Nintendo GameCube

[TrekMD]

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Since we don't have a thread discussing this system, I wanted to get one started.  Several of our members have mentioned the system various times, so it only makes sense. 

The GameCube, officially called Nintendo GameCube, abbreviated NGC in Japan and GCN in Europe and North America) is a home video game console released by Nintendo on September 14, 2001 in Japan and November 18, 2001 in North America. It was later released worldwide in 2002. The sixth-generation console is the successor to the Nintendo 64 and competed with Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo console to use optical discs for its primary storage medium. The discs are similar to the miniDVD format, and as a result of their smaller size, the system was not designed to play standard DVDs or audio CDs. Nintendo presents a variety of connectivity options for the GameCube. It supports online gaming for a small number of games via the broadband or modem adapter, sold separately; and it connects to the Game Boy Advance, allowing players to access exclusive in-game features using the handheld as a second screen and controller.

Contemporary reception of the GameCube was generally positive. Some praised the extensive software library and high-quality games, while others criticized the console's exterior design and lack of features. Nintendo sold 21.74 million GameCube units worldwide before being discontinued in 2007. Its successor, the Wii, was released in November 2006.

Source: Wikipedia

[align=center:sbs7gnsl]Here is a look at the console and some games by the guys at GameSack...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnEvlPo-Xh8

...and a video of 554 scans of American Boxes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPtd1iEwFmE[/align:sbs7gnsl]

So, any GameCube owners who want to discuss their love of console?  Here's your chance! 

[zapiy]

Nice one fella..

The GC is a great little console Metroid Prime and Res 4 where pretty awesome games and i have to say i loved the mini dvd discs.

[wyldephang]

Absolutely. Thanks, Trek. The GameCube was an interesting console. It was Nintendo's first foray into disc-based gaming--I'm not counting their limited involvement in the CD-i--and so, gamers expected a drastic leap forward in graphics. Judging by the reception to games like Star Wars: Rogue Leader and Super Mario Sunshine, Nintendo's loyal fans (and I among them) were not disappointed. But the gaming culture was changing, and fans were embracing "adult-oriented" games like Grand Theft Auto III and FPS games like Halo, which sold 8 million and 5 million copies respectively. The GameCube simply couldn't keep up with this sort of competition, and sales dwindled as the PlayStation 2 and Xbox pushed ahead. Nonetheless, select GameCube games tend to be prized these days for their attention to detail and innovative gameplay. The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker is one of the games that truly astounded players with its creative art direction. As Zap said, Resident Evil 4 and Metroid Prime were two of the best games on the console. I love Super Smash Bros. Melee, as well.

[zapiy]

Yeah I would say this console has a top 30 games list to rival any other system ever.

[TrekMD]

I figured it was time to start a thread on the console.  I kept reading comments about it but we did not have any real area to discuss the console.  I've seen it at retro stores and the console does look nice.  It's compact and it clearly was designed to be taken around with the handle as part of the case itself.  It does come in many colors, does it not? 

I actually didn't realize that this console used smaller discs than other consoles.  That's interesting. 

[davyk]

GC is among my favourite consoles. Extremely well built (youtube destruction videos show that it is far more resilient than PS2 or Oldbox). I get the issues so-called grown-ups have with the kiddie look but don't really give a shit about that; the controller melted into your hand like no other because as much as we would like it not to be the case, we are not symmetric beings and we fit better with things that are slightly off kilter. A change in colour trim corrects much of the Fisher Price look anyhow - my JPN model is black and looks great. The controller did have an negative impact on FPS games and fighters though.

It had the problem of providing followups to major new IPs (1080, Waverace, Smash Bros, Mario Tennis, Golf & Party) that launched on the N64 as well as followups to Zelda, Metroid, Mario 64, Mario Kart and F-Zero which it did with a reasonable degree of success.

Spec-wise it was a powerful , safe pair of hands. I look at my fairly beefy collection and I see it had decent 3rd party support. SSX, Prince of Persia, Soul Calibur, Burnout, Lego Star Wars, Metal Gear Solid, Need for Speed, Resident Evil are present and correct , and it got the occasional exclusive such as PN03 or Beach Spikers, but it required one to own either a PS2 or Oldbox to experience all genres (I went the PS2 route for RType Final and Gradius V).

It was also a console that saw Nintendo experiment. New IP with Pikmin and Eternal Darkness. The GBA linkup facilitated a handful of very interesting games, not least of all Pacman Vs - echos of which carry on in Wii U. If you had the money, you could get BB adaptors for LAN games -sadly another experiment that Nintendo didn't stick with: Mario Kart DD , 1080 and an odd little Kirby game being the only three games that support it. (LAN F-Zero GX would have been aces and given the arcade version supported link up it was a baffling exclusion). There are also a handful of games that use a microphone or the bongo controllers.

It gave us the definitive version of the last perfect game I played - Super Monkey Ball, 2 Phantasy Star Online games (that were online), top drawer Star Wars games, and one of the best four player games ever - Warioware Inc.

It hosted Ikaruga that gen and dishes up some beautiful import games such as Castle Shikigami 2, Mr Driller Drill Land and Kururin Squash.

It also has the GBA Player to make it stand even taller, and it introduced me to wireless controllers. The Wavebird is, excuse me, fucking brilliant.

The Gamecube did alright.

[TrekMD]

That ability to use the GBA Player is now tempting me to get a GameCube.  I'd love to be able to play my GB/GBC/GBA games on my TV using this! 

[Shadowrunner]

I don't have a lot of experience with the GC, but I really liked Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion, and Animal Crossing. The GBA player is what I used mine for the most, greatest add-on ever!

[davyk]

I suspect the GBA player has enabled an awful lot of GBA youtube videos.

[hamie96]

I absolutely love the Gamecube since I grew up right around it's popularity (it was also my first console). Every kid I knew had a Gamecube and for good reason.

For starters, the Gamecube has such classics as: Super Smash Bros Melee, Viewtiful Joe, Tales of Symphonia, Eternal Darkness, Resident Evil 1-4 + Code Veronica, Kirby Air Ride, F-Zero GX, Legend of Zelda Wind Waker + Collections, LoZ: Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 1 + 2, Animal Crossing, Battalion Wars, Gotcha Force, Super Mario Sunshine, Mario Power Tennis, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Cubivore, Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II, Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes and many more.

The number #1 selling game: Super Smash Bros Melee, is still being played competitively today. In fact, it has the second largest fighting game community (only beaten by Street Fighter 4). Despite being the best selling game, copies for the game (box and manual with disc) average $40+ alone.

The rarest non-promotional game: Gotcha Force, was selling for $10-15 CiB 3 years ago. Now, it goes regularly for over $90+. I managed to buy a copy back then. 

The Gamecube also had support for LAN and Internet. These were subsequently never used for any games other than Phantasy Star Online. The Gamecube was the only system to receive the updated Phantasy Star Online games and the third Phantasy Star Online game.

Cubivore, published by Atlus, is also one of the rarest games. It served as inspiration for the PS3 game Tokyo Jungle. In the game Cubivore, you play as a cube who devours other cubes in order to gain strength in a survival of the fittest type of game. Probably one of the strangest games ever made, alongside Gregory's Horror Show.

One might think that the Wii, which is backwards compatible with the Gamecube, simply implemented Gamecube hardware in order to be able to play Gamecube games (similar to PS2 playing PS1 games). The Wii is actually nearly identical to the Gamecube in hardware, having merely a slightly faster type of CPU and more RAM in the machine. This allows for compatibility to be 100% on the machine. This is also why the WiiU is able to play Gamecube games via Nintendon't.

Finally, the Gamecube is pretty much one of the most indestructible machines as shown by many tests performed.

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

Ganecube was my one and only Nintendo machine, not that it put me off simply its the only one I judged good enough (so far!) to buy 

Luigis Mansion pleasently surprised me with its ghostbusters style beam weapon and Luigi being far more likeable than Mario (who is an annoyng turd).

Rogue Squadron has been mentioned as a gold game and it certanly is, actually have that in my collection still in prep of buying another GC.

Sonic Adventure 2 is lot of fun to play and a standout game on the system, the Chao garden being particularly fun (and a sneaky way of seducing girls at uni lol).

My favourite though was Burnout (the first one) and is the best verision of the systems, it even featured user saveable replays which as a feature was still new for the time.

The reference to it being unable to compete with adult games hangs true though as I bought a Xbox (for Halo) and GTA III was released, the GC was shelved and I eventually swapped it for a graphics card so I could play Battlefield 2 lol

Very cheap to buy, some games are at a premium due to low sales but generally you can get a good collection for not much dosh.

[Sam_P]

I loved my Gamecube, it was one of the consoles I have the fondest memories of. Many hours were spent on MK: Double Dash & Super Mario Sunshine, and the GBA player (a friend hand one, not me) was a super addition.

[JoeMusashi]

Never really got on with the GC controller some reason or other. Its not particularly bad but the XBOX controller introduced the benchmark for that era in my opinion (especially the revised, smaller version).

Also, building up to the GC release, I remember looking at the advertisements in Blockbuster Video. The guy who worked there came over to fill us in on the spec and whatnot. Unfortunately he kept referring to it simply as 'Cube'. "Cube can do this, Cube can do that...." I pictured myself sliding him down the counter and out of the window, like in those old American Cowboy movies, you know. From that moment the GC was tainted.

I've still got one though, after all that lol. It is a good system I guess. Quirky.
Rogue Squadron sells it alone.

[TrekMD]

I tested my GameCube yesterday with the GameBoy Player and that was a blast!  It is definitely cool being able to play those games on a bigger screen!

[TrekMD]

GameCube owners, are there any homebrew titles for the GameCube?