TheNintendo GameCubedebuted in Japan and North America in 2001, before making its way to other regions in the following year. Therefore, 2002 was the console’s first full year on the market, and Nintendo’s system hit the ground running with releases such asResident Evil,Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem,Metroid Prime, and, of course,Super Mario Sunshine. These titles helped establish and cement the platform’s legacy and are still fondly remembered.
Naturally, the same cannot be said for most of the GameCube’s library, and that often has little to do with their quality. While some projects likeSmashing DriveandDie Hard: Vendettashould be left in the past, a fewforgotten 2002 GameCube gamesdeserve a better fate than obscurity.
Bloody Roar: Primal Fury
Released asBloody Roar Extremeon Xbox,Primal Furyis one of the best fighting games on the GameCube, particularly if someone is searching for a more traditional 3D fighter. The franchise’s hook is that the characters can transform into animals, an option that unlocks depending on the user’s performance.
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Primal Furyholds up surprisingly well after all these years, arguably better thanMortal Kombat: Deadly Alliancewhich debuted during the same year. While relatively simplistic, the combat system has enough nuance to keep things interesting. The 2002 game is also superior toBloody Roar 4, the final entry in the franchise.
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire
007 had a strong 2002, starring in two excellent games calledNightfireandAgent Under Fire. Historically,GoldenEyeis and will always be the definitive Bond game; however, both 2002 games have aged better than their predecessor.Agent Under Firetells a unique storyline removed from the movies, all the while retaining the over-the-top presentation of Pierce Brosnan’s era.
Along with aserviceable multiplayer,Agent Under Fireoffers a highly entertaining single-player campaign with rock-solid gunplay, fun driving sections, and impressive visuals for the era. The GameCube is not overflowing with great first-person shooters, andAgent Under Firestands out as a good B-tier option.
Sega Soccer Slam
In 2002, a surprising number of soccer games were released for the GameCube.FIFA Streetis still excellent, while Konami’sInternational Superstar Soccer 2andDisney Sports Soccerare both underrated gems in their own right. If forced to select one standout title in this niche subgenre,Sega Soccer Slamwould have to be it.
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Aiming for an arcade feel, this game throws the rule book out of the window to embrace an unapologetically absurdist tone. Featuring 4v4 matches,Sega Soccer Slamhas super shots, no fouls, and characters better suited for a wrestling game than soccer. Although not overflowing with content, the title has unlockable characters, mini-games, and a quest mode that is essentially a league. Sega’s game predatesSuper Mario Strikersby a couple of years, and they are both cut from the same cloth.
Lost Kingdoms
Although not particularly known for RPGs, the GameCube had a couple of genre greats such asPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door,Tales of Symphonia,Skies of Arcadia Legends,Baten Kaitos, andPhantasy Star Online Episode I & II. The latter was the console’s best 2002 RPG, with onlyBaldur’s Gate: Dark Alliancepresenting any sort of challenge.
The first properGameCube RPG wasLost Kingdoms, which came out in May 2002. Although not on the level of the previously mentioned games,Lost Kingdomsis a respectable title with a unique card-based battle system. Rather than fight directly, the protagonist, Katia, uses cards to summon creatures to battle alongside her. The game executes this concept well, and the same could be said for its 2003 sequel.
Robotech: Battlecry
Based on the 1980sRobotech, an animated series compiling scenes from three separate anime,Battlecryis an endearing love letter to the franchise. Players step into a Veritech fighter, a mecha capable of transforming into three forms with wildly different uses, strengths, and weaknesses. Across the campaign’s five chapters, players get to experience Jack Archer’s story, and the journey presents plenty of opportunities to engage in explosive battles to the death.
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Robotech: Battlecrynails its combat, both in terms of mechanics and faithfulness to the source material. As each form has unique controls, the gameplay has quite a bit of depth, even if the missions are a touch repetitive. Ultimately, this game is primarily for fans of the source material orpeople who really want to jump into a mecha.
Ultimate Muscle: Legends Vs. New Generation
Ultimate Muscle: Legends Vs. New Generationdid not come out in North America until 2003; however, the game will be included since it debuted a year earlier in Japan.
Somehow, four wrestling games were released for Nintendo’s GameCube in 2002.WWE WrestleMania X8andLegends of Wrestling1 & 2are somewhat known, although they are not worth revisiting in this day and age. However, the year’s most obscure GameCube wrestling game,Ultimate Muscle: Legends Vs. New Generation, is another story entirely.
Based on a popular manga and developed by the studio responsible forWWF No MercyandDef Jam Vendetta,Ultimate Musclehas gorgeous cel-shaded visuals, fast-paced gameplay, and an enjoyable storyline. The combat system blends wrestling fundamentals with over-the-top shonen anime goodness, finding a middle-ground that does justice to both sides of the equation.
