Gamecube fondly remembered

[sj33]

The only real negative was the picture quality; if the picture was as clear as the Dreamcasts (recall someone saying the blurriness was due to some stupid cheap aa trick) it would still be my main console.

Resident Evil 4 and Twilight Princess used a very weird form of texture filtering (apparently only present in the later SDKs) that resulted in the games looking quite poor on an LCD. The Wii versions have the same problem.

[paul]

Funny you posted this. Today, I was just thinking back to when I bought my JPN / US switched gamecube for ?300 quid with Rogue Squadron and Pikmin and SMB. I was pining for a hardcore system after the demise of the dreamcast, and I wasn't really prepared to invest my money into the Sony / MS empire, as I viewed the Nintendo / Sega era to be the purest gaming era. Even though it was all about making money, regardless of who the purveyor of the hardware was.

I didn't really know much about import gaming, so joined the Gamecube Invasion boards to get some knowledge. I paid a small fortune on cables / convertors as my tv didn't support the relevant NTSC standard. Eventually I bought a modded RGB cable and all was, finally I was able to enjoy my games as they were intended to be displayed.

I didn't find any of the first wave of games to be particularly engrossing, but they all had a short term appeal. I think I'd probably given SMB most of my time of the three I had. That all changed with Super Mario Sunshine. That said, I only got to the final level and never finished it. I think I bought that with the help of the GC Invasion board as someone put in a bulk order for us boardies. What I was really waiting for though was a Zelda game, and it finally arrived in the form of The Wind Waker. The game had flaws in it's pacing, but it had some truly magical moments in it as well. Yeah, I think I loved it for that alone. The first time you enter Hyrule Castle was a standout moment for me as it went from black and white to colour. I do tend to focus on the better moments rather than flaws when it comes to games. I wish I could do the same in life.

I think the final game that really stood out for me was Metroid. That was superb. Again, a a game I never finished, but you could really appreciate the work they put into it.

Exceptional Honourable Mentions (basically I forgot about them as I was reminiscing. I'm an old man. Can't remember much these days):

Luigi's Mansion
Viewtiful Joe
Winning Eleven 6
Resident Evil 4

Dishonourable mentions to the following games that entered my collection:

Spy Hunter (pure unadulterated multi platform drivel)
Animal Crossing (sorry, but i just didn't get hooked on this as soon did)
Billy Hatcher (bold, colourfull, but really lacking that standout Sega magic)

[nakamura]

Just completed Resi remake with a mate. What a totally amazing game and it shows you can remake an old game without it feeling cheap. It is far better than the PS1 version.

[dataDave]

I think the final game that really stood out for me was Metroid. That was superb. Again, a a game I never finished, but you could really appreciate the work they put into it.

When I'm around 80-90% through a Metroid or Zelda game I actually feel like giving up purely because I don't want the game to end! I always spend time on a 'world tour' before heading into the final areas.

[rmoxon]

Ive never completed a single Metroid Prime game, I have the same problem with all 3 of them but particuarly the first one, I always get to a part where I die about an hour after the last time I saved it and cant be bothered doing it all again so quit, then a year later I go back through it again and do the exact same thing.

[Grapple Convoy]

Animal Crossing (sorry, but i just didn't get hooked on this as soon did)

My favourite one of the series! The latter games took out more than they added, which was most unfortunate in the case of the DS sequel; the concept works far better on a handheld, but too much was stripped away from the gameplay of Wild World, leaving little beyond grinding.

Memories flood back of when every GameCube-owning import gamer was eagerly playing Animal Crossing, whether on a NTSC console or PAL console via Freeloader. They all deny that now though.

[parkinho]

When I'm around 80-90% through a Metroid or Zelda game I actually feel like giving up purely because I don't want the game to end! I always spend time on a 'world tour' before heading into the final areas.

Yes mate I do the same thing, which is why the key collectathon at the end of the Prime games never frustrated me like it seemed to do other people.

Not played through Echoes since early '05 so may well load it up on Trilogy for the Wii this weekend and reacquaint myself with it. For me it stands alongside Majora's Mask as the best game of the last decade.

[kryss]

My favourite one of the series! The latter games took out more than they added, which was most unfortunate in the case of the DS sequel; the concept works far better on a handheld, but too much was stripped away from the gameplay of Wild World, leaving little beyond grinding.

Memories flood back of when every GameCube-owning import gamer was eagerly playing Animal Crossing, whether on a NTSC console or PAL console via Freeloader. They all deny that now though.

Got my Animal Crossing from Australia so no freeloader needed. Had to import the e-reader from Canada though, lol.

[speedlolita]

Oh my god I totally forgot about Billy Hatcher.

[Decider-VT]

I was never into the launch games much but I distinctly remember being giddy with excitement when I got home and popped Doshin the Giant on. I also felt a twinge of sadness when I left the UK to live in Australia for a year, as I was leaving my town in Animal Crossing behind. When I came back I loaded my save file and the animals were asking me where I'd been, as they thought I'd fallen down a well.

[smouty]

My daughter who was back over Xmas saw a pile of GC games and we popped AC in as she loved it. It had been about 4 years since the last visit. Quite a bit of weeding was required

[Corranga]

I also felt a twinge of sadness when I left the UK to live in Australia for a year, as I was leaving my town in Animal Crossing behind. When I came back I loaded my save file and the animals were asking me where I'd been, as they thought I'd fallen down a well.

This. Animal Crossing on the cube was amazing. I imported my AC shortly after the US launch for my Lik Sang switched JAP cube which I paid a small fortune for not long after the US launch.
It come with JAP Waverace and US Rogue Squadron (which was delayed as Lik Sang couldn't get enough stock) plus a memory card, step down, and extra purple / clear controller.

I remember looking at the prices and spending however much on the purple cube as I didn't want to spend the 20-30quid more for a black or orange one. I still regret not getting that orange one!

Anyways, I played Animal Crossing religiously. I remember the PAL release in AUS, then the UK one quite a bit later too (was it maybe 18 months?). The game worked so well, you wanted to go back and play for 30 minutes a day. I remember feeling a bit sad when I'd talked to everyone, finsihed working, redecorated, weeded, knocked all the trees for some money bags and outrun the bees.. Then I got my girlfriend into it and I could visit her town too
The NES games made it special too, like you really were getting gifts from a game. I remember going to see KK Slider play on a Friday night, and waiting for holidays to do whatever happened then, christmas gifts, trick or treat, fireworks...

My gamecube collection is probably my biggest, standing at 90 games currently. That's close to 90 decent games too as I try not to buy crap. Ok, some multiplatform stuff, and some are a bit average, but mostly decent titles.

Stand out moments for me include:
The usual list of Zeldas (Wind Waker, 4 swords, compilation disks), RE4, F-Zero, AC, Mario Sunshine, Luigi Mansion, Monkey Ball
I also really enjoyed the ill loved Mario Kard: Double Dash
Other moments: Pacman Vs, Ikaruga, Killer 7, PN03, Kururin Squash, Mr Driller Drill Land, Paper Mario, Sega Soccer Slam/Mario Smash Football, Smash Bros. Melee, Viewtiful Joe

Great stuff.

Chris

[importaku]

After quite a long time away i was rather curious to see how my town was, so i booted up animal forest, hehe a ton of presents waiting for me in the postbox & enjoyed playing the famicom games. The ds & wii versions are really poor in comparison with what they offer as the cube ones had games in them making it a pretty interesting quest to get hold of them all. The ds & wi versions offered only online as the incentive to get those.

Heres a pic of my house & it's famicom filled living room lol

[Family Fry]

I lost my wife to Animal Crossing, seriously she almost cried when Goose left her village for mine
GOOOOSEEEEEEE!

[SUMIRE]

Don't forget you can pick up Metroid Trilogy on the Wii, which is pretty damn awesome if you missed out on the Gamecube ones.