If you are a fan of sports games, then you are probably interested in learning which sports games on GameCube are considered to be the very best of all time. The sports video games available for GameCube constantly explore new ground, which makes playing them even more exciting and pleasurable.
Let’s talk about the best sports games of all time for GameCube right here!
What are Sports Games?
Sports video games are a subset of the gaming community as a whole. They are video games that simulate real-world sports, giving players the impression that they are participating in the actual game. Since the introduction of sports video games several decades ago, their popularity has consistently skyrocketed. These games will delight you for hours while simultaneously improving your hand-eye coordination.
Was GameCube Known for its Sports Games?
In September 2001, Nintendo introduced the GameCube. As soon as the GameCube was released, Nintendo re-published a number of Nintendo 64 classic sports games. Several exclusive GameCube sports titles were also released shortly thereafter. Nintendo has traditionally relied on sports games to increase sales for its first through eighth-generation home consoles, and this has earned it the reputation of being the home to some of the most popular sports video games. With that in mind, here are the 10 absolute best sports games ever released for GameCube.
#10. emNBA Street Vol. 2/em
- See how good you really are, when you face the greatest basketball players in the history of the game
- Select from 145 NBA players, 25 NBA Legends, and 6 Street Legends
- Unlock 30 different dunks and 20 different street tricks, as you try to stuff Dr. J or block Michael Jordan
- Take your game right to Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal -- you can even spot them a few points
- See how you stack up against the best in the Trick Point challenge
emNBA Street Vol. 2/em is a basketball video game that was developed by EA Canada and NuFX and published by EA Sports BIG.
The game was released in North America on April 29, 2003, and in Europe on May 2, 2003. It is the second game in the NBA Street series and is ideal for young and upcoming basketball fans.
emNBA Street Vol. 2/em contains 29 actual NBA teams and four playable game modes. The game-winner receives points that can be redeemed for players, courts, and jerseys. Certain in-game items and NBA legends can be unlocked by completing certain level requirements. When the game meter is full, participants can perform a Gamebreaker and earn additional points.
The game includes more advanced game modes, such as Pick up Game, NBA Challenge, Be a Legend, and Street School. There are various characters available, including Ben Wallace, Biggie Little, Bill Russel, and Bill Walton. You can also unlock NBA stars such as Larry Bird by advancing through levels.
You can find it on Amazon right here.
#9. emMVP Baseball 2004/em
- Groundbreaking hitting control makes it possible to pull the ball down, or swing for the fences -- all swing types included
- Total control on the field - Leap over the wall and rob home runs, hook slide to avoid tags, and take out the catcher at home
- Pick a park - each stadium has its own personality, from unique crowd chants to personal lighting
- Control your franchise on every level -- play the game or become a manager & take players from the minors to the pros
emMVP Baseball 2004/em is a baseball video game that was developed and published by EA Sports on Mar 9, 2004.
The cover player for this edition is the former Dominican–American baseball first baseman, José Alberto Pujols Alcántara. It is the second edition of the MVP Baseball series and is excellent for baseball fans.
This game features upgraded control options. The Dynasty Mode allows you to manage your own baseball franchise and features more responsive controls than previous installments. When pitching and hitting the ball, your timing skills will be evaluated. You obtain various types of hits depending on the pitch and your batter’s traits. The numerous hit variations include Dribblers, Hardliners, Slaps, Flares, and Chops. You can initiate Dynasty Mode if you want to terminate your season early.
emMVP Baseball 2004/em has a variety of playable game modes which include Franchise, Exhibition, Pitchers’ Duel, and Home Run Derby. You can also play Dynasty Mode, which allows you to have complete control over your baseball team. Various characters, including Babe Ruth, Cy Young, and Jimmie Foxx, are also included in this game edition.
Check it out on Amazon right here.
#8. emTony Hawk's Underground/em
- explore 9 expansive levels on foot or jump on a motorcycle, BMX bike or go kart
- Enjoy unprecedented customization by designing and naming your own original tricks through the all new Create a Trick
- You can even download your own face into the game
- Go online and share your new tricks & parks with friends -- or get new games, stats and online rankings
- The advanced gameplay of Tony Hawk games, combined with the freedom & originality of real street skating!
emTony Hawk's Underground/em is a sports video game that was made by Neversoft and published by Activision. On October 27, 2003, it was released in North America for GameCube and on November 21, 2003, it was made available in Europe. This edition is the fifth in the Tony Hawk series and is best suited for skateboarding fans.
In the game, the player skateboards through the available levels. You can perform combos that are useful for navigating through certain challenging areas. Combos include grabs, acid drops, wall rides, and aerial acrobatics, all of which contribute to your score as you play. When employing certain abilities, such as a grind, a balance meter appears, and you must keep it in the middle to avoid your character from falling. There is also a special meter that is filled by executing skills, and when it is full, it allows you to perform more complex talents. Additionally, you can operate the one vehicle featured in each level.
emTony Hawk's Underground/em features multiple playable characters, including Tony Hawk, Rune Glifberg, Bam Margera, and Bucky Lasek. There is also a very customizable Story Mode in which you may even design your own skate park with personalized elements. In Multiplayer mode, you can play against the computer as well as against your friends.
You can grab a copy on Amazon here.
#7. emTiger Woods PGA Tour 2003/em
- From towering drives to picture-perfect putts, the essence of golf has been captured in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2003. The game features plenty of challenging courses such as Pebble Beach Golf Links and...
emTiger Woods PGA Tour 2003/em is a golf video game that was developed by EA Redwood Shores and published by EA Sports. It was released on GameCube on October 29, 2002, in North America and on December 6, 2002, in Europe. The game is part of the successful PGA Tour series and is ideal for golf fans.
The golf courses in this game are modeled after actual courses such as The Royal Birkdale, Princeville, Poppy Hills, and Spyglass Hill. If you seek a challenge, you can play the available minigames. The golf strokes are more precise than in previous versions. Furthermore, you can play 18 holes against artificial intelligence in the Tiger challenge.
This game features more improved graphics that realistically reflect the courses, environment, and characters. Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, Natalie Guldi, and Annika Sorenstam are among the characters featured in the game. There are multiple game modes in this game. The Tiger Challenge mode pits you against the game’s artificial intelligence, whilst the Speed golf option pits you against other players.
Check it out on Amazon here.
#6. emNBA 2K2/em
- Prepare to post MVP numbers as you light it up with Rim-Rattling dunks then shut it down with Smothering D. NBA 2K2 brings the skills to elevate your team to the next level and the smarts to keep 'em...
emNBA 2K2/em is a basketball video game that was developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega for GameCube on March 19, 2002.
The cover athlete for this game edition is the former American basketball player, Allen Ezail Iverson. The game is part of the NBA 2K series and it best ideal for National Basketball Association fans.
In gameplay, you get to choose an NBA Franchise and compete with the other teams in the race toward the championship. This game features a highly realistic basketball simulation, actual basketball teams, and the option to play according to NBA regulations. The game’s AI has been improved, reducing the margin of errors. You will need to be strategic when it comes to defense, as you have access to a variety of defensive options.
emNBA 2K2/em comes with new gameplay modes including Street, Tourney, Practice, Exhibition, Franchise, Playoffs, Fantasy, and Season. The Defence has been updated limiting dominance by certain professional players as was the case in previous models. With both Single-player and Multiplayer modes available, you get to either play against the game or your friends. Attacking has been made a little tougher than before as a way to reduce too much dominance and improve the general quality of the game. The graphics have been improved giving players better physical attributes such as tattoos and headbands.
Grab a copy from Amazon right here.
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#5. emNCAA Football 2003/em
emNCAA Football 2003/em is an American football video game that was developed by EA Tiburon and published by EA Sports on July 20, 2002.
The game is part of the NCAA series and its cover athlete features the former legendary American football quarterback, John Joseph Harrington Jr. The game is suitable for NCAA football fans.
The game is played through passing, running, and defense. In order to complete the league season in a strong position, you can employ formations such as the double wing. Additionally, there is a Create-A-School feature that allows you to create a custom school and manage it independently.
NCAA Football 2003 comes with the new Trophy Room which enables players to find all their accomplishments throughout the game Other features added include cheerleaders, twenty-five Mascot Teams, over two hundred school fight songs, and twenty-three trophies that exist in real life. This game comes in both single-player and Multiplayer modes.
Find it on Amazon right here.
#4. emTony Hawk's Pro Skater 4/em
- Expanded career mode
- Tons of new environments
- Single- and multi-player modes
emTony Hawk's Pro Skater 4/em is a video game created by Neversoft and published by Activision O2. On October 23, 2002, the GameCube version of the game was made available in North America, and on November 15, 2002, it was made accessible across Europe. It is the fourth edition of the Tony Hawk series and is perfect for skateboarding fans.
In the game, you can play the career mode, which allows you to skate through each level while completing predetermined objectives. Several skill combinations can be used to explore the game’s map. You can also cling to moving vehicles while navigating the city on skates. This trait is known as Skitching. The game also allows you to finish the various game modes using the available professional skaters, each of whom possesses unique skills and traits.
This game edition comes with several modes to choose from. They include Combo Mambo, Graffiti, Trick Attack, King of the Hill, Slap, and Free Skate. In terms of characters, there are nineteen in total, fifteen being basic ones, while four have to be unlocked. Each one of these characters is a professional skater. Some new combos have been added to the game, and they help you navigate the tricky areas in the game.
Check it out on Amazon here.
#3. emSSX 3/em
- Get dropped onto the lower peak of the biggest mountain you've ever seen. You'll seamlessly board from one awesome area to the next-entering competitions, taking on Big Challenges, and discovering...
- Four new rivals join six returning characters. Mac, Elise, Zoe, Moby, Psymon, and Kaori are back, and they're joined by the crazy Swede Viggo, mountain man Nate, 12 year-old phenom Griff, and the...
- SSX3 boasts amazing graphics that show details like incredibly realistic shadows and snow that sparkles, reflects light, and even blows in the wind.
- There is a collection of new Uber Tricks where users can combo and hold.
- You'll earn medals and trophies to fill up your trophy room & level up your riders' abilities through a deeper attribute system.
emSSX 3/em is a snowboarding video game that was developed by EA Canada and published by EA Sports Big. In North America, it was released for GameCube on October 20, 2003. Eleven days later, on October 31, 2003, it became available in Europe. It is the third installment in the SSX series and it’s suitable for snowboarding fans.
In this game, you control snowboarders from a third-person perspective as you race to compete in a variety of competitions. If you need to improve your skills, you can play the Freeride mode, which enables you to freely skate around. As you go through the levels, you unlock additional gaming areas.
You can gain points by performing tricks such as flips and grabs. After doing a trick, your Adrenaline Meter will fill up, allowing you to use it to increase your speed or perform high-level talents known as Ubers, which will gain you more points and further build up your Adrenaline Meter.
emSSX 3/em comes with three mountain peaks which are progressively unlocked as you proceed through the levels and complete the set objectives. There are different modes available for play and the new Freeride mode, being a spectacle, enables players to traverse the peaks without any restrictions. The game has both single-player and multiplayer modes.
Grab a copy on Amazon right here.
#2. emNFL 2K3/em
- NFL 2K3 upgrades Sega Sports' football series with realistic player animations, play-calling intelligence, and an on-the-fly audible system. With Franchise mode, you get total team control as player,...
emNFL 2K3/em is also an American football video game developed by Visual Concepts and published by Sega for GameCube.
On August 21, 2002, the game was published in North America. In the following year, on March 28, 2003, the game was released in Europe. The cover athlete is Brian Urlacher, who played for the Chicago Bears, and this is the only installment of the NFL 2K series released for the GameCube.
You can play emNFL 2K3/em with a friend in multiplayer mode or compete against the computer in single-player mode, where the objective is to score as many points as possible. According to your score, you will be ranked on a SEGA Sports challenge scoreboard. In Franchise mode, you can administer your entire team, including paying players’ salaries, acquiring and selling players, and playing actual games. This typically takes a lot of time to accomplish, and you should focus on elevating the team’s achievement to the next level.
In addition to the Franchise mode described above, emNFL 2K3/em features a variety of other modes. In Season mode, your sole objective is to play well and emerge victorious at the end of the season. The game also features Practice, Situation Playoffs, and Tournament modes. In addition, you can play online and compete with gamers from across the world. The game also contains both single-player and multiplayer modes.
Check it out on Amazon right here.
#1. emMadden NFL 2004/em
- Choose to play as any NFL team -- updated teams and logos for the 2003 season
- Multiple gaming modes like Playoffs, Regular Season, and Exhibition games - all tracked with updated game stats
- Revolutionary new Playmaker Control lets you direct receivers during a scramble, direct blocking down the field, or react to changes in the offense
- Control more of the frachise than ever with Owner Mode -- hire staff, set ticket prices, give signing bonuses, even choose the concessions
- All-new game presentation modes lets you keep all players on the field when calling a play, and watch the highlights in split-screen mode
emMadden NFL 2004/em is an American football video game that EA Tiburon and Budcat developed.
The game was launched on GameCube on August 12, 2003, by EA Sports for the North American Market. The following month, on September 12, 2003, the game was made available in Europe. The game is the 15th edition in the Madden NFL series, and it features Michael Vick, a former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, on the cover of the game.
In the Owner Mode of the game, the player assumes control of an entire football franchise, including a football team, its well-being, and its coaching staff. You can also use the Camping Mode to improve the overall ratings of your players by putting them through various drills. Former Falcons center-backpack Michael Vick, who sports a very high-speed rating, is also available and can be used to advance in the ranks.
emMadden NFL 2004/em includes modes with varied objectives such as Owner mode, Mini-camp, Situation, Football 101, Practice, and Two Minutes Drill. Numerous attacking formations are available to players, including I-Form, Singleback, ProForm, and Shotgun. In addition, the game supports both single-player and multiplayer modes. The Auto-Save feature ensures that your progress is saved if you exit the game unexpectedly.
Get it for yourself on Amazon here.
Up Next:
- The 10 Absolute Best GameCube Party Games of All Time
- The 7 Absolute Best GameCube Platformers of All Time
- The 7 Absolute Best GameCube RPGs of All Time
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