The handle was really convenient actually. It was great for lan parties or just bringing to a friend's house for some Melee or Mario Party. It also looks good aesthetically. Also it was the earlier GameCubes that had component not layer ones. They actually removed it in later versions because it was rarely used outside of Japan and because of that the original 20 dollar component cable goes for 300$ on eBay because it's better than the Wii's component output. The GPU was very likely named the 'Flipper' because back when the GCN was still in development it was known as project Dolphin. Pretty neat one of the internals kept that legacy.
The story goes that used that small format DVD (that also used different reading techniques) in an attempt to stop piracy. Not supporting DVD playback is also a limitation on the Xbox, because having a DVD player software means paying the DVD forum a license (around 20 USD per device, if i recall it correctly). With the Xbox you could buy a "remote control" too use the DVD player functionality that included the DVD license in the price.
I still have my original Nintendo GameCube, purchased at Kmart in NC,USA. I actually really like it. Mine came bundled with one of 4 games, I chose Mario Party. My favourite game ended up being the other possible pack in game which was Metroid Prime, which still likes really good all these years later!
When my son was younger, we got him a Gamecube for Christmas - it was a cracking console with some really great games... Super Mario Sunshine, the Rogue Squadron Star Wars games, Metroid Prime, Super Smash Bros., Timesplitters 2 :-), Prince of Persia. Some good memories of that console :-)
I disagree that the GameCube was forgettable. I think it has even remained quite relevant. There were some incredible games for it, you could not beat the price, and it was the launching point for the hundred million selling Wii. You can't play DVD's because Nintendo has said for years that these are game machines, not movie watching machines.
It might have been in Europe but it definitely wasn't otherwise. The OG Xbox was a much more forgettable system and only really had Halo going for it and a few awesome titles like KOTOR. But Nintendo still had all the best IP. The PS was great but the DVD player in it is always oversold because it was a really crappy one. The sheer volume of games on the PS2 though and some exclusive 3rd party IP like Final Fantasy , early Guitar Hero, Sly Cooper and many others made it the overall winner of that generation even though The GameCube had better standout titles like Melee, Zelda, Mario(Kart), Metroid. The Gameboy compatibility was also something no one else could offer.
Master System and Megadrive/Genesis cartridges have gamebit screws, too. Sega-manufactured ones at least, maybe EA's carts with the yellow tabs use regular screws.
For the GameCube you need a first version I forgot the model number but it comes with both standard video and S-Video and VGA capable however the cable to break all that out wasn't made in abundance and is now going for over $1,200 a piece
Nintendo always errs on the side of caution and BoM costs, so decisions around the drive were - I think - based on protecting themselves against piracy with the smaller disk size (the compression tech and loading times were impressive for an optical based console, though), and lack of DVD movies was probably about not wanting to pay the DVD foundation a licence fee on every GC sold - it was selling for £99! Did Sony own part of the DVD foundation making it much cheaper to them to include DVD? As cool as it would have been to 20 YO me, I don't think the GC would have sold much better with DVD TBH, I think it would have brought it into line with the others on the market, but Sony PS was already very, very well established by this point. Piracy on the PS1 with its standard size optical drive _was_ rampant, but I don't believe it affected them too much because they were selling so many of them anyway. Still have my GameCube, and love it. Never owed a Sony console 😊
I'm sure I read somewhere that Nintendo was making money on each Gamecube sold, whereas Sony and MIcrosoft (and previously Sega) were only really making money on game licencing costs.
If I remember magazine articles from back in the day when the Gamecube was in development Nintendo initially planned to give it DVD playback support. Later when it was released they said they dropped it because they wanted a custom format to prevent piracy. Also, the drive spins backwards apparently. When they release the Wii, their argument was that they didn’t want to increase the cost of the console because of license fees that manufactures of DVD players had to pay the DVD forum. But I think the real reason is probably they still struggled with the history of the SNES CD-Rom Sony VS Philips shenanigans a few years earlier. Nintendo where so awkward about optical media. It’s like they had some sort of complex of the SNES CD-Rom project. The history of it is quite interesting and filled with corporate politics. Nintendo’s ways are strange sometimes.
No, the drive does not spin backward. You just have to watch the disc through the window to see it. It uses CAV (disc spins same speed) versus CLV (speed varies to keep reading rate the same). Which makes the discs incompatible with most drives.
I think they also made other changes to drive / discs, in order to avoid paying licence fees to certain groups. Loading times on the GC were like lightening compared to other optical drive based machines. I remember something about them using a proprietary compression technology.
The backward spin is a myth. If anything, just watch it spin. The incompatibility was related to the drives/discs using CAV (constant angular velocity) instead of CLV (constant linear velocity).
The handle was really convenient actually. It was great for lan parties or just bringing to a friend's house for some Melee or Mario Party. It also looks good aesthetically. Also it was the earlier GameCubes that had component not layer ones. They actually removed it in later versions because it was rarely used outside of Japan and because of that the original 20 dollar component cable goes for 300$ on eBay because it's better than the Wii's component output.
The GPU was very likely named the 'Flipper' because back when the GCN was still in development it was known as project Dolphin. Pretty neat one of the internals kept that legacy.
The story goes that used that small format DVD (that also used different reading techniques) in an attempt to stop piracy. Not supporting DVD playback is also a limitation on the Xbox, because having a DVD player software means paying the DVD forum a license (around 20 USD per device, if i recall it correctly). With the Xbox you could buy a "remote control" too use the DVD player functionality that included the DVD license in the price.
Thanks for the information. I was wondering why Microsoft did that but now it makes sens!
I still have my original Nintendo GameCube, purchased at Kmart in NC,USA. I actually really like it. Mine came bundled with one of 4 games, I chose Mario Party. My favourite game ended up being the other possible pack in game which was Metroid Prime, which still likes really good all these years later!
Can't beat the classics!
When my son was younger, we got him a Gamecube for Christmas - it was a cracking console with some really great games... Super Mario Sunshine, the Rogue Squadron Star Wars games, Metroid Prime, Super Smash Bros., Timesplitters 2 :-), Prince of Persia. Some good memories of that console :-)
I disagree that the GameCube was forgettable. I think it has even remained quite relevant. There were some incredible games for it, you could not beat the price, and it was the launching point for the hundred million selling Wii.
You can't play DVD's because Nintendo has said for years that these are game machines, not movie watching machines.
It might have been in Europe but it definitely wasn't otherwise. The OG Xbox was a much more forgettable system and only really had Halo going for it and a few awesome titles like KOTOR. But Nintendo still had all the best IP. The PS was great but the DVD player in it is always oversold because it was a really crappy one. The sheer volume of games on the PS2 though and some exclusive 3rd party IP like Final Fantasy , early Guitar Hero, Sly Cooper and many others made it the overall winner of that generation even though The GameCube had better standout titles like Melee, Zelda, Mario(Kart), Metroid. The Gameboy compatibility was also something no one else could offer.
Master System and Megadrive/Genesis cartridges have gamebit screws, too. Sega-manufactured ones at least, maybe EA's carts with the yellow tabs use regular screws.
I think I have my megedrive in the loft - but I never noticed the gamebit screws - I'll check it out next time I'm up there!
Gotta say, the game cube is probably my favourite console.
It's a great little box with some fantastic games.
For the GameCube you need a first version I forgot the model number but it comes with both standard video and S-Video and VGA capable however the cable to break all that out wasn't made in abundance and is now going for over $1,200 a piece
This video mentions so many consoles from around the time of the GameCube but there isn't even a passing reference to the Dreamcast😥
Rush 2049 was easily the best game. You are right I didn't mention it and should have!
The only reasons I remember Gamecube is RE4 and Super Smash Bros Melee
7:58 They were mega paranoid about piracy, hence the belated switch from carts, which also loaded faster.
It didn't really stop the pirates tho.
Nintendo always errs on the side of caution and BoM costs, so decisions around the drive were - I think - based on protecting themselves against piracy with the smaller disk size (the compression tech and loading times were impressive for an optical based console, though), and lack of DVD movies was probably about not wanting to pay the DVD foundation a licence fee on every GC sold - it was selling for £99! Did Sony own part of the DVD foundation making it much cheaper to them to include DVD? As cool as it would have been to 20 YO me, I don't think the GC would have sold much better with DVD TBH, I think it would have brought it into line with the others on the market, but Sony PS was already very, very well established by this point. Piracy on the PS1 with its standard size optical drive _was_ rampant, but I don't believe it affected them too much because they were selling so many of them anyway.
Still have my GameCube, and love it. Never owed a Sony console 😊
I'm sure I read somewhere that Nintendo was making money on each Gamecube sold, whereas Sony and MIcrosoft (and previously Sega) were only really making money on game licencing costs.
If I remember magazine articles from back in the day when the Gamecube was in development Nintendo initially planned to give it DVD playback support. Later when it was released they said they dropped it because they wanted a custom format to prevent piracy. Also, the drive spins backwards apparently. When they release the Wii, their argument was that they didn’t want to increase the cost of the console because of license fees that manufactures of DVD players had to pay the DVD forum. But I think the real reason is probably they still struggled with the history of the SNES CD-Rom Sony VS Philips shenanigans a few years earlier. Nintendo where so awkward about optical media. It’s like they had some sort of complex of the SNES CD-Rom project. The history of it is quite interesting and filled with corporate politics. Nintendo’s ways are strange sometimes.
No, the drive does not spin backward. You just have to watch the disc through the window to see it. It uses CAV (disc spins same speed) versus CLV (speed varies to keep reading rate the same). Which makes the discs incompatible with most drives.
I heard that Nintendo just didn't what to pay for the DVD license. That's why they say Wii U disks are not true blu-rays.
It seems to be the consensus of the comments here, but I still think it was a poor decision?
The cubes drive also spins in reverse to a dvd drive, it’s a part of its anti piracy system or something like that.
I think they also made other changes to drive / discs, in order to avoid paying licence fees to certain groups. Loading times on the GC were like lightening compared to other optical drive based machines. I remember something about them using a proprietary compression technology.
The backward spin is a myth. If anything, just watch it spin. The incompatibility was related to the drives/discs using CAV (constant angular velocity) instead of CLV (constant linear velocity).
The GameCube must be protected and worshipped, not taken apart.
Hi With you all the way , nice build, ( what voltage the motor) All the Best Brian 🤗😎
Nintendo has always ben more about their systems playing games and not much else