[.ca] GameCube Console - Jet Black

Amazon.ca:
Though it looks like a toy, don't be fooled: the Nintendo GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other next-generation game systems. In fact, its playful, appealing design and small size (the unit is a not-quite-cubed 6 inches) aren't the only features that set it apart from the others. For starters, Nintendo has quite clearly made this a game-only machine. It doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, read your e-mail, or store your MP3 files. The company has concentrated its efforts on games. All the prelaunch titles we've seen play smoothly, with bright, fast graphics and great sound. Nintendo says its engineers have removed traditional bottlenecks that have, in the past, slowed down processing. New components designed by IBM and MoSys, as well as a large-capacity secondary memory cache, keep instructions moving through the system's microprocessor (MPU) at peak levels. In English: the GameCube is optimized to push speed up while pushing costs down; hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum. The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based medium rather than cartridges for its games. Moving the software to disc media generally means lower development costs for the publishers, which, in turn, trickles down to the consumer not only in price, but also in availability and quality, as it's then easier to try out untested game ideas (Pikmin, anyone?). While most other systems likewise have their games stored on discs, the GameCube's 3-inch format is smaller than everyone else's, and is so designed to fit in a shirt pocket as much as to deter would-be software pirates. Of course, the main advantage of the GameCube is that it's the home field of one of the world's premier game designers: Nintendo. While powerhouses Electronic Arts and Sega make games for all systems (including this one), you can play Nintendo games only on a Nintendo system. And Nintendo, you might recall, has been hitting them out of the park since it started with Donkey Kong. In fact, here's a roll call of characters and series you won't find on the other consoles: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Perfect Dark, Metroid, Kirby, and, of course, Pokémon. A few names that the GameCube will share with the other guys: Madden, Tony Hawk, Sonic, Batman, and Star Wars. The system also comes with four built-in controller ports, so you can easily plug in extra controllers and let friends join in for the multiplayer games--it's even got a built-in handle so you can easily move it to a friend's house. It comes with two memory card slots for saving your progress through games, and there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming. In short, the GameCube isn't an all-in-one entertainment system, and neither is it the most powerful of the modern video game consoles. But for video game enthusiasts who want to stick with their favorite characters, its value cannot be beat. --Porter B. Hall Unit Specifications MPU (Microprocessor Unit): 485 MHz custom IBM PowerPC Gekko Graphics Processor: 162 MHz custom ATI/Nintendo Flipper Texture-Read Bandwidth: 10.4 GB per second (peak) Main Memory Bandwidth: 2.6 GB per second (peak) Pixel Depth: 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer Sound Processor: 81 MHz custom Macronix 16-bit DSP Sound Performance: 64 simultaneous channels, ADPCM encoding Polygon Performance: 6 to 12 million polygons per second (peak) System Memory: 40 MB Main Memory: 24 MB MoSys 1T-SRAM Disc Drive: 128 ms CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) system Data Transfer Speed: 16 Mbps to 25 Mbps Media: 3-inch, 1.5 GB capacity disc Controller Ports: Four Memory Card Slots: Two Audio-Video Output: Analog and digital Dimensions: 4.3 by 5.9 by 6.3 inches (height by width by depth)

Time to wake up if you are a real gamer:
Frankly speaking, the whole world is just so mislead by the hype PS2 and even the XBox had created for themselves. However, the GameCube is the console most underated in the market. In terms of graphics, GC can provide stunning graphics that both PS2 and XBox cannot offer. People were so mislead by all the specs publication wars which actually Nintendo was not interested in at all. Look at games like Metroid Prime, Wave Racer, Red Squaldron etc. you will know what GC can offer. However, the whole world is just to distracted by graphics of games, which in way thought that as long as the game as good graphics, it is a good game, which is SO SO NOT TRUE. A game is about game play, and this is what makes a game re-visitable or not. Among all the game libraries provided by different consoles, there is no doubt that PS2 has the biggest library but at the same has the most junk games available. For XBox, most stuff are port from PS2 and at the same time has pathetic games like DOA Beach Volley which encourage players to be obssessed with the virtual body and manipulation of CG girls. For Nintendo, you can find the most innovative games in store: Eternal Darkness redefine the way survival thriller should be played, Metroid Prime redefine the game play of the series per se, Animal Crossing provides the most interesting interactive expereinces, Zelda Wind Waker provides you the most environmental related RPG format, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles provides innovative Multiplayer RPG experience. People should give GC a go before criticising GC as a kid console. Just imagine games like PN03, Killer 7, Eternal Darkness and Viewtiful Joe are not kid games at all. So wake up gamers and try before you criticise, and play before you make your judgement of this console of all time.

Its not a very good system.:
In 2001, I got the gamecube for Chrismas. I had such high hopes that the gamecube would be a really good system. When I put in a disc and turned it on, it started to make a really loud clicking sound. Nintendo said there was nothing wrong with it. They were right. I have a friend with a gamecube and he says his does the same thing. this is really annoying when playing games. PROS: I cant think of any. CONS: -it cant play DVDs. -it makes a loud clicking sound. -there is not to many games out for the gamecube. BUY A XBOX!

GameCube Console:
This game player is a great value. Sure, there may not be the selection like PS2 or XBox, but there is a great selection of E games which is good for kids. If you are a gaming adult, you may not like the selection. GC has exclusive games such as Mario and others too, which makes it popular. The person who reviewed the GC that they got in 2001, we just got ours Dec 2005 and there is no clicking sound, maybe Nintendo improved it? It is the most reasonable system out there with enough variety of games, also reasonably priced, for me.