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LGR - Unboxing a Nintendo GameCube!

https://youtu.be/YMiS8C0iQxA

Aw yeah, it's that time of year again! November has become the month where I travel back a couple decades ago and unbox a sixth generation console. The Xbox and Dreamcast were covered the past two Novembers, and this time around it's the system from back then that I have the least experience with: the GameCube.

For reasons discussed in the video, I never really gave the poor Cube much of a chance when it was new. And even when I got a cheap one after it was discontinued, I never got around to grabbing that many games or spent much time with it at all. So it's always been a blind spot of mine that I've aimed to correct! Exactly what we're doing in this one.

Hope y'all enjoy this final episode of the month! I'm headed outta town now for the holiday weekend and taking a few days off, then it'll be onto December things once I return. To those celebrating it this week, have a happy Thanksgiving!

LGR - Unboxing a Nintendo GameCube!

Comments

We have the first gen (RVL-001) of the Nintendo Wii. This is the only Wii that will play GameCube games and has plastic door on top of the console for GC controllers. Later models do not have GC capability. This also includes the Wii U and Wii Mini. So, if you ever do a Wii segment, it would be cool to show the differences between the early and later models. Here is an weblink for reference: https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/64788/what-wii-consoles-can-play-gamecube-games. Additionally, the Nintendo DS has backward compatibility with the Gameboy Advance. The DS can use both the older GBA cartridges, as well as the newer SD cards. The 3DS will only play the SD cards, as it does not have the port for the GBA games. Just some weird things to check out if you ever get the chance since you said you are not very familiar with some of the Nintendo products.

Eric Simmons

Considering this was the first time I've ever played the game at all โ€“ nope :)

LGR

Clint have you tried the Remaster of Metroid Prime on the actual Switch? Itโ€™s nice.

Tom Anderson

So many fond memories of the GameCube. Purchased a used one back in 2004 when I was studying at the Uni. Chip modded it to play downloaded games and case modded it to be able to use full size DVDs. It couldn't use the full DVD of course but it made it much easier to play home-burned DVDs with pirated games. (I was a poor poor student, have since grown up and don't condone piracy, make sure to support your local developer folks!) I think the game we played the most was "Def Jam: Fight for NY". A four player fighting game where you played as different hip-hop characters like Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes etc. and you could interact a lot with the environment. I think the ludicrous(and Ludacris) characters and quite low skill floor is what made it an excellent party game. And then there were all the other great party games like Mario cart and Mario party, a great console overall!

MrMattan

I remember buying it when I was released here in Denmark on 3 May 2002. Was awesome, and the loading times were amazing. I remember reading something about the GPU being very sophisticated for the time, and could make translucent pixels or something like that (an effect used for the ghosts in Louigis Mansion and the flashlight) when they remade it for the 3DS they couldn't just port it, because of this effect, that the 3DS could not do, so thsts why the 3DS game was made from scratch.

Mikkel Graugaard Hansen

Yep it was an error on the backend. It's good now, thanks though :)

LGR

Comments on the public posts I think are still turned off.

Matthew Taylor

My first GameCube was the platinum one as well. Limited edition I might add lol. I still own it to this day and it works! Somewhere along the way I picked up a second hand purple one which has since been modded with the pico boot mod and a plug and play HDMI connector. I'm choosing to keep my platinum one stock. I never felt that stigma around the gamecube. All I knew was I had to have my Mario Zelda and super smash Brothers period. For decades now, I've always maintained a capable PC and a Nintendo console for Nintendo exclusives.

Ryan Schaffer

Here we go, Gamecube was my childhood--or, well, teenhood, more accurately. I'll be one to defend that goofy handle for the intended portability purposes, I used it plenty of times back in the day for walking down the road to my friend's house to play games for the day during the summer. I assume a lot of others did too, hence why they end up so scuffy on the secondary market. And yeah, the triggers have some analog to them, there's at least a few racers out there that make good use of that. (I think Burnout was one? Maybe Spyhunter did, too? My memory's not the best, and driving games weren't really my jam.) Some shooters use it for granular sniper scope zooming, too, it's nice! The reason Animal Crossing came with a memory card is the filesize for the town is so large, it takes up pretty much an entire 51 block card, so Nintendo was nice enough to pack a freebie in (for once), instead of nickel-and-diming people into buying a whole new card. A number of my favorites weren't strictly exclusive (Bloody Roar: Primal Fury, 007 Nightfire, Robotech: Battlecry, NHL Hitz 20-03, Soul Calibur II), but I still had a great deal of fun with it. That said, your hype for Prime might be stirring me to finally crack into the remaster I've had sitting idle on my Switch for months. There's supposed to be an optional control mode that's more like traditional FPS controls, but that System Shock comparison has my brain going "huh, neat."

Valora Inverse

Rogue Squadron II was my first GCN game back in the day, and my siblings and I were too dumb to beat the trench run level initially, but still played the crap out of the game. It took a few months until a family friend told us "have you tried slowing down so Vader flies over you?" ๐Ÿ˜…

Hernando Heilbron

I always loved going to Walmart because my parents would let me go play the demo consoles while they shopped, me and the other kids would take turns haha

Earl Elmore

Metroid Prime is spectacular. You will not be disappointed to play more.

Robert Launder

I've only ever played the first two, but they're just excellent. Was always a bit bummed that only the first one got released on PC.

LGR

Lucky you kept it, it has held its value and then some! Yeah now that I've tried GameCube Prime, I can see how it might not be the same with the Switch's inputs. I wonder if recognizes and properly utilizes those GameCube controllers specifically made for the Switch.

LGR

Ooh there's a remaster? Might have to grab that. I am thoroughly outta the loop with much of Nintendo, ha.

LGR

Glad to hear it! I feel the same when I see people playing things like Doom or a Maxis game for the first time, it's amusing to see what we as lifelong fans of a thing take for granted.

LGR

I'll have to check out that video! Really don't know anything about GameCube/GBA compatibility and what's possible.

LGR

I love that era of console menu systems! PS2, DC, Xbox all had their own special menus with all kinds of animation and 3D elements for no reason other than "hey, look what we can do!"

LGR

Aye, the emulation is great these days but it's still not the same. I'll have to look into the whole GD Loader deal!

LGR

Yeah the first party lineup for GameCube is legendary. So many great games I'd buy in an instant if the prices were a bit less inflated!

LGR

It's pretty cool seeing someone try out a Gamecube for the first time! I didn't grow up with one, but I was still surprised to learn that it was one of Nintendo's lowest selling consoles, as it almost seemed like I knew more people with Gamecubes than Xboxs. I still consider the Gamecube to have one of Nintendo's most well rounded first party lineups. It seemed like every franchise they had got a game (with some their best entries) and several new ones were introduced. Awesome as the Switches library is, there are still some series that could use more love that got it on Gamecube.

Hawkwing2652

My favorite games on Gamecube include the Star Wars Rogue Squadron games!

Terry Lee

I never had a gamecube growing up but recently got one with a gc loader sd card thing. and it's a very good box. I'm very happy I finally can play some of these classics without having to deal with janky emulators

eveningdreamer

I still have my box and everything for my LE Platinum Gamecube which I got back in early 2003! I was thinking of getting rid of it at one point in the late 2000s because I had a Wii and didn't really need the Gamecube itself anymore, but I was only going to get $20 CAD for it and was like, "Nope! Ain't letting it go THAT cheap!" And yeah, as you found out the triggers on the controllers are indeed analog, they just have a special "click down" point to help add even more dynamics to it! It's because of that click effect that I've been having trouble adapting to the Switch remake of Metroid Prime as NONE of the control methods in it are as good as playing it on the original Gamecube. I also really like how a huge number of Gamecube games are 60 FPS! :3

Kris Asick

I never had one myself. Lack of money and the fact I was primarily a PC gamer back then and still am. I didn't really get into the games until I got a Wii around 2010 and picked up a few choice GC titles for my collection. But yeah it really deserved better than it got in terms of reputation back then.

Alyxx the Rat

My cousin had a GameCube that I played once or twice and I remember my dad's friend's son had one that we played a lot of Pokemon and Sonic on. I got one from my neighbor a few years back but it didn't work and I returned most of the stuff I bought for it. Really hoping I can get my hands on a Wii eventually so I can play GC and Wii games. Also I love that you got lost in playing Prime. I bought the remaster as soon as I was done watching the Direct it was revealed in. It's a classic for a reason.

LevyNeptune

We were a Nintendo house growing up so the GameCube was inevitable. Such an oddly elaborate menu system.

Anicast

Cube time. As an aside, try to find an Action Replay disc if possible, as that allows you to play homebrew games on a stock system. I would also look for a Gameboy Advance cable since there are quite a number of games designed in mind for it. Stop Skeletons from Fighting did a video on it.

Rick Green

Just watched this, I think it's interesting to see someone experience the GameCube who doesn't have a history with it. There's a lot of "Nintendo YouTubers" out there who've covered stuff like Metroid Prime to death and it was fun to watch you discover something that, to me, is so well-covered and self-evident.

Modren

Why I wanted to set the record straight! ๐Ÿ˜

LGR

I canโ€™t believe thatโ€™s your photo, Iโ€™ve seen it so many times and didnโ€™t even realize lol

Zachary Outen

Nice, it's one I wish I'd played much sooner!

LGR

I've never played Metroid on GameCube. After seeing your reaction and gameplay, I'm keen to do so tonight!

Mark Bender

Thanks! Luke and I collaborated on that shot over the phone to get it right ๐Ÿ˜„

LGR

I had chosen the Gamecube over the PS2 and original Xbox. Graphically, it was much better than the PS2, and the controller was very nice. I remember how much Rogue Leader blew my mind, the first level alone was worth the cost.

Frederic St-Georges

Oh man can't wait to watch this! My Sim City 2000 Christmas was with a GameCube. I opened the first present and it was a GameCube game and was bummed because I didn't have the console, and then my mom who notoriously didn't like games at the time gave me another box and it was the console and the sheer surprise and joy is a high I still chase to this day hahahah. Edit: as I'm watching the video, I just want to say I really appreciate that transition edit from the picture of your brother as a kid to him now, the angle and everything was so smoothly done

DFawlt Uzr

Awwwwww hell yeah.

Mark Bender


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