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 %}

We talked about the first Naruto: Clash of Ninja game in the first edition of the GameCube Launch. If you have played that and are looking for more, then fret not as we also have a set for the sequel available on RetroAchievements! This game's story covers Naruto's graduation from the Academy to the end of the Chūnin Exams, with additional fights being able to be unlocked that cover details of the story not extensively covered in the anime. Play through the story with a total of 20 characters, as well as other modes like Arcade and VS modes. New in this game is the option of 4-way brawls in the new Oboro mode, tasking you with defeating as many haze clones as possible before running out of health. All of these are available in the achievement set, as well as specific challenges for story missions that fans of the series are sure to enjoy.

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 %}

WIP text

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 %}

WIP text

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 %}

WIP text

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

By: {% rauserpic zxmega %}

WIP text

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

By: {% rauserpic Gollawiz %}

WIP text

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

By: {% rauserpic Sigma501 %}

WIP text

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

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

WIP text

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

By: {% rauserpic Maximdraco %}

WIP text

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 %}

WIP text

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

By: {% rauserpic TeddyWestside %}

WIP text

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

By: {% rauserpic WilHiteWarrior %}

WIP text

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 %}

WIP text

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.