It’s hard to believe that games likeResident Evil 4andMario Kart DSwerereleased 20 years ago, but time flies when you’re having fun gaming.
While Nintendo’s GameCube era struggled compared to its predecessors, 2005 was a definitive year for Nintendo. Between first-party releases and third-party hits, everyone came together to make 2005 a great year for Nintendo.
Between the breakout success of theNintendo DSandGameCube, which received some of the best games it ever saw, here are the best games to appear on a Nintendo console from 20 years ago.
While we could have filled this list entirely of games made by Nintendo themselves, 2005 also saw plenty of successful games from external developers to be released on a Nintendo platform, particularly Capcom and Atlus. We’re going to include them on this list to make sure we give them the recognition they deserve.
10Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
A More Traditional Pokemon Classic
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
20 years ago, if you wanted a traditionalPokémonexperience, you stuck with the handheld released.Pokémon XD: Gale of Darknesshelped bridge the gap between those traditional games and the prior consolePokémonColosseumreleases.
It’s not perfect, butGale of Darknesssets the foundation for what’s possible in a more seriousPokémonspin-offwith a fully fledged story.
Since its release,Gale of Darkness has enjoyeda cult following with a devoted fan base. You can argue, too, that its commercial success helped Nintendo realize that they could deliver more mature, darkerPokémonstories in future releases.
A Cult Classic
LikeResident Evil 4,Killer 7was a former Nintendo GameCube exclusive developed by Capcom. While it didn’t share the same mainstream success asResident Evil 4, it developed a cult following and helped establish Suda 51 as one of the industry’s most unique developers.
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Killer 7is one of the most stylish games ever released. It features an impressive voice cast, a neo-noir story, and unique visual flair.
Some were put off by its simplistic control scheme, but don’t let that deter you from playing one of the most unique games ever released on a Nintendo platform.
8Mario Kart DS
Handheld Racing
Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart DSisn’t the first handheld release inMario Kart, but unlike theGameBoy Advance’sSuper Circuit,Mario Kart DSlooks and feels like the modern consoles.
The Nintendo DS’s visuals do the game justice, allowing for creative track design. Waluigi Pinball, for example, is a hallmark ofMario Karttrack design and is still one of the best tracks in the game today.
The one flaw withMario Kart DSis how easy it was to snake drift across the circuit, but the fact that the Kart-racer worked so well with the DS' D-Pad proves that it’s a worthy entry in the series.
7Nintendogs
Meet Your New Best Friend
Nintendogs
It’s impossible to talk about the best Nintendo games from 20 years ago without mentioningNintendogs.
Designed as a killer app for the Nintendo DS,Nintendogsreminds us why we all fell in love with Giga Pets and Tamagotchis a decade prior.
Nintendogsis more than a simple virtual pet simulator you play for five minutes and forget; it’s an impressive simulation game with a surprisingly realistic pet training experience.
The Nintendo DS hardware is also running at full strength, and the system’s touchscreen and microphone enhance the game’s immersion.
6Kirby: Canvas Curse
A Work of Art
Kirby: Canvas Curse
TheKirbyfranchise felt like it was floundering 20 years ago before the release ofCanvas Cursefor the Nintendo DS.
While the stylus-based gameplay initially felt like a gimmick, it was actually an incredibly innovative experience.
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Drawing the rainbow lines on the DS’s touchscreen to help guide Kirby allows a different way to play through a traditional platformer. Instead of precise controls, it’s a balancing act to keep your ink filled and build Kirby’s momentum to keep him rolling forward.
5Trauma Center: Under the Knife
Scalpel, Please
LikeKirby: Canvas Curse,Trauma Center: Under the Knifeis easy to dismiss as a way to showcase the gimmicks of the Nintendo DS hardware. In reality, it’s another example of what happens when a developer, in this case Atlus, embraces the unique possibilities of an innovative Nintendo system.
Trauma Centeris a surgeon simulator that focuses on realistic surgery procedures rather than the gimmick-physics-based simulator games of today.
Using the touch screen, rather than a traditional control setup, allows the game to be far more accessible in the vein of something likeOperation. You don’t need to be a proficient gamer to play throughTrauma Center;you just need to watch the sides.
4Animal Crossing: Wild World
Welcome Home
Animal Crossing: Wild World
Animal Crossing: Wild Worldwas the first handheld release in the series. Although there were some sacrifices compared to the franchise’s debut on the GameCube, the core experience remained the same.
Despite those sacrifices,Wild Worldpushes things forward, with its portability being the real selling point.Animal Crossingjust makes more sense on a handheld device, andWild Worldmeans we can check in on our home, village, and friends wherever we go.
There are still refinements that need to be made in future releases, butWild Worldis a great step forward to help establishAnimal Crossingas a tentpole series for Nintendo.
3Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
Back In Time
Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time
Mario and Luigi: Brothership,released in 2024, introduces the RPG series. Nintendo veterans, however, remember how good these games were, andPartners in Timeis a perfect example.
The Mario RPGs have always been known for deep gameplay and plenty of charm, but withMario and Luigi, as well asPartners in Timein general, the humor and uniqueness are turned up to eleven.
Taking place in the Mushroom Kingdom allows for an experience that’s both familiar and unique. It may not have capitalized on some of the DS' unique features, but it proves that you don’t have to rely on console gimmicks. Sometimes, all you need to do is just make a good game, and that’s whatPartners in Timeis.
2Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
The Best Fire Emblem Game
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Three years after theFire Emblemfranchise debuted in North America on the GameBoy Advance, it saw its first Nintendo console release in 2005 withFire Emblem: Path of Radiance.
The first 3D entry in the series,Path of Radiancetakes full advantage of the GameCube hardware. While its in-game visuals are rough around the edges, the cutscenes are a work of art, allowing the story, which still ranks as one of the best inFire Emblem’s history, to shine.
Path of Radiancetackles some more mature topics, establishing itself as one of the more impactful Nintendo games ever released.
Here’s to hoping we can revisit Ike and friends with a re-release in honor of its 20th anniversary.
1Resident Evil 4
2005’s Game of the Year
Resident Evil 4
Capcom’sResident Evil 4kicked off the year strong for Nintendo with a January release, proving a tough act to follow for any console, not just the GameCube.
Resident Evil 4redefined not just the horror genre but all action games. It brought the survival horror franchise into the (then) modern age of gaming, eschewing the clunky controls and setup of past entries in the series and opting for a more action-oriented approach.
Even asResident Evil 7reinvented the series, there are still a lot of similarities to be found with the 2005 GameCube title.
