10 Most Underrated GameCube Games

This game most likely sounds like the daydream of a 14 year old boy - you’re the world’s best fighter, and to prove it, you need to beat up America’s most famous rappers circa 2004. Def Jam: Fight for NY is daft and undeniably brash, but it also boasts a compelling enough story mode, and more importantly some of the best fighting mechanics in any game of the genre.

It’s sort of like a mix between Street Fighter, later instalments of the Tony Hawk franchise, and the best wrestling games - you create a fighter, and earn the respect of the city by locking horns with the likes of Ice T, Ghostface Killah, and Ludacris. The fighting itself more closely resembles a quality WWE title than an arcade button basher, and you can train your fighter in different disciplines, as well as obtaining fresh garms and jewellery to boost their charisma. Throw in a soundtrack by many of the playable rappers and you’ve got yourself a quality party game with a campaign worth investing in.

Admittedly, the PS2 version is slightly better due to the GameCube’s licensing restrictions, but with the console having so few great fighting games, Def Jam: Fight for NY should be better remembered.