It is 2003. You just popped a tiny purple disc into your Indigo GameCube. The startup chime plays, and suddenly, you’re looking at a claymation dog in a sidecar.
Wallace and Gromit Project Zoo GameCube wasn't exactly Halo. It wasn't Wind Waker. But for a specific subset of gamers who grew up with Aardman Animations, it was basically the Citizen Kane of licensed platformers. Most movie-tie-in games from that era were total garbage, rushed out the door to meet a premiere date. This one felt different. Frontier Developments—the same folks who eventually gave us Elite Dangerous and Planet Coaster—actually put some heart into it.
Honestly, the GameCube version is the one everyone remembers. Sure, it was on PS2 and Xbox, but something about the Nintendo controller just felt right for Gromit’s weirdly athletic double-jumps.
The Feathers McGraw Problem
The plot is peak Aardman. Feathers McGraw, that sinister penguin from The Wrong Trousers, is back. He’s taken over the local zoo, imprisoned baby animals, and forced their parents to work in a diamond mine. It’s dark if you think about it too hard.
You play as Gromit. Wallace follows you around like a bumbling, tea-obsessed escort mission, though he’s actually useful for fixing the "Contraptomatic" machines you find.
The game is a collect-a-thon. You’re grabbing cogs. You're saving elephants. You’re kicking penguins. The gameplay loop is simple: enter a hub, find the gadgets, save the animals, and eventually face off against Feathers.
Why the GameCube version feels better
People argue about ports all the time. But the GameCube had that snappy, responsive feel. The loading times were surprisingly decent for 2003.
The graphics held up surprisingly well because claymation translates perfectly to early 2000s polygons. Since Wallace and Gromit are already "low poly" in their movie designs—smooth surfaces, simple shapes—the GameCube didn't have to struggle to make them look realistic. They already looked like they walked off the film set.
Mechanics that shouldn't have worked (but did)
Let’s talk about the gadgets. Most platformers give you a sword or a jump. Gromit gets a "Porridge Gun."
It’s ridiculous.
You’re literally pelting mechanical sentries with clumps of oats. Later, you get the Springy Boots and the Bolt Bolt. These aren't just gimmicks; the level design actually requires you to swap between them constantly. The Jungle House and the Diamond Mine levels are genuinely challenging. If you’ve ever tried to platform through the lava sections in the mine, you know the frustration. It’s not Dark Souls, but for a "kids game," it had some teeth.
The music deserves a shoutout too. It captures that jaunty, brass-heavy British charm perfectly. It’s the kind of soundtrack that gets stuck in your head for twenty years. You’ll be doing dishes and suddenly find yourself humming the zoo hub theme.
✨ Don't miss: Finding the Freedom Trail: Why Fallout 4 the Old North Church is Still a Headache for Players
The Aardman Polish
What separates this from a generic budget title is the humor.
Wallace doesn't just stand there. He’s constantly tinkering. He talks about cheese. He gets stuck in things. The animations are bouncy. When Gromit hides in a cardboard box (shout out to Metal Gear Solid), it feels earned. Frontier Developments clearly watched the shorts. They knew that the soul of Wallace and Gromit isn't the gadgets—it's the relationship between a genius dog and his well-meaning, idiot owner.
Speedrunning and the Modern Legacy
You might think a game about a plasticine duo would be dead in 2026. You’d be wrong.
The speedrunning community for Wallace and Gromit Project Zoo GameCube is small but incredibly dedicated. Because the game uses an early version of the engine that would later power huge simulation games, the physics are surprisingly exploitable. There are clips, skips, and glitches that let runners fly through the Zoo in under an hour.
It’s also become a staple for "retro" collectors. Finding a clean copy with the manual for the GameCube is getting harder. While the PS2 version sold more copies, the GameCube's smaller library makes this a "must-have" for completionists.
Technical hiccups you forgot about
Okay, looking back with rose-tinted glasses is easy. Let's be real: the camera was a nightmare.
In tight corridors, the camera would frequently get stuck behind a wall or a large elephant, leaving you jumping blindly into a pit. And Wallace? Sometimes his AI would just... break. He’d get caught on a corner while you were trying to progress, forcing you to backtrack and "nudge" him back into the right pathing.
It wasn't perfect. It was a product of its time. But its flaws are sort of endearing now. They represent an era of gaming where developers were still figuring out how 3D space worked.
How to play it today
If you still have your Wii (the one with the GameCube ports) or an actual GameCube, you’re golden. But for everyone else, the options are slim.
- Original Hardware: The purest way. Use a Component cable or an HDMI mod if you want those clay textures to actually pop on a 4K TV.
- Emulation: Dolphin emulator handles this game like a dream. You can up-res it to 1080p or 4K, and suddenly it looks like a modern indie game.
- Second-hand market: Check eBay or local retro shops. Expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $60 depending on the condition.
There hasn't been a modern remaster, which is honestly a crime. With the new Wallace and Gromit films coming out, you'd think someone would want to bring this back. Until then, we’re stuck with the purple lunchbox.
Final Verdict on Project Zoo
Is it the best platformer on the system? No. Super Mario Sunshine exists.
Is it the best licensed game? It's definitely in the top five.
Wallace and Gromit Project Zoo GameCube succeeded because it didn't try to be "cool." It didn't give Gromit a gun (well, besides the porridge one) or make the story "edgy" for the mid-2000s market. It stayed true to the source material. It was cozy, slightly clunky, and deeply British.
📖 Related: How to Finally Complete Borderlands 2 Challenge Accepted Without Losing Your Mind
If you want a weekend of nostalgia or you're a fan of Aardman's work, it’s worth tracking down. Just watch out for the camera in the Diamond Mine.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
If you are planning to revisit this classic, start by checking your GameCube controller’s analog stick for "drift," as the precise platforming in the later Zoo levels is unforgiving. If you're using an emulator, enable the "Widescreen Hack" in the Dolphin settings to see more of the zoo environments without stretching the image. Finally, if you're a collector, prioritize finding a "Black Label" copy over the "Player's Choice" version, as they tend to hold their value better among Aardman completionists.