No love for the Gamecube?

[Tempest]

Who here enjoys Gamecube gaming and collecting?

At a recent collector's fair, I stumbled upon a guy selling a ton of Gamecube games and couldn't resist picking up some titles I loved but had since sold. It was hard to svvelect which games to grab and stay in my budget because the system has an abundance of fantastic and original titles. It really evoked a huge sense of nostalgia for the system and rekindled my love for Nintendo's oft-misunderstood lunch box.

As well as the largest assortment of third-party developers on a Nintendo console since the NES/SNES eras, providing so many classics, like REmake, the Prince of Persia, Timesplitters, and Burnout series, amongst others, it also features Nintendo at their most original, spawning new franchises like Pikmin and Luigi's Mansion, and offers fresh takes on traditional franchises like The Wind Waker, Super Mario Sunshine, and the Metroid Prime series. It even has some of SEGA's best games on it with PSO, the Super Monkey Ball games, SA2 Battle, Billy Hatcher, and more. And Capcom produced some of its most original titles for the platform too with Killer 7, the Viewtiful Joe series, and others.

Graphically, so many of the games still hold up today, unlike a lot of PS2 games. And load times are almost nonexistent. It seems like the console was ahead of its time. Even these days players have to sit through lengthy load times. Has the industry learned nothing from Nintendo's sixth generation console?

So why was the system so unpopular during its release? Was the PS2-hype machine too strong? Did the lack of DVD playback and proprietary discs hurt system sales? Or did the console's kiddy design simply put people off?

What are your memories and opinions of the system? Is it Nintendo's best console or its weakest in your eyes?

[CRTGAMER]

Here's one you probably never played; more in the OP indexed: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 60#p529160

[Xeogred]

It is the weakest Nintendo console in my eyes. For their main IP's, I absolutely loved Metroid Prime 1 AND 2, and Zelda Twilight Princess. Luigi's Mansion didn't really interest me then and now though, Sunshine and Wind Waker are the weakest 3D installments in those series to me, I can't even really remember what F-Zero GX looked like because it was so damn hard, didn't care for it when I was a huge fan of the SNES game and X. Still probably has the best Smash Bros though.

Hard for me to give the system too much credit because the PS2 got ports of everything eventually, even RE4, etc. The PS2 already had a strong install base that both the Gamecube and Xbox combined can't compete with. The library is a total monster.

I won't say I hate the Gamecube controller, but I don't like it either. I'm fine with the mini discs, but not really sure what the point was unless it was their ploy for copyright protection.

I dunno. I grew up on Nintendo stuff and the N64 dominated a lot of my childhood with so many parties and hangouts with friends. It just feels like everyone jumped on the PS2 bandwagon and never really left it. I recall way more parties playing PS2 and Xbox stuff back then, than Gamecube. I think my friends got some Crystal Chronicles going once... and I had one friend I co-op'd a ton of Phantasy Star Online with, Smash Bros and Soul Caliber 2 were good times, but not much else comes to mind.

I think it was the last console my grandparents got me for Christmas when it was new. That was cool though.

I'm glad REmake and Zero got HD remasters so I don't have to play them on the Gamecube or Wii anymore.

Twin Snakes has never looked that good to me personally. Bad new music and an unenthusiastic redub, eh. My Gamecube has been boxed up for like 10 years now.

[Tanooki]

Love it, yup, given my relationship with the N64 having had to suffer through buying games new for it in the day, definitely love it more. Gamecube may get disrespected for a lot of really unfair reasons, but a lot of it is undeserved. The last of the not underpowered Nintendo systems, it got the shaft because of their 1.5GB piracy reduction sized mini-DVDs which kept a lot of games off. Developers well supported it for more than half its life, but as it aged and games got bigger more didn't want to deal with dicing up their games for special releases or paying to press twice the discs so it got the shaft.

The library on the system is stunningly good, and amazingly it doesn't have a import deficit of much at all as most the Japanese games did come out for the system which was kind of a surprise. There were some notables that didn't, but nothing too insane like in the 2D days (though n64 had the smallest list of skipped stuff, especially of anything quality wise.)

Do I collect for it? No...not actively. Price is not the reason why, it's just that I have too much stuff and not the time so I'm spread thin. I was rolling with around 30 titles, but I made up a Top20 for it and just stuck with it until I decide to use it more later.

Never hated the controller, even if it was oddly shaped it worked fine. The only downer in the end I suppose was the one lacking extra top button to the other guys who had 4 to their 3. Gamecube unlike the N64 (and the Wii too) ended up with a lot of excellent games not made or published by Nintendo. Often the ports Nintendo got ended up being the most polished releases. Sadly many only look at review numbers and ridiculous cowardly media in the day (some even admitted in their own write ups) would dock the system an entire point or more for lacking online multiplayer. Seemed kind of hypocritical kissing the xbox butt when PS2 didn't get online either until about the time the cube did with both their broadband adapters. I used to have a fairly large (in the day) setup of 50+ games and stuff I had and then got rid of would prop it up a few dozen higher. I can safely say I could far easier recommend a long list of good games unique or ported to the system than I can for the N64 or the Wii. To me, Gamecube was their last excellent console and probably always will be since the Switch isn't a dedicated console at all.

[Fragems]

It's a cool system but the price really drives me away from it. I do pick up stuff when I can find it cheap but I don't go out of my way for things.

A lot of the stuff got ported to the Wii and a few even got updated with the "New Play Control" releases.

I'm fine with the mini discs, but not really sure what the point was unless it was their ploy for copyright protection.

Well the case won't fit a standard cd/dvd so in order to play burns you have to either mod the casing or buy a custom one like the viper. So it ads an extra barrier to pirating games.

[isiolia]

There's a pretty in-depth writeup about the Gamecube from a few years ago here that might be of interest.

IMO, most of the issues that the Gamecube had were less related to the hardware itself (though the lack of storage didn't help), and more Nintendo continuing to not court third party developers as well as their competition. They lost a -ton- of support with the N64 compared to the PS1, and didn't make the right moves to regain it with the Gamecube. Customer support was largely the same. Working at Software Etc at the time, most people's go-to system and brand had become Sony well before the Gamecube ever even came out.

Collecting now, I have a small shelf of games for it...but a good number of games from it got ported elsewhere, and in general, things are a bit pricier.

[Anayo]

In the early 2000's everyone I knew wanted an XBOX to play FPS games on XBOX Live. The Gamecube wasn't really good at either of those things.

[fastbilly1]

I still love the Gamecube, in-fact I own five of them. I actually had more fun with the Cube and Xbox than the PS2. The Gamecube was full of good ideas, and poor execution. I have two cubes with Broadband adapters, aswell as two copies of Mario Kart DD, Kirby Air Ride, and PSO, but no other games supported it. While I appreciate that they kept the price down by moving the HD chip to the cable, it just means I still dont have a component cable. Sure it was a letdown for FPS gamers and the soon to takeover sandboxes, but for people who wanted Adventure games or quirky Japanese games it was pretty well stocked.

Highlights in random order:
- I got to go to a Cube Club pre launch. I still have the ticket and randomly took a picture of it recently:

- Rogue Leader using the CG from the A New Hope Special Edition, playing it on a projector in surround sound in December of 2002 was beyond incredible.
- November of 2001 gave me two of the most played games on my Gamecubes: Smash Melee and FIFA Soccer 2002. Melee is still a tournament game at many places, but FIFA 02 on the cube had club teams from all over the world and something in it just clicked with me. I have not found another football game that plays like it. I did end up winning the World Cup with the Scottish Rangers and Grasshopper club over the following few years.
- Pikmin was a great concept that did not click with me until the second installment. But I still enjoyed running my army of 100 red pikmin into battle. What, it worked for Russia.
- Believe it or not I still have not played Mario Sunshine.
- Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee - King of Monsters with Godzilla still a fan favorite
- Windwaker going back to the original exploration model - believe it or not, I hated it when I first saw it.
- Mario Kart Double Dash lan parties
- Gameboy Player and runs of Zelda Four Swords, Pacman VS, and FFCC on five tvs.
- Fzero GX was incredible for singleplayer, multiplayer was soso.
- Cubivore was a huge move for me into more quirky Japanese games.
- Ribbit King was a continuation into my quirky Japanese games.

[Ack]

- Gameboy Player and runs of Zelda Four Swords, Pacman VS, and FFCC on five tvs.

Not only that, but running this setup at conventions and watching the amazement and wonder in people's eyes as they realized they could play these games this way.

[Tanooki]

Nice move. I had an early introduction to the Gamecube too that greatly sold me on it and how it better handled I think its capabilities than the PS2, it showed me the PS2 was in a way moderately dated, much like how the pS2 did it to the DC. So it's not a negative being dated, but that it was a small step up (and xbox being pretty close to GC put it there with it too over PS2.)

My introduction came because of my ability to get access passes to the E3 in LA from either working at Midway or before hand my brother at EA so I went in 2000, 01, and 02. I was there for the huge Dreamcast blowout stage show of 2000 with Ulala's everywhere and free plushies, to the epic never topped give away of 2001. That year every 5 minutes someone won a GBA with Mario or F-Zero in the slot on a big wheel of fun. I missed it, got a cool foam Gamecube and a GBA system carry pouch which was fine by me.

That same year was obviously the year the GC came out too months later. I personally feel Nintendo will have never topped an E3 show ever over how 2001 went down. GC blowout, GBA blowout and give away, heaps of stuff to see and play in the booth. First walking in and seeing that cartoon quality Luigi in that mansion, to then swing around and get some access to Wave Race and that insane water they crafted for it, but the total mind blowing moment was Star Wars Rogue Squadron. To see those late 90s movie re-release models recreated on the GC in live sequences you can play was just over the top.

The following year was some nicely done Wind Waker and Mario Sunshine displays side by side in 2002. All this made a huge impact on me as did the third party offerings all over the show floor.

GC to me really was their last best hope for a console as it was downhill from there, but at least they never let up on making a good solid handheld ...GB anything, DS anything, 3DS and now the Switch.


Fastbilly I feel the same as your thoughts on Pikmin, 1 just felt broken and almost rushed but 2 got it right. Better mechanics, the radar wasn't broken as all get out, and it wasn't so annoying rigid and angering with the time clock either. Can't speak to multiplayer, not my thing and don't have the broadband for it, but agree otherwise on those. And Cubivore I dared to grab when it was new, not a regret, love the Cubist style of it all and the purpose, intent and play of that game is just fantastic.