4. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

Price: $14.99
IGN: 8.8
Gamespot: 8.5

With a name that strange and long, gamers know they are headed into RPG territory. The Gamecube was famous for its dearth of role-playing titles. This does not mean that “Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings” wins by default. The title had everything hardcore RPG geeks could want in a game. “Eternal Wings” had a captivating storyline, unique art style, smooth card-based combat (I know, I know), and a stunning soundtrack. Publisher Namco described the game, “The world of Baten Kaitos is a world adrift in time and space. Humanity forges its existence on an archipelago of land floating in a yawning, endless sky.” (God, I think I just vomited in my mouth a little.) While this style of RPG isn’t for every gamer, this Gamecube exclusive release is an excellent choice for the hardcore RPG fan who laughs in the face of Paper Mario.

5. Battalion Wars

Price: $8.99
IGN: 8.8
Gamespot: 8.3

While the Game Boy Advance had Advanced Wars, Battalion Wars was the Cube’s entry into cute and cuddly warfare. The gameplay in Battalion Wars is somewhat of a hybrid between Advance Wars and Pikmin. The title combines healthy doses of action and real-time strategy. Players control a “commander” responsible troops that look more like Nick Jr. cartoons than G.I. Joes. You control your automatons (ahem, soldiers) to spy on the enemy, create outposts, mount full out assaults, as well as, a ton of other wartime exercises. As commander, gamers have a heavy arsenal of weaponry at their disposal such as bazookas, rocket launchers, flamethrowers, and other weapons of mass destruction. Players can also jump behind the wheel of tanks, jeeps, planes, and almost anything else that can drive or fly. Battalion Wars hardcore fan base is no doubt responsible for the upcoming “Battalion Wars II” for the Wii. In the meantime, gamers who like their warfare cute and cheap should definitely pick up Battalion Wars for the bargain bin price of just under 10 bones.

The grand total for all 5 of these stellar Gamecube games is $49.95! Whether you love shooters, platformers, RPGs, or racing games the little Cube has some fine offerings that are still worth your time and pocket change to play. Next time you find yourself in a Starbucks with your girlfriend waiting to fork over 10 clams for mocha-frappa-whatchados, just remind yourself that you could buy a tremendous Gamecube game for the same price as what you are about to drink (and video games don’t ask about your feelings).

Honorable Mention:
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem $17.99
Pikmin 2 $17.99

*All prices quoted from www.gamestop.com and the heroes that work at the local Gamestop

Contact this writer at: jeremy@myarcadeplanet.com