Just how awesome was the Gamecube?

[Niode]

I loved my Gamecube. Got it on day one with Luigi's Mansion and Rogue Leader. Those games were awesome. Luigi's mansion was a little short but it's still a worthwhile distraction and one of the more unique 'mario' themed games and it's definitely interesting the direction Nintendo took for their launch title. I liked Rogue Squadron on N64 so it was fitting that I liked it's sequel on the GC. Awesome game.

The Gamecube's controller is hands down one of the best controllers I've ever used. The combination analogue trigger with a little click at the end of travel was a great touch. You could really tell that Nintendo had spent years in R&D developing the controller to be as ergonomic as possible. I loved the oversized buttons too. Since most games are going to be using the A button the most, it makes sense to put it bang in the middle and be the biggest button on the pad.

The games have already been mentioned in depth on this topic and in a few articles on the main site so I won't go into much detail here.

I don't understand the stigma that the GC received as a failed console, the console made profit, it spawned some successful franchises and it had some unique and interesting games (Pikmin, Chibi Robo, Killer 7 to name a few). So what it was coloured purple and looked like a box, it was a very compact and efficient design. It was built to last, I saw video with some guys testing the ruggedness of all three consoles (Xbox, GC, PS2) *searches for video*

Found it:

It's in Spanish (I think) but it's fairly easy to follow. The PS2 dies after the second test (however they never test the systems playing a game, just to see if it turns on thats all) it fails to boot at all after dropping from chest height to a solid floor and have a heavy weight dropped on it. The GC and Xbox fare a little better. The GC finally wins despite being in 3 separate bits and it STILL booted up. To be fair the Xbox only lost because it lost it's facia so that it no longer had the ability to be turned on.

Nintendo has always had a long running history with rugged consoles though. I experienced it first hand when I accidentally dropped my classic Gameboy out of a moving car at 40 MPH. It still worked despite being hideously dented and scratched (although surprisingly the screen was still scratch free )

[Qweetix]

I really love the GameCube But lets be honest, the console didn't sell very well... On Wikipedia it says 21.74 million units worldwide, that isn't much compared to the PS2. I remember that it sold very bad here in Europe, and the price dropped surprisingly fast after lauch...

[superlarz]

I really love the GameCube But lets be honest, the console didn't sell very well... On Wikipedia it says 21.74 million units worldwide, that isn't much compared to the PS2. I remember that it sold very bad here in Europe, and the price dropped surprisingly fast after lauch...

Gamecube was a "failure" because it tried to be different and the general public never found it to be cool. Wii is a success because it tried to be different and the public thought it was cool.
Gamecube sold almost 22 million consoles worldwide made millions of dollars profit ad is considered a failure.
Xbox sold about 24 million consoles worldwide and lost billions of dollars and is considered a success.

[MrPopo]

The PS2 sold in astronomic numbers. Compared to it every console is a failure (aside from the Gameboy family and the DS family).

[RCBH928]

So most of you agree , like me, that it was a very decent console and not a bad one at all.
Then why would some on in this forum in another topic, mentioned that Nintendo's Gamecube was when the company "shit hit the fan"?

I think the gamecube is better than the Wii. The Wii is way too childish, just way too much, that it is considered an electronic toy.
Gamecube scored big games, I wonder how at first they had RE4 exclusive I believe that was amazing. It scored some nice exclusives too. Can you imagine any ps3/360 owner saying oh I wish I had a Wii for game"X" ? Other than Nintendo's games of Mario and Zelda, nothing really can causes you to buy the console.

Why every one hates the colorful gameucbe? Games are fun, and colorful stuff is like kids and family thing, and colorful things are fun. Black is like dull and boring(although more sleek). Imagnie passing by a nintendo gamecube with colorful system+ controller or dull black ps2, which makes you want to buy it?
I also have to mention that the ps2 is about the ugliest system I have even seen. It is so ugly I still can't believe that they released it in that form. The PS3 is not far away from it.

I also want to say, the controller is fine to use but I am amazed to hear people say it is most comfortable ever. Its bulky wither wierd shaped buttons and tiny D-pad. Sure it is fun looking, but most comfortable?

I for one think that the Gamecube was a really fun system, with people mentioning more and more games that they could not stop playing with a ton of fun Super Smash, Kart, Monkey Balls and more. No one can say the same about current generation Wii. It scored high quality games with RE4 , Rogue, and others. Still makes me wonder how is it a failure, I know it turned out to be 3rd in the war, but its not bad. Although N64 is my favorite system, I think it did a lot worse(just look at the game list).

Speaking of ipod glossy white design, does any one think that Nintendo stole the gamecube design from the G4 cube?

For another argument, Don't you think Gamecube fun shape+color, start up screen, fun looking controller, and better games would be a huger success as a family console than the simple , plain white, remote controller design Wii with a lot worse games? Is it really just the motion control novelty? I mean, even most games don't really use it or need it.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I said that it was when the shit hit the fan for Nintendo but I meant reputation wise for mainstream america. Trust me the quality of the system and it's games along with the quantity available tells be that they did as good of a job as possible given the climate surrounding it.

[TurboC]

Geist > Halo

Ok now, let's not step into the realm of irrationality just because we want to sound cool. I've heard a lot of dumb things from the Halo-Hate Bandwagon, but Geist being better is a first.

No shit, that's absolute crazy talk. I bought Geist just a few months ago for $4, and it's not worth much more than that. It's totally mediocre. It had original ideas, but the graphics are extremely uneven, there's a lot of audio problems, frame rate isn't very solid, the controls are bad even as far as console FPS are concerned, and the last boss just made me permanently give up, because the story's conclusion wasn't worth the suffering the fucker caused me. At times it kind of seems to just be imitating TimeSplitters' visual style, but failing. It's still decent though. Need to really try the multiplayer.

Even captured a video here:

I was one of the two who bought Geist at launch. Yeah, 60$ for that game. And I still consider that it is a good investment (when I only forget the part that it actually sell for some bucks).

Mozgus, you're right. Geist sucks because of all those reasons you already said. I agree with all, the game wasn't too deep, even if it was developed in many, many years !

But it is also a game with a good replay value, a really nice multiplayer value in my opinion, many good and original ideas that bring some new into FPS games. I was just ironic when supporting the quote which compare Geist to Halo. I like the last game, but it's too general, not enough underground like Geist

[vash23n]

I also want to say, the controller is fine to use but I am amazed to hear people say it is most comfortable ever. Its bulky wither wierd shaped buttons and tiny D-pad. Sure it is fun looking, but most comfortable?

I like the way someone else put it - Niode? - that the controller is perfectly laid out. It was no more bulky than any other systems of the same generation - of course this is opinion. If nothing else, it is no worse than any other controller, layout-wise. As for the d-pad, I can't think of any game that I have played where I actually use it for anything more than accessing inventories or bringing up maps. The quality of the analogue stick is what takes the cake for me.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I was one of the two who bought Geist at launch. Yeah, 60$ for that game. And I still consider that it is a good investment (when I only forget the part that it actually sell for some bucks).

Mozgus, you're right. Geist sucks because of all those reasons you already said. I agree with all, the game wasn't too deep, even if it was developed in many, many years !

Didn't Geist come out in '05 for about 50 bucks?

Anyhow I think Geist has a great premise but the execution fell short of what was promised through it's lengthy development.

[Jayson]

I loved my Gamecube and still have probably more games for GC than any of the other systems I own. I would put the performance right about the level of the XBOX and the games look stunning via component and 480p. I bought it for my Wife at launch (a purple one) and short of the lens getting a little dirty, it has been a rock solid performer.

I recently gave it away since we have a Wii now and my Cousin's kids had never played any of the games. Now they are buying up a bunch from the clearance and bargain bins and having a great time.