Nintendo absolutely dominated the console market with the NES and Super Nintendo. Once Sony entered the ring with the PlayStation, well, things started to turn. Both the N64 and GameCube sold well and had some killer exclusives, but compared to both the PS1 and PS2, they were trailed behind.
For the GameCube, Nintendo did try to get exclusives. Some remained on GameCube, still trapped to this day, while others eventually got ported to the PS2 and even Xbox. The most infamous example was the Capcom 5. Of those games, P.N. 03 was the only one that stayed on GameCube and the fifth title, Dead Phoenix, was canceled. Let’s see what else didn’t remain console exclusive.
10 Viewtiful Joe
This was the first of the Capcom 5 to be released outside of the GameCube. It originally released in 2003 for that system before jumping ship to the PS2 in 2004.
This version also got an exclusive character, Dante from Devil May Cry. This made it stick out, and it became the more popular version to play, though both are fondly remembered. Both versions still look great though. If only they could get the HD treatment.
9 Resident Evil 4
The next betrayal was the most infamous. The director, Shinji Mikami, even went so far as to say he would basically kill himself if Resident Evil 4 wasn’t a GameCube exclusive.
Thankfully that was just a joke, because it did indeed release on the PS2, which was just nine months after its January 2005 debut on GameCube. There were some notable improvements and extras to this port as well.
8 Killer 7
Killer 7 is one of the more forgotten entries in the Capcom 5. Even though it was announced as a GameCube exclusive, it actually debuted on GameCube the same day as the PS2 version was released in 2005.
As a side note, it later released on the PC as well in 2018, thirteen years later. A good port is always worth the wait.
7 Mystic Heroes
Mystic Heroes is sort of a more kid friendly, action RPG spinoff to Dynasty Warriors, and its release is a bit confusing. It first debuted in Japan in March 2002 with an exclusive Game Boy Advance version.
It eventually got ported to PS2 in Japan that November. Now, the North American release dates between the GameCube and PS2 version were smaller, which was just a wait from September to December, also 2002.
6 Ribbit King
Ribbit King is an odd take on the golf genre. Instead of hitting balls into holes with clubs, players instead bump frogs into goals with mallets. It sounds weird, but it is actually quite adored by fans and got decent reviews at the time.
The GameCube version hit Japan in July 2003, with it coming to the PS2 that December. It released the following year in June, on the same day for both GameCube and PS2 in North America.
5 Sonic Mega Collection
Most of these dates, so far, are pretty close. This collection of Sonic games first hit the GameCube in 2002. It would remain an exclusive until it eventually got a PS2 and Xbox port on the same day in 2004.
This isn’t that strange to consider. After Sega flopped with the Dreamcast, Nintendo found itself as the home to Sonic for some earlier versions of his games including this one, Sonic Adventure DX, and others.
4 Tales of Symphonia
This is widely considered one of the best GameCube RPGs, on top of it fondly being remembered as one of the best games in the series. Now, it launched on the GamCube in Japan in August 2003. In 2004 it would get ported to the PS2 in September 2004.
This version never released outside of Japan, but the West did get it on GameCube that same year at least. Why the PS2 version never released over here is a mystery, but there is a HD version now, so that's something.
3 Die Hard: Vendetta
Believe it or not, Nintendo got an exclusive shooter based on the Die Hard franchise. This first-person shooter launched in 2002 on GameCube, with a PS2 and Xbox port to follow in 2003.
As far as licensed based games go though, it isn’t bad. It also isn’t that great either, and probably not worth remembering based on reviews at the time.
2 Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
For everyone obsessed with Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, they should thank the game that seemingly started it all, Harvest Moon.
This simulation game debuted first in Japan, on the GameCube, in 2003. This version would see a release in 2004 in North America, along with a PS2 port in Japan. That version didn’t hit the West until 2005.
1 ZooCube
Without a doubt ZooCube is the most obscure game on this list. With a name like that it should have been easy to deduce it was a GameCube game. It released in 2002 for the system, along with a GBA port.
It would not get a PS2 version until 2006, but only in PAL regions. Why wait so long to port it? For that matter, in the year the PS3 was launching, why bother at all?