Happy 10th Anniversary, GameCube

[BetaWolf47]

I know a lot of people were disappointed with the GameCube. Myself, I view it as an improvement over the N64 that, like the Dreamcast, didn't receive the recognition it deserved. It did a lot of things right which it does not get due credit for.

First, it signified Nintendo's willingness to roll with the trends. Being Nintendo's first optical disk based console, it helped increase their third-party support over the N64's. While the third-party support was still lacking compared to PS2 and Xbox, it did ensure that we had good games to play during dry summers after Nintendo delayed their latest first-party title. We had games like Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Ikaruga, Beyond Good and Evil, Timesplitters 2, Resident Evil 4, and Tales of Symphonia while we were waiting for Twilight Princess to eventually be released.

Second, although it rolled with the trends, it still tried to think outside the cube. Add-on peripherals, while seen as gimmicky to many, did change things up a bit. GBA connectivity allowed us to duel our trained Pokemon on the big screen. Certain games also allowed a second player to plug in a GBA and assist the first player with bombs and map data. Finally, using the advantage of a separate screen, Pac-man Vs. is often seen as the best use of GBA connectivity. There were also other peripherals such as Bongos, a LAN adapter, and a microphone, but support for these was rather scarce compared to the connectivity cables.

The innovation didn't stop there. The GameCube was also the first contemporary console to use PowerPC architecture, a trend which was picked up by Nintendo's competitors and continued on Wii. PowerPC is now the standard for video game consoles.

In addition to this, GameCube had built-in hardware for stereoscopic 3D, according to an IGN article from early this year. Unfortunately, utilization of this feature never saw the light of day, and was never realized until the 3DS. Luigi's Mansion was originally a tech demo that showcased this new technology.

Of course, it was the games that made Nintendo stand above the crowd. In particular, a good portion of last-gen's highest rated games were on GameCube notably Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4, and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Though the number of games on the system was almost laughable compared to PS2, there were a solid amount of good in-between games to tide GameCube owners over until the next killer app.

On a personal note, while this may make me sound like an idiot, GameCube is possibly my second favorite Nintendo console of all time. Whether or not you agree about GameCube being as good as NES or SNES, I'd still argue that GameCube is far from the failure many people view it as.

[RCM]

GameCube was the last console I picked up at launch. It wasn't bad, and I probably like my gc library as a whole more than any other Nintendo console, shockingly.

GameCube represented a low point in terms of marketshare for Nintendo, but wii represents a low point in creativity. Not just for Nintendo, but most dev houses who worked on it. Not that wii is the worst console ever, it just didn't deserve the success.

Anyway, happy bday GameCube!

[Cloud121]

I didn't get my GameCube until December 26, 2003, as I was way too occupied by my Mega CD and 32X in 2001 to care about the GameCube.

It'd probably my favorite Nintendo console (With the N64 being a very close second), and it has the most comfortable controller I've ever used, with an amazing button layout. Just one flaw, and that the d-pad was just a little too small.

It's funny, I'm a hardcore Sega nut, and yet my two all-time favorite games are Nintendo exclusives. One of them being on the GameCube: P.N. 03.

[FoxNtd]

This was also my last console purchased on the North American launch date. I remember persuading a manager to let me buy Rogue Leader for it the day before it launched so I didn't have to waste a second trip for nothing to come back the next day.

I was never disappointed with the console. There are still games I want to get for it even now.

Oh, and I'm glad Black was a color available in the beginning. Purple I never could agree with and I still remember how much complaining there was over that color being chosen as the default.

[Satoshi_Matrix]

It's not purple, its not blue; its Indigo!

I got jetblack Gamecube in late 2002 because I wanted to play three games for it - Super Smash Bros. Melee, Star Wars Rouge Leader, and the game I wanted most was Medal of Honor Frontline.

Many hours were spend with friends playing Frontline's splitscreen multiplayer and to this date I still think Frontline has one of the best soundtracks in all of gaming.

For GameCube, here's my favorite ten games for the tenth anniversary

Eternal Darkness
F-Zero GX
Medal of Honor Frontline
Metroid Prime
Nintendo Puzzle Collection
Pool Paradise
REmake
Resident Evil 4
Tales of Symphonia
Zelda WindWaker


I also have to give props to excellent games such as Cubivore, Metal Gear Solid The Twin Snakes, Serious Sam Next Encounter and XII.

[Yago]

I just played Viewtiful Joe 1-2 the other day. No reason not to own a Gamecube. I have a silver one new in box and own a few loose ones different colored. Got em' at this game store for only $15 each system. And you can still get Gamecube games at any game store including Gamestop for dirt cheap. But by far Resident Evil 4 is still one of my all time favorite games having completed it a whopping 13 times. And I still to this day load up one of my saved points to play one of my favorite parts in the game. Good times.

[BetaWolf47]

Eternal Darkness
F-Zero GX
Medal of Honor Frontline
Metroid Prime
Nintendo Puzzle Collection
Pool Paradise
REmake
Resident Evil 4
Tales of Symphonia
Zelda WindWaker

To continue the trend, here are my top 10, in no order:
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Tales of Symphonia
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
Beyond Good and Evil (still waiting on that sequel that was announced like three years ago!)
Custom Robo
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
Metroid Prime
Chibi-Robo
Timesplitters 2
Sonic Adventure 2: Battle

Later on I connected with another friend dumping plenty of hours in Super Smash Bros Melee and then some (since his save file was deleted, meaning redo of getting all the trophies, stages, characters, etc..). I also became interested in Metroid Prime but having no GCN of my own I was at a loss. However, in 2009 I picked up my first GameCube (black) at a Goodwill for $5 with 3rd party controller so I was able to power MP, a memory card, and power cable to finally get my feet wet.

Yeah, several of the games I listed above are games I played at a friend's house first. GameCube has many gems that you only know about by word of mouth. Beyond Good and Evil is a prime example of that.

[jb143]

Also, you can play blindfolded frisby with the discs in a gravel quarry and they will still work fine.

I hate all these 10'th Anniversary threads...they make me feel old.

[VertigoProcess]

Also, you can play blindfolded frisby with the discs in a gravel quarry and they will still work fine.

I hate all these 10'th Anniversary threads...they make me feel old.

no joking man!

[Sunnyvale]

I think the GC is a studly little console, for many of the reasons the OP pointed out. Personally, I think it's lack of hard-core gamers picking it over the XBOX or PS2 had a lot to do with the lack of internet capabilities and DVD playing capabilities. Had the Cube sported these as well, it would have done considerably better, IMO.

[Sonicwolf]

I hate all these 10'th Anniversary threads...they make me feel old.

Time is quite the pain in the ass, isn't it?

Feels like just yesterday. Christmas 2001, Super Smash Bros. Melee and Luigi's Mansion.......
Well, we had Luigi's Mansion beat before 2002 reared its head...

[jb143]

I was just playing Luigi's Mansion at Halloween and had a "Wait, what? How is this so old already?" moment when the copyright date popped up.

[substantial_snake]

I really think the Gamecubes major failing was the marketing.

If the console headline color wasn't purple and their commercials weren't seemingly all aimed at children they may have attracted sufficient market share for third party developers to invest more in the console. It was a neat little box but unless you adore nintnedo first party offerings it again was another Nintendo-Fans-Only offering by the company. It had a few good third party offerings like the Resident Evil 1 remake and Zero but I honestly can't think of any great exclusive games outside of the Zelda, Metroid, Mario team.

[Press_Start]

I really think the Gamecubes major failing was the marketing.

If the console headline color wasn't purple and their commercials weren't seemingly all aimed at children they may have attracted sufficient market share for third party developers to invest more in the console. It was a neat little box but unless you adore nintnedo first party offerings it again was another Nintendo-Fans-Only offering by the company. It had a few good third party offerings like the Resident Evil 1 remake and Zero but I honestly can't think of any great exclusive games outside of the Zelda, Metroid, Mario team.

Gamecube's "failure" (aka third-place standing behind Halo, I mean, Xbox) was because the system was not "mature" or "H@RdC0reZ!!!" enough despite being the first time Nintendo released not one but two M-rated first-party titles (Eternal Darkness and Geist). Or the fact Resident Evil 4 debuted on the "kiddie console" and somebody plz tell me why a system with every good RE (including 0, 1 Remake, 2, 3, 4, and Veronica) is still considered "a kiddie console"?

Imho, Nintendo fawning over the "hardcore" was a waste of time and bucking to trends only twisted them into intellectual knots (i.e. Sunshine and Starfox Adventures). Nintendo's at their best when they buck the trends and do video games their way.

[retroman]

got mine on day one, and loved it..Picked up WaveRace and StarWars...Plus the Resident Evils for there time on it where the shit, and still are good

[j_factor]

Although Gamecube was the last of "the three" (PS2/GC/Xbox) that I purchased, it was my favorite for a good while, starting the moment I got it (early 2003). What killed it for me was that while it had a good stream of releases for most of its life, it really dried up towards the end. By the time the Wii came out, the Gamecube was dead as a doornail, Zelda notwithstanding. Still, it's a damn good system, and a big improvement over the N64 IMO.

Some games I liked:

Viewtiful Joe
Billy Hatcher
Alien Hominid
Go! Go! Hypergrind
Kururin Squash
Wario Ware
Killer 7
I-Ninja
Beach Spikers
Lost Kingdoms

[YoshiM]

Ah, the little box that could! I wasn't sure about this machine but my friends were jazzed over Rogue Leader, Monkey Ball and even Luigi's Mansion. So we split the cost (we hung out a lot back then) and picked up a box on launch day. Had a lot of fun times with Luigi followed by the Ball. Eventually my friends didn't play much of the Cube anymore except for maybe Eternal Darkness.

Then I purchased my first Cube when I had the cash-a used model. Sunk my time and teeth into Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (which I read was the best playing version out of the three) and was just mesmerized. My wife wondered if I was addicted as I was always playing it. Then one night she painfully discovered she had a bad kidney stone and had to stay home from work due to the pain to wait it out. She got hooked on Animal Crossing, which then sunk its claws into ME. Then came the battle of Metroid Prime-at first I hated the game. Hated it. Yet I marched forward and after a few upgrades, the world opened and I was in awe. When it came out, I purchased my first RE game, #4. Loved it.

Currently I'm reorganizing the Gaming Stand of Doom and putting some more modern systems in. I think I might have to hook up my brand new silver cube (my original black, which I still have, had its rumble burned out) to honor the time. I've been itching to play the TRUE version of Zelda: Twilight Princess for some time.

[Kyle15]

I still remember getting the GC on Christmas morning of '01. My brother and I hyped it up all year and that moment was truly magical. We got Super Smash Brothers to go along with it. We must have played that thing all day! I still remember going out the next day to grab another controller. My dad had seen commercials for Rogue Squadron and actually bought a copy of it that day too. (Keep in mind, he has rarely ever gamed.) Since it was an "air combat" game and all, I wasn't too interested even though it was Star Wars related and all.

Between my brother and I playing Smash Brothers, my dad would break out Rogue Squadron. It turned out to be more than a simple "air fighter" and I eventually played it more than he did. My dad played it on and off for a month and was only about halfway through. I had it mastered, however!

After that, Rogue Squadron became an unexpected part of my gaming collection. I'd never played anything like it before. The experience was almost as eye-opening as playing Ocarina of Time at a friend's house three years prior.

For whatever reason, I rented more than I bought. My collection wasn't very big over the GC's lifespan, and I blamed it on my picky (but ever growing) taste in games. It still isn't that large, and overtime, I've come to learn that the library just wasn't that huge. Despite the modest library, I had an amazing experience with the system. Even after getting a PS1 and PS2 in 2005 and opening myself up to a huge flood of titles that I had missed, nothing matches the time I had with the GC.

[duffmanth]

I picked up my GameCube in 2002 for Wrestlemania X8. I played the shit outta that game for the better part of the year, then my Cube sat and collected dust for the next 5 years til I sold the piece of shit.

[BlastProcessing402]

I picked up my GameCube in 2002 for Wrestlemania X8. I played the shit outta that game for the better part of the year, then my Cube sat and collected dust for the next 5 years til I sold the piece of shit.

That's unfortunate, you should've at least picked up Wrestlemania XIX, Day of Reckoning, and Day of Reckoning 2 and played the shit out of those for the better part of a year each. Then it wouldn't have had to collect dust for more than a couple years.