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Best GameCube games of 2004

The 16 best GameCube games released in 2004, ranked from 3,778 critic and player ratings.

The best GameCube game of 2004 is Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, with a critic score of 92/100 — updated November 2026.

How this ranking is built
  • Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
  • A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
  • Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
  • Release window covered: 2004.
  • 16 games are listed on this page, carrying 3,778 ratings between them.
  • Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 13 November 2026.

Top 16

Played them? Give your tier with the + next to each game. No account needed to try — create one to keep your tiers.

01 Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Metroid Prime 2: Echoes 2004 · 193 ratings An exploration-driven 3D metroidvania/first-person shooter hybrid and sequel to Metroid Prime (2002) in which Samus lands on Aether, an intricate planet torn into light and dark versions of itself, to help its remaining inhabitants defend against the invaders from its dark incarnation by traversing both the light and dark worlds, acquiring new power-ups and braving oppressive environments. 92 /100
02 Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door 2004 · 567 ratings What sleeps behind the door? Time passes, the pages turn… and a new chapter unfolds in an unfamiliar land! Get ready for a two-dimensional role-playing adventure for the ages as Mario returns to paper form to discover a mystery that sleeps behind an ancient, legendary portal called the Thousand-Year Door. The quest is long, the dangers many, and this time, Mario will have to make full use of his papery qualities just to survive. 87 /100
03 Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes 2004 · 97 ratings The Twin Snakes features graphical improvements over the original, new cutscenes written and directed by Ryuhei Kitamura, and gameplay functions originally introduced in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. The game also includes a revised translation with re-recorded voice acting using all of the original English voice cast. Hideo Kojima and Shigeru Miyamoto oversaw development of the game. It was also intended to allow the player to play Metal Gear Solid as it was meant to be played 85 /100
04 Pikmin 2 Pikmin 2 2004 · 113 ratings In Pikmin 2, Captain Olimar returns to the planet he was originally stranded on, to collect trinkets for his failing company to sell back at home. The game features a 2-character mechanic, which allows players to switch between two spacemen while collecting items. Two-player co-op challenge missions and a competitive mode are also available. 87 /100
05 FIFA Soccer 2005 FIFA Soccer 2005 2004 · 92 ratings FIFA Football 2005 gives you more control than ever with improved button and control sensitivity and an intuitive Off the Ball Control. Now you can take command of players not in possession of the ball by calling in tackles, jostling for space, and sending your teammates on runs as you control the pitch. With more than 350 official team and league licenses from around the world, an enhanced Career mode, and an improved broadcast, FIFA Football 2005 gives you a complete and authentic soccer experience. 82 /100
06 Tony Hawk's Underground 2 Tony Hawk's Underground 2 2004 · 174 ratings You've been chosen by Tony Hawk to compete against Bam Margera's team in the World Destruction Tour. In an all-new storyline, Tony Hawk's Underground 2 takes you to skateparks around the world, where you can spray your custom tag, slap stickers, and even create new skate lines. Now you can play as yourself, as your teammates, or as more than 20 special skaters. If you're feeling nostalgic for older Tony Hawk games, you can try Classic mode, which challenges you to accomplish your favorite goals, such as Secret Tape and High Score. 82 /100
07 The Suffering The Suffering 2004 · 92 ratings The Suffering captures the disturbing and terrifying nature of the horror genre in a compelling third-person action/adventure game set in the mature and gritty world of a maximum-security prison. You'll control of the prisoner Torque, a man sentenced to die for a murder he may or may not have actually committed. Enter a nightmarish world where creatures jump out of shadows, fall out of trees, and erupt out of the ground. Battle ghoulish apparitions, hardened criminals and guards, and the demons from your own forgotten past. Will you solve the mystery of Torque's past and survive or fall victim to The Suffering? 82 /100
08 Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Prince of Persia: Warrior Within 2004 · 542 ratings · finished by 37% Prince of Persia: Warrior Within is a video game and sequel to Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It picks up where The Sands of Time left off, adding new features, specifically, options in combat. The Prince now has the ability to wield two weapons at a time as well as the ability to steal his enemies' weapons and throw them. The Prince's repertoire of combat moves has been expanded into varying strings that allow players to attack enemies with more complexity than was possible in the previous game. Warrior Within has a darker tone than its predecessor adding in the ability for the Prince to dispatch his enemies with various finishing moves. In addition to the rewind, slow-down, and speed-up powers from The Sands of Time, the Prince also has a new sand power: a circular "wave" of sand that knocks down all surrounding enemies as well as damaging them. 80 /100
09 Need for Speed: Underground 2 Need for Speed: Underground 2 2004 · 890 ratings · finished by 75% Need For Speed Underground 2 takes place in Bayview after the events of Need for Speed: Underground. The prologue begins with the player driving in a Nissan 350Z in Olympic City (though the racing scenes are actually in Bayview), the setting of NFS:UG. He then receives a race challenge from a rather ominous personality who offers him a spot on his crew, but "won't take 'no' for an answer." The player races off — despite Samantha's warnings — only to be ambushed by a mysterious driver in a rage that totals his Skyline. The driver, who has a unique scythe tattoo, makes a call confirming the accident, and the flashback fades out. 78 /100
10 Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow 2004 · 244 ratings Pandora Tomorrow takes place in Indonesia during the spring of 2006, in which the United States has established a military presence in the newly independent country of East Timor to train that country's military forces in their fight against anti-separatist Indonesian guerrilla militias. Foremost among these Indonesian militias is the Darah Dan Doa (Blood and Prayer), led by Suhadi Sadono. 78 /100
11 Mortal Kombat: Deception Mortal Kombat: Deception 2004 · 107 ratings 77 /100
12 Def Jam: Fight for NY Def Jam: Fight for NY 2004 · 95 ratings 72 /100
13 Spider-Man 2: The Game Spider-Man 2: The Game 2004 · 270 ratings 68 /100
14 Shrek 2: Team Action Shrek 2: Team Action 2004 · 82 ratings 64 /100
15 Crash Twinsanity Crash Twinsanity 2004 · 126 ratings 63 /100
16 Driv3r Driv3r 2004 · 94 ratings 51 /100
Browse all the best GameCube games

Other years

Best GameCube games of 2005Best GameCube games of 2003Best GameCube games of 2002Best GameCube games of 2001

Same year, other platforms

Best PC games of 2004Best PlayStation 2 games of 2004Best Xbox games of 2004Best Mac games of 2004Best Game Boy Advance games of 2004Best Linux games of 2004

Nearby rankings

Best GameCube games of 2003Best GameCube games of 2005

Catalog statistics

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Frequently asked questions

What is the best GameCube game of 2004?

Metroid Prime 2: Echoes currently tops the ranking with a score of 92/100 across 193 ratings. Ranking updated November 2026.

How is this ranking built?

Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.