[Paul Williams]

Hi all,

So I’ve just got my 1st ever console, a GameCube for the whole family to use – got the Mario Kart DD/Zelda bundle with 2nd controller and memory card and picked up a programmable steering wheel for £1.97, well at that price thought I’d give it a go! Question is, what games to get (ages 6 to 47). Would prefer the rush around collecting stuff whilst trying to avoid the nasty’s type thing. Got to be quite easy given the current age and inexperience levels. Any suggestions for the list?

Paul

[BlueOrange25]

There are quite a few nice games out for the Gamecube:

FINAL FANTASY: CRYSTAL CHRONICLES
FREEDOM FIGHTERS
F-ZERO GX
HARVEST MOON: A WONDERFUL LIFE
JAMES BOND 007: EVERYTHING OR NOTHING
LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE WIND WAKER
MARIO GOLF: TOADSTOOL TOUR
METAL ARMS: GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM
METROID PRIME
NEED FOR SPEED: UNDERGROUND
SOUL CALIBUR 2
STARFOX ADVENTURES
STAR WARS ROGUE LEADER: ROGUE SQUADRON 2
SUPER MARIO SUNSHINE
VIEWTIFUL JOE
WAVE RACE: BLUE STORM

Also check out http://www.gamespot.com/index.html?reflash=1 for reviews of games across a number of platforms. It's a useful resource to keep up with the latest gaming news and reviews.

Hope this helps.

[Miyazaki]

Pikmin is fun, Animal Crossing is great, and Harvest Moon is supposed to be really good as well.

Try the resident evil games, but don't let the kids play them.

[RL123]

Super Monkey Ball is the family game, IMO. Your kids would love it and you'd probably enjoy it too

Easy to learn, very difficult to master and impossible to get bored of, IMO

Originally posted by RL123
Super Monkey Ball is the family game, IMO. Your kids would love it and you'd probably enjoy it too

Easy to learn, very difficult to master and impossible to get bored of, IMO

Be prepared for some 'pad breaking' though, cause this game will get very annoying later on in story mode!

Oh, and try Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem... GREAT game.

Despite the review scores, VRally 3 is a top game.Ditto Spiderman.
But Mystic Heroes is the understated game of the year IMO.

[Miyazaki]

'Beach Spikers' was one of my favourite gamecube games when I used to own a gamecube.

[Paul Williams]

Thanks to all who have responded.

Now the only problem is that having just entered the world of console gaming, my performance on even the simplest of games is, well, pathetic to say the least. More practice is of course required; the only game so far purchased is (don’t laugh) Rugrats Royal Ransomand to be honest the children and I are finding this quite challenging enough at present!

But having looked at the suggestions I quite fancy;
Metriod Prime
Starfox adventures
F-Zero GX
Monkey Ball
And perhaps one of the Star Wars games – see Tesco’s have got Clone Wars for £6.99 – but these will have to wait until I get a bit more proficient, now where was I, oh yes come on Chucky, lets get those papayas in the crates.

Paul.

[eviljohn2]

Seems like a good selection, I've just finished Metroid Prime and thought it was great, although I'm not really into FPS

[Sinzer]

If you are getting Star Wars games stick to the Rogue Leader series, the rest are pants.

I'm only about 3 or 4 hours into Starfox Adventures, and already I've been impressed by the obvious hard work that has gone into the creation of this fine title.

But the ultimate seal of approval has to be the fact that my game-detesting, long-suffering partner sat down beside me when I was playing and commented on the quality of the graphics and asking if it was any good to play.

I said that it was pretty cool and would she like a go, her answer?
"Dont be ridiculous...."

[Paul Williams]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me the difference between the standard versions of certain GameCube games and those labelled as 'Players Choice'. For instance Tesco’s have both versions of Metriod Prime & Firefox Adventures for sale. In both instances the non ‘players choice’ version is cheaper, but for Met Prime; standard suitable for 11+, players choice 12+.

Paul

[eviljohn2]

Players Choice is the budget range for well received older games. The only difference is the silver border on the packaging and a 50% cut in price.

[Paul Williams]

Hi eviljohn2,

thanks for the quick response. So the fact that in most instances the non Players Choice versions I've found are cheaper, then reflects that this is much older stock? So I might as well buy those.

Paul

[eviljohn2]

Sounds a bit odd, but yes. They're exactly the same game.

The only slightly confusing one is Mario Party 4 (now players choice) and Mario Party 5 which superceded it but isn't players choice.

If you compare a players choice to a non-players choice you'll find that the the only difference is the cover art having been shrunk a little to fit the silver edging around it.

From a purely collecting point of view, traditionally the original versions of various games, as opposed to the budget versions tend to hold their value and/or are more sought after.

I know if the two versions of a game were available at the same price or similar, I'd go for the original every time.

[WPA]

Just to echo what a few other guys have said Paul - if you gettnig games that you'll want to sit down and play with your kids as well, then the two Monkey Ball games are fantastic. IMO part 1 has the better single player game, but part 2 has excellent multiplayer mini-games. Playing Monkey Target 2 and Monkey bowling as fantastic fun.

I would also recommend Mario Party 5, it's great fun to get 4 players together and take on each other in many of the mini games you'll go through.

If you have a bit more time to go through on your own, I don't know if anyone has mentioned any more of the newer games on the cube, the two Ubi soft games Prince of Persia and Beyond Good and Evil are both fantastic. Beyond Good and Evil is certinaly my game of the year thus far (not sure if they are out on Cube yet on PAL though)