Get ready to reinvent your favourite Nintendo games with the best GameCube ROM hacks of all time!
That’s right; we’ve made a list of the 10 best hacks of some classic Cube titles, all with new features and exciting additions that feel like a breath of fresh air. From increased difficulty to new stages and more, the Retro Gaming community has delivered once again.
And man, have they been sneaky! So, let’s check out what they’ve created and get you on your way to discovering these alternative game versions already; time is money, people!
PLEASE READ – This article is for informative purposes only. Retro Dodo does not condone the illegal downloading or uploading of copyrighted materials and will not accept liability for any copyright infringements or other shady stuff you might try and get us into. We see everything, so behave yourselves, alright?
Table of Contents
1. Super Mario Sunburn
- Released: 2020
- Made By: Ecicwade/JoshuaMK02
- Base Game: Super Mario Sunshine
Super Mario Sunburn is the best GameCube ROM hack of all time! That’s right folks; this epic mod of Super Mario Sunshine makes the game 10 times better and adds some exciting new features that we just would never have seen in the original title. I’m talking about playing on Outset Island, the home of Link in The Wind Waker!
I really hate that you have to play missions in a specific order in Sunshine, and that annoying kick-out every time you complete one mission before starting the next really grinds my gears. Those two problems no longer exist… Nintendo should have sorted that out years ago!
With more coins, more moves, and new stages, this is the version of Sunshine that we all deserve. It’s a worthy winner of our compendium and a great mod to add to your gaming arsenal.
2. F-Zero AX
- Released: 2021
- Made By: Elfor
- Base Game: F-Zero GX
Did you know that the F-Zero AX full arcade game was always hidden on the original F-Zero GX GameCube disc? No, we didn’t either!
Apparently, it was discovered back in 2013, and thanks to this F-Zero AX mod, players can skip all of the faffing around with codes and just launch the arcade version without any messing around. I love ROM hacks that make life easier!
3. Metroid Prime: Double Trouble
- Released: 2021
- Made By: Fantaselion
- Base Game: Metroid Prime
Metroid Prime: Double Trouble takes the bronze medal in this list. As you can tell from the name, this ROM hack does exactly the same as the Double Trouble hack for Metroid Prime 2: Echoes that some of you might have played (and that will undoubtedly be featuring further down this list!)
The premise – every enemy is doubled, making things doubly harder for those who can play this game with their eyes closed, or in all honesty ten times harder for anyone playing this game for the first time. I’ve put Metroid Prime: Double Trouble in third place over Fantaselion’s other entry in this list purely because the first Metroid Prime game is still my favourite in the series.
4. Mario’s Mansion
- Released: 2021
- Made By: Nintendo 64 Wizard
- Base Game: Luigi’s Mansion
If you find yourself getting really annoyed by the fact that Luigi got his own GameCube game instead of cowering in his brother’s shadow, then you can rectify the problem by playing this Mario’s Mansion mod.
This is a really thorough mod, with everything relating to Luigi being replaced by Mario. That’s speech, character sounds, icons; the whole works! It’s almost like Luigi never even existed…
5. Metroid Prime 2: Echoes Double Trouble
- Released: 2021
- Made By: Fantaselion
- Base Game: Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
Remember I said that ROM hacks often make games harder? Well, you can’t make games much harder than doubling up on every enemy that you come across through the levels themselves. And we’re not just talking the enemies that run at you trying to kill you either.
No; the passive enemies in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes that are minding their own evil business have also been doubled, as have the bosses… yeah, talk about making this game one tough cookie to crack!
6. 007: Agent Under Fire Reloaded
- Released: 2022
- Made By: aleckermit
- Base Game: 007: Agent Under Fire
The sixth spot in our list of the best GameCube ROM hacks goes to 6. 007: Agent Under Fire Reloaded.
Remember the problems with the original GameCube game? Waiting an age for multiplayer matches to begin, no option for saving preferences, weapons firing around the person instead of at them? Well, all of these problems and more have been fixed in this ROM hack, allowing you and your mates to play proper multiplayer matches like you should have been doing back in the day.
There’s a list a mile long of added features and changed parameters in this mod, so click the link above and settle down for a good old fact-check-fest!
7. Diet Pikmin 2
- Released: 2021
- Made By: Dark Boo
- Base Game: Pikmin 2
Diet Pikmin 2 adds a tonne of new caves for players to explore, 14 to be exact.
The diet part of the title alludes to a friendlier experience for first-time Pikmin players. We all know how frustrating this game can be at times, so I guess you could see this mod as a toned-down version of the main game to ease you in.
Still, there are lots of challenges to undertake even if you’re a seasoned Pikmin collector, so it’s well worth a look no matter what your experience level.
Underground treasure locations have been shuffled around to spice things up a little too, and with new dialogue that includes swearing and NSFW comments, you’ll be wishing that this was a whole Pikmin game in its own right.
8. Luigi’s Mansion: First-Person Optimised
- Released: 2023
- Made By: Sky Bluigi
- Base Game: Luigi’s Mansion
How do you make Luigi’s Mansion scary? Stick it in first-person mode using the next hack in our list! That’s literally all there is to this one, but it gives the game a whole new feel entirely.
Imagine MYST or Half-Life where the main character moves around with a vacuum cleaner, and you’ve got the general vibe of this hack.
Playing any game in first-person makes for jumpier gameplay, which is why this mod finally makes Luigi’s Mansion more of a scare fest than a cutesy platformer… ok, a tame scare fest, but still a great hack.
9. Pokemon XG: NeXt Gen
- Released: 2016
- Made By: StarsMmd
- Base Game: Pokémon: Gale of Darkness
Some ROM Hacks change the storyline, while others just make them incredibly tough to the point of being eye-wateringly tough. Pokemon XG: NeXt Gen mostly leans towards the second, adding extra difficulty to Gale of Darkness for advanced players that can now play the game with their eyes closed.
It also brings other obtainable Shadow Pokemon and newer moves to the table, as well as new orders to the trainers. The opponents are all tougher, and the appeal of having new monsters and moves makes this ROM hack a must-have for Poke fans around the globe.
10. Harvest Moon: A Proud Life
- Released: 2019
- Made By: seangibbz
- Base Game: Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life
This last hack is is a simple little modification, but one that highlights an important message. Games tend to focus solely on heterosexual relationships between characters, which we should all know by now isn’t how the world works.
A Proud Life gives players the chance to take part in same-sex relationships between characters by swapping Mark with Pony. Now, as Pony, players can sweet-talk Nami, Muffy, or Celia and start a family with them. Unfortunately, there isn’t a patch that swaps the eligible bachelorettes with bachelors, but it’s a start!
