The 5 – Gamecube

If I’m going to tell somebody to buy a console there needs to be at least 5 great games exclusive to the console to make it worthwhile. When I say exclusive I mean exclusive, if a game has seen a port, remaster or remake; basically if I can play it elsewhere it is not eligible for this list (the exception being actual backwards compatibility as it would make some consoles literally impossible to do). With the rules established let’s look at what games you should buy a Gamecube for.

1) Fire Emblem Path of Radiance

I debated whether to include this first entry in the list as it’s hard to tell people to buy it with the price it goes for nowadays, but given that price is in large part due to it being exclusive that makes it pretty appropriate for the list.

Part of what makes the game stand out is the main character of Ike by being a lot closer to a regular person rather than the usual chosen lord whose family is destined to fight off a great evil that we normally see in the series, this part of Ike’s character is executed well to the extent that when Ike takes over the party some characters leave the group as he’s not important or impressive enough for them to follow. By being on the same status level as the rest of the cast you encounter Ike has a more natural understanding and willingness to learn and listen to all the characters and races in the game that causes him to develop into a respected leader for the party rather than that being something given at the start of the game by the character’s birthright. On the opposite side is the enemy the Black Knight who is an imposing and looming threat through most of the game, partially because (in this game) you learn so little about him, in stark contrast to how Ike learns about the rest of the characters in the world by leaving the Black Knight so mysterious it makes him almost feel like a force of nature separate from regular people, and that’s a real powerful way of creating an intimidating antagonist.

In terms of gameplay it maintains the series’ great SRPG gameplay with the old punishing perma death combining with mechanics like the weapon wheel preventing a character from becoming too overpowered and removing the risk to your choices. The big addition in this game was the Laguz, people who can transform into beasts and they are successfully integrated into the system adding some more depth without messing with the balance, they are highly powerful when transformed but the limitation on how they can stay transformed and their vulnerability when they are not keeps them in check.

What I like about the Laquz so much is how their addition was not just for gameplay it was a crucial element in the story with the racism and prejudice they face being key and that by Ike coming to understand them and overcome the racial profiling of them they join his side for the war being a big boon that leads to victory, like if you don’t blindly hate people and work together you can do great things, though it’s sad that is still a necessary message to tell.

I did not enjoy the direction Fates took the series so I would highly recommend for people to go back and play this game to see the series at it’s best if you can stomach its price tag.

2) Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door

Two entries into the list and I can already feel myself turning this into an old man rant about how games were better back in my day, but if you’ve played Sticker Star or Colour Splash and don’t understand the love people have for Paper Mario you have not played the right games.

The surface level appeal of the game is how dedicated it is to the paper theme; as an example right at the start of the game the boat you arrived into town on has to turn around so it literally just flips to show the other side of the paper so it’s facing the right way, or how Mario unlocks new traversal abilities that are things like folding into a paper aeroplane to glide.

They don’t just rely on the paper theme and call it job done, every chapter has its own fun and unique personality separate to the paper theme or the usual Mario trappings that makes it stand out from other Mario titles, with my personal favourite being the chapter where Mario has to infiltrate a corrupt wrestling organisation.

What’s also great is how a lot of the usual main Mario characters that are now just side characters get the chance to shine in their own unique ways, Peach is inevitably kidnapped but doesn’t just sit around and wait to be rescued and you control her investigating what is going on, Bowser frustrated with being upstaged as a different villain kidnapped Peach has his own broken parody versions of classic Mario platforming levels, and Luigi bless him will tell you stories of his own totally real adventure he is having parallel to your own which is why he’s fine with being left out of the main game (it will never happen but I would absolutely love it if Nintendo did actually make his adventure as a spin off game).

Back to the main game though the main combat gameplay can best be described as your traditional turn based JRPG but with a real added sense of flair. Every battle takes place on a stage with an audience watching with all the attacks you do or recieve having some kind of timed button press that successfully pulling off gives extra damage or reduces the damage you take and impresses the audience into charging your super meter, this if further added to with stylish moves where additional timed presses (that don’t have the indicators of the main attack presses) cause the character to pull off tricks or pose to dazzle the audience even more. All this adds together to give a greater sense of direct engagement that some people feel is lacking for turn based combat.

The Thousand Year Door is one of my favourite JRPGs and a great entry point to introduce somebody to the genre. The best argument I have for the game’s quality is how embarrassingly excited I was when I found a copy to add to my collection and allow me to replay it.

End of part 1

I actually ended up way more for each game than I originally attended and I’m sure you are getting bored, so I’ll split this into two parts tune back in next week to find out the exciting conclusion of what the last three games will be.