The Nintendo GameCube may not have been the most popular console of its generation, but it was an absolute powerhouse when it came to 3D platformers. Building off the success of Super Mario 64 on the N64, the GameCube brought many classic platforming franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, and Pac-Man into the realm of 3D for the first time. It also allowed Nintendo to take their flagship Mario series to new heights with improved graphics and larger worlds to explore.
But it wasn‘t just the technical advancements that made the GameCube special. Many of these platformers innovated with unique new gameplay mechanics, like Mario‘s water-spraying backpack in Super Mario Sunshine, or Donkey Kong‘s motion-controlled bongo drums in Jungle Beat. The GameCube was also home to surprisingly great licensed platformers, like the SpongeBob SquarePants game, which set a new standard for fun games based on TV shows.
As someone who grew up playing many of these gems, replaying them today fills me with a warm sense of nostalgia. But nostalgia alone isn‘t why these games are so beloved. The colorful worlds, charming characters, tight controls, and creative level design still hold up extremely well today. Nearly 20 years later, these are still some of the finest 3D platformers ever made.
It was tough to narrow it down, but here are my picks for the top 10 best GameCube platformers of all time:
10. Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc
While not as well-known as some of the other platformer mascots, Rayman has starred in consistently great games since his debut in 1995. Rayman 3 built on its 2D predecessors with beautiful 3D cartoon graphics and huge, imaginative levels. The wacky world of Rayman is a joy to explore, with tons of hidden collectibles and humorous characters. Rayman himself controls like a dream, able to execute incredible acrobatic maneuvers, hover by spinning his hair, and launch his detachable fists like projectiles. It‘s one of the most underrated platformers on the GameCube.
9. Sonic Adventure DX: Director‘s Cut
The Dreamcast launch title Sonic Adventure was a huge deal in 1998 as Sonic‘s first fully 3D outing. But many aspects of it haven‘t aged well, like the wonky camera and glitchy collision detection. Thankfully, the GameCube port, Sonic Adventure DX, fixed many of the original‘s technical issues while adding more detailed textures and a steadier frame rate. While not perfect, it‘s still a fun, fast-paced 3D platformer with multiple playable characters and some awesome set pieces, like running down the side of a skyscraper or snowboarding down a mountain.
8. Kirby Air Ride
Leave it to Kirby to take the 3D platforming genre and turn it on its head. Rather than running and jumping, Kirby rides on a variety of adorable vehicles like stars and wheelies. The objective is to inhale enemies to copy their abilities, which Kirby can then use to soup up his ride or take out opponents. There are several fun modes, like an adventure across 3D environments, fast-paced races, or a battle arena to take on friends. The simple controls belie a surprising amount of depth and replay value. It‘s Kirby‘s most unique and memorable 3D outing.
7. Wario World
For his first 3D platformer, Wario sticks to what he does best – being a greedy jerk. After an evil gem transforms all his treasure into monsters, Wario must beat them up and reclaim his riches across a series of trap-filled levels. The gameplay is a satisfying mix of pummeling enemies, solving puzzles, and hunting for collectibles. Wario himself is a blast to control, able to charge up powerful shoulder bashes and piledrivers. With its rude sense of humor and beat-em-up elements, Wario World put a fresh spin on the 3D collect-a-thon platformer.
6. Mega Man Anniversary Collection
Okay, this one is cheating a bit since it‘s a collection of older games rather than a new 3D title. But for Mega Man fans, this collection was an absolute dream come true, packaging the first 8 mainline Mega Man games along with two arcade fighters that were never released outside of Japan. While all 8-bit and 16-bit 2D platformers, these games still hold up remarkably well with their precise controls, creative robot master designs, and catchy chiptune music. Having them all in one place was the definitive way to experience Mega Man‘s origins.
5. Pac-Man World 2
The original Pac-Man World was a solid attempt at bringing the iconic pellet-muncher into 3D. But its sequel improved on it in every way with better graphics, more varied level design, and fun abilities like a Rev Roll that let Pac-Man reach incredible speeds. The story involves Pac-Man having to save Pac-Land from an invading army of ghosts by chomping his way through spooky themed worlds. It‘s a charming, light-hearted adventure that does justice to Pac-Man‘s legacy. And the option to play the original Pac-Man arcade game was a very welcome bonus.
4. SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom
On paper, a 3D platformer based on SpongeBob sounds like a terrible idea. But Battle for Bikini Bottom defied all expectations by being a legitimately great collect-a-thon platformer that rivals the best of Rare and Nintendo. Playing as SpongeBob, Patrick and Sandy, you explore lovingly crafted levels based on iconic locations from the show, like Jellyfish Fields and the Krusty Krab. Each character has unique abilities that keep the gameplay fresh. It‘s also laugh-out-loud funny, perfectly capturing the humor of the show. Who knew a tie-in game could be this good?
3. Luigi‘s Mansion
As Nintendo‘s first big GameCube title, Luigi‘s Mansion had impossibly large shoes to fill. Luckily, this spooky adventure starred Mario‘s underappreciated brother Luigi, who was more than up for the task. Armed with a ghost-sucking vacuum cleaner and a flashlight, Luigi must explore a huge haunted mansion to rescue Mario. The attention to detail in the mansion‘s many rooms is incredible, from the reflective marble floors to the creaking floorboards. And figuring out how to defeat each clever ghost is consistently satisfying. It‘s a brilliant showcase of the GameCube‘s technical prowess.
2. Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunshine is the black sheep of 3D Mario games. It‘s set in a tropical vacation spot rather than the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario is arrested and forced to clean up paint with a sentient water gun. Bowser‘s son is the main villain, claiming Peach as his mother. Yet once you get past the initial weirdness, Sunshine reveals itself to be an incredibly fun and original platformer. Using the FLUDD water pack to hover, rocket jump, and blast enemies open up tons of fun ways to traverse Isle Delfino‘s sunny locales. The difficulty is also refreshingly high, really testing your 3D Mario skills. It may be odd, but Sunshine is still an underrated gem.
For my money, the title of best GameCube platformer has to go to the one and only Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. If you wrote this off as a weird gimmick that required bongo drum controllers, think again. This game is a masterpiece of creativity, taking the 2D Donkey Kong Country style and translating it brilliantly into 3D. By tapping the left or right drums, DK runs left or right, and clapping both together allows him to jump. It‘s such a satisfyingly tactile way to control a platformer.
The level design is also endlessly inventive, having DK swing from vines, ride on animals, climb up trees, and punch out dozens of enemies. The sense of momentum and precise platforming required gives it almost a Sonic-like feel at times. The graphics are also sumptuous, with a dynamic camera swooping around lush jungles and lava-filled caverns. Boss battles against enormous monsters are intense and test your bongo skills. It all culminates in one of the most unique and rewarding platformers I‘ve ever played. The fact that it‘s controlled with plastic bongos is the icing on the cake.
So there you have it, the top 10 best GameCube platformers of all time, in my humble opinion. Whether you prefer traditional mascot platformers, spooky ghost hunts, or bongo-controlled apes, the GameCube has something for every kind of platformer fan. Replaying these games today is a nostalgic joy, but it also gives me newfound respect for how innovative and polished many of them are. The GameCube may be a relic of the past, but its platformers are absolutely timeless.
