View Full Version : Heineken LE US Gamecube: bought it, pics inside
sisko
07-03-2005, 07:02 PM
I have the opportunity to purchase a Limited Edition Heineken Gamecube. The unit is in great shape, but has no box (I'm not sure if there was a unique box).
The seller claims he was an employee of Miller at the time and Nintendo game employees the cube. I believe there was also a contest where the cube was given away to consumers. I've never seen one around, however if all employees got one (not sure if they did), there are probably quite a few out there.
The unit is a standard cube with the Heineken brand and logo painted on top of the jewel.
Does anyone have more details regarding the distribution of this promotional unit? (Actual numbers, was there a custom box, etc etc)
Should I snag it for $60?
Cauterize
07-03-2005, 07:10 PM
Should I snag it for $60?
*award for silliest question of the day*
HELL YEAH! A GC is worth $60 as it is, but any limited edition one is worth more (obviously!)
(Also does it coem with a special pad?)
Go for it man go for it!
sisko
07-03-2005, 07:14 PM
Should I snag it for $60?
*award for silliest question of the day*
HELL YEAH! A GC is worth $60 as it is, but any limited edition one is worth more (obviously!)
(Also does it coem with a special pad?)
Go for it man go for it!
No, the controller was standard issue.
It may seem like a silly question, but this particular cube isn't flagrantly LE like other LE consoles. It simply has the logo (rather small) painted on it.
If it is merely uncommon, I don't think I want to shell out $60 for another cube =)
Lemmy Kilmister
07-03-2005, 07:16 PM
Why don't you just buy it and sell your old cube?
Lothars
07-03-2005, 07:19 PM
I would definitly recommend that if you can get it for $60
especially since it's a limited edition gamecube
Sounds like a pretty cool gamecube i would love to see pictures of it.
MarioAllStar2600
07-03-2005, 07:22 PM
If it's legit I would buy it without argument. I just don't know how real it is. I have never heard of it in my life, and I am a cube fan. I wouldn't buy it without some proof. If it's real, you could probably re sell it for much more then $60.
Cauterize
07-03-2005, 07:25 PM
If it's legit I would buy it without argument. I just don't know how real it is. I have never heard of it in my life, and I am a cube fan. I wouldn't buy it without some proof. If it's real, you could probably re sell it for much more then $60.
http://www.cspinet.org/booze/images/HeinekenNintendo.jpg
There was a promotion between the two companies i believe
Neil Koch
07-03-2005, 07:58 PM
What an odd promotion, considering Nintendo's "family-friendly/kiddie" vibe...
I'd grab it for $60, though.
joshnickerson
07-03-2005, 08:46 PM
Woulda been cool if they'd made a green one for that promotion. :D
calthaer
07-03-2005, 09:03 PM
The Almighty Reggie has been moving Nintendo's ads from the kiddie realm into the more mature-oriented demographic of late. I got a survey when I was on Nintendo.com a while back that asked me to give some comments on some ads they ran in conjunction with Circuit City (a set of 4-5 ads that said "Life in the City" and had funky pictures) - they were all aimed at the 18-30 age demographic, it seemed.
They are also doing some...other things to reach out to gamers over the age of 18. No, it does not involve pr0n.
Mr.FoodMonster
07-03-2005, 09:05 PM
Buy it, pack it into a box for 10 years, then sell it. Make sure you have some kind of proof that its offical when you do decide to sell it though, because people wont believe you.
sisko
07-03-2005, 10:06 PM
Buy it, pack it into a box for 10 years, then sell it. Make sure you have some kind of proof that its offical when you do decide to sell it though, because people wont believe you.
Thats the hard part. Aside from the ad Cauterize posted from above, there IS no proof. I am unable to obtain a photo of an actual unit besides this one. All of the cubes in the print ads utilize a standard Indigo unit.
The Heineken logo is painted on top of the jewel, whereas the Gamecube logo is underneath it, so it is easy for one to assume it is a fake. However, I have no doubts regarding its authenticity due to the superior professional quality of the paint job (very crisp and even).
I fired off an email to NOA Customer Service, and they are always great about answering emails. Let's just hope I get a helpful response ;)
tylerwillis
07-04-2005, 12:17 AM
I'll echo everyone else by saying - if it's legit, def go for it.
In fact, if you don't want to have another GC sitting around, I'd take it off your hands and reimburse you the cost. :)
No, seriously.
buttasuperb
07-04-2005, 12:34 AM
I have no interest in the Gamecube, and I'd buy it.
MegaManFan
07-04-2005, 12:48 AM
So even if it turns out to be totally fraudulent, you're getting a working GameCube for $60 right? That doesn't seem to me like a losing proposition any way you slice it. Since there does seem to be evidence that Nintendo and Heineken had an ad campaign together at the very least, you're probably not dealing with a fraud. Somebody looking to snow you would not go to that length in making up a story, they'd probably look for the easiest road between A and B and slap a crappy Mario sticker on the top and say it was bundled with Mario Kart.
ahem.. So is this a custom paint work or is it a manufactured jewel plate? Sounds confusing but I'm interested.. want to make a trade, Facilitate the deal and I can get you some good trade items and I'll pay the $60?
What an odd promotion, considering Nintendo's "family-friendly/kiddie" vibe...
I'd grab it for $60, though.
After a while f hearing this every time something cool comes out you'd think a stigma like that would wear off a little.
Neil Koch
07-04-2005, 02:33 AM
After a while f hearing this every time something cool comes out you'd think a stigma like that would wear off a little.
Nintendo's not really doing much IMO that change that perception, especially with stuff like "Nintendogs"...
After a while f hearing this every time something cool comes out you'd think a stigma like that would wear off a little.
Nintendo's not really doing much IMO that change that perception, especially with stuff like "Nintendogs"...
:evil: Hey Neil are you so sure? Din't Miyamoto's dog start to bone the presenter girls dog at the E3 press conference... I know it didn't show it and I'm not sure that that's part of the game play but I'm pretty sure that's what she was talkin about when she said she didn't teach Mia "that" trick...
sisko
07-04-2005, 02:43 AM
ahem.. So is this a custom paint work or is it a manufactured jewel plate? Sounds confusing but I'm interested.. want to make a trade, Facilitate the deal and I can get you some good trade items and I'll pay the $60?
More like custom paint work done at the manufacturing level.
From what I can find, I think 300 were given away in the contest.
I've also been doing so research on Miller Brewing. They are based in 12 countries around the world, only 2 of which support the NTSC format and natively read US discs. Divide that amongst the 6500 employees worldwide (FAR less than I anticipated), and it looks like there were roughly 1,000 ~ 1,500 of these units produced.
I emailed NOA asking for hard numbers, though it is unlikely I will receive any.
Regardless, the numbers appear to be much much smaller than I thought (I was thinking ~50,000), so I will probably be picking it up Monday or Tuesday to add to my personal collection. :)
Cauterize
07-04-2005, 04:12 AM
Woulda been cool if they'd made a green one for that promotion. :D
ooooh yeah, like a clear glass green! (Id buy that!)
poloplayr
07-04-2005, 04:37 AM
LOL...What a blatant attempt of Nintendo to aim towards an older audience...still, pretty cool item. I would frame that Heineken/Nintendo ad next to it if I had it in my collection!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=35729&item=6191198545&rd=1
sharp
07-04-2005, 08:30 AM
I only wonder why a quality brand like Nintendo choose to do a campaign with one of the worst beer brands in the world. Yes I know Heineken is big in the USA a but it has no real taste in many brandless beers are tasting better.
Anyway I would go for it.
Ed Oscuro
07-04-2005, 11:29 AM
Shoulda been Sam Adams or Sapporo, say :P
hydr0x
07-04-2005, 12:00 PM
I only wonder why a quality brand like Nintendo choose to do a campaign with one of the worst beer brands in the world. Yes I know Heineken is big in the USA a but it has no real taste in many brandless beers are tasting better.
Anyway I would go for it.
LOL you have no idea what you are talking about, i guess you never tried a REAL Heineken instead of that us-crap
in fact, Heineken is easily one of the top10 brands in the world when it comes to taste
Ed Oscuro
07-04-2005, 12:42 PM
Lol, German pride :drinking:
j/k LOL
hydr0x
07-04-2005, 01:15 PM
Lol, German pride :drinking:
j/k LOL
lol? Heineken is not German, it's Dutch
tylerwillis
07-04-2005, 01:31 PM
When you do pick it up, do try and upload some pics for us. :)
Ed Oscuro
07-04-2005, 01:38 PM
Q: What do you call a crabby German?
A: Hydr0x!
Ahah limited Ed. Cube by a brewing company would eventually turn into beer discussion. You knew it would happen. ;)
i guess you never tried a REAL Heineken instead of that us-crap
in fact, Heineken is easily one of the top10 brands in the world when it comes to taste
I've heard this discussed before but I don't worry... prefer a medium porter anyhow. That Sapporo type's not bad either.
Emily
07-04-2005, 05:08 PM
California microbrews kick the crap out of heiniken 100 times over as far as flavor goes! Go out and try some... youll see its true.
sisko
07-04-2005, 07:27 PM
Picked it up today:
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/1443/heinekencube15zg.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4466/heinekencube23nz.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
I was wrong about the number of units given away in the contest. It was only 100, not 300.
I'm looking for the actual magazine print ad shown earlier in this topic. I know it was in ESPN Magazine October 2002, but am not sure if it was in anything else.
I also bought the above vinyl banner :)
Poofta!
07-04-2005, 11:52 PM
that cube looks likecrap, remove the jewel and put it on a much nicer/newer purple cube.
that cube looks likecrap, remove the jewel and put it on a much nicer/newer purple cube.
It looks fine to me, besides switching tops has to be done extremely carefully. If you wanted to change it why use a purple? Instead a green JPN "tales" cube woud be a good conversion.
sisko
07-05-2005, 12:03 AM
The cube is actually in excellent condition. The poor quality of the picture doesn't really show that. All I really need to do is wipe it down a bit.
Poofta!
07-05-2005, 12:06 AM
the pic made it look like theres layers of dust in all the holes, guess not though. a nice project would be to take it apart, and spray paint it green (use high quality paint) that would make an absolutely kickass cube!
the jewel looks authentic, imho.
I also bought the above vinyl banner :)
I thought It will look good together. The indigo goes perfect with that red star IMO don't paint it, might not work out and you could alwz try finding the tales of symphonia cube if you did want a green one, couldn't get a better green flavor..
Lothars
07-05-2005, 02:59 AM
I agree Heineken is a great tasting beer, it takes some getting use to but damn it's really good,
That was faster pics than I guessed we'd see. Well I'm a little dissapointed untill my own LE gamecube arrives someday. but Emily mentions cali microbrews. So I'll post my latest finds, funny both have Butte in the name. Current favs. From Chico, CA and Bend, OR some of the best westcoast porters not to be overlooked, especially if you like hops.:D
http://beer.istephen.com/images/78_bottle.jpg http://beer.istephen.com/images/78_glass.jpg . http://flip-flopping.hp.infoseek.co.jp/cgi-bin/list/img/1097901332.jpg
NESaholic
07-05-2005, 05:59 AM
I only wonder why a quality brand like Nintendo choose to do a campaign with one of the worst beer brands in the world. Yes I know Heineken is big in the USA a but it has no real taste in many brandless beers are tasting better.
Anyway I would go for it.
LOL you have no idea what you are talking about, i guess you never tried a REAL Heineken instead of that us-crap
in fact, Heineken is easily one of the top10 brands in the world when it comes to taste
I double that,you better get some and edit your post hehehe, no i can totally understand Nintendo,Heineken is a mega huge company and is situtiated all over the world plus they own alot of breweries and buy alot to grow more and more.I personally really like the beer,export and import!
supaevil
07-05-2005, 06:36 AM
To consider Heineken one of the top ten beers is a slap in the face to anyone who has tried tasting more than macro beers. And to think your from Germany and you have not explored the great beers made in your own country tis a shame. As far as beers in cali go Stone just released there imperial stout its perfect! As for a true list of top 100 beers i suggest this site www.beeradvocate.com its my second hobby after games. Cheers! Oh and that limited edition gamecube looks pretty lame but it will sell well in the future good pickup for the price.
j_eits
07-05-2005, 08:25 AM
As for a true list of top 100 beers i suggest this site www.beeradvocate.com its my second hobby after games. Cheers!
Nice site! :cheers:
dreams
07-05-2005, 08:32 AM
I also bought the above vinyl banner :)
I thought It will look good together. The indigo goes perfect with that red star IMO don't paint it, might not work out and you could alwz try finding the tales of symphonia cube if you did want a green one, couldn't get a better green flavor..
Yeah, we had already found it, and were hoping to get it cheaper than the BIN. When you posted the link here, we figured we better bite the bullet and just nab it. :)
Ahah, goood thing I did post it. Reason I did was because I was about to buy it myself, but I decided to wait then to see the reaction here beforehand, if it was something that was wanted to go along with that GameCube for a theme..:)
WanganRunner
07-05-2005, 11:14 AM
Don't touch that jewel, don't swap or modify anything. Just in case the serial number or something corresponds to the fact that it's LE. LEAVE IT ALONE.
Wrap that thing in bubble wrap and don't open it for 5 years.
I've never heard of this special edition, and given it's non-kiddie-ness, it'll be particularly valuable to Nintendo collectors who want every LE Gamecube.
And people WILL be paying INSANE prices for LE Cubes in a few years, look at the $2000 RX-78 Dreamcasts right now....
Do some more research on it, get as much info and back-up on this LE run as you can, to substantiate its rarity.
Heineken + Nintendo Gamecube = :love: :cheers: :love:
sisko
07-05-2005, 12:37 PM
Don't touch that jewel, don't swap or modify anything. Just in case the serial number or something corresponds to the fact that it's LE. LEAVE IT ALONE.
Wrap that thing in bubble wrap and don't open it for 5 years.
I've never heard of this special edition, and given it's non-kiddie-ness, it'll be particularly valuable to Nintendo collectors who want every LE Gamecube.
And people WILL be paying INSANE prices for LE Cubes in a few years, look at the $2000 RX-78 Dreamcasts right now....
Do some more research on it, get as much info and back-up on this LE run as you can, to substantiate its rarity.
Oh I have no intentions of doing anything of the sort. Even Better, this is an older model that supports the digital AV out :)
I asked NOA for a serial number range, but as good as they are about responding, I don't think I'll get any answers I'm hoping for.
Whew that's a little bit of a releif. WanganRunner is right, I would have said it all too just didn't want to be too pushy so I was suggesting to be carefull definitely don't pain it.
Ruudos
07-06-2005, 05:45 PM
To consider Heineken one of the top ten beers is a slap in the face to anyone who has tried tasting more than macro beers. And to think your from Germany and you have not explored the great beers made in your own country tis a shame. As far as beers in cali go Stone just released there imperial stout its perfect! As for a true list of top 100 beers i suggest this site www.beeradvocate.com its my second hobby after games. Cheers! Oh and that limited edition gamecube looks pretty lame but it will sell well in the future good pickup for the price.
The Heineken sold in other countries than Holland is actually different than that what's sold here in Holland. I've heard of it foreign people who disliked Heineken in their country, but say it was much better here. BTW, I prefer Hertog Jan :P
If it's about special beers, Belgium is the country to be.
sharp
07-06-2005, 06:32 PM
To consider Heineken one of the top ten beers is a slap in the face to anyone who has tried tasting more than macro beers. And to think your from Germany and you have not explored the great beers made in your own country tis a shame. As far as beers in cali go Stone just released there imperial stout its perfect! As for a true list of top 100 beers i suggest this site www.beeradvocate.com its my second hobby after games. Cheers! Oh and that limited edition gamecube looks pretty lame but it will sell well in the future good pickup for the price.
The Heineken sold in other countries than Holland is actually different than that what's sold here in Holland. I've heard of it foreign people who disliked Heineken in their country, but say it was much better here. BTW, I prefer Hertog Jan :P
If it's about special beers, Belgium is the country to be.
Dutch Heinken has a own identity by having a taste which everybody can drink Hertog-Jan is more sweet, while Grolsch is more bitter (sadly my local pub is no longer alowed to sell Grolsch next to heinken because of their contract)
WanganRunner
07-06-2005, 06:50 PM
If it's about special beers, Belgium is the country to be.
Eh, I like Delerium Tremens and Chimay as much as the next guy, but for real beers, it's all about Scotland, just like it is for real whiskey.
Belhaven Wee Heavy (Supaa Happy #1)
Kelpie Seaweed Ale
Orkney Dragonhead Stout
Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale
Moylan's Kiltlifter
Jibbajaba
07-06-2005, 07:34 PM
You guys had might as well take this to one of the pre-existing beer threads before the mods lock this one down.
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22912
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14744
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9002
http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4014
There's a lot of beer threads and this thread should have a little beer referencing IMO. So don't worry about it.
Gemini-Phoenix
10-03-2005, 02:04 AM
Picked it up today:
http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/1443/heinekencube15zg.jpg (http://www.imageshack.us)
Well that's lamer than the image I had in my mind... I visioned a dark green Cube with the logo as the jewel (Same design as the label on the bottles)
Iron Draggon
10-05-2005, 02:22 AM
Dutch Heinken has a own identity by having a taste which everybody can drink Hertog-Jan is more sweet, while Grolsch is more bitter (sadly my local pub is no longer alowed to sell Grolsch next to heinken because of their contract)
Grolsch RULES! And ya gotta love those airtight resealable bottles too, although I've never been able to drink one and not finish it...
Ruudos
10-05-2005, 03:13 PM
Dutch Heinken has a own identity by having a taste which everybody can drink Hertog-Jan is more sweet, while Grolsch is more bitter (sadly my local pub is no longer alowed to sell Grolsch next to heinken because of their contract)
Grolsch RULES! And ya gotta love those airtight resealable bottles too, although I've never been able to drink one and not finish it...
Do you mean a "beugelfles"?
I bought a Heineken Gamecube but the seller send it to another person wo also bought a Gamecube from him..
:puppydogeyes: :oops: LOL
Heineman
06-30-2007, 10:42 PM
In order to get one of these game cubes. You had to purchase a very large quantity of Heineken beer in order to get one of these. A very limited amount were allocated to various distributors of Heineken products in select areas. Only a select few retail accounts that could purchase the amount required were allowed to receive one of the cubes. They were introduced back in late 2002. I worked at one of the distributors and if any were left they were sent back.
BHvrd
07-01-2007, 12:35 AM
http://cgi.ebay.com/Nintendo-GameCube-Heineken-beer-limted-edition_W0QQitemZ300125449084QQihZ020QQcategoryZ62 054QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Looks like a sticker to me, lol.
sisko
07-01-2007, 11:39 AM
In order to get one of these game cubes. You had to purchase a very large quantity of Heineken beer in order to get one of these. A very limited amount were allocated to various distributors of Heineken products in select areas. Only a select few retail accounts that could purchase the amount required were allowed to receive one of the cubes. They were introduced back in late 2002. I worked at one of the distributors and if any were left they were sent back.
Thanks for the info. I'm still curious as the actual production numbers though. I can't seem to find them anywhere.
As for the auction, it seems pretty reasonable. The largest offer I've gotten on mine is $250.