The Nintendo GameCube debuted in Japan and North America in 2001, before making its way to other regions in the following year. Therefore, 2002 was the console's first full year on the market, and Nintendo's system hit the ground running with releases such as Resident Evil, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, Metroid Prime, and, of course, Super Mario Sunshine. These titles helped establish and cement the platform's legacy and are still fondly remembered.
Naturally, the same cannot be said for most of the GameCube's library, and that often has little to do with their quality. While some projects like Smashing Drive and Die Hard: Vendetta should be left in the past, a few forgotten 2002 GameCube games deserve a better fate than obscurity.
Bloody Roar: Primal Fury
Released as Bloody Roar Extreme on Xbox, Primal Fury is one of the best fighting games on the GameCube, particularly if someone is searching for a more traditional 3D fighter. The franchise's hook is that the characters can transform into animals, an option that unlocks depending on the user's performance.
Primal Fury holds up surprisingly well after all these years, arguably better than Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance which debuted during the same year. While relatively simplistic, the combat system has enough nuance to keep things interesting. The 2002 game is also superior to Bloody Roar 4, the final entry in the franchise.
James Bond 007: Agent Under Fire
007 had a strong 2002, starring in two excellent games called Nightfire and Agent Under Fire. Historically, GoldenEye is and will always be the definitive Bond game; however, both 2002 games have aged better than their predecessor. Agent Under Fire tells a unique storyline removed from the movies, all the while retaining the over-the-top presentation of Pierce Brosnan's era.
Along with a serviceable multiplayer, Agent Under Fire offers a highly entertaining single-player campaign with rock-solid gunplay, fun driving sections, and impressive visuals for the era. The GameCube is not overflowing with great first-person shooters, and Agent Under Fire stands out as a good B-tier option.
Sega Soccer Slam
In 2002, a surprising number of soccer games were released for the GameCube. FIFA Street is still excellent, while Konami's International Superstar Soccer 2 and Disney Sports Soccer are both underrated gems in their own right. If forced to select one standout title in this niche subgenre, Sega Soccer Slam would have to be it.
Aiming for an arcade feel, this game throws the rule book out of the window to embrace an unapologetically absurdist tone. Featuring 4v4 matches, Sega Soccer Slam has super shots, no fouls, and characters better suited for a wrestling game than soccer. Although not overflowing with content, the title has unlockable characters, mini-games, and a quest mode that is essentially a league. Sega's game predates Super Mario Strikers by a couple of years, and they are both cut from the same cloth.
Lost Kingdoms
Although not particularly known for RPGs, the GameCube had a couple of genre greats such as Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, Tales of Symphonia, Skies of Arcadia Legends, Baten Kaitos, and Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II. The latter was the console's best 2002 RPG, with only Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance presenting any sort of challenge.
The first proper GameCube RPG was Lost Kingdoms, which came out in May 2002. Although not on the level of the previously mentioned games, Lost Kingdoms is a respectable title with a unique card-based battle system. Rather than fight directly, the protagonist, Katia, uses cards to summon creatures to battle alongside her. The game executes this concept well, and the same could be said for its 2003 sequel.
Robotech: Battlecry
Based on the 1980s Robotech, an animated series compiling scenes from three separate anime, Battlecry is an endearing love letter to the franchise. Players step into a Veritech fighter, a mecha capable of transforming into three forms with wildly different uses, strengths, and weaknesses. Across the campaign's five chapters, players get to experience Jack Archer's story, and the journey presents plenty of opportunities to engage in explosive battles to the death.
Robotech: Battlecry nails its combat, both in terms of mechanics and faithfulness to the source material. As each form has unique controls, the gameplay has quite a bit of depth, even if the missions are a touch repetitive. Ultimately, this game is primarily for fans of the source material or people who really want to jump into a mecha.
Ultimate Muscle: Legends Vs. New Generation
Ultimate Muscle: Legends Vs. New Generation did not come out in North America until 2003; however, the game will be included since it debuted a year earlier in Japan.
Somehow, four wrestling games were released for Nintendo's GameCube in 2002. WWE WrestleMania X8 and Legends of Wrestling1 & 2 are somewhat known, although they are not worth revisiting in this day and age. However, the year's most obscure GameCube wrestling game, Ultimate Muscle: Legends Vs. New Generation, is another story entirely.
Based on a popular manga and developed by the studio responsible for WWF No Mercy and Def Jam Vendetta, Ultimate Muscle has gorgeous cel-shaded visuals, fast-paced gameplay, and an enjoyable storyline. The combat system blends wrestling fundamentals with over-the-top shonen anime goodness, finding a middle-ground that does justice to both sides of the equation.