Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Nintendo GameCube! Playback of classic titles from the GameCube! Part 2

On September 14, 2021, the Nintendo GameCube celebrated its 20th anniversary. Although the total number of units sold worldwide was only about 22 million, less than the 33 million sold by its predecessor, the Nintendo 64, there were many titles for which remakes are still desired, and there were many bright spots, such as a controller that is easy to hold in the hand and a concept that facilitated the development of titles. In this issue, we will continue with the remaining four titles.

⇒ Playback of classic titles from the GameCube (Part 1)

Fire Emblem: Trails of Aoin

Genre: Role-playing simulation
Release date: 2005/4/20
Publisher: Nintendo

The only GameCube title in the "Fire Emblem" series. This is also the first title in which Ike, who is also well-known in the "Fire Emblem Heroes" smartphone application, made an appearance.

The transition from the Game Boy Advance, which had been compatible with the previous titles, to a console console allowed for many new challenges, such as the 3D rendering of fields and images, and the inclusion of voices, albeit limited to movies.

The story takes place on the continent of Terrius, where two races, the human "Beok" and the half-breed "Laguz," live, and in this world of seven nations in balance, the military kingdom of Dain suddenly attempts an armed invasion against the Crimean Kingdom. The Grail Mercenaries, of which the main character Ike is a member, accepts the request of Princess Elincia, who has survived the fall of the royal city, and goes into a long battle for the liberation of her homeland.

In the "Lost" system, in which a player cannot revive his or her fallen comrades, the player moves through a field divided into squares and fights by controlling units with various abilities, such as physical attack, magic, and defense, which is a tradition from the first title in the series.

On the other hand, this title does not have the "Fire Emblem" system, which has been seen in recent "Fire Emblem" titles such as "Fire Emblem: Flowers, Flowers, Snow and Moon," in which players can visit other maps in between main scenarios to raise the level of their units. Many players probably worked endlessly to level up their units by repeatedly attacking the bosses placed in the HP recovery squares, but not to the point of defeating them. I am sure there were many players who worked endlessly to raise their level.

By the way, while many of the main characters in the "Fire Emblem" series, such as Mars, were from famous families or lineages of some sort, Ike was unique in that he was born a commoner. However, Ike is one of the best specs among all the protagonists in the series.

One of his strengths is his exclusive "Sky" skill. He has a two-stage attack: "sun," which heals his own HP by the amount of damage he inflicts on the opponent, and "moonlight," which halves the opponent's defense and then attacks. It is a technique that combines both attack and recovery, and can be used to fight to some extent without relying on the support of allies.

Depending on Ike's own performance, he can defeat most enemies with a single blow as long as he has Tenku. The sky is automatically released when Ike changes classes in the middle of the story, but a message is displayed when the sky is released, and no event is triggered. It is necessary to realize this on one's own. In addition, the "Book of Depths" is essential for having a unit learn depths, not only in the sky, but also in other areas. In some cases, it is possible to proceed with the story without learning Tenku. The last boss is so strong that it is impossible to talk about it without learning Tenku, but is it possible to defeat him without learning it?

Another advantage is the sword called "Ragnell. It can be used from the end of the story. It has a range of 2, so it can attack from a distance, can be used an infinite number of times (normal weapons have a decreasing durability value each time they are used), and when equipped, its defensive power increases by 5. The combination with Ragnell and Tenku was ironclad.

Another essential aspect of "Fire Emblem" is the variety of unique units, and when talking about the units in "Trails of Blue Flame," Chap. Unlike the members of the Grail Mercenaries, who are professionals in combat, he is a peasant from the countryside and, according to him, has only had proper roll call training. His class is "heavy infantry," and his strength and defense tend to grow. His class is "Heavy Infantry," and his strength and defense tend to grow easily. Perhaps it was because of the "knight's protection," which makes it easier to increase the target's speed (although I don't recall having it on him).

When he defeats an enemy in one battle, other enemies rush to the square in front of him, attacking him in rapid succession and slowly driving him back. Fire Emblem" is a common situation. Because of this, it is also a good idea not to attack too hard or with too much attack power, but since Chap is a heavy-armor type, he will not fall unless he is hit by a magic attack. If he is promoted to general, a higher level position, he will be well-positioned. It is no wonder that he is called the "Jet-Black Farmer," in reference to the "Jet-Black Knight," one of the most formidable enemies in the series.

Incidentally, "Fire Emblem Heroes" has already implemented Nepheny, who is currently in the same country as Chap. From Nepheny's perspective, Mr. Chap is one of the few people he can talk to without hesitation in his local accent, so please put him in the game and put Nepheny and his fans at ease.

Paper Mario RPG

Genre: Action RPG
Release date: 2004/7/22
Publisher: Nintendo

Sequel to the RPG "Mario Story" released for the NINTENDO 64. After reading Peach's letter that she has obtained a treasure map, Mario heads to the meeting place "Rocket Town" and embarks on a great adventure for a legendary jewel called the "Star Stone".

Perhaps because this is the second title in the "Paper Mario" series, the "paper" element has been refined in this title. The player can turn himself into a paper airplane and glide far into the sky, turn himself into a ship and move on water, and go through gaps while rolled up, making use of his flimsy body.

Despite such a flimsy body shape, Mario in this title is rather massive as a game. The game offers a variety of adventures, including dragon slaying, ranking battles in the arena, and incidents that occur on a moving train, and players will never get tired of them. The ensemble storyline is also impressive, as players control the captured Peach to interact with a computer called "Tech" and Mario's nemesis, Bowser, to conquer stages. The story progression was impressive and ensemble-like. I was so excited as an elementary school student because of all the different tricks from the previous "Mario Story," which portrayed a royal road fantasy.

The battle aspect has also evolved, with battles with enemies taking place in a theater-like setting watched over by the audience. At first, the theater looks like a shack, but as Mario's level rises, it gradually becomes more luxurious, and eventually he is able to perform like a star on a solid stage in front of a large crowd. The audience includes not only Kinopio and other allies of Mario, but also members of the "Megabatten Army" (the enemies of the film). They react to your every move and sometimes throw items to cheer you up, making the battles more exciting and motivating, especially the boss battles.

Particularly impressive was the third chapter, the Oolong Street section. The development here meshed well with the theatrical presentation of the battles. Since the objective of the third chapter was to reach the top in the arena, there was no sense of discomfort in having a battle in front of the audience. Before going on stage, the host shouted out the name "Gonzalez" (Mario's ring name), and when he defeated his opponent, the audience cheered, not only during the battle, but also in the ring where the story takes place. The fact that Gance, the owner of the arena, required certain actions as a performance to liven up the battle also added to the meshing of the system and the performance.

Although inferior to Chapter 3 in terms of excitement, Chapter 4 is also tremendous in terms of impact. Mario arrives in the village of Usugra, where people have been transformed into pigs. He challenges the boss to a fight, but his name and body are taken from him and he is transformed into a shadow. The boss he thought he had defeated is replaced by Mario, his friends believe in the fake and betray the real, and Vivian, the youngest of the "three lizards" who used to be his enemy, joins him, not knowing he is Mario.

The information came in with a rush, and even now, more than 10 years after I first played the game, I remember the development of the story well. Having been accustomed to the Mario vs. mastermind trend, I never expected that the positions would be reversed, even though it was the enemy's plan. It was also refreshing to be able to fight "Mario" leading his friends.

Vivian, who not only lent me her strength in the face of adversity, but also became my friend even after she found out my true identity, was a person of exceptional trust, and I used her heavily until the very end. Vivian also has excellent techniques, such as "Kagegakure," which can surely parry an opponent's attack, and "Maho no Honoho," which attacks the entire enemy. She looks like a girl, but she is actually a boy, but that did not matter.

On the other hand, in terms of battles, there is a well-known technique, both good and bad, that utilizes "badges," which can be equipped to give Mario various abilities. It is called "HP5 Mario. When Mario's HP reaches 5, he is "pinned" in battle. This situation is intentionally created, and several "Pinch De Gambaru" badges, which are only effective in a pinch, are attached to Mario to greatly enhance his attack power.

When Mario performs a "Renzoku Jump" in this state, combined with the effects of the badges, he can inflict massive damage on enemies in rapid succession, and even the last boss and hidden bosses can be defeated in an instant. Other excellent badges, such as "Pinch Demamor," which increases defense, and "Pinch Delucky," which allows Mario to occasionally avoid his opponent's attacks, make him surprisingly easy to handle. Mario in this state can easily advance from the beginning to the end of the game, but at a great cost, as the game balance is severely disrupted. I tried it, but the battles were too easy, and I couldn't bear to see Mario in a pinch, always looking like he was having a hard time everywhere, so I didn't use it for very long.

The "Paper Mario" series continued, with sequels released on the Wii and Nintendo 3DS. Of all the games in the series, I personally enjoyed "Paper Mario RPG" the most, and I hope to see an HD remastered version on the Nintendo Switch at some point.

F-ZERO GX

▼ Data
Genre: Racing game

Release date: 2003/7/25
Maker: Nintendo

This title was jointly developed by Nintendo and SEGA. This series has been developed for the Game Boy Advance through the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) and the Nintendo 64, but now that it has been released on the GameCube, the graphics, story presentation, course backgrounds, and many other aspects have been enhanced. This title is currently the last "F-Zero" title to be released on a console. The arcade game "F-ZERO AX" developed by Sega was also in operation at the same time, and a collaboration between the two titles was also held during this period.

Broadly speaking, "F-ZERO GX" has two game modes: "Story Mode," in which you control the main character, Captain Falcon, to advance the story, and "Grand Prix Mode," in which you choose your favorite aircraft to race.

The story mode is rather compact, with nine episodes, but in addition to pure racing for position, there are various missions in each stage, such as maintaining the speed limit, aiming for the goal, and escaping the facility while passing through a firewall-like structure. There are several difficulty levels, such as "NOMRAL," "HARD," and "VERYHARD," so the game is quite a big one to conquer.

This title is also known by game fans for its high level of difficulty, and the author had a particularly difficult time in Chapter 5. In this episode, the pilot, Jody, is placed in the cockpit and together they must escape from an exploding power plant within a time limit. The course is a straight road, but firewalls close one after another along the way, so not only is the route you can take limited, but you cannot afford to slow down.

If the course is VERY HARD, the time limit will be just short, and you will have to constantly accelerate using boost, and if you hit the firewall even once, you will not make it in time. Although the appeal of "F-ZERO" is its ultra-high speed world that easily exceeds the speed of sound, the sense of speed makes it very difficult to determine the direction in which the firewall will close. It is natural to memorize the driving route. In addition, in the latter half of the stage, the machine's stamina is at its lowest (the energy used for boost and the machine's stamina are shared) because the boost is used up, and just grazing a wall is game over, so in addition to speed, delicate control is required. In the end, I conquered all the VERYHARD episodes, but these five chapters were still the most difficult.

By the way, the reason why I insisted on this kind of challenge is because of the hidden aircraft. I had to conquer VERYHARD at all costs because each time I cleared VERYHARD in each story, one aircraft (plus pilot) was released.

Another game mode, "Grand Prix Mode," offers four cups: "Ruby Cup," "Sapphire Cup," "Emerald Cup," and "Diamond Cup. The objective is to win first place in each cup by completing multiple races in each cup. Each cup has multiple difficulty levels, and the highest level, the Master Class, requires a certain level of skill.

There are two types of attacks in the game, the "Side Attack" and the "Spin Attack," in which the player can attack the opponent with his or her own plane and cause the opponent to drop out. When an opponent is eliminated, a skull appears on the screen, and when five skulls are accumulated, the number of remaining planes increases by one. The number of retries you can make increases as you accumulate more skulls, so regardless of your dignity as a racer, it was a reasonable strategy to destroy your competitors.
It is true that the Master Class is difficult to conquer, but on courses of lower difficulty, there is more room to play, so I dared to drop to the bottom of the race and let my competitors drop out one by one, and then run the last lap by myself.

The winner's interview after the race is over is also interesting. If a player wins first place, he or she can appear on a news program called "F-ZERO TV. The player chooses one of the interviewer's questions, and the pilot of the aircraft he or she operates answers it. There are many variations of this question, and the content of the question changes depending on the difficulty level as well as each cup. I insisted on conquering VERYHARD partly because I wanted to hear as many interviews with the pilots as possible.

It was interesting to see how the interviewer, who normally interacts with normal pilots such as Captain Falcon, would ask questions to villains such as Black Shadow and Deathbone, while noticing their uncle. His voice was shaky and I was impressed by his professionalism in doing his job, but it was also surreal to see the villains being taken seriously in the first place.

As someone who also played "F-ZERO AX," which was released as an arcade game, I have fond memories of this game. The cabinet (kyotai) had a slot to insert a Gamecube memory card, and if the memory card had data from "F-ZERO GX," special machine parts and aircraft could be obtained. The collaboration between home video games and arcade games was fresh, and I remember feeling a strange sensation, as if reality and the game were connected. Seventeen years have passed since the last work in the series was released. There may be various issues such as sales and the development environment, but I would like to play the new game again someday.

Sonic Adventure 2 Battle

Image: PS3 version

Genre: Action
Release date: 2001/12/20
Maker: SEGA

(C)SEGA

A port of "Sonic Adventure 2" released on Dreamcast in 2001. The story consists of three parts: the Hero Side, in which the series' well-known hero, Sonic the Hedgehog, appears; the Dark Side, centering on Shadow the Hedgehog, a new character introduced in this title; and a hidden scenario that is released when both parts are cleared.

The story is simple: players clear stages for each character as the story progresses. There are three types of stages: a speed stage in which the player runs along a long and narrow course, a treasure hunt stage in which the player searches for fragments of the "chaos emerald," and a shooting stage in which the player rides a machine and defeats enemies as he or she goes along. Each stage has various missions such as "Clear the stage within the time limit," "Find the lost Chao," and "Clear the stage on HARD mode," making the game challenging and rewarding.

There is also a "Chao Garden" for raising mysterious creatures called "Chao" and a battle mode for up to two players. 100 hours is not enough time to fully enjoy the game.

The Chao Garden is especially noteworthy for its challenging element, which allows players to develop the Chao's parameters such as stamina, strength, and speed, and then have them compete in "Chao Races" and "Chao Karate". Not only can the Chao's parameters be freely developed, but depending on how they are raised, they can become "Sonic Chao," which look like Sonic, and there are many other hidden elements that make the game very deep. The game is so well-developed that it could stand alone as a single game.

Another challenging element is the collection of "emblems" that can be obtained by clearing stages. In order to collect all 180 emblems, you must conquer Chao Karate and Chao Race in addition to the various conditions set for each stage. My memory card had a bad connection or something, and the save data was lost twice in the past. Each time I had to re-collect the emblems, so I had collected a total of 540 emblems. Looking back now, I wonder where I had the time to do that, but I guess it must be because this game had enough charm to make me spare all the trouble.

The scenario and its direction are also a talking point among fans. The hero side, in which Sonic and his friends fight to stop the ambitions of their nemesis Eggman, is a classic development typical of the "Sonic" series. The dark side, on the other hand, has an air of suspense as Sonic and Eggman use and deceive each other to achieve their own goals.

The game between Sonic and Eggman in the latter half of the scenario was particularly impressive. Eggman demands the Chaos Emeralds as a condition for handing over Emmy, the hostage, and Sonic tries to get by with a fake made by Tails. When Sonic tries to approach the transaction site with the fake Chaos Emerald, Eggman flips a switch and locks him in a transparent tube.

Eggman says, "Did you think you could be fooled by such a fake?" Tails is so upset that he blurts out, "How did you know it was a 'fake,'" and as a result, tells him himself that the Chaos Emerald is a fake. As an elementary school student, I could not understand what Eggman meant when he said, "You just told me. It was not until I was in junior high school that I learned that Eggman himself did not know the authenticity of the Chaos Emeralds, so he tried to confirm it by playing a trick on Sonic and the others.

The Hero Side had a good ending and the Dark Side had a bad ending, but each side was left with some mysteries. The hidden scenario responds to the player's bewilderment, and is a fitting grand ending in which the Hero Side and the Dark Side team up to defeat their common enemy. A total of six characters (Hero Side and Dark Side characters appear alternately) clear each stage and fight the last boss, with the people of the earth cheering them on and their souls inspired by the background music "Live & Learn". It was a dream stage that could not have been better as a conclusion to the story.

(Text by Yoshiyoshi Natsumuuchi)

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