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It’s no secret that lots of people own the Nintendo Wii, or at least want to get their hands on one. Many of the Wii’s newest owners are non-gamers, and may not even be aware that you can play Nintendo Gamecube games on the Wii (provided you buy a Gamecube controller and memory card). I, however, was a big fan of the Gamecube because I was a very casual player during the last generation, and Nintendo’s little purple cube suited my needs perfectly.

So for those of you out there that may own a Wii but never tapped into the Gamecube, here’s my pick for titles to pick up and start a Gamecube library. Please note that I didn’t include Paper Mario, Resident Evil 4, Mario Kart and Metroid: Prime, because (superior) iterations of those games are available on the Wii already.

6. Freedom Fighters
Probably the least-known game on this list, Freedom Fighters was a cross-platform release from the same designers of the recently-released Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. It’s the story of what might have happened if the Cold War never ended, and the game starts with the Russians’ invasion of New York City. You lead a team of men and women against the invaders, and defend various part of NYC. I liked this game because it did the whole “team” thing pretty well, and I like alternate reality themes, too. Plus, the bad guys spoke real Russian.
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5. Soul Calibur II
Every collection needs a solid fighting game, and this was an easy choice. Sure, there’s probably more to do in Smash Bros. on the Wii, but I prefer Soul Calibur II’s weapon-based fighting. Plus, Link is really badass in this game.
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4. F-Zero GX
Probably the fastest and most twitch-inducing racing game I’ve ever played, F-Zero GX has a lot of depth to it (and is pretty damn hard). I think it’s good enough that any NASCAR-loving new Wii owner should give it a shot.
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3. Viewtiful Joe
The Wii is a non-gamer magnet, and Viewtiful Joe is a great side-scrolling action game that anyone can pick up. Its cell-shaded graphics still look pretty damn good, and there is just a great feel and humor to this game that people can appreciate.
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2. Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
If you never played the first Metal Gear Solid, this is the version to get. It features updated graphics, a first-person perspective toggle, and redone cut scenes. As my wife once said, it’s like “playing a movie”. If you have already played the game on the PSOne back in the day but are in need of some refreshing, I still recommend picking this one up.
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1. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
This is a game that a non-gamer could really get into. It’s simple, colorful, and pretty easy (other than the sailing parts, but even a monkey can figure out how to grab a pen and paper). A lot of people may have been turned off by Twilight Princess‘ somewhat darker and realistic tone, but Wind Waker will probably appeal to newbies just as much as it appalled hardcore gamers when it was released in 2003.

Honorable Mentions:
Timesplitters 2
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem