The Nintendo GameCube may not be close to one of the best-selling Nintendo consoles, but it easily has one of the best libraries in gaming history, as proven by two 2023 releases. Nintendo launched the GameCube in the early 2000s as a successor to the Nintendo 64, meant to compete directly with the likes of Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox console. Unfortunately, the GameCube was massively outpaced in sales by the PS2, and it ultimately failed to even sell more units than its predecessor.
But while the GameCube didn't exactly light the world on fire with its hardware sales, it wasn't for lack of trying. Nintendo stacked the GameCube library with one landmark hit after another, with the console home to some of the best video games ever made. Fans were reminded of this thanks to the recent launches of Metroid Prime Remastered and the Resident Evil 4 remake, two titles that originated on the GameCube that are now the two highest-rated games of 2023 so far.
Nintendo surprise-launched Metroid Prime Remastered in February, giving Switch owners the chance to experience the original Metroid Prime game with improved graphics, modernized controls, and other enhancements. Since the original Metroid Prime is one of the highest-rated games of all time, it came as no surprise that Metroid Prime Remastered reviews were similarly positive. The game currently has a 94 overall rating on review aggregate site OpenCritic and stands as the highest-rated release of 2023 so far.
Highest-Rated Games of 2023 So Far
- Metroid Prime Remastered - 94
- Resident Evil 4 - 92
- 8-Bit Adventures 2 - 90
- Path of the Midnight Sun - 89
- Hi-Fi Rush - 89
- Dead Space - 89
- Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania - 88
- Theatrhythm Final Bar Line - 86
- Octopath Traveler 2 - 85
- A Space for the Unbound - 84
- The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure - 84
- Hogwarts Legacy - 84
The second highest-rated game of the year as of March 2023 is none other than the Resident Evil 4 remake, which has a 92 overall rating at the time of this writing. As Resident Evil fans may recall, the original Resident Evil 4 was a timed GameCube exclusive, only hitting the PS2 eight months later and eventually making its way to nearly every gaming system under the sun in subsequent years.
Whereas Metroid Prime Remastered is a remaster, as its title suggests, the Resident Evil 4 remake is a full-blown remake. But even though the Resident Evil 4 remake features new controls and changes some things from the original version, it is still largely faithful to the 2005 GameCube game. The main plot beats remain the same and many of the same major gameplay moments remain intact as well. Therefore, it still helps underscore just how high quality the GameCube's library of games were in its heyday.
The rave reviews for Metroid Prime Remastered and the Resident Evil 4 remake serve as a reminder about the high quality of the GameCube's library. It's really no surprise why many fans are hoping to see GameCube games come to Switch Online, as that would allow even more of the console's best titles to get a second lease on life.