This is a GameCube essential.

And the first Cube game that truly felt "next gen." It looked amazing, had an absurd amount of unlockables, ridiculously anal stats-keeping, a full barrage of characters both recognizable and obscure... and gameplay that scaled to let both newbs and pros enjoy the hell out of it.

I think it's also a positive orgy for Nintendo obsessives, packed with company history and references. Melee validated many a fanboy's existence, and probably created just as many new hardcore fans. Whether your major muse was Pokemon, EarthBound, Game & Watch, Zelda, or whatever, this game had something especially for you. It even shone the spotlight on games that had yet to appear in the US, like Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing.

One of Nintendo's first-party signatures of the GameCube generation was games that you couldn't possibly finish to 100%, and Melee was the progenitor of that concept. Even today, you still occasionally hear about new hidden messages... like the one I just heard that pops up after you log 5000 matches: "That's one penny per match!" Insane.

It's tough to imagine how they'll top this one. But an army of Nintendo die-hards is waiting...

Memory Score: There is not a GameCube library on the planet that lacks Smash Bros.

Sonic on Nintendo.

It's like going to McDonald's and getting a Whopper. It's impossible. And yet, after Sega backstepped its way out of the hardware business, it happened. An ancient video game rivalry was put to rest.

I was a Genesis fan - and I distinctly recall my jaw hitting the floor when I saw the Sonic Adventure demo running on a Dreamcast kiosk at EB - so I was super-excited to get a "new" Sonic game.

Plus, check out the date. This was smack in the middle of the GameCube's post-launch drought, where just about nothing happened for six months. Nintendo lost a lot of momentum, expecting their time-suck games like Melee and Pikmin to absorb the shock.

So this Dreamcast port hit at a good time.

And it was a fun ride. Not especially substantial, a trifle unpolished, visually and conceptually dated... but easy and cute. I really liked the song "City Escape" from the first level; "Pumpkin Hill," not so much.

Memory Score: Sonic, I'll always remember you like this

This was a good game for its time. Particularly since the first-party drought was still in full effect. Like most movie tie-ins, this game was everywhere. The movie was huge news, and the game rode that wave.

It was definitely a step up from the borked controls of the PS1/N64 Spider-Man games, where the various web moves were more a result of luck than skillful button work. Given the linear structure, by-the-book mission variety, and the silly webswinging levels where a missed line means a fall to Spidey's death... this was little more than an updated, Hollywood edition of the previous generation's Spider-Man experience.

And it managed to be rendered completely obsolete once the sequel used GTA as a template.

Memory Score: Worst part: Spidey's fight against the Green Power Ranger, who attacks by hopping

Next time: We bust out of the lean first year with some extreme inline action, a visit to the outskirts of Raccoon City, and the GameCube's most unique (and overlooked) M-rated title.