmin after a while and are almost afraid to take them into battle, because you don't want to hear their little crys and yelps when they are being hurt. Unless you are mean, then you may enjoy it. :(

One of these days I've been thinking of getting a PlayStation 2, because, I'm intensely dislike Zelda and Mario. I want more RPG type games than I can find for the Cube.

go todd! anything made by microsoft already sucks.

Umm, just do what we did. Buy all three systems.

Couple thoughts:

PS2 - It has some exclusives you can't live without. Grand Theft Auto? Graphics and sound are great. Was my favorite.

XBOX - Pretty head to head with PS2 as far as games. The graphics on most games (we own some copies of the same game on different systems, don't ask) are better than the PS2. Had some ecxlusives, but they are now moving to the PS2 also. This one is my current favorite.

GameCube - Great system, but it's targeted at kids-teenagers. Most of the exclusive games are graphically great, but also look a little more kid like. Zelda is an amazing game.

Take the upcoming Soul Caliber sequel. Each console will have a special unique character. XBOX's is Spawn, Game Cube's is link and PS2's is Heihachi (from Tekken).

Mortal Kombat Deadly Alliance is a fine game, if you're into that sort of thing, and I throw my support behind Sega Soccer Slam too. (Frankly, I didn't think anyone else knew about that one.)

If you like RPG's, get Skies of Arcadia Legends. It's a remake of the original for the Dreamcast and is one of the best RPG's I've ever played.

Also, F-Zero, Mario Kart, etc, will be coming out this fall, so there is much to look forward to.

Zelda! - nuff said.

If you buy only one multiplayer game it should be Super Monkey Ball 2. Everything the first monkey ball was and so much more. There is something for every and all the mini-games only use the controlstick and the a button. Very easy to pick up.

Super Smash Brothers Melee is great fun, but only if you can find the people to play it with. It is very very fast and it takes a while to get into it.

Oh. And Zelda! Zelda! Zelda. I like it.

Pikmin is basically Warcraft meets Lemmings. Pikmin are kind of little walking carrots. They help you do things, you can give them orders, as in Lemmings. But unlike Lemmings, you can create more of them using resources you find - like in Warcraft. There's only one resource, though. So it's resource management plus Lemming-style puzzles plus cute graphics. A sure winner ;-)

And personally, I don't think the Gamecube is targeted at children. Shigeru Miyamoto doesn't think so either. Yes, most Nintendo games are non-violent and have colorful graphics. They are *suited* for children, but they're still challenging and a lot of fun for adults. At first, my pals laughed at me when I bought Super Monkey Ball. Guess which game they ended up playing all the time - SMB. GTA Vice City was fun for half an hour, but we haven't turned on the PS2 for months.

i got brother no 1 a game cube for his birthday (25th dec, no less). on a recent sale offer on game cube titles he went crazy trying to track 007 nightfire down, but no luck. in the end he went to toys r us for some other 007 title, agent under fire, only to find nightfire inside it. zelda is also on his list. i do plan on giving it a shot one day but i just about got the hang of mario golf 64!

Yes, I think the argument that the GameCube is just for kids and teenagers is completely ridiculous. I don't think many of the people here praising the GameCube are teeanagers, including myself, and we seem to enjoy it just fine.

Zelda is amazing! I've played it non-stop since it came out and I never get sick of it. There is just so much to explore.

Animal Crossing is pretty addictive. Especially the way that it follows normal time. So, when you go to play at 3AM on April 4th, it's actually April 4th at 3AM on the game. Plus, some of the characters are funny and you can tell them what to say sometimes.

I must go out and try Pikmin sometime, looks like I might enjoy it.

Super Monkey 2!!! And they just dropped the price on it too. I was getting ready to plunk down $49.99 for it and yippie it went to $29.99! $50 is too much for a game, while $30 doesn't seem so bad. It's like at Burger King I won't buy a WHopper for regular prioce, but hey at 99 cents I'll go mad... man oh man...

I have not played on a console for years and infact the last console system I got was a Sega MegaDrive (not sure what they were called in the US). I might hook it up tonight and play me some old fashioned platform games.

This is my first time at your weblog Todd, I came across your spectacular Flash site a few months ago via K10K but I didn't know you had this little beauty as well. Definatly a daily visit from now on.

I'm going to have to say that the first Super Monkey Ball is better than it's sequel. There were subtle changes in the original multiplayer games that made my friends and I pine for the first one, and I don't think we've rented SMB2 since.

Plus, no one has mentioned TimeSplitters 2, which is perhaps the funnest first-person shooter on the market right now. There are literally hundreds of secret characters and games to open up, and it's just a riot to play in large groups.

For instance, you can play flame tag, where one person is on fire, and in order to not be on fire you have to tag another person and be able to run away again. The person who is on fire the least is the winner. Makes for some great gameplay.

My take on the new Wind Waker:
http://www.iamgeneric.com/archives/000193.html

Besides that, for easy learning curve and optimal fun, without a doubt: Smuggler's Run. I fuckin love that game on my gamecube :)

you seem to have struck a chord with your readers, todd. we have all three systems, just to keep in line with your post.

I want to cast a vote for Super Mario Sunshine. The graphics are lush and the game play has kept me and my video addict daughter (7) entertained for hours.

Pikmin is just wonderful. It's one of those 'how did they think of this' games.

Crazy Taxi is as good as the arcade game EXCEPT for the soundtrack from Offspring. Jeesh..love the mute button on that one.

The Sims: played this in the store. ooohhh yeeahh

Lots of new titles coming out this year-
Wario World : released in June
PowerPuff Girls: my daughter tells me this will be released in August and that 'girlz RULE!'
Wallace & Grommit AND The Hobit in September.
This is going to be a very expensive GameCube year.

-k

animal crossing is the shiznit. the japanese rule.

I think the GameCube is great. My girlfriend gave one to me for Christmas (at my subtle request). I’m a contract programmer during the week and I work every Saturday night as a waiter, so I really don’t have a lot of free time to play it, so I specifically wanted the system with the *best* games, not the system with the *most* games. (And no, Xbox wasn’t an option.)

So, because of aforementioned time constraints, I have only two games: Mario Sunshine and Metroid Prime. I finally beat Metroid Prime and let me say that this game was possibly one of the greatest games I have ever played. The graphics and atmosphere are immersive and the learning curve doesn’t require you to be a master of shooters — when people say the game is designed well, that includes the gameplay itself, not just the imagery. It’s not overly violent, though I agree with a few above who have called it “scary” — it is just such a fun game that I wish I hadn’t beaten it. If you are not hard-core, skip work to play videogames all night long, then this game will last long enough to make it worth the cost, too. The last thing I want to say about it is that MP -does- have a storyline (though not a very deep one), you just have to pay attention to the details and scan everything. The Chozo ruins are covered with ancient lore of their diaspora, and the Space Pirate technology goes into great detail about their conquest of the civilization. You just have to get later into the game.

I forgot to mention Mario Sunshine. It’s a great game, lots of fun, but is actually kind of difficult in places. I use it as a “time-killing” game (that is, unlike Metroid I don’t come home from work dying to play it, but I still think it’s a great game).

When I was in college I was more into RPGs like Xenogears and other Square games, but there just isn’t time to spend 70+ hours on a game in my life anymore. (Which is sad because I really do love video games.) So I think you’ve made a great choice with the system you have. Me, I pre-ordered Zelda and picked it up the first night it came out but still have not opened the shrink wrap. I’m saving it as a reward for if I pass the SCJP exam this week.

I've come across 3 games that totally justified purchasing a GameCube: Metroid Prime, Godzilla Destory All Monster Melee & Resident Evil: Zero

I recommend cheking out all three, even if you're not a fan of each genre.

Have fun!

I apparently don't have anything to add, but here I go anyway --

Zelda: In love.
Metroid: Big fan.
Animal Crossing: Can't describe why, but great.

The GC exclusives are all I care about. Quality over quantity.

arses, now I *have* to go and buy a GameCube, particularly after looking at the Metroid Movies at ign.com. And I was doing so well in resisting the lure of consumer electronic entertainment thingies. But only £122 for the Cube Metroid Pack, how can I refuse?

Grrr... me too. And I really want some "party" type games I can play with four people and I just can't find any good ones for my PS2 (are there any?). Hmm, maybe next time price comes down on Gamecube. Problem is that XBox has a few exclusive games I want to play as well. But my wife would kill me if we had all three (well, initially. She would like the games I want as well).

My bigger concern is that Todd is 1. busy with work and 2. has a crack pipe and so WDIK will suffer...

As expected, the gamecube will soon be a non-console:

"Japanese game giant Nintendo says that sales of its GameCube console are coming in well below forecasts. Several major third-party game publishers have said recently that they intend to scale back the number of GameCube titles they will offer, and major European retailers have said they may drop sales of the console."

http://rss.com.com/2100-1043-995783.html

Super Smash Brothers Melee. If you have friends to get into it with is the best 4 player action I can think of. It's fighting, but not traditional, beat 'em up till they drop style. It is more a king of the hill setup. Which makes all the difference in my opnion. Plus it's relatively simple compared to most fighting games making learning it actually feasible instead of incessant button smashing.

Gamecube is a great system and it's a real bummer that sales aren't doing so well. Nintendo is number one in my book as they consistently bring the gameplay.

good move. i bought an N64 way back just to play legend of zelda: ocarina of time. and just recently, i purchased a gamecube to play metroid prime. that alone was worth it although now i'm itching to get the new zelda and to check out what all the mario party 4 hype is about. i haven't seen my playstation 2 in months and i will also NEVER buy an xbox.

Um, GC sales aren't going so well, but every time I check, XBOX is only slightly better in some forcasts, and tied in others.

PS2 is the uncontested champ, and the XBOX/GC are trying to beat the other for second place. And only GC has Zelda :)

I hope the Gamecube hangs in there - I believe they should have launched a lower price; when they dropped to £100 plus a game I couldn't resist, and there is something far more satisfying about the 'cube compared to the PS2.

Xbox? Never...

Games wise, Madden does it for me as a single player and two player game everytime. I began with Madden on the Megadrive back in the day (1993?) knowing nothing about American Football, and have enjoyed it ever since.

Metroid Prime is the best looking game I have played on *any* platform, and quite fun too.

XBox isn't doing well, but from what i've read MS is willing to pour millions into it just to keep it going.

I read recently that two of the bigger game publishers (can't remember) will not be making network enabled games for XBox b/c MS owns the subscription service as opposed to Sony who is willing to partner with publishers.

It's unfortunate that MS has so much power/$ that can do things their way and to hell with everyone else. Good for those publishers.

Even if the GameCube does get dropped, there are enough existing titles to make it worth the $150 price in the US.

>As expected, the gamecube will
>soon be a non-console:

Uhm... No. Nintendo has repeatedly said that they won't abandon the GC. They're even working on a successor right now. Fact is, Nintendo is making the *most* money from their console business out of the three remaining console manufacturers.

Yes, they missed their forecasts big time, but the Xbox is doing even worse. Nintendo's business is extremely solid, and they've been doing better and better lately. They really messed up the Christmas period, but right now, they're even beating the PS2 in some countries.

Zelda
Metroid
Super Mario Sunshine
Star Wars: Rogue Leader (hard as hell)
Animal Crossing
Mortal Kombat 4
Cel Damage
Tony Hawk 4
Super Smash Bros Melee

I own these and love all of them.

SSBM is a little too fast-paced for some people.
Even if you don't play it for a while and come back - it's shockingly hard to figure out what's going on sometimes.
=)
Still fun, however.

i join derek in recommending super monkey ball - great game, really..

you have gone to the dark side
you have also been joined by xbox owners

remember the light that is ps2 will always welcome you back :P

lol!

thanks for the good and interesant information

That is a smart comment, I agree