Reviews

GameCube Game Reviews

  • Review Namco Museum: 50th Anniversary (GameCube)

    This is one exhibition that will disappoint many

    Namco is a company with one of the most impressive back catalogues in video games and is now one of the biggest names in home entertainment following a successful merger with toy and anime company Bandai five years ago. Released at the end of the Gamecube's life to coincide with the 50th anniversary...

  • Review Defender (GameCube)

    "Live up to your name, Defender!"

    Defender was Williams Electronics first video game and its biggest seller with over 60,000 units sold. It was noteworthy for the level of control players were given over their space ship as well as excellent visuals and sound. It was a badge of honour if you could play the game with any skill due to the complexity...

  • Review Mr. Driller Drill Land (GameCube)

    "Dig a Chance!"

    If Namco had a corporate mascot that wasn't Pac-Man it would almost certainly be Mr. Driller. The retro arcade game from the end of the last century has spawned a franchise seeing seven games released with a version of some form on nearly every console made in the past decade. Its popularity is not only down to the simple, yet...

  • Review Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

    Double the usual number of exclamation marks means double the fun!!

    Mario…perhaps the most multi-faceted video game hero since MacGyver. He can make fireballs out of flowers, plays tennis and baseball professionally, balances two careers (carpentry and plumbing), and even has two girlfriends. Okay, maybe MacGyver wasn't actually a video game...

  • Review Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (GameCube)

    Change is good.

    After first being officially announced on December 21 at the 2003 Jump Festa event in Japan, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles marked the dawn of a new era for Nintendo fans. After Square Enix packed their bags and left Nintendo’s consoles, the state of the role-playing genre on Nintendo’s consoles was questionable; developer...

  • Review Odama (GameCube)

    The mightiest weapon of the medieval battlefield is at your disposal.

    Towering over your soldiers, the mighty Odama rolls a path of destruction over all it touches - friend or foe. Direct your soldiers with voice commands, and guide them out of harm’s way on to victory. Let the battle begin! This is a pretty epic game, so allow us to set the scene...

  • Review Ikaruga (GCN)

    Ikaruga might not be quite as intricate as its predecessor Radiant Silvergun, but its added intensity more than makes up for it.

    There are very few shooters that can bring a smile to a shooter fan's face quite like Ikaruga can - which brings me to my quandry. What can I say about Ikaruga that hasn't already been said a hundred times before. It's...

  • Review Doshin The Giant (GCN)

    Let love be your energy in this forgotten Gamecube gem

    Initially a game on the ill-fated 64DD add-on, Doshin the Giant puts you in control of the titular yellow fellow, and charges you with the care of an island of tribesmen and women. How you care for them is left entirely up to you. As a friendly sort of god, Doshin is capable of gently raising...

  • Review The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN)

    The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's epic franchises. Can the Wind Waker do the legend justice?

    Ten years ago, "The Ocarina of Time" raised the bar of gaming standards to a new, unprecedented height - Its unique battle system, innovative "Z-Targeting" system, and utterly captivating storyline stunned gamers worldwide. Millions waited for another...

  • Review The Sims 2: Pets (GCN)

    Can there really be a more time consuming game than this?

    The Sims is a franchise renowned for its cross-gender popularity and appeal to a large portion of gamers- many care for their Sims more than themselves! When it comes to console versions, the series have always struggled to entertain the masses to the extent that the PC titles have. The past...

  • Review FIFA 07 (GCN)

    Competition is good, but it hasn’t been kind to Electronic Art’s squillion-selling football title.

    FIFA soccer’s fall from grace as the number one football title in the 16-bit generation has been well documented. Sure, it has always sold well, usually remaining in the top 5 games well after its release on a yearly basis, but it’s no secret...

  • Review Sonic Mega Collection (GCN)

    When Sega and Nintendo had their rivalries in the 90’s some people never got a chance to witness some of the best that gaming had to offer due to owning only one of the two machines.

    Fast forward fifteen years and how things have changed! What better way to begin new friendships than bringing out one of the best compilations to date.. Sonic Mega...

  • Review LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (GameCube)

    Is the force with this one?

    New Gamcube titles doesn't grow on trees these days, in fact Nintendo's current generation console is almost completely abandoned, by both third party companies, and Nintendo them self. Therefore we're always glad when a new quality game launches for the Gamecube. The original game, Lego Star Wars, was a smashing success...

  • Review Resident Evil 4 (GameCube)

    Resident Evil 4 is the best game on the Gamecube.

    There, it has been said – that’s my stance on the latest in Capcom’s self proclaimed ‘Survival Horror’ genre. Action games, hell, most games in general will feel sluggish, dull and ultimately underwhelming after the onslaught of this games opening salvo (the first 20 minutes will become the...

  • Review P.N.03 (GCN)

    After a Computerized Armament Management System (C.A.M.S) malfunctions on a planet and all of the defence robots start to destroy and attack the colony, what is the contingency plan? To send you of course!

    You control the character of Vanessa Z. Schneider, a strong sassy sarcastic female mercenary who kicks arse. Girl Power! Well, she is not really...

  • Review Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 (GCN)

    Tony hawk is back!

    Only eleven months after the release of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3, the Hawk is back in this sequel to the award winning skateboard game. Over the years the Tony Hawk series have managed to get a huge fan base, and there is no doubt that this was a highly anticipated title. If you're interested in the skateboard genre, the sport...

  • Review Mario Party 4 (GCN)

    Mario. Game board. Dice. Party games. All you need now is a keg.

    The Mario Party franchise has been running for years and no doubt will continue to be present on all future Nintendo consoles; it even appeared on the sparsely known GC e-reader. The N64 had the original and two sequels in its lifetime, now it is continuing to evolve on the Gamecube...

  • Review Aggressive Inline (GCN)

    Aggressive Inline adds new depth to the extreme sports genre, extreme-ly well.

    Aggressive Inline is an extreme sports game and bears resemblance to the popular and long running Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series. So the opinion that this is just a clone using blades instead of a board and is cashing in on the thriving extreme sports genre is a common,...

  • Review Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN)

    Dark days are rising and mercenary Ike...

    Not long ago Fire Emblem was one of those cool looking Japanese games that we never got the chance to play over here. Thankfully in the past few years gamers in the west have been graced with that latest 3 (the 7th 8th and 9th instalments), 2 for the GBA and one on the GC. The one featured in this review is...

  • Review Mario Smash Football (GCN)

    Mario steps out onto the football field and is ready for some hi-octane arcade fun, this beat-em-up sports title is certainly action packed.

    With a recent wash of Mario sports titles, its hard to justify them all. Mario Smash Football or Super Mario Strikers to the Americans is an action sports title, developed by Canadian outfit, Next Level Games...

  • Review SSX 3 (GCN)

    Board one massive mountain with 3 peaks, pull off insane tricks and race your rivals.

    SSX3 is the 3rd instalment in EA’s series of break neck snowboard super cross games, it’s the best one to date. This is one of the few snowboarding games that are on GCN. The 2 main events in this game are tricks and races, both are highly addictive. In the...

  • Review The Simpsons Road Rage (GCN)

    The Simpson’s go Crazy taxi but it is a shameless cash-in or good game?

    Most people like the idea of Crazy Taxi, drive around really fast dropping people off at their destination before the timer hits 0. It's simple pure arcade addiction. The question is did Radical Entertainment manage to make the Simpson’s Road Rage a similar success. Take a...

  • Review Star Fox Adventures (GameCube)

    Play as Fox McCloud as you liberate the inhabitants of Dinosaur Planet and uncover the sinister truth.

    Fox McCloud, unrivalled Arwing pilot, takes his first steps on land when he visits Dinosaur Planet. Our hero receives a distress call and — like all good foxes — decides to investigate, discovering the planet's evil ruler, General Scales. The...

  • Review Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku (GameCube)

    Play as Cartoon Network star Samurai Jack as you strive to defeat Aku and restore the world to how it should be.

    Samurai Jack started life out on Cartoon Network where the show became highly popular; as a result we now have the game Samurai Jack and the Shadow of Aku to show for its success. Jack lived in a Samurai village long before modern...

  • Review Beyond Good & Evil (GameCube)

    Hillys, a world under constant threat from the DomZ, needs help, and this help comes in the form of the tenacious female photojournalist, Jade.

    Beyond Good and Evil will either be a game you have played (and loved) or never even heard of. Unfortunately, it seems like the latter is the common answer: this classic Ubisoft gem never received sales that...

  • Review Wave Race: Blue Storm (GameCube)

    Wave Race 64 was one of the biggest new IPs on the N64; how does this Gamecube sequel fare?

    Starting off in Wave Race: Blue Storm is noticeably more difficult than the N64 original, but with more stunts to learn and the new boost feature it's much more rewarding when you get the hang of it. The majority of the tracks are updated from the original...

  • Review Super Monkey Ball (GameCube)

    Sega's first game on a Nintendo console is a ball!

    Super Monkey Ball comprises 6 mini-games on top of the main game with over 90 stages. What more could be packed into Sega's first game on a Nintendo console? It's one of those rare games that keeps you up late into the night so that you can just get past one more tricky level. The graphics are nice...

  • Review Animal Crossing (GameCube)

    Nintendo's Animal Crossing, is a unique game. An RPG, without much of a story but so much more...

    Animal Crossing is a unique game with no overall aim or any way to complete it. You start out on a train heading towards a village. You start talking to an animal who eventually puts you in contact with a friendly racoon who can sell you a house in...

  • Review Pikmin (GameCube)

    Filled with Nintendo magic, Pikmin will enlighten your life while it lasts.

    Pikmin is a game like no other we've played before, and we've played a lot. You control Captain Olimar, a space traveller who has crashed on a strange planet. During the crash 30 parts of his ship have been spread across the world. What makes this worse is that your life...

  • Review Tales of Symphonia (GameCube)

    Ever wondered what would happen if the core of an RPG was merged with a fluent combat system? Namco did.

    If there is one genre of games that has been weak on the GameCube it is most defiantly RPG’s. Many gamers are deterred by the Final Fantasy style turn based systems and plentiful random battles -- there is just not enough action. Back in early...