GameCube

Nintendo GameCube

An indigo GameCube with 251-block memory card inside (right) and GameCube controller
Also known as	Dolphin (code name)
Developer	Nintendo
Manufacturer	Nintendo Foxconn
Type	Home video game console
Generation	Sixth generation
Release date	JP: September 14, 2001 NA: November 18, 2001 EU: May 3, 2002 AU: May 17, 2002
Lifespan	2001 (2001)–2009 (2009)
Introductory price	$199
Discontinued	JP: October 28, 2007 AU: December 3, 2007 EU: May 17, 2008 NA: June 15, 2009
Units sold	Worldwide: 21.75 million Americas: 12.94 million Japan: 4.04 million Other regions: 4.77 million
Media	GameCube Game Disc Game Pak (Game Boy Player required)
Operating system	Proprietary Nintendo operating system
CPU	32-bit IBM PowerPC 750CXe Gekko @ 485 MHz
Memory	24 MB of 1T-SRAM @ 324MHz as system RAM 3 MB of embedded 1T-SRAM as video RAM 16 MB of DRAM as I/O buffer RAM
Removable storage	GameCube memory card (16 MB max. capacity)
Display	Composite video S-Video (NTSC consoles only) RGB SCART (PAL consoles only) [[YPbPr|Template:YPbPr]] component video/d-terminal (DOL-001 models only)
Graphics	ATI Flipper GPU @ 162 MHz with 3MB embedded 1T-SRAM
Sound	Analog stereo (Dolby Pro Logic II)
Controller input	GameCube controller, WaveBird, Game Boy Advance, various other input devices
Connectivity	900 MHz/2.4 GHz wireless RF via WaveBird receiver Broadband via GameCube Broadband Adapter 56k Dial-up via GameCube Modem Adapter
Power	46-watt AC adapter (DOL-001) 48-watt AC adapter (DOL-101)
Online services	LAN Phantasy Star Online Homeland
Dimensions	150 × 161 × 110 mm 5.9 × 6.3 × 4.3 in (width × depth × height)
Mass	2.4 kg 5 lb. 5 oz.
Best-selling game	Super Smash Bros. Melee, 7.09 million (as of March 10, 2008)
Backward compatibility	Select Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games via Game Boy Player
Predecessor	Nintendo 64
Successor	Wii
Website	Official website

The Nintendo GameCube (also called GameCube, NGC, GCN, or GC for short) is the fourth video game home console made by Nintendo. Nintendo's previous console was called the Nintendo 64. Nintendo's next console is called the Nintendo Wii, released in 2006 with models released before November 2011 being backwards compatible with GameCube games. The last game for the console was Madden NFL 08 (also released for the Wii and Nintendo DS), which was released on August 14, 2007. However, first-party development ended six months prior.

The GameCube also had many new features compared to other Nintendo video game consoles, and was the first Nintendo console to officially support Internet play (playing together without wires). It could also connect to the Game Boy Player to allow special features and play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games.

The console was released on September 14, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia. The GameCube sold 21.74 million units worldwide was discontinued in early 2007 to focus production on the Wii and DS.

Controller

The GameCube's controllers have two analog joysticks. In many games, one of them is used to control a character, while the other is used to control the camera, or some other secondary function. In addition to the analog sticks and the directional pad (D-pad), there are eight buttons: A, B, Y, X, L, R, Z, and Start.

Nintendo later released a wireless version of the controller, called the WaveBird. Instead of wires, it used RF signals to communicate with the console and was powered by standard AA batteries.

Popular Games

The Nintendo GameCube was known for its popular first games, including:

• Luigi's Mansion
• Metroid Prime and Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
• Pikmin and Pikmin 2
• Super Smash Bros. Melee
• The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
• Super Mario Sunshine
• The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
• Mario Party 4, Mario Party 5, Mario Party 6, and Mario Party 7
• Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
• Wave Race Blue Storm

References

Notes