While a lot of people think PlayStation 2 was the dominant console of the last generation, I think Gamecube kept up where it mattered. Nintendo Gamecube consoles never sold as well as PS2, but they definitely had some great games. I recently purchased Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance for Gamecube, and I expected it to be a solid strategy RPG, but after playing it, I’ve concluded that it’s probably the best strategy RPG I’ve played since Ogre Battle: Person of Lordly Caliber for the Nintendo 64. Fire Emblem, like most strategy RPGs, doesn’t have much in the way of branching storylines or different paths, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun. It also has some great CG animation and the plot is excellent.
The Gamecube has a ton of great RPG games in numbers that never appeared on the Nintendo 64 including Baten Kaitos, Skies of Arcadia: Legends, and Phantasy Star Online. Overall, I think the quality of games for the Gamecube matches that of the PlayStation 2, though the amount of quality games is less. So if your console is out of commission, get some Gamecube repairs and pick the controller back up.
