GameCube

The GameCube

The Nintendo GameCube is shaped roughly like a cube and comes in a variety of colors. It is the first Nintendo system to use a disc-based format rather than cartridges. The small discs are only a few inches in diameter and have a capacity of approximately 1.5 gigabytes.

Four controller ports are on the face of the unit and discs are placed beneath the lid on the top. The GameCube is small, only about 4 inches tall, 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep. The GameCube also has a handle on the back for easy carrying.

The Games

The Nintendo GameCube has a library of over 550 games, over 100 more are currently in development. Most of these games are rated E for Everyone or T for Teens, with a scant 45 titles rated M for Mature. There are no Adults Only rated games for the GameCube.

Although third party support is strong, many of the highest-profile games are produced by Nintendo. Popular Nintendo characters and games can only be found on the GameCube. A few of these franchises include:

• Animal Crossing
• Donkey Kong Jungle Beat
• Geist
• Luigi's Mansion
• Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
• Mario Party
• Metroid Prime
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
• Pikmin
• Pokemon Games
• Super Mario Sunshine
• Super Smash Bros. Melee
• The Legend of Zelda

Sales Figures

During the mid-late 80's and most of the following decade, Nintendo was the undisputed king of the video games market. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the SNES were the consoles to own. On the handheld front, the Game Boy was (and still is) the best-selling system available.

With the arrival of the Sony PlayStation, however, Nintendo saw a sudden drop in sales. This slump continued with the PS2/GameCube rivalry. The PlayStation had a variety of exclusive titles, such as Final Fantasy 7, that drew a large audience. Meanwhile, Nintendo's consoles developed a reputation as being a for children, especially due to the large number of colorful cartoon-like games and a lack of more mature titles. The core audience that grew up with Nintendo's systems were ready for something more adult. Nintendo also chose not to invest in online gaming, a feature many claim hurt sales. Even so, the number of console gamers who take their gaming online is small.

The Accessories

There are a number of useful and unique accessories for the Nintendo GameCube. Here are a few of the more popular ones.

• Wavebird Wireless Controller - The GameCube's already well-designed controller, but wireless.

• Game Boy Player - Allows you to play Game Boy Advance games on your television through the GameCube.

• DK Bongos - Play titles such as Donkey Konga and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat while beating on these drums.

• Dance Pad - Included with Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix.