Summary
Over the course of its 50-plus years making video games,Nintendohas explored a vast array of genres and game styles. From fantasy RPGs to sports titles, all the way to action games and farming sims, the company that started by making playing cards and toys has become a true icon of the industry, and another genre they have tapped into with great results has beenscience fiction. While not one of their main avenues of creative output, Nintendo’s efforts to cultivate a strong collection of sci-fi titles has certainly paid off.
Whether it’s the ongoing adventures of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran in theMetroidfranchise or the space combat ofStar Fox, Nintendo is no stranger to crafting rich, complex sci-fi landscapes and doing so within the confines of multiple genres.They’ve built outstanding shooters, epic action games, and some huge, sprawling RPGs, with many of them taking place in truly unique and engaging worlds.
8Custom Robo
Allows Players To Customize Robots And Battle With Them
To date,Custom Robohas produced a total of five games, and the GameCube iteration is one of the two that have made it to the west. Known asBattle Revolutionin Japan, it was simplified toCustom Robofor the Western release and is one of the GameCube’s most overlooked gems.
As the title suggests,Custom Robois focused on building, maintaining and battling robots, and this outstanding GameCube classic features both story and multiplayer modes. The story mode is delightful, set in a sleek futuristic world that tasks the player with defeating apowerful entity known as Rahu. In the multiplayer modes, players put their robots to the test against each other in the Holloseum, a VR-style world where epic battles unfold.
F-Zerosaw majorreleases on the SNESand the N64 in the 1990s, but it was the GameCube iteration of the series that still stands as the absolute peak of this high-octane, futuristic racing franchise. WithF-Zero GX, Nintendo harnessed the raw power of the GameCube in order to create one of the most exciting and thrilling racing games ever made.
The world ofF-Zerois perfectly represented in this GameCube classic, bringing all the sleek sci-fi designs of the original ships and tracks to life with absolutely beautiful art direction. Powered by an engine created by their former rival, Sega,F-Zero GXis still packed with blistering speed and a highly-stylized sci-fi world that is absolutely in need of a revival for the Nintendo Switch.
After Nintendo formed a close bond with Platinum Games in the wake of publishingBayonetta 2and3, the two worked together to create an entirely new IP that was to be exclusive to the Switch. The end result wasAstral Chain, a phenomenal sci-fi action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk world, where players control one of two playable twins, each of whom can tether with interdimensional creatures and monsters known as Legions.
Featuring the furious andchallenging combat that Platinum is known for,Astral Chainis still one of the Switch’s best exclusive titles. The cyberpunk, anime-influenced world is a delight to explore, and the visual style is simply fantastic. Though they have made some truly spectacular games over the years,Astral Chainhas been one of Platinum’s best efforts in their ongoing relationship with Nintendo.
The first two games in theStar Foxfranchise put the focussquarely on ship combat, as these terrific rail shooters saw Nintendo utilize revolutionary technology to create an expansive sci-fi universe. But withStar Fox Adventuresfor the GameCube, Nintendo created a full-blown action-adventure game that felt likeThe Legend of ZeldameetsStar Wars. Initially, it started development as an N64 game called"Dinosaur Planet,“but Rare’s impressive work caught the attention of Shigeru Miyamoto, who merged it with a strugglingStar Foxgame that was in progress at Nintendo.
As the game is no longer confined to the cockpit of an Arwing,Star Fox Adventurescombines on-foot segments with space combat sections. The planet of Cerinia is a lush, vibrant world that makes great use of the GameCube’s impressive hardware and features some absolutely breathtaking visual design. The space combat scenes are as wonderful as ever, as these on-rail shooter sections feature amazing particle effects, and piloting an Arwing through space never gets old.
Seeking topreserve the roots ofMetroidduring a time whenFusionandPrimewere changing the perceptions of the franchise, Nintendo developed a complete remake of the first game in the series for the Game Boy Advance. InMetroid: Zero Mission, the harrowing first steps of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran are retold in spectacular fashion.
Controlling Samus is an absolute dream inZero Mission, as she moves effortlessly and efficiently. Becoming intimately familiar with Zebes is crucial, as this multi-level world of aliens, monsters, and traps makes use of every skill and weapon upgrade the player will acquire on the way to facing Mother Brain.Zero Missionis readily available on Nintendo Switch Online, and it is easily one of the best games that one can find on the service.
Xenoblade Chronicles Xstarted development as a way for the developers at Monolith Soft to improve on what they accomplished with the original game that launched on the Wii in 2011, as they sought to take full advantage of the Wii U and create an even larger world to tell stories on.Announced at E3 2013,Xenoblade Chronicles Xwent on to become one of the Wii U’s most anticipated games, and the end result was more than worth the wait.
Set on a planet called Mira in the wake of humanity’s escape from a war-torn planet Earth,Xis an enormous, outrageously large JRPG with the same stupendous combat system the series is known for. The fusion of traditional turn-based combat with an MMO flair still feels fantastic, and the world of Mira is filled with things to do and all sorts of creatures to interact with. Though it’s still sadly stuck on the Wii U, a remaster for the Switch is long overdue, as it’s still a game worth experiencing.
Samus Aran made quite an impact on the GameCube, as this absolutely amazing sci-fi first-person shooter took everything that madetheMetroidseriesso great in 2D and transitioned it to 3D perfectly, resulting in one of the finest games ever made. WithMetroid Prime, Samus' conflicts with the galaxy’s most nefarious forces takes place from behind her tinted visor for the first time. It was remastered for the Nintendo Switch in 2023, and this surefire classic has proven itself to be just as fabulous today as it was back in 2004.
Set on the planet Tallon 4,Metroid Primesees Samus go on an arduous journey and battle against the likes of Space Pirates and even the fearsome Meta Ridley. This rich, complex world is full of secrets, dangerous enemies and is one of the GameCube’s greatest titles ever released. As far asMetroidgames go, it also solidified a huge amount of lore and mythology, all of which has influenced the series moving forward.
After spending a year in Japan,Xenoblade Chroniclesfinally released in the west on the Wii in 2011 and resulted in one of the most ravenously popular fanbases in the industry.Xenoblade Chroniclesis still a phenomenal JRPGthat is set in a truly innovative world and features some top-tier combat. It was so beloved that, in 2020, Nintendo released an updated version for the Switch.
Set on the backs of two warring titans known as the Bionis and the Mechonis,Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Editionfollows the thrilling tale of Shulk and crew as they attempt to rewrite their own fate and save their world in the process. Featuring improved faces, a re-recorded soundtrack, and a piece of brand-new post-game content calledFuture Connected, theDefinitive Editionis easily the best possible way to play this masterpiece. The expansive world is a thrill to explore, and the combat is still some of the best that one can find on the Switch.
