Out of the three next-generation consoles, the Nintendo GameCube hasn't been promoted as heavily as the others. But that didn't stop gamers from purchasing the console to have a go at the latest Mario or Metroid titles. Our Editor Mike Moore explains his choices for the Top 3 GameCube game for 2002.

#3 Resident Evil 0 Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Capcom | Genre: Action
	One of the initial headlines surrounding Gamecube's launch last year was the fact that Resident Evil, previously a staple of the PlayStation library, would be exclusive to Nintendo's new console. The remake of the PlayStation classic that was released earlier this year gave players a preview of what to expect from this long-awaited prequel. Along with a visual overhaul that includes realistic looking player models and animated backgrounds that react to weather effects and shadows, RE0 sported several gameplay enhancements as well. RE0 will not win over those who are not already a fan of the series, but for anyone who has enjoyed one of the previous titles in the series, it is a must own.
#2 Super Mario Sunshine Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Nintendo | Genre: Platform
	Two things were immediately apparent to both long-time Nintendo fans and casual gamers alike when Gamecube debuted last year: the system was the very first Nintendo console to not use the cartridge format, and it was also the first to not launch with a Mario title alongside. Super Mario Sunshine was finally released this past August, and met mixed reactions. Some were disappointed by the fact that it didn't revolutionize the genre as Super Mario 64 had done before it, while others simply praised its variety and gameplay mechanics. Whether or not it was perceived as lighting the world on fire, Sunshine provided players with the best platform gaming experience yet available on the Gamecube, and one of the better offerings this generation has seen across all of the consoles. Super Mario Sunshine may not have sent competing developers back to the drawing boards in order to respond to a new, groundbreaking gameplay facet, but it should certainly warrant attention among those who hope to make a consistently entertaining, varied, and accessible title. Mario still shines bright in every category that can impact a person's enjoyment of a game.
#1 Metroid Prime Publisher: Nintendo | Developer: Retro Studios | Genre: Action
	If there was a single statement that could encapsulate Metroid Prime's well documented soap opera of development mayhem, fan expectations, and importance to Nintendo's status as a whole in the industry, it would have to be "bet large, win large." When it was announced that an unproven, unknown Texas outfit by the name of Retro Studios was handling the duty to bring one of Nintendo's most herald franchises into 3D for the first time, many expected to be sorely disappointed. Much like the series' heroine Samus Aran, Retro Studios met the impossible odds head on, and delivered a game that introduces the series to the third dimension as admirably as Super Mario 64 and Zelda: Ocarina of Time had done for their respective namesakes. The game stands not only as a technical showpiece for the Gamecube, but as a template for how next-generation console technology should be employed in providing a stellar gaming experience. Already solidified in the upper echelons of 2D gaming, Metroid now ranks among 3D's elite. Prime is one of the best games of recent years, and unquestionably the best available for Gamecube.