The Gamecube has turned 25! Time for a retro review
In 2001, Nintendo launched the Gamecube. Today, that little purple cube enjoys cult status. But is this deserved? We’re hauling our tube TV out of the basement to find out.
There are two things about the Gamecube that are beyond doubt: its design and startup sound. Fellow editor Domi and I especially miss those iconic animations and jingles on today’s consoles. They instantly transport us back to that time.
The same happens whenever we pick up that little box. The Gamecube is cute, and just half the size of its competitors at the time, the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. One of the things that made this possible was the proprietary mini-DVD drive, both a blessing and a curse. This prevented pirating, but it couldn’t play movies on DVD. That, in turn, was one of the main selling points for the PS2.
The party console
Despite its compact size, the cube with that iconic handle packs more power than Sony’s console did. It was the last time Nintendo went head-to-head with Sony and Microsoft in a performance race. Inside the cube, there’s a CPU developed by IBM and a GPU from ATI, who are now part of AMD.
The Gamecube was capable of a maximum resolution of 720 × 576 at 60 hertz. Visually, the games have aged much better than Nintendo 64 classics. Launch title Luigi’s Mansion still impresses even now with its atmospheric lighting and small details like Luigi’s twitching nose.
In faster-paced games such as Mario Kart Double Dash, however, flickering caused by the low resolution is hard to ignore. Even so, the multiplayer games in particular are still fun to play today. The four controller ports play a major role in this. We make good use of them while filming our review, yelling our heads off as if it were 2001. That said, it was probably closer to 2002, since the Gamecube was only released in Europe a year later.
Not a flop, but not a success either
There were several reasons why the console still sold just under 22 million units – about 10 million fewer than the Nintendo 64. The most obvious one was called PlayStation 2. Although Sony’s console was more expensive, it dominated the market. Not least because it was one of the most affordable DVD players around. Nintendo also missed the boat on online gaming. It involved buying a modem adapter, and there were only three games available anyway. The Xbox was the clear pioneer in this area.
But maybe the most important reason was the games. During the Nintendo 64 era, Nintendo alienated third-party developers with high cartridge prices, strict licensing fees and complicated hardware. This came back to haunt them with the Gamecube. As a result, far fewer games were released for it than on the PS2 and Xbox. Even the company’s own titles weren’t always impressive either, just look at Super Mario Sunshine.
In a nutshell
The cube has been cast
Even 25 years on, the console is still fun to play. The controller fits comfortably in your hand. The analogue triggers – which Nintendo regrettably abandoned – are great. We can overlook the tiny directional pad and the strange yellow analogue stick.
Although the selection of games was modest, there were still plenty of highlights that kept us glued to the console, such as Resident Evil 4, Mario Double Dash and Super Smash Bros. Melee. And even though most people probably would’ve preferred a full-fledged DVD player, the mini-DVD was still pretty cute.
So happy birthday, Gamecube, you cute little box.
Pro
- Four controller ports
- Compact design
- Loads of multiplayer games
- Timeless classics that are still fun to play
- Analogue shoulder buttons
Contra
- Can’t play DVDs
- Fewer games than the competition
- D-pad and right analogue stick still annoying
As a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
