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= GameCube =
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Introduction
======================================================================
The is a PowerPC-based home video game console developed and marketed
by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North
America on November 18, 2001, in Europe on May 3, 2002, and in
Australia on May 17, 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64. As
a sixth-generation console, the GameCube primarily competed with
Sony's PlayStation 2, Sega's Dreamcast and Microsoft's Xbox.
Nintendo began developing the GameCube in 1998 after entering a
partnership with ArtX to design a graphics processing unit. The
console was formally announced under the codename "Dolphin" the
following year, and was released in 2001 as the GameCube. It is
Nintendo's first console to use its own optical discs instead of ROM
cartridges, supplemented by writable memory cards for saved games.
Unlike its competitors, it is solely focused on gaming and does not
play mass media like DVD or CD. The console supports limited online
gaming for a few games via a GameCube broadband or modem adapter and
can connect to a Game Boy Advance with a link cable for exclusive
in-game features using the handheld as a second screen and controller.
The GameCube supports e-Reader cards to unlock special features in a
few games. The Game Boy Player add-on runs Game Boy, Game Boy Color
and Game Boy Advance cartridge games.
Reception of the GameCube was generally positive. It was praised for
its controller and high quality games library, but was criticized for
its lack of multimedia features and lack of third party support
compared to its competitors. Premier games include 'Super Mario
Sunshine', 'Super Smash Bros. Melee', 'Star Fox Adventures', 'Metroid
Prime', 'Mario Kart: Double Dash', 'Pikmin', 'The Legend of Zelda: The
Wind Waker', 'Animal Crossing', and 'Luigi's Mansion'. Nintendo sold
GameCube units worldwide, much fewer than anticipated, and
discontinued it in 2007. It was succeeded by the Wii in late 2006.
Background
============
In 1997, graphics hardware design company ArtX was launched with
twenty engineers who had previously worked at SGI. ArtX was led by Wei
Yen, who had been SGI's head of Nintendo Operations and of Project
Reality, which from 1993 to 1996 had scaled down SGI's supercomputer
design to become the Nintendo 64.
Development
=============
In May 1998, ArtX entered into a partnership with Nintendo to
undertake the complete design of the system logic and graphics
processor, codenamed "Flipper," for Nintendo's sixth-generation video
game console. The console went through a series of codenames,
including N2000, Star Cube, and Nintendo Advance. On May 12, 1999,
Nintendo publicly announced the console during a press conference,
giving it the codename "Dolphin" and positioning it as the successor
to the Nintendo 64. This announcement also revealed strategic
partnerships with IBM for the creation of Dolphin's PowerPC-based CPU,
codenamed "Gekko," and with Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial
Co., Ltd.) for the development of its DVD drive and other
Dolphin-based devices. Following this announcement, Nintendo began
providing development kits to game developers, including Rare and
Retro Studios.
In April 2000, ArtX was acquired by ATI, whereupon the Flipper
graphics processor design had already been mostly completed by ArtX
and was not overtly influenced by ATI. In total, ArtX cofounder Greg
Buchner recalled that their portion of the console's hardware design
timeline had arced from inception in 1998 to completion in 2000. Of
the ArtX acquisition, an ATI spokesperson said, "ATI now becomes a
major supplier to the game console market via Nintendo. The Dolphin
platform is reputed to be king of the hill in terms of graphics and
video performance with 128-bit architecture."
The console was announced as the GameCube at a press conference in
Japan on August 25, 2000, abbreviated as both "NGC" and "GC" in Japan
and "GCN" in Europe and North America. Nintendo unveiled its software
lineup for the console at E3 2001, focusing on fifteen launch games,
including 'Luigi's Mansion' and 'Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue
Leader'. Several games originally scheduled to launch with the console
were delayed. It is also the first Nintendo home console since the
Famicom not to have a 'Mario' launch game.
Long before the console's launch, Nintendo had developed and patented
an early prototype of motion controls for the GameCube, with which
developer Factor 5 had experimented for its launch games. Greg Thomas,
Sega of America's VP of Development said, "What does worry me is
Dolphin's sensory controllers [which are rumored to include
microphones and headphone jacks] because there's an example of someone
thinking about something different." These motion control concepts
would not be deployed to consumers for several years, until the Wii
Remote.
Prior to the GameCube's release, Nintendo focused resources on the
launch of the Game Boy Advance, a handheld game console and successor
to the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color. As a result, several
games originally destined for the Nintendo 64 console were postponed
to become early releases on the GameCube. Concurrently, Nintendo was
developing GameCube software provisioning future connectivity with the
Game Boy Advance. Certain games, such as 'The Legend of Zelda: Four
Swords Adventures' and 'Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles', can use the
handheld as a secondary screen and controller when connected to the
console via a link cable.
Nintendo began its marketing campaign with the catchphrase "The
Nintendo Difference" at its E3 2001 reveal. The goal was to
distinguish itself from the competition as an entertainment company.
Later advertisements have the slogan, "Born to Play", and game ads
feature a rotating cube animation that morphs into a GameCube logo and
end with a voice whispering, "GameCube". On May 21, 2001, the
console's launch price of was announced, lower than that of the
PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Nintendo spent $76 million marketing the
GameCube.
In September 2020, leaked documents included Nintendo's plans for a
GameCube model that would be both portable with a built-in display and
dockable to a TV, similar to its later console the Nintendo Switch.
Other leaks suggest plans for a GameCube successor, codenamed Tako,
with HD graphics and slots for SD and memory cards, apparently
resulting from a partnership with ATI and scheduled for release in
2005.
Release
=========
The GameCube was launched in Japan on September 14, 2001.
Approximately 500,000 units were shipped in time to retailers. The
console was scheduled to launch two months later in North America on
November 5, 2001, but the date was pushed back in an effort to
increase the number of available units. The console eventually
launched in North America on November 18, 2001, with over 700,000
units shipped to the region. Other regions followed suit the following
year beginning with Europe in the second quarter of 2002.
On April 22, 2002, veteran third-party Nintendo console developer
Factor 5 announced its 3D audio software development kit titled MusyX.
In collaboration with Dolby Laboratories, MusyX provides motion-based
surround sound encoded as Dolby Pro Logic II.
Market share
==============
Throughout the mid 2000s, GameCube hardware sales remained far behind
its direct competitor the PlayStation 2, and slightly behind the Xbox,
though there were brief periods when the console would outsell both.
The console's family-friendly appeal and lack of support from certain
third-party developers skewed the GameCube toward a younger market,
which was a minority of the gaming population during the
sixth-generation. Many third-party games popular with teenagers or
adults, such as the blockbuster 'Grand Theft Auto' series and several
key first-person shooters, skipped the GameCube entirely in favor of
the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. However, many gaming journalists and
analysts noted that Nintendo's primary focus on younger audiences, and
its family-friendly image, was the biggest advantage and disadvantage
at a time when video games were aimed at more mature audiences.
Nintendo was successful with games aimed at a more mature audience.
, the GameCube had a 13% market share, tying with the Xbox in sales
but far below the 60% of the PlayStation 2. However, despite slow
sales and tough competition, Nintendo's position improved by 2003 and
2004. The American market share for the GameCube had gone up from 19%
to 37% in one year alone due to price cuts and high-quality games. One
article stated that by early 2004, the GameCube had 39% market share
in America. By Christmas of 2003, Nintendo of America's president,
George Harrison, reported that the company's price cuts down to just
under $100 quadrupled sales in the American market. GameCube's
profitability never reached that of the PlayStation 2 or Game Boy
Advance. However, it was more profitable than the Xbox.
GameCube's first two years had slow sales and struggles, and by 2004
and 2005 vastly improved to a 32% share of the hardware market in
Europe. Due to price drops, which saved it in the American markets,
and high-quality games from various developers, such as 'Pokémon
Colosseum' and 'Resident Evil 4', the GameCube improved to put Xbox
down to third place. The top three European countries for GameCube
success included the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, and modestly
in Spain and Italy.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:}} Though
falling behind the PlayStation 2 in Europe, the GameCube was
successful and profitable there.
Discontinuation
=================
Nintendo launched the Wii, the home console successor to the GameCube,
on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 in other
regions. In February 2007, Nintendo announced that it had ceased
first-party support for the GameCube and that the console had been
discontinued, as it was shifting its manufacturing and development
efforts towards the Wii and Nintendo DS. GameCube controllers, game
discs, and certain accessories continued to be supported via the Wii's
backward compatibility, although this feature was removed in later
iterations of the Wii console. The final game officially released on
the GameCube was 'Madden NFL 08', on August 14, 2007. Several games
originally developed for the GameCube were either reworked for a Wii
release, such as 'Super Paper Mario', or released on both consoles,
such as the Wii launch game 'The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess'.
GameCube controllers continued to be supported via backward
compatibility on Nintendo's next consoles, the Wii U, and Nintendo
Switch, with the GameCube controller adapter in 2014's 'Super Smash
Bros. for Wii U' and 2018's 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'. While on the
Wii U the controller was only allowed to be used in 'Super Smash
Bros.', the Nintendo Switch recognizes it as a Pro Controller. Thus,
the GameCube Controller can be used in any game where the Pro
Controller is recognized. However, due to the GameCube controller
lacking motion controls and some buttons, it may not be fully playable
in some Switch games.
Hardware
======================================================================
Howard Cheng, technical director of Nintendo technology development,
said the company's goal was to select a "simple RISC architecture" to
help speed the development of games by making it easier on software
developers. IGN reported that the system was "designed from the get-go
to attract third-party developers by offering more power at a cheaper
price. Nintendo's design document for the console specifies that cost
is of utmost importance, followed by space." Hardware partner ArtX's
Vice President Greg Buchner stated that their guiding thought on the
console's hardware design was to target the developers rather than the
players, and to "look into a crystal ball" and discern "what's going
to allow the Miyamoto-sans of the world to develop the best games".
Initiating the GameCube's design in 1998, Nintendo partnered with ArtX
(then acquired by ATI Technologies during development) for the system
logic and the GPU, and with IBM for the CPU. IBM designed a 32-bit
PowerPC-based processor with custom architectural extensions for the
next-generation console, known as Gekko, which runs at 486 MHz and
features a floating point unit (FPU) capable of a total throughput of
1.9 GFLOPS and a peak of 10.5 GFLOPS. Described as "an extension of
the IBM PowerPC architecture", the Gekko CPU is based on the PowerPC
750CXe with IBM's 0.18μm CMOS technology, which features copper
interconnects. Codenamed Flipper, the GPU runs at 162 MHz, and in
addition to graphics manages other tasks through its audio and
input/output (I/O) processors.
The GameCube is Nintendo's first console to not use primarily
cartridge media, following the Famicom Data Recorder, Famicom Disk
System, SNES-CD, and 64DD which represent past explorations of
complementary storage technologies. The GameCube introduced a
proprietary miniDVD optical disc format for up to 1.5 GB of data. It
was designed by Matsushita Electric Industrial (now Panasonic
Corporation) with a proprietary copy-protection scheme unlike the
Content Scramble System (CSS) in standard DVDs. The size is sufficient
for most games, although a few multi-platform games require an extra
disc, higher video compression, or removal of content. By comparison,
the PlayStation 2 and Xbox use CDs and DVDs up to 8.5 GB.
Like its predecessor, the Nintendo 64, GameCube models were produced
in several different color motifs. The system launched in "Indigo",
the primary color shown in advertising and on the logo, and in "Jet
Black". One year later, Nintendo released a "Platinum" GameCube, which
uses a silver color scheme for both the console and controller. A
"Spice" orange-colored console was eventually released only in Japan,
though that scheme is only on controllers released in other countries.
A Platinum 'Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness' console was released in 2005
only in North America with a custom faceplate and a standard Platinum
controller.
Nintendo developed stereoscopic 3D technology for the GameCube,
supported by one launch game, 'Luigi's Mansion'. However, the feature
never reached production. 3D televisions were not widespread, and it
was deemed that compatible displays and crystals for the add-on
accessories would be too cost-prohibitive for the consumer. Two audio
Easter eggs can be invoked when the power is activated with the "Z"
button on the Player 1 controller held down, or with four controllers
connected and holding down the "Z" buttons.
The GameCube features two memory card ports for saving game data.
Nintendo released three memory card options: Memory Card 59 in gray
(512 KB), Memory Card 251 in black (2 MB), and Memory Card 1019 in
white (8 MB). These are often advertised in megabits instead: 4 Mb, 16
Mb, and 64 Mb, respectively. Memory cards with larger capacities were
released by third-party manufacturers.
Controller
============
Nintendo learned from its experiences--both positive and
negative--with the Nintendo 64's three-handled controller design and
chose a two-handled, "handlebar" design for the GameCube. The shape
was popularized by Sony's PlayStation controller released in 1994 and
its follow-up DualShock series in 1997 with vibration feedback and two
analog sticks to improve the 3D experience. Nintendo and Microsoft
designed similar features in the controllers for their
sixth-generation consoles, but instead of having the analog sticks in
parallel, they are staggered by swapping the positions of the
directional pad (d-pad) and left analog stick. The GameCube controller
features a total of eight buttons, two analog sticks, a d-pad, and a
rumble motor. The primary analog stick is on the left with the d-pad
located below and closer to the center. On the right are four buttons:
a large, green "A" button in the center, a smaller red "B" button to
the left, an "X" button to the right, and a "Y" button at the top.
Below and to the inside is a yellow "C" analog stick, which often
serves a variety of in-game functions, such as controlling the camera
angle. The Start/Pause button is located in the middle, and the rumble
motor is encased within the center of the controller.
On the top are two "pressure-sensitive" trigger buttons marked "L" and
"R". Each essentially provides two functions: one analog and one
digital. As the trigger is depressed, it emits an increasing analog
signal. Once fully depressed, the trigger "clicks" with a digital
signal that a game can use for a separate function. There is also a
purple, digital button on the right side marked "Z".
The A button has a uniquely prominent size and placement, having been
the primary action button in past Nintendo controller designs. The
rubberized analog stick, within the overall button orientation,
addresses "Nintendo thumb" pain.
In 2002, Nintendo introduced the WaveBird Wireless Controller, the
first wireless gamepad developed by a first-party console
manufacturer. The RF-based wireless controller is similar in design to
the standard controller. It communicates with the GameCube with a
wireless receiver dongle. Powered by two AA batteries, it lacks
vibration.
Compatibility
===============
The GameCube uses GameCube Game Discs, and the Game Boy Player
accessory runs Game Pak cartridges for the Game Boy, Game Boy Color,
and Game Boy Advance. The original version of the GameCube's
successor, the Wii, supports backward compatibility with GameCube
controllers, memory cards, and games but not the Game Boy Player or
other hardware attachments. However, later revisions of the
Wii--including the "Family Edition" released in 2011 and the Wii Mini
released in 2012--do not support any GameCube hardware or software.
Panasonic Q
=============
The is a hybrid version of the GameCube with a standard DVD player,
developed by Panasonic in a strategic alliance with Nintendo to
develop the optical drive for the original GameCube hardware. Its
stainless steel case is completely revised with a DVD-sized
front-loading tray, a backlit LCD screen with playback controls, and a
carrying handle like the GameCube. Announced by Panasonic on October
19, 2001, it was released exclusively in Japan on December 14 at a
suggested retail price of ¥39,800; however, low sales resulted in
Panasonic announcing the discontinuation of the Q on December 18,
2003. The Q supports CDs, DVDs, and GameCube discs but there is
virtually no integration between the GameCube and DVD player modes.
Games
======================================================================
In its lifespan from 2001 to 2007, Nintendo licensed over 600 GameCube
games. Nintendo bolstered the console's popularity by creating new
franchises, such as 'Pikmin' and 'Animal Crossing', and renewing some
that had skipped the Nintendo 64, such as with 'Metroid Prime'. Longer
standing franchises include the critically acclaimed 'The Legend of
Zelda: The Wind Waker' and 'Super Mario Sunshine', as well as 'Mario
Kart: Double Dash'. Other Nintendo games are successors to Nintendo 64
games, such as the GameCube's best-selling game, 'Super Smash Bros.
Melee', at more than 7 million copies worldwide, 'F-Zero GX'; 'Mario
Golf: Toadstool Tour'; 'Mario Party 4', '5', '6', and '7'; 'Mario
Power Tennis'; and 'Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door'. Though
committed to its software library, Nintendo was still criticized for
not releasing enough launch window games and by the release of
'Luigi's Mansion' instead of a 3D 'Mario' game.
Nintendo had struggled with its family-friendly image during the late
1990s and most of the 2000s. However, during this period, it released
more video games for a mature audience with mostly successful results.
While the video game industry was focusing on more mature audiences
and online connections, Nintendo regained older players who had
gravitated to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox during the early 2000s. Some
games aimed at older audiences were critically and financially
successfulmore than on Dreamcast, and less than on PlayStation 2 and
Xbox. Such examples include 'The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess',
'Super Smash Bros. Melee', 'Resident Evil 4', 'Metal Gear Solid: The
Twin Snakes', 'Killer7', 'Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader',
'Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles', 'Resident Evil' (2002), 'Metroid
Prime', 'Metroid Prime II: Echoes', 'Soul Calibur II', 'Resident Evil
Zero', 'F-Zero GX', 'Star Fox Adventures', and 'Star Fox Assault'. One
of the most well-known GameCube games for mature audiences is 'Eternal
Darkness: Sanity's Requiem', which underperformed financially, but
garnered critical acclaim and is now regarded as a cult classic.
The GameCube is Nintendo's first home console with a system menu,
activated by powering on without a valid game disc or by holding down
the A button while one is loaded.
Third-party support
=====================
Early in Nintendo's history, the company had achieved considerable
success with third-party developer support on the Nintendo
Entertainment System and Super NES. Competition from the Sega Genesis
and Sony PlayStation in the 1990s changed the market's landscape and
reduced Nintendo's ability to obtain exclusive, third-party support on
the Nintendo 64. The Nintendo 64 Game Pak cartridge format increased
the cost to manufacture software, as opposed to the cheaper,
higher-capacity optical discs on PlayStation.
With the GameCube, Nintendo intended to reverse the trend as evidenced
by the number of third-party games available at launch. The new
optical disc format increased game storage capacity significantly and
reduced production costs. Successful exclusives include 'Star Wars
Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader' from Factor 5, 'Resident Evil 4' from
Capcom, and 'Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes' from Konami. Sega
discontinued its Dreamcast console to become a third-party developer,
porting Dreamcast games such as 'Crazy Taxi' and 'Sonic Adventure 2',
and developing new franchises, such as 'Super Monkey Ball'. Longtime
Nintendo partner Rare, which had developed 'GoldenEye 007', 'Perfect
Dark', 'Banjo-Kazooie', 'Conker's Bad Fur Day', and the 'Donkey Kong
Country' series, released 'Star Fox Adventures' for GameCube, its
final Nintendo game before acquisition by Microsoft in 2002. Several
third-party developers were contracted to work on new games for
Nintendo franchises, including 'Star Fox: Assault' (which became a
Player's Choice re-release), 'Donkey Konga' by Namco, and 'Wario
World' from Treasure. Capcom had announced 5 games for the system
dubbed the Capcom Five in November 2002, 'Viewtiful Joe' and 'Resident
Evil 4' were later ported to other systems.
Third-party GameCube support was some of the most extensive of any
Nintendo console predating the Wii. Some third-party developers, such
as Midway, Namco, Activision, Konami, Ubisoft, THQ, Disney Interactive
Studios, Humongous Entertainment, Electronic Arts, and EA Sports,
continued to release GameCube games into 2007. One of the biggest
third-party GameCube developers was Sega, which had quit the console
hardware market to become a third-party game developer after the
failure of the Dreamcast. It partnered with long-time rival Nintendo,
and with Microsoft and Sony, to recuperate profits lost from the
Dreamcast. Sega was a successful third-party developer since the early
2000s, mostly those for the family market, such as 'Super Monkey
Ball', 'Phantasy Star Online', 'Sonic Adventure', 'Sonic Adventure 2:
Battle', and 'Sonic Heroes'.
Online gaming
===============
Nintendo's GameCube did not put heavy focus on online games earlier in
the console's life. Only eight GameCube games support network
connectivity, five with Internet support and three with local area
network (LAN) support. The only Internet capable games released in
western territories are three role-playing games (RPGs) in Sega's
'Phantasy Star' series: 'Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II',
'Phantasy Star Online Episode I & II Plus', and 'Phantasy Star
Online Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution'. The official servers were
decommissioned in 2007, but players can still connect to fan
maintained private servers. Japan received two additional games with
Internet capabilities, a cooperative RPG, 'Homeland' and a baseball
game with downloadable content, 'Jikkyō Powerful Pro Yakyū 10'.
Lastly, three racing games have LAN multiplayer modes: '1080°
Avalanche', 'Kirby Air Ride', and 'Mario Kart: Double Dash'. Those can
be forced over the Internet with third-party PC software capable of
tunneling the GameCube's network traffic.
Online play requires an official broadband or modem adapter because
the GameCube lacks out of the box network capabilities. Nintendo never
commissioned any Internet services for GameCube but allowed other
publishers to manage custom online experiences.
Emulation
===========
Starting in June 5, 2025, select Nintendo GameCube games will be
re-released via the Nintendo Classics service as part of the
"Expansion Pack" tier of the Nintendo Switch Online service
exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2.
{{anchor | Reception and sales}}Reception
======================================================================
The GameCube received generally positive reviews following its launch.
'PC Magazine' praised the overall hardware design and quality of games
available at launch. CNET gave an average review rating, noting that
though the console lacks a few features offered by its competition, it
is relatively inexpensive, has a great controller design, and launched
a decent lineup of games. In later reviews, criticism mounted against
the console often centering on its overall look and feel, describing
it as "toy-ish". With poor sales figures and the associated financial
harm to Nintendo, a 'Time International' article called the GameCube
an "unmitigated disaster".
Retrospectively, Joystiq compared the GameCube's launch window to its
successor, the Wii, noting that the GameCube's "lack of games"
resulted in a subpar launch, and the console's limited selection of
online games damaged its market share in the long run. 'Time
International' concluded that the system had low sales figures,
because it lacked "technical innovations".
Sales
=======
In Japan, between 280,000 and 300,000 GameCube consoles were sold
during the first three days of its sale, out of an initial shipment of
450,000 units. During its launch weekend, $100 million worth of
GameCube products were sold in North America. The console was sold out
in several stores, faster than initial sales of both of its
competitors, the Xbox and the PlayStation 2. Nintendo reported that
the most popular launch game is 'Luigi's Mansion', with more sales at
its launch than 'Super Mario 64' had. Other popular games include
'Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader' and 'Wave Race: Blue
Storm'. By early December 2001, 600,000 units had been sold in the US.
Nintendo predicted 50 million GameCube units by 2005, but only sold 22
million GameCube units worldwide during its lifespan, placing it
slightly behind the Xbox's 24 million, though it did manage to outsell
the Xbox in Japan, and well behind the PlayStation 2's 155 million.
'Ars Technica' articles from 2006 showed and a 2020 book show that
Nintendo had officially sold 24 million GameCube consoles worldwide,
and one article from 'Seeking Alpha' shows that the GameCube sold 26
million consoles worldwide. Its sales exceeded that of the Xbox 360
in Japan. The GameCube's predecessor, the Nintendo 64, also
outperformed it at nearly 33 million units. It also exceeded the
Dreamcast, which yielded 9.13 million units. In September 2009, IGN
ranked the GameCube 16th in its list of best gaming consoles of all
time, placing it behind all three of its sixth-generation competitors:
the PlayStation 2 (3rd), the Dreamcast (8th), and the Xbox (11th). As
of March 31, 2003, 9.55 million GameCube units had been sold
worldwide, behind Nintendo's initial goal of 10 million consoles. Many
of Nintendo's own first-party games, such as 'Super Smash Bros.
Melee', 'Pokémon Colosseum', and 'Mario Kart: Double Dash', had strong
sales, though this did not typically benefit third-party developers or
directly drive sales of their games. However, at the same time, these
first-party games, and second-party and third-party games, elevated
the GameCube.
Sales of many cross-platform games--such as sports franchises released
by Electronic Arts--were far below their PlayStation 2 and Xbox
counterparts, eventually prompting some developers to scale back or
completely cease support for the GameCube. Exceptions include Sega's
family friendly 'Sonic Adventure 2' and 'Super Monkey Ball', which
reportedly yielded more sales on GameCube than most of the company's
games on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. In June 2003, Acclaim
Entertainment CEO Rod Cousens said that the company would no longer
support the GameCube, and criticized it as a system "that don't
deliver profits". Acclaim would later rescind his claims, by saying
the company would elevate support for the system. This decision was
made unclear after the company filed for bankruptcy in August 2004. In
September 2003, Eidos Interactive announced to end support for the
GameCube, as the publisher was losing money from developing for
Nintendo's console. This led to several games in development being
canceled for the system. Eidos's CEO Mike McGravey would say that the
GameCube was a "declining business". However, after the company's
purchase by the SCi Entertainment Group in 2005, Eidos resumed
development for the system and released 'Lego Star Wars: The Video
Game' and 'Tomb Raider: Legend'.
In March 2003, British retailer Dixons removed all GameCube consoles,
accessories and games from its stores. That same month, another
British retailer Argos, cut the price of the GameCube in their stores
to £78.99, which was more than £50 cheaper than Nintendo's SRP for the
console at the time. However, in October of that year, they did
eventually restock their supply of consoles after a price drop was
ordered which caused the console sales to outpace the PlayStation 2
for a week.
With sales sagging and millions of unsold consoles in stock, Nintendo
halted GameCube production for the first nine months of 2003 to reduce
surplus units. Sales rebounded slightly after a price drop to US$99.99
on September 24, 2003 and the release of 'The Legend of Zelda:
Collector's Edition' bundle. A demo disc, the 'GameCube Preview Disc',
was also released in a bundle in 2003. Beginning with this period,
GameCube sales continued to be steady, particularly in Japan, but the
GameCube remained in third place in worldwide sales during the
sixth-generation era because of weaker sales performance elsewhere,
though its fortunes would change for the better in America and Europe.
Iwata forecasted to investors that the company would sell 50 million
GameCube units worldwide by March 2005, but by the end of 2006, it had
only sold 21.74 millionfewer than half. However, it had the highest
attach rate of any Nintendo console at 9.59 and was profitable, even
more than Xbox with higher sales rates.
Legacy
========
Many games that debuted on the GameCube, including the 'Pikmin'
series, 'Chibi-Robo!', 'Metroid Prime', and 'Luigi's Mansion' became
popular and profitable Nintendo franchises or subseries.
GameCube controllers have limited support on Wii U and Switch, to play
'Super Smash Bros. for Wii U', and 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'
respectively, via a USB adapter. While on the Wii U the controller was
only allowed to be used in 'Super Smash Bros.', the Nintendo Switch
recognizes it as a Pro Controller. Thus, the GameCube Controller can
be used in any game where the Pro Controller is recognized. However,
due to the GameCube controller lacking motion controls and some
buttons, it may not be fully playable in some Switch games.
Regarding concerns about the correlation between violence and video
games, a 2009 study by Iowa State University found that certain games
like 'Super Mario Sunshine' and 'Chibi-Robo!', which were GameCube
exclusives, would help players learn positive skills about helping
others, empathy, and cooperation. The game 'Super Monkey Ball', which
was a GameCube exclusive, could help surgeons perform laparoscopic
surgery better than surgeons who do not play video games.
'GamesRadar+' ranked it 11th on their list of The 20 best video game
consoles and hardware of all time in 2021. 'Den of Geek' placed it at
number 12 on their list of The 25 Best Video Game Consoles Ever,
Ranked, in 2023.
See also
======================================================================
* Dolphin (emulator)
* GameCube accessories
License
=========
All content on Gopherpedia comes from Wikipedia, and is licensed under CC-BY-SA
License URL:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Original Article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GameCube
