Notorious for its massive lack of Japanese role-playing games, The Nintendo GameCube surprisingly had some memorable classics from the genre that may have flown under the radar of many avid fans. Many of these masterpieces would eventually become some of the best games on the console, with titles ranging from Baten Kaitos, Skies of Arcadia, andTales of Symphonia.
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With over two handfuls ofJRPGtitles under the GameCube’s belt, we’re going to break down the best that stand out on the console.
10Lost Kingdoms
Lost Kingdoms, an action JRPG that many may not have known was developed by FromSoftware, kicks off our list at number ten. The gameplay of Lost Kingdoms revolves around Katia harnessing the power of her magic cards to battle her foes as she ventures to save her kingdom from the black fog. With the utilization of her magic cards, Katia can summon monsters to fight by her side.
Despite the game receiving high praise and a sequel to boot, Lost Kingdoms is surprisingly a title not many have heard of. Because it remains such an obscure title, even after all these years, it sadly ranks last on our list.
9Evolution Worlds
Though a remaster of the original on the Sega Dreamcast, Evolution Worlds still manages to gain a spot on our list at number nine. Being an enhanced port of not just one but two games on a single disc, this title succeeds in being a breath of fresh air on a console deprived of many JRPGs.
The game’s plot follows a young adventurer named Mag Launcher who uses Cyframes to help excavate ruins to learn the truth regarding ancient civilizations and the fabled Evolutia. Due to the lack of space on the disc, the first game’s plot is severely condensed and stripped of many of its dungeons, giving it its low reception to audiences who played the original version. Because of this shortcoming, many argue which version of the game is the definitive of the two, resulting in its low placement.
8Pokemon XD: Gale Of Darkness
The sequel to the popular Pokémon Colosseum, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, soars through the wind at rank number eight. Taking place five years after its predecessor, you take control of the main hero, canonically named Michael, tasked with capturing and purifying all the Shadow Pokémon (a mechanic from its previous installment), including Shadow Lugia.
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Being the secondPokémontitle to be 3D, despite only being a side game, Gale of Darkness has received generally mixed to positive reviews from many hardcore fans and critics. Where the game falls short, though, is its overwhelming use of reused assets and local environments prevalent in its predecessor, making this game feel more like an expansion to Colosseum than a full sequel. These decisions by the developers justify the placement of this particular title.
7Pokemon Colosseum
Renowned for being the first Pokémon RPG to implement full 3D, Pokémon Colosseum takes its battle stance at number seven. Similarly to XD: Gale of Darkness, you play as former Team Snagem member, Wes, in the Orre region and set out on a mission to catch and purify all the Shadow Pokémon that have been captured by the evil Cipher organization.
For being the original installment of the 3D Pokémon role-playing games on the GameCube, Colosseum was undoubtedly praised by many fans and critics in the gaming world, selling a little over a million copies in the United States alone. Setting the standard in terms of plot and originality, Pokémon Colosseum unsurprisingly outdoes its successor in terms of quality. Despite impressive sales, many other classic JRPGs on the GameCube easily give this game a run for its money.
6Baten Kaitos: Origins
The second installment to the original Baten Kaitos, Baten Kaitos: Origins, lands at number six. As a prequel, Origins takes some aspects of the battle mechanics (the series' central appeal), and better streamlines them for veterans and new players alike. One such example is the card-based battle system, allowing all party members to utilize all cards pulled from the same deck. It can also be argued that the game is an excellent entryway to the duology for players who missed out on playing the first chapter.
Though the reception of the game was positive, Baten Kaitos: Origins sadly suffers from the same flaws as Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness as it reuses many of its local environments from the first title. This, added with the fact that this game was never released in Europe, impedes the successor from surpassing the predecessor.
5Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings And The Lost Ocean
A game developed purely due to the massive drought of JRPGs on the GameCube, Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean spreads its wings comfortably at number five. This title stands a bit above its successor for being the origination of the two games' unique card-based battle mechanic, item-management, and lore surrounding Magnus — the essence of the world’s magic cards.
Though the game gained higher reviews than its successor across the board, its high reception didn’t translate well into sales. Nevertheless, the game sold well enough to warrant the development of Baten Kaitos: Origins. However, uniqueness alone doesn’t quite cut it enough for it to score higher on our list.
4Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance
Coming in fourth place is Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. Being the thirdFire Emblemtitle to be localized worldwide, Path of Radiance is an installment that many GameCube owners remember fondly; an impressive feat for a franchise that was still niche at the time. The title also sold just enough to reach critical success, even though releasing near the end of the GameCube’s lifespan somewhat hampered its sales.
Many gamers consider this gem of a game to be one of the best Fire Emblem titles in the franchise. With the series now being mainstream and one of Nintendo’s focal IPs, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is a title many fans wish to see remade in the near future.
3Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Arguably the bestPaper Mariogame in the subseries, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door comes in mighty high at number three. Coming off the massive success of the original Paper Mario on the Nintendo 64, Thousand-Year Door doesn’t disappoint. This title takes mechanics that worked in the original and expands upon them with some added new gameplay elements, such as the folding ability, which Mario utilizes to fold into objects like a paper airplane or paper boat.
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Amping up the fun and epicness, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door set the standard of what a Paper Mario game should be, even going as far as to win the “Role Playing Game of the Year” award in 2005. Despite all its accolades, this title doesn’t hold a candle to the two classics that many JRPG fans hold dear to their hearts.
2Skies Of Arcadia Legends
Skies of ArcadiaLegends comes in a close second. Like Evolution Worlds, Legends is a remaster of the original Skies of Arcadia from the Sega Dreamcast, which debuted two years prior. In this high-soaring adventure, you control Vyse, who is partnered with two other main characters, Aika and Fina, as they venture across the infinite skies battling the evil Valuan Empire.
The game, in particular, is perceived as one of the best JRPG titles on the Dreamcast and GameCube. Receiving scores in the high eighties and nineties, Skies of Arcadia has garnered a pretty sizable cult following. To this day, many fans yearn for Sega to developa complete remake of this precious diamond.
1Tales Of Symphonia
To no one’s surprise, Tales of Symphonia easily takes first place on our list of best JRPGs on the GameCube. Lauded as one of the best Japanese role-playing games of all time while simultaneously being responsible for placing the entireTalesfranchise on the map in the western market, it’s obvious why Tales of Symphonia sits at the top.
Known for its fast-paced real-time action, memorable characters, and high replayability, Tales of Symphonia is a title that will have you hooked from beginning to end. The game’s massive sales and fame have sparked numerous remasters across various consoles and PC.
