20. Resident Evil (GCN)

The original Resident Evil was a zombie B-movie classic which cemented the idea of survival horror in the minds of a generation, but also had a gloriously dodgy script and goofy characters that the series steered away from in subsequent entries. With REmake Capcom sought to realign the original with the upmarket production values of the later games, and boy did it succeed on that count. A complete overhaul of the PlayStation original, the power of the GameCube was put to use in conjunction with the beautifully repainted static backgrounds that still hold up today to produce a moody, evocative version of the Spencer Mansion we knew. With nods to its shlocky past, the game held surprises for veterans who knew the original inside out and arguably represents the best of the classic style, pre-RE4 entries in the venerable Biohazard series. For a system which looked so kid-friendly, it sure had some cracking M-rated games.

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19. Luigi's Mansion (GCN)

Had it been released now, Luigi's Mansion would arguably be lauded for the charming and affectionate genre parody it is and its short length would arguably be an asset in an era when we have more games than time to play them. As a launch game for GameCube, though, it wasn't what Nintendo gamers were expecting in 2002 after the genre-defining Super Mario 64 which launched Nintendo's previous console. It took a while to be appreciated after the initial bafflement that it wasn't a Mario platformer, but after a 3DS sequel (not to mention a remake) and the upcoming Luigi's Mansion 3 on Switch, it's safe to say the original has since received the appropriate levels of love and it still plays beautifully 18 years on.

18. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GCN)

Often considered to be the weakest entry in the Prime trilogy, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes nevertheless boasts the same brand of explorative first-person action that made the first game such a success, although with an increased difficulty and lacklustre multiplayer mode which took the shine off it for some players. We'd recommend playing it on Wii with the added bonus of pointer controls if the difficulty is an issue, but however you play, this sequel is still an incredibly good game.

17. Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN)

Your favourite Mario Kart game tends to depend very much on which one you played first, or which one you've played the most in multiplayer. This can lead to much contentious debate, but we have wonderful memories of Mario Kart: Double Dash!! despite it often getting short shrift from many.

While not overflowing with new ideas, the racers were presented as gorgeous fully 3D models for the first time, the two-driver gimmick was extremely satisfying and introduced a new layer of strategy as you switched characters and juggled items, and it has some great courses, including DK Mountain (ah, that little shortcut at the end!) and perennial favourite Baby Park, the hilariously hectic mini-course. It might lack a certain je ne sais quoi if you're devoted to other entries in the series, but make no mistake, this remains a chaotic karting classic. We love it.

16. Tales of Symphonia (GCN)

The GameCube entry in Namco's Tales series, Tales of Symphonia, could be fairly described as an RPG for non-fans of the genre. The battle system is active and forgoes the static menus you might expect in favour of the 'Multi-Line Linear Motion Battle System' which makes things more dynamic for players who like that sort of thing. This was the first entry to feature 3D graphics and although the plot might be a little workaday if you're at all familiar with the genre, there's a lot to love here. The game was also released for PS2 in Japan, and PS3 worldwide, so the GameCube isn't the only place to catch up with Lloyd and the gang.

15. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (GCN)

The N64 original put an arcade-y spin on Star Wars flight games like X-Wing but its sequel took things to a whole other level. A GameCube launch title and technical showpiece (alongside Wave Race: Blue Storm), Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader blended original space missions with key moments from the classic trilogy and really showcased the capabilities of the console. The visuals and audio are still impressive — most impressive — today, and the feeling you get from locking S-foils by squeezing the analogue trigger down to a click and blasting into vast space battles against dozens of enemy fighters is the closest we've come to feeling like we're 'in' the movies.

It's challenging, too. Turns out that finding tiny whining spacecraft against a starfield backdrop is hard (let alone hitting the damned things!), but the tight controls and authentic feel of Factor 5's game make finally nailing that wily TIE worth the effort. Other games have come close, but Rogue Leader is still the benchmark for flight-based Star Wars games on consoles. Given the chance, we'd jump on an HD re-release faster than a mynock on a power cable. Red Five standing by.

14. Animal Crossing (GCN)

It's arguable that this series really came into its own in a portable context with the wonderful Animal Crossing: Wild World on Nintendo DS, but the N64 original nailed most of the systems first time out and this GameCube port of that Japan-only release introduced Animal Crossing's pleasant real-time village antics to the west. It's a series that you play a little bit every day and that's much more easily accomplished on a handheld system which you can whip out on the bus or take on your lunch break. It's hard to return to a village tied to a home console these days, but then again it's hard to return to any previous entry once you've become accustomed to the myriad quality-of-life improvements of the next. We'll always have the memories, though, and this first taste of village life was sweet.

13. F-Zero GX (GCN)

While debate forever rages as to whether the N64 entry or its Sega-developed GameCube sequel is better, we can all agree that both games are rather special in their own right. F-Zero GX's story mode helps paint a picture of the 'F-universe' and those cutscenes featuring Captain Falcon and the gang sure add some pizzazz. The series also certainly never looked better than on GameCube. The breakneck speed and brutal difficulty might put some people off, but racing doesn't get much purer than this, and seeing as this was the last full-blown retail entry from the franchise to come to a home console, this is still arguably the hottest take on F-Zero going. Track it down.

12. Skies of Arcadia Legends (GCN)

If there was a positive to Dreamcast's untimely demise, it was that other consoles benefited from Sega's misfortune. A port of the Dreamcast original, Skies of Arcadia Legends was made by Sega studio Overworks, a starry team of Sega veterans, and was billed as a 'director's cut' of the turn-based JRPG. With minor improvements across the board, Skies of Arcadia made exploration a central part of the gameplay as opposed to other games in the genre and fans have been calling for a modern remaster of air pirate Vyse's adventures for a long time, although it's failed to materialise. Until it does, the GameCube is the best way to revisit Arcadia.

11. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (GCN)

The first home console Fire Emblem to be released in the West — and only the third to be localised — GameCube's Path of Radiance introduced us to Ike, leader of the Greil Mercenaries and rocker of a blue barnet. The game was the first in the series to feature fully 3D graphics, and features (in our opinion) the strongest story of any game in the series.

Ike would go on to join the fight in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and gain notoriety there before returning in the Wii sequel to this game, Radiant Dawn. Unfortunately, this luminary pair of home-console Emblems aren't too easy to find these days, with both of them still exclusive to their original hardware and fetching eye-watering prices on the secondhand market. By modern standards, Path of Radiance is lacking somewhat when it comes to presentation, but how we'd love to be able to play it anew without having to crack out the 'Cube! We like Ike.