The GameCube turns 25 this week, marking its original Japanese launch in 2001, and Circana has released the official US top 20 best-selling GameCube games ranked by unit sales to mark the occasion.
The data was shared on Bluesky by Mat Piscatella, Circana's senior director and video game industry advisor. Super Smash Bros. Melee sits at number one, with Super Mario Sunshine in second and Mario Kart: Double Dash!! rounding out the top three. The full top 20 list covers the complete retail picture of the console's US software performance.
The GameCube launched in Japan on September 14, 2001, and arrived in North America that November. Despite being outpaced in sales by the PS2, the console built a devoted fanbase and its library — particularly the Nintendo-published titles — has remained highly regarded. Melee in particular grew into one of the most enduring competitive fighting games ever made, with a tournament scene that outlasted the console by decades.
The anniversary gives Nintendo fans a chance to revisit just how strong that first-party lineup was, even if the hardware itself never quite matched Sony's dominance that generation.
Sources (1)
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