The Little Purple Box that Could
While the GameCube is often ridiculed for its shape and color – an indigo blue adorned the cube console – it’s an advanced sixth generation console that should be remembered as such.
The Console Itself…
Xbox had the mature gamers who craved serious game after serious game, and the ability to shoot heads off in all their bloody glory.
The PlayStation 2 had the mainstream audience, which consisted of mostly casual gamers and a few serious gamers who were drawn to the slick black design and the Sony name.
The GameCube was content to take what was left – the children, and the families.
From its design to its games, the console was to be a family console, with four controller ports to optimize family time and group gameplay.
While the biggest complaint was the lack of mature titles for the GameCube, there were such hits as Eternal Darkness and Resident Evil 4 – also, the console had many smash hits, and became a must-have for casual gamers and families who wished to spend quality time together in a gore-free environment.
It was light, sturdy, and featured a cute handle on the back – as if someone would carry a video game console around like that? The cheapest sixth generation console, Nintendo made money off of each console (Unlike Microsoft and Sony) because it was so compact.
Support The Console!
Although there were a shocking number of first party titles that were simply superb, there was very little third party support – most third party game designers ignored the console in its entirety, but Nintendo seemed okay with that.
The most popular titles to grace the system were, of course, Super Smash Bros Melee – possibly one of the most mind-numbing and awkwardly fun games ever released on the console – Zelda: The Wind Waker, Donkey Konga, Metroid Prime, Mario Sunshine, and many others.
There was some third-party support, though – Sega backed the GameCube 110%, and LucasArt released several Star Wars exclusives on the GameCube. It lacked RPG’s and fighting games, though, which was very depressing for many gamers.
Although at first glance you wouldn’t think that the GameCube was able to produce high-quality graphics, it actually was quite a powerful machine, and was able to stand up next to the Xbox – it even beat out the PS2.
Really, when comparing graphics side-by-side, the GameCube and Xbox graphics are nearly the same, and when compared to the PS2 side-by-side, they’re slightly better.
However, there was a lack of high-definition support that Xbox users enjoyed, and was something that made others shy away from the console.
The game discs weren’t like the other consoles of the time – instead, the console only read 8mm discs, tiny things that looked silly and unusable. Although this was a good move for Nintendo, as it helped prevent piracy, it was bad for consumers – the GameCube didn’t read DVD’s, which was a major drawback.
The Controller Was… Wait, That’s A Controller?
Many have looked at the GameCube’s controller for the first time, and simply shook their head. Indeed, the controller was funny looking to those who had never used it.
It features two analog sticks – one grey and a smaller yellow one which feels uncomfortable to use – a small D-pad which is also takes a lot of getting used to, two easy to press A and B buttons, and two X and Y buttons above that which are shaped oddly like beans. Two shoulder buttons fit into your hands nicely, but on the right above it is the awkward Z button, which is easy to forget about and takes a bit of getting used to.
The controller has gotten mixed reviews – from “It’s the easiest controller to play with” to “It’s the worst design ever” – but overall isn’t a bad controller.
Nintendo also released a first-party wireless controller which is literally a must-have for intensive GameCube playing, as it makes everything easier in the long run.
Most controllers are the same indigo-blue that the console is, although they can be found in another shade of blue, grey, black, pink, and even orange. Also, the Hori import GameCube controller resembles the NES’s ‘Dog Bone’ controller, though this lacks the analog sticks.
Overall, This is Truly the Purple Box that Could
Nintendo settled in a close third with the sixth generation console wars, and to all accounts seemed content with this.
If you’re a serious gamer who craves a massive library of games at your disposal, go look for another console – the PS2 may be your favorite. However, if you value quality over quantity, love family-fun, and can look past or learn to love the design of the console itself, the GameCube may be what you’ve been searching for all along.
