Nintendo GameCube Review: The Little Purple Box With Big Games
8/10 — Nintendo GameCube
Pros
- Superb first-party games, from Metroid Prime to Wind Waker
- Compact, sturdy and reliable
- Brilliant controller, especially for Smash Bros.
- Original Wii models can play GameCube games
Cons
- Mini-DVD discs limited capacity and media playback
- Small library compared with the PS2
- Official component cables are very expensive
- Prices for consoles and key games keep rising
The Nintendo GameCube arrived in Europe in May 2002, months after the PS2 and Xbox. It was small, purple (or black, silver or orange) and had a handle on the back, which made it look more like a toy than a serious rival. It sold far fewer units than the PS2, but its library includes some of Nintendo’s very best games.
Design
The GameCube is a small, solid cube built to last, and many units still work perfectly today. It uses 8cm mini-DVD discs, which helped keep loading quick and deterred piracy, but limited game sizes and meant it couldn’t play DVD films. Its controller has an unusual layout, with a big green A button, but it’s brilliant for many games and is still used by Super Smash Bros. players today. The WaveBird wireless controller is a must-have.
Games
The GameCube’s best games are classics. Metroid Prime, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Pikmin, Super Mario Sunshine, Animal Crossing, Luigi’s Mansion, Eternal Darkness, F-Zero GX and Resident Evil 4, which launched on GameCube first, are the highlights. Many have since been remastered, but some are still best experienced on original hardware.
Buying one today
GameCube prices have risen as collectors snap them up, and the best games can be expensive. Official component cables, which give a much sharper picture on modern TVs, are now very expensive; good third-party alternatives and HDMI adapters are a better bet for most people. The Game Boy Player add-on, which lets you play Game Boy Advance games on your TV, is also worth looking out for.
A cheaper alternative is an early Nintendo Wii, which plays GameCube discs and supports GameCube controllers and memory cards.
Verdict
The GameCube was the underdog of its generation, but its library is packed with brilliant, inventive games, and its hardware has stood the test of time. For Nintendo fans and retro collectors, it’s still well worth owning, as long as you’re ready to pay collector prices for the best games.
