Nintendo GameCube

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ratsoalbion
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Nintendo GameCube

Post by ratsoalbion »

As the little purple (other colours were available) box celebrates its 20th birthday, we're going to look back at the life of the machine in our next single format show.

Share your experiences, memories and opinions of Nintendo's fourth major home console right here for potential inclusion in the podcast...
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Re: Our next console special podcast recording (24.10.21): Nintendo GameCube

Post by duskvstweak »

This is where I became a traitor to my beloved Nintendo. As a kid, I was 100% a Nintendo fanboy, a console warrior who hated Playstation (yes, I know, I was obnoxious. I've changed, I swear.)
But, as much as I campaigned for and then loved my Nintendo 64, there was something about the Gamecube that kept me from jumping on the boat. I don't even think it was anything Nintendo was or wasn't doing, it was that my tastes were changing and the PS2 has the exclusives I wanted to play at the moment.
I don't think I made a mistake switching from Nintendo to the PS2, but I do think I made a mistake ignoring the Gamecube for so long. Despite not owning one myself, I put enough time into my friend's Super Smash Bros. Melee that I might as well have bought my own copy, minus the console. A friend left me his Gamecube when he moved and Metroid Prime, F-Zero X, Resident Evil 4 became new favorites and Double Dash was basically what I had hoped Mario Kart 64 was going to be!. And maybe if I had gone in on the Cube, I would have purchased a copy of Skies of Arcadia Legends before it cost more than an actual airship!
And, even though my time with it is limited compared to Day One adopters, I believe the Gamecube's controller is one of the best. I didn't realize how much I could love that big, green A button, with the X and Y just a simple slide away.
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Re: Our next console special podcast recording (24.10.21): Nintendo GameCube

Post by Kasuga-san »

I was there day one for the Gamecube. I got up early on November 18th to drive to my local Best Buy in time for it to open (back in the days where you didn't have preorders and massive lines with people camping out for consoles). I managed to get my black system along with Super Monkeyball and, I believe, Rogue Squadron 2? When I got back to my dorm room, I immediately set it up and my friends and I had a blast on Monkeyball... until my neighbor came in and tripped over the cord, killing one of the controller ports. Luckily, I had bought the service plan and, again not being the way things are these days, Best Buy happened to have one left in stock when I took it back to be replaced... but it was a purple one. I still have that little purple block and all the fond memories it brought. I may have played my first Fire Emblem on the GBA, but Path of Radiance was where I truly fell in love with the series. Smash Bros Melee was always on regular rotation, though Mario Kart Double Dash never reached the peaks of the SNES and N64 versions for me. Metroid Prime still stands as one of my favorite first person action exploration games. To name all the great games on that system would take too much time, and it's kind of disappointing that so many people I knew wrote it off as the "kid console" considering games like Eternal Darkness and RE4 were some of the best gaming experiences at the time in my view. Wind Waker may have been one of the more controversial pivots Nintendo has made before release, and even I was skeptical. The second I fired that game up all doubts washed away as I played probably my favorite 3D Zelda until Breath of the Wild. I mean, there were so many great games on this console: Viewtiful Joe, some of the surprisingly deep and fun Mario sports games, the "best" version of Soul Caliber 2, F-Zero GX, and more. Just talking about it makes me wish I had the extra time to hook it up and start playing some of those old games (or, even better, be able to play them on Nintendo Switch as part of their Nintendo Online extras... ha)
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Re: Our next console special podcast recording (24.10.21): Nintendo GameCube

Post by markfm007 »

The Gamecube was the first console I owned, if you don't include my Game Boy Color or the various games I attempted to run on my Dad's home pc. I used to play plenty of games on my friend's N64s and Playstations, so was very excited to finally have one of my own. I remember excitedly reading about the 'Dolphin' in Nintendo magazines, and what they were expecting to come out.

I have very fond memories of afternoons spent playing games with my brother or on my own, including such classics as Wind Waker, Smash Bros Melee, Simpsons Hit and Run, Mario Kart Double Dash, 007 Nightfire... the list goes on. My fondest memories are of passing the controller back and forth playing the sometimes enfuriating, but mostly addictive Super Monkey Ball, sailing the seas and getting lost in the world of Wind Waker, and many a game of Fifa and the EA street series (e.g. the surprisingly fun NFL Street vol 2), where I was forced to play with the broken controller until I could buy another. Seems fair as I broke it, although in my defense it was very flimsy and I haven't broken one since.

Looking back there were plenty of classics that I missed out on, such as Resident Evil 4, and of course not having a Playstation 2 meant I missed out on a lot of classic titles there. But I think the Gamecube was an excellent console overall, with a great library of games, looked great, and was easy to use. The controller is still one of my favourites, very nice chunky feel to it and easy to use, a massive step up from the N64 controller. Coincidentally my brother has recently been telling me how he's bought a Gamecube along with some of our old favourites. Might have to nip round for a game soon.
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Re: Our next console special podcast recording (24.10.21): Nintendo GameCube

Post by Alex79 »

I don't have loads to say about the Gamecube other than it was the machine that got me back in to console gaming after a few years playing exclusively on PC. I got the Mario Kart Double Dash pack for Christmas from my girlfriend at the time, and absolutely loved that little box of tricks. A few notable games that I really enjoyed on the console: Eternal Darkness, Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes, Resident Evil 4, XIII and of course Viewtiful Joe. Now there's a series long overdue a remaster.

Well over a decade ago I lent my Gamecube a friend of mines dad who was really in to gaming, but he sadly passed away a couple of years ago and I've never felt right about asking for it back, and besides, I've still got my Wii I can play all the games on.

It was a great little console, and I suppose the last 'traditional' console that Nintendo ever produced. Oh, and finally, shout out to the pad. With its massive A button, interesting button placement and perfect triggers, it was a lovely thing to use that still feels great in the hands even now.
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Re: Our next console special podcast recording (24.10.21): Nintendo GameCube

Post by stvnorman »

My wife bought me a GameCube the Christmas after launch, but as much I appreciated getting it, I’d never really wanted one, and apart from a bit of Wave Race and Resident Evil Zero, I barely touched it, and it was soon lost to a couple of house moves and forgotten.

It finally reappeared when we moved to our current house about five years ago. I was a now a different gamer, and I’ve loved it ever since! I’ve also spent those years curating and collecting the best of the system, from Luigi’s Mansion to Wind Waker, Viewtiful Joe to F-Zero and about 25 other games in-between. I found my number three favourite game ever in Resident Evil 4 there, and even developed a soft spot for Mario Sunshine! It took me a while, but it’s without doubt one of the best Christmas presents I ever received!
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Re: Our next console special podcast recording (24.10.21): Nintendo GameCube

Post by Jobobonobo »

I first heard about the Gamecube back when it was known as "Project Dolphin" in a small text box in the news section of N64 magazine. From my enlightened 12 year old perspective, I remember thinking "Pfft, who needs new consoles? 3D gaming is here, we have already reached the peak of excellence in graphics!" I also remember thinking this while on the same page as the Project Dolphin report was a preview screenshot of Mario Party 3 with that infamously goofy model of Donkey Kong included. Yeah, at one point I unironically thought this was as good as graphics can get. What can I say, I was a daft bugger as a kid. I was also proven wrong instantly when I seen screenshots of the atmospheric Luigi's Mansion and the breathtaking Rogue Leader and it was then that I became a full convert to the next generation of gaming.

The launch line up was interesting but I decided to wait until Super Mario Sunshine was released to actually buy the Gamecube. Super Mario 64 was a landmark game for me in terms of how it changed my outlook on what games can do and I always wanted to see what the follow up to that could accomplish. The big day came and I got the lovely, sleek black Gamecube which I thought was a lot more dignified looking than the purple default. The controller was unconventional yet inviting with its unmissable giant A button and its more convenient C-stick get up. As for Sunshine, it was definitely an interesting experience but for some reason it did not hit me as hard as 64 did. I guess that was due to me putting unreasonable expectations on the game but I did overall enjoy messing with FLUDD.

However, it was later titles that really showed me what an upgrade the Gamecube was in terms of power. Metroid Prime was my first ever Metroid title and the sheer scale and ambition of that title would have been severely scaled back if it was on the N64. I was also converted to the timeless wonder of cel shaded graphics thanks to its stunning use in Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. Even the simple arts and crafts world of Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door looked so much more luscious and crisp than the N64 original. And Melee was such an improvement on the original Smash Bros in every way that it is silly. I even got an introduction to RTS-lite gameplay through the wonderful Pikmin series. Nintendo was also not afraid to get weird in this generation with such bizarre titles as Doshin the Giant, Chibi Robo, Odama and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. Titles which I sadly missed out on and which have definitely encouraged me to hold onto the console so I can experience these unique games.

Multiplayer with the Gamecube was just as legendary as it was with the N64 with countless college nights dedicated to Melee, Soul Calibur 2, Double Dash, F-Zero GX, Warioware and of course, Super Monkey Ball. Monkey Target alone made those games among the true highlights of the console.

The Gamecube was a strange transitional period for Nintendo. It was truly the last "traditional" console they have made with many series aimed at hardcore Nintendo fans having a strong showing here such as Zelda, Metroid, Fire Emblem and F-Zero becoming instant classics among the fanbase. But there were also elements of the more casual side appearing with the appearance of DK Bongos, more multiplayer focused party games such as the aforementioned Warioware having a larger presence on the console and the debut of Animal Crossing in the west indicating that the focus of the Wii did not come out of nowhere for Nintendo. For me personally, the loss of Rareware to Microsoft was somewhat of a punch in the gut for me back in the day as the potential of seeing what they could have done on the Gamecube only got partially realised with the alright Star Fox Adventures. But thankfully, slightly stronger third party support (and more RPGs!) during the time of the Gamecube meant that it was not as reliant on first and second party developers as its predecessor. But clearly, for Nintendo, this was not sustainable and they had to think outside of typical conventions to stand a chance in this changing market. For certain fans, the Gamecube was the last "good" console Nintendo made before succumbing to the dreaded casuals. It was the end of an era for the company for sure, but was also the start of some of the company's biggest success stories such as Fire Emblem entering the west and Smash Bros becoming one of their most beloved franchises. For me, the Gamecube was a fine and important console that laid the foundation for what Nintendo is today but it is far from Nintendo's final good console. Just one great console among many from the company.
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Re: Our next console special podcast recording (17.10.21): Nintendo GameCube

Post by Megadirt »

The GameCube was the first console I ever bought myself because of a specific game. I wanted Resident Evil 4 more than anything, and I don't think I blinked until I had finished it. I then went on to collect Tales of Symphonia, Fire Emblem Path of Radiance, Killer 7, Resi 1,2 and 3, Twin Snakes, all the Zeldas. Anyway, long story short I sold them all in a petty huff after an argument with my parents as a teenager and I recently googled how much they are worth.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by Kanlic »

When I think of the video game console that has wedged itself inside my brain to define what the gold standard of a gaming machine should be, it’s the Nintendo GameCube. I love nearly every widget and feature of this little box. From the iconic start up screen, to the blockbuster line up of software, Nintendo took great care to pinch a little personality into every nook and cranny of the device. For example, the system menu for the GameCube was accessed by players holding the A button, but depending on what triggers or controllers you are using, you can stretch and spin the cube while making it produce a number of sounds. Nintendo had the gall to allow their users play with the start up screen, and it was marvelous. The interface on the system menu was intuitive to navigate and had a clean and smooth aesthetic that too this day I find relaxing. The way the digital clock ticks or the memory cards load up just happen to be the right speed. It’s hard to describe, but even looking at the custom icons for each of the save files on the memory cards adds to the experience. They’re totems of your work and effort, neatly sorted side by side in distinct flair. I did wish my memory cards could hold more than the paltry 512kb, but even disguising the size of storage to “blocks” is just another bit of the charm. I love that system screen so much that I almost always accessed it whenever I would boot the console just to have another look at it before I’d jump into one of my favorite games of all time, which the GameCube had in droves. There’s little to not like from this financial failure from Nintendo, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The controller is arguably one of the best designs ever for a player’s hands. The buttons on the right side of the controller were designed in an ergonomic pattern, with the A button as the largest interface, and the supporting B, X, and Y buttons arranged so that players would only have to move/roll their thumbs side to side, instead of curl and bend which is the standard for the cross pattern of modern controllers. The triggers on the controllers were great too because they were analogue and were sensitive enough to have games react to player input. This had interesting effects such as controlling the size of your bubble shield in Smash Bros., or adjusting the strength of your suction in Luigi’s Mansion. The left analogue stick’s ridges were just noticeable enough to help you understand which direction you are tilting the stick, so for example, you are less likely to push up-right when you just want to move right. I felt like I had a lot more control of my movement. The much-maligned d-pad and less-maligned c-stick serve their purposes, which are to be utility inputs when games require a special function. The d-pad for example served as a good tool to switch between Samus’ visors in Metroid Prime, whereas the c-stick was a great tool for performing accurate aerial attacks in Smash Bros. The Z-Button is just a bad button. Uncomfortable to press and awkwardly positioned. No defense there.

The GameCube was the last console to provide a feature that would allow players to play their handheld games on a television. The GameBoy player was and is essential to my gaming life. It has a lot screen sizes and filters you can tool around with, and has a user friendly way of restarting the software and switching out cartridges. I still get a kick out of the fact that my GameBoy player launches the game out of the console like a Nerf Gun. I have to be ready to catch the game or else risk seeing 20 year old plastic crack in half on my wood floor.

Just to appreciate the list of bangers of games that came out for this console. Just to name a few, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Viewtiful Joe, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Resident Evil Remake and 4, Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, F-Zero GX, Pikmin, Luigi’s Mansion, Animal Crossing, and Killer7 (always wanted to try Eternal Darkness but it’s impossible to find and I’m not that rich). If I were trapped on a desert island, I couldn’t be mad if these were the only games I would ever get to play again. The GameCube was Nintendo at it’s peak, and I cannot sing it’s praises enough.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by ThirdDrawing »

I didn't get a gamecube until 2008 when I was in university. Luckily, games for it were still (mostly) reasonably priced for it at that time and the more expensive ones only cost around $50.

Although I enjoyed a few of the first party games (Paper Mario, Smash Bros., Metroid Prime and Wario Ware), the third party is where the Gamecube shines, which is unusual for a Nintendo machine.

F-Zero (Technically third party!), Eternal Darkness, Billy Hatcher, both Baten Kaitos games (sadly, the GC really lacked JRPGs for the most part), Skies of Arcadia Legends, Ikaruga, Geist, PN03, Star Wars Rogue Squadron, the best version of Killer 7, the Super Monkey Ball games, the Viewtiful Joe games, Soul Calibur II with Link, RE remake, MGS Twin Snakes....the list goes on and on. And don't forget ODAMA!

It's an insanely great third party lineup. It was my introduction to Nintendo consoles and it still remains my favourite.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by JadePhoenix »

ThirdDrawing wrote: October 24th, 2021, 6:54 pm F-Zero (Technically third party!), Eternal Darkness, Billy Hatcher, both Baten Kaitos games (sadly, the GC really lacked JRPGs for the most part), Skies of Arcadia Legends
I'd say that what it lacked in quantity, it more than made up for in quality. Baten Kaitos and Tales of Symphonia are still some of my favorite games of all time.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by Pconpi »

In October 2001 my friend and I traveled from my rural town to the big smoke of Seattle for a Nintendo event where they showcased the Gamecube and the new games that were about to be released. I remember seeing a weird game that had monkeys in balls, dismissing Luigi’s Mansion because it wasn’t Mario, and being blown away by the visual details in Super Smash Brothers Brawl. The game we were playing looked like what was only possible on FMV previously. It was such an exciting event to be 16 years old, in the city, and getting a sneak peek at the newest generation of games.

Because my parents didn’t allow consoles in our house it wasn’t until the summer of 2003 when I moved out that I would get to have a Gamecube for my own. With a combination of it being the first console I owned, being the perfect age to connect with it, and the fact that the system had unique quirky qualities it has always been the system I feel most connected with. It feels like MY system, one I would go to bat for over all the others of any generation.

By the time I got mine so many great games had been released I was spoilt with choice. I went off to college with Super Smash Bros., Metroid Prime, Super Monkey Ball, and Wind Waker and with the privilege of free time I played and played and played. I’ve always associated the Gamecube with an underdog mentality, one that was stronger as a teenager when I felt insecure about my choices that could be judged by my peers. I was cognizant where the Gamecube fell in the pecking order and it was behind the mass popularity of the PS2 and the new cool of the powerful Xbox. I would try and get my friends in my college dorm to play four player Smash but they always opted for Halo. So, I would sit in my dorm room playing games like Skies of Arcadia, Viewtiful Joe, and Ikaruga while people would pop in for a look at the curiosities the system played.

In the fall of 2004 I upgraded from my 19” Panasonic CRT television to a 35” Samsung HDTV and a 5.1 surround sound system to fully experience widescreen, progressive scan, and Dolby Pro Logic II gaming. I ordered the fabled component cables direct from Nintendo which I still have hooked up to this day but now on a 27” Sony CRT. I would look at the back of each game case to see if it checked the three boxes: widescreen, progressive scan, Dolby Pro Logic II. Not that many supported widescreen and I think I played most games stretched out instead of opting for the black bars. With the art direction many of these games are still as beautiful today as they were on release. Just look at Pikmin 2, F-Zero GX or Wind Waker, they are amazing!

By the end of college, I did manage to find some other cube enthusiasts which corresponded well to the release of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. It was a big deal to have Final Fantasy back on a Nintendo console so we were determined to make the experience happen which required four GBAs, four GBA to GC cables, and four desperate Final Fantasy Nintendo fans. The game become an inside joke with these four friends as we knew how ridiculous the whole setup was and we would refer to our GBAs as our swords and the Gamecube as our chalice. As it would be rare to be able to get all of us together we slowly progressed through the game and eventually people moved away until I could only play with one other guy who would come back for holidays. We finished the game in June 2010 half joking that we were the only people on earth still playing it. When a remaster was announced we laughed and thought who asked for this because we were the biggest fans and had no desire to revisit it…maybe for the poor souls who didn’t have four GBAs, and four cables.

I still play my Gamecube a few times a month as I have many titles I never played at release. On my shelf currently waiting to be played are Killer 7, Metroid Prime 2, Wario World, and the one I shamefully still haven't played, Luigi’s Mansion. I love my ‘Cube and the little pop up lid, the cute discs, the Wavebird, the bouncy GC opening, the bongos, and the games. It will forever be my first console.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by ratsoalbion »

Thanks for all these posts since the thread has been moved to this folder, but they've missed the recording of the show.

Make sure to keep an eye on the future console specials folder.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by Pconpi »

ratsoalbion wrote: October 25th, 2021, 7:59 pm Thanks for all these posts since the thread has been moved to this folder, but they've missed the recording of the show.

Make sure to keep an eye on the future console specials folder.
Yeah I figured I missed the recording :( But I wanted to share with the community and keep the Gamecube love going. Looking forward to the pod.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by ratsoalbion »

Pconpi wrote: October 25th, 2021, 9:06 pm
ratsoalbion wrote: October 25th, 2021, 7:59 pm Thanks for all these posts since the thread has been moved to this folder, but they've missed the recording of the show.

Make sure to keep an eye on the future console specials folder.
Yeah I figured I missed the recording :( But I wanted to share with the community and keep the Gamecube love going. Looking forward to the pod.
No worries, always good to share the love!
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by ThirdDrawing »

JadePhoenix wrote: October 25th, 2021, 1:25 pm
ThirdDrawing wrote: October 24th, 2021, 6:54 pm F-Zero (Technically third party!), Eternal Darkness, Billy Hatcher, both Baten Kaitos games (sadly, the GC really lacked JRPGs for the most part), Skies of Arcadia Legends
I'd say that what it lacked in quantity, it more than made up for in quality. Baten Kaitos and Tales of Symphonia are still some of my favorite games of all time.
It's the one big weakness of the GC, I'd wager. To be fair, I know that that particular Tales game is well loved, I'm just not a fan of the series.
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Re: Nintendo GameCube

Post by SludgeWizard »

If you lived in my apartment in 2006, you would be forgiven for thinking that the only two games ever released for the GameCube were Smash and Resident Evil 4.
Smash for me and my guests, Resi 4 for my roommate to play to completion no less than five times in a row that year.
Were there other releases?
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