GameCube Launch ‐ Part 3

RetroAchievements is proud to announce support for its 52nd console, the GameCube!

The Nintendo GameCube launched in Fall 2001 as a successor to the Nintendo 64. It features a handle so you can whack people with the Gamecube and yell "that's my purse, I don't know you!". The system used mini discs which actually spin backward as an attempt at anti piracy. This primarily worked until the end of the system's lifestyle. Unfortunately the mini disc format was hard to develop for by third-party developers. Although the GameCube was not the lowest powered system of the generation (that honor went to the PlayStation 2), it did often receive buggier versions of ports. Still, the system was not short on power or exclusives and boasts some of the most memorable exclusives in the generation.

With this launch, RetroAchievements is proud to announce this was our Biggest Launch of all time with over 100 games here at release. That means GameCube will launch with over 25% of the system's library already available!

This project was spearheaded by LillyJade at the coding helm, and the entire project at this point was a good 2 years of work. We also have to thank our partners at the Dolphin Team for working with us to get this product out the door.

We also need to thank the Writing Team led by Nepiki who have made sure these sets are up to a high standard for English readability. We also can't forget to thank the Dolphin Testers for taking the sets and beating them with a hammer to find lingering bugs and errors. Finally, thanks go out to the Rollout Team who have helped over the past two years including Snow, StingX2, TheMysticalOne, AuburnRDM, pinguupinguu, televandalist, and Sutarion.

Furthermore, an event for the GameCube launch is now ongoing as well. Check out this forum post for all the details regarding this event!

With RANews, we wanted to take a look at each of the games released during this rollout and give you a short introduction on what to expect. This will be split up into three articles, with each covering a random set of games! Here is the final set for you to check out:

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 6870, 089069, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis %}	Survival Horror

By: {% rauserpic AlexGatao %}

While Leon and Claire are busy with the events of Resident Evil 2, Jill Valentine is in need of help to escape Raccoon City. With most of the population transformed into zombies by the T-Virus, including some hulking giants named Nemesis very much desiring your death, it won't be easy... but fortunately, you have all the tools you need! In this third-person survival horror game, outsmart and defeat you enemies by finding a variety of firearms. Doesn't matter if they are undead, a rocket launcher they ain't surviving! And if you want to control some other characters, the mercenaries minigame has you covered, where characters met throughout the story must travel from one end of Raccoon City to the other under a strict time limit, which can be extended by performing various tasks like rescuing civilians. Hard mode is required for the entire set, but with a rocket launcher at your side, those zombies will pose no threat!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 28385, 089148, Bleach GC: Tasogare ni Mamieru Shinigami %}	3D Fighting

By: {% rauserpic AlexGatao %}

Relive the adventures of the Bleach manga in this Japanese-exclusive title now available on RetroAchievements, Bleach GC: Tasogare ni Mamieru Shinigami! It is the first installment in the Bleach Nintendo Home Consoles series, developed by SEGA as a weapon-based fighting game. It follows three scenarios, each with multiple acts that will be a joy for fans of the series... if you can read Japanese that is, as the game currently does not have a fan translation. Fortunately if all you care about is gameplay, then you're good to go, with a total of 27 characters to choose from, all from various arcs of the manga. Duke it out in 3D fighting across 12 stages, and prove that you have what it takes to be a true Shinigami!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 24163, 088361, Star Wars: The Clone Wars %}	Action

By: {% rauserpic Snow %}

The Jedi are in need of your help again in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Set during the Star Wars prequel trilogy, this game features popular main characters Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Mace Windu playable during third-person Jedi fighting segments on foot taking on events familiar to fans of the series. The majority of the game however, is done through vehicular combat, with players having access to clone warships, starfighters, speeder bikes, and tanks, all coming with different controls to make you feel what every vehicle is capable of. If you are ready to become a Jedi Master yourself, be sure to take on every mission on the highest difficulty, as well as completing all bonus objectives. Once completed, check out the Thule Moon Academy and make it to wave 20 to ensure mastery will become yours!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 25457, 089044, Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2 %}	3D Fighting

By: {% rauserpic Layton %}

Another Naruto set? Believe it! In this 3D fighting game based on the early episodes of the hit anime Naruto, experience the story of Naruto graduating against all odds from the Ninja Academy and eventually working his way up to entering the Chunin Exams with his team! Clash of Ninja 2 brings the iconic characters of the Chunin Exams to the roster as well as four-player multiplayer action! The set includes progression and a wide range of completion achievements as well as some creative challenges. Do you have what it takes to be a true shinobi of the Hidden Leaf?

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 25459, 089273, Nickelodeon Party Blast %}	Party

By: {% rauserpic Excessiveiser %}

If you were always wondering "man, I really like Mario Party but I wish I could play as Nickelodeon characters instead" then do not fear, as Nickelodeon Party Blast is here! There are many series present from the history of Nickelodeon, like Rugrats, The Wild Thornberrys, Rocket Power, and of course SpongeBob SquarePants, having a total of eight characters representing them and more than twenty stages. Various events are taking place in these stages, like basketball where you score the most goals to win with tricks earning even more points, or food fight where you are duking it out against others by piling food on them. If that wasn't enough, there are a total of six different party modes to keep your attention. The set also comes with a variety of challenges to keep you engaged, like not losing health or points in a party game, or getting more than a specified amount of points.

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 2466, 089468, Resident Evil 0 %}	Survival Horror

By: {% rauserpic AlexGatao %}

All aboard! There have been reports of cannibalism and murder outside of Raccoon City, and it's up to the unlikely pairing of S.T.A.R.S. medic Rebecca Chambers and former Marine-turned-convict Billy Coen to investigate. Together, they must uncover a secret that will unleash countless horrors onto the world and kickstart one of the most beloved franchises of all time...

Resident Evil 0 is a prequel to the original game, featuring gameplay that is reminiscent of the original PS1 classics, with all-new and improved graphical fidelity seen in the GameCube remake of Resident Evil. This entry to the series breaks new ground by letting you play as both characters in the same story! Each character has their own strengths and skills that change how you play them, adding an extra layer of complexity to the puzzles you'd usually expect in a Resident Evil title. This achievement set will truly test your mastery, featuring damageless and knife-only boss challenges, S Rank completion, and speedruns! The set also showcases Leech Hunter mode, asking you to experience every facet of this survival horror classic.

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 3792, 088958, Mario Power Tennis %}	Sports - Tennis

By: {% rauserpic tsyque %}

Get back on the court with the fourth entry in the tennis sub-series of Mario, Mario Power Tennis! Mario and friends are ready to take on a wide variety of unique tennis matches against each other, ranging from regular tennis on regular- and gimmicky courts, but also ones that feel like minigames in and of themselves, like Ring Shot where you shoot balls through rings of increasing sizes, and Tic-Tac-Glow to liberate Shine Sprites trapped in dirt by hitting them with ball of water. In classic Mario fashion, a unique spin is given to the sports that you wouldn't find elsewhere, and with eighteen playable characters each having a different playstyle, and a number of modes not mentioned yet like Tournament and Item Battle, this game will game keep your attention for a long while to come. Which is good, because it comes with a gigantic set of over 200 achievements, making absolutely sure that you will see every corner the game has to offer!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 6253, 088925, Super Monkey Ball 2 %}	3D Platforming, Party

By: {% rauserpic Bryan1150 %}

AiAi and friends are going bananas, as their precious bananas are stolen by the evil Dr. Bad-Boon! Super Monkey Ball 2 is the second installment in the beloved arcade franchise, with this title being exclusively released on home console, giving it the opportunity to come with a story mode all about monkeys and bananas. With this new mode, the series has become more approachable than ever, giving the player infinite lives so that they too can triumph over Dr. Bad-Boon. But of course, it wouldn't be Super Monkey Ball with a nice challenge mode of increasing difficulties, adding more stages per difficulty, and a total of 12 minigames! If you cannot get enough of these exciting-but-tough ball rolling adventures, then this is the set for you to check out.

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 28426, 089564, 1080° Avalanche %}	Extreme Sports - Snowboarding

By: {% rauserpic Gudra %}

WIP text

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 2708, 089937, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour %}	Sports - Golf
{% ragamepic 29039, 096896, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour [Subset - Completionist] %}	Sports - Golf

By: {% rauserpic LiveFastCyYoung %}

Developed at the same time as the earlier-mentioned Power Tennis, Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour brings the birdies to the GameCube! Released shortly after Super Mario Sunshine, it would be the first title to include substantial content from it, like the playable characters Bowser Jr., Shadow Mario, and Petey Piranha, as well as Diddy Kong from Donkey Kong Country. In general it plays similar to the games that came before, but with more technical advancements come more quality of life features, like changing the camera and updating the controls. Like its tennis counterpart, there are a variety of modes to choose from, including the usual tournaments and character matches, but also a very similar minigame in Ring Shot where you shoot through rings, and special side games like Hole-in-One contest. Beating each mode as every character is also the objective of the completionist subset, but fortunately the core set also offers more than enough, unlocking each character and finishing tournaments with every hole being a birdie or better. If you are a golf enjoyer, then this game will keep you busy for a long while to come!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 3802, 093261, Metal Arms: Glitch in the System %}	Third-Person Shooter, Action-Adventure

By: {% rauserpic Cadaxar %}

Set in the dystopian world of Iron Star, a rebellious robot named Glitch joins the resistance to prevent a group of evil robots taking over the planet. He does this through 3D shooting action-adventure gameplay, going through a total of 42 levels in the story campaign all around this metallic planet. Glitch has over seventeen weapons accessible to him, such as flamethrowers and machine guns. The game features a total of four difficulties, which is good since the difficulty in general can be quite high, making this a game that will appeal to all audiences. The levels also offer secret chips that can be found, and a ranking for beating the level under par time. All of these are covered in the achievement set available on RetroAchievements!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 8577, 089049, Harvest Moon: Magical Melody %}	Simulation, Life Simulation

By: {% rauserpic SporyTike %}

Back to the farmlands we go with Harvest Moon: Magical Melody, the third game in this simulation series released on the Nintendo GameCube. Choose which gendered character you would like to play as, and settle in your new home as an exciting journey is about to unveil, involving the awakening of the Harvest Goddess who has turned herself to stone out of melancholy at the townspeople's disregard. You will be on the hunt for musical notes to awaken her, while making sure you'll take good care of your plots of land and raising animals, and becoming friendly with the townsfolk. With some you can get more than friendly, as each gender has a total of 11 bachelor- or bachelorettes to choose from and share their life with. The achievement set has a ton of interesting and unique achievements to make sure you will see everything this town has to offer.

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 15376, 059013, SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, The %}	3D Platforming, Collect-a-thon

By: {% rauserpic zxmega %}

If you grew up with SpongeBob SquarePants during the 90s and early 2000s, you may remember the hype when the first official movie was announced for our favourite yellow sponge. And with this movie came a 3D Platforming game, full of collect-a-thon goodness. Players take control over both SpongeBob and Patrick, going through 18 levels that loosely follow the storyline of the film, completing side tasks and occasionally facing a boss that was prevalent in the movie. Over time their moveset will increase, allowing levels to evolve over time. But aside from platforming, there are also a bunch of different levels like a Super Monkey Ball-like Spongeball, driving with a character who should never drive, and sliding in a small bathtub. Completion of every level will be your main objective for the achievement set, as well as doing a minimalist playthrough where you can not have any Macho of Health upgrades when collecting main tokens or defeating bosses. And of course, don't forget the speedrunning for the driving and sliding levels!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 25476, 089007, Super Mario Strikers %}	Sports - Football \| Soccer

By: {% rauserpic Gollawiz %}

We've had golf and we've had tennis, as well as baseball in a previous edition. But what sport could possibly be missing...? If your answer was football but extreme then you are correct! This game takes the concept of football, removes the referees because who likes them, and adds a dose of Mario personality. Each team comes with characters from across the Mario universe, with the team captain having a over-the-top Super Strike that will give two points on goal. And of course in classic Mario fashion, there are a bunch of Mario-themed items that change how the game is played. With multiple gameplay modes like Grudge Match and Cup Battles, you will have a ton of fun matches in this achievement set now available on RetroAchievements!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 25417, 090060, P.N.03 %}	Third-Person Shooter

By: {% rauserpic Sigma501 %}

Capcom had a deal with Nintendo to bring five exclusive titles to their system, which... didn't exactly work out as there is now only one exclusive. That game, is P.N.03, a third-person shooter with a female mercenary protagonist fighting against berserk robots in battles where defensive and rhythmic maneuvers are the star of the show. With the powered exoskeleton attached to her spine, Vanessa can shoot out energy beams and perform powerful energy drives, and dance around enemies who portray their attack wish visual and aural cues. Through the game you'll also find a bunch of different suits, and upgrading them will be one of the objectives for the achievement set, as well as defeating bosses without using any energy. If you want to play an often overlooked hidden gem on the GameCube by a well-established publisher, then this is certainly one to check out!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 6605, 075446, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Games! %}	Minigames

By: {% rauserpic Xalerzyx %} and {% rauserpic Gudra %}

WAAHH, are you ready to play some microgames? Released shortly after the first game from GBA and coincidentally also being a remake of that game, WarioWare, Inc: Mega Party Games! will test your reflexes as you will go through a bunch of themed microgames that only last a few seconds. While you will have a rough idea of what the controls are because of the theme, you will have a short time to realize what you are doing and what you need to do to complete the minigame, and this will only become faster over time with increasing difficulties! All microgames from the original game are present here, with some new additions like Time Attack and character stats. These are all covered in the set too!

The main appeal of the GameCube version however, was multiplayer. Fortunately, a multiplayer subset for this game is in the works, so hopefully you will be able to enjoy this soon as well!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 28384, 094798, Chronicles of Narnia, The: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe %}	Action-Adventure

By: {% rauserpic Maximdraco %}

With a popular movie like The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a game based on it was pretty much an inevitability. As with the movie, your objective is to guide the four Pevensie children through the enchanted, wintery land of Narnia to end the tyrannical rule of the White Witch. This is done through fifteen linear levels, using various gameplay elements like stealth, combat, puzzle-solving, and strategy. Aside from the main objective in these levels, the player can find coins, statues, and shields to upgrade the characters, unlocking more abilities over time that will help them with the before-mentioned gameplay styles. If you collect everything as well as beating every level on Hard difficulty, then the mastery will soon enough be yours!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 29177, 094007, Bloody Roar: Primal Fury %}	3D Fighting

By: {% rauserpic Raichi %}

Let out your inner beast and help end oppression in this new entry in the Bloody Roar series. Originally released for the GameCube and later ported to Xbox, this 3D fighting game features face-paced, combo-heavy combat, where you built up energy over the course of battle to transform into a powerful beast form, each unique per character. This risky transformation will come at the cost of a life bar depleting over time, but skilled fighters can ensure victory by knocking down the opponent and reverting to human form. After all, the benefits of becoming a beast far outweigh the demerits. The player can choose from a variety of modes, such as Arcade, Time Attack, and Survival, which will all be necessary for the achievement set as well. Do you have what it takes to become the strongest Zoanthrope?

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 25454, 093034, Mega Man Network Transmission %}	2D Platforming, Metroidvania

By: {% rauserpic Yurana %}

Jack in, Mega Man! The popular Battle Network spin-off series of Mega Man games would debut on the Game Boy Advance, but to reach as big an audience as possible, Capcom decided to make a spin-off of a spin-off for the GameCube. This title would be called Mega Man Network Transmission, which would take on a 2D Platforming style while keeping elements from the original RPG gameplay, such as chips to use that act as a variety of different weapons. Taking place one month after the first Battle Network game, Lan and MegaMan.EXE are once again confronting WWW, the evil organization led by this universe's Dr. Wily. This game would have a slight nudge to the X series however, with the Zero Virus taking the centerpiece. MegaMan.EXE has to go through various levels, fighting both old- and new EXE variants of the beloved robot masters, and return peace once again. As seen on the GBA sets, S ranking every boss is a big objective of the achievement set, but with this being a 2D Platformer now, taking out every boss with just the Mega Buster is an additional challenge to undertake. Collect all chips and program advances, and save the net once again in Mega Man Network Transmission!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 28381, 091268, Mario Party 6 %}	Party

By: {% rauserpic TeddyWestside %}

Every edition of the GameCube Launch articles had a Mario Party to talk about, and today we reach the final one--at least, for this rollout. Mario Party 6th is, as the title indicates, the sixth installment in this party spin-off series, where friendships are put to the test in exhilarating minigames. One wrong move can potentially cost you the game... or another player just ends up lucky and steals everything anyway, oops! Unique to this game is the day-and-night system, which is also the main plot of the story mode, where representatives of the sun and moon are dueling each other to see who is more popular. Aside from that new feature, the game mostly plays how you expect it to: go through various modes and play up to 82 minigames in a variety of modes, with the achievement set making the most out of each mode. It is a tough set, so be sure to bring your skills to the table... or pray to lady luck!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 29803, 097995, Spawn: Armageddon %}	Action-Adventure

By: {% rauserpic WilHiteWarrior %}

It is time for another superhero to take stage. Spawn: Armageddon features the titular anti-hero in a hack and slash adventure, inspired by the first 99 issues of his own dedicated comic book series. Spawn goes through fast-paced, stylish combat, with his trademark Agony Axe and chains, hellish powers, and of course firearms to ensure his enemies will be deader than dead. Collecting demon souls will allow him to buy more ammunition and upgrade himself, ensuring that he is even more deadly. And you'll have to make sure he is as deadly as possible, as this tough set will force you to go through the entire game on Hard difficulty, reaching a high rank on every mission, and not dying during missions nor losing Necroplasm. But with as epic an anti-hero as Spawn, all of these will be trivial before his might!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 30122, 099073, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes - Special Disc %}	Action, Stealth

By: {% rauserpic WilHiteWarrior %}

WIP text

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 25428, 098947, Bomberman Jetters %}	Action, 3D Platforming

By: {% rauserpic LiveFastCyYoung %}

WIP text

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 28369, 098921, ~Hack~ Samus Goes to the Fridge to Get a Glass of Milk 3D %}	Action-Adventure

By: {% rauserpic KingS1zzle %}

Samus Goes to the Fridge to Get a Glass of Milk 3D is a hack for Metroid Prime which continues the ongoing saga of Samus getting a glass of milk for Adam, as detailed in the original Samus Goes to the Fridge to Get a Glass of Milk and the sequel, Samus Goes to the Fridge to Get a Glass of Milk II. In this exciting 3D debut for Samus and milk, traverse the space pirate frigate Orpheon in search of their fridge and seize their ill-gotten gains for the good of the Galactic Federation. The set will challenge you to think about milk runs in all new ways as well as providing progression for more vanilla runners. Stay frosty, bounty hunters!

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 2356, 089552, Resident Evil 4 %}	Survival Horror, Third-Person Shooter

By: {% rauserpic AlexGatao %} and {% rauserpic shnick1980 %}

WIP text

Game	Genre
{% ragamepic 2901, 089222, Animal Crossing %}	Life Simulation

By: {% rauserpic Bryan1150 %} and {% rauserpic Bedtime %}

Welcome to Animal Crossing. Get ready to meet your anthropomorphic neighbors. Maybe you'll hit things off, or maybe they'll despise you. Whatever it may be, this town keeps running along, whether you're there or not. Enjoy holidays, events, and become a part of the community. You'll be able to fish, catch bugs, dig up fossils (or rummage through garbage), and plant trees. If you're more monetarily inclined, prepare to pay off your debts to Tom Nook while you run errands for your neighbors. Or better yet, you can sit back, do some interior designing and relax. Just be careful: Nook will be there. Watching. Always.