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Nintendo GameCube Clone Out In Japan

Posted by timothy on from the please-something-for-the-american-cousins dept.

Jon F writes: "I saw this picture on Yahoo! today, it looks like Nintendo decided to license out the GameCube to Panasonic to make a clone. It's a hybrid DVD player/GameCube that came out in Toyko today. The only other article I came across about this was on IGN a few months ago. It has a mirrored surface and trippy purple lights on the controller port." Gaming guts (and purple bits) aside, this is one of the nicest-looking DVD players I've seen. Update: 11/01 23:50 GMT by T : As several readers have pointed out, this looks like just a tease for now, but will be out (in Japan) next month.

8 of 225 comments (clear)

  1. Great idea by stressky · · Score: 2, Informative

    I think it's the future for games consoles. I know I'd sure buy one of these, but I'd see it first and foremost as a DVD player rather than a games console.

    --
    ...this is getting out of hand
  2. This isn't the first time by sprayNwipe · · Score: 5, Informative

    This isn't the first time Nintendo have licensed their hardware to another company.

    Back in the SNES days, there was a TV that had SNES hardware built into it - it looked just like a normal TV, except it had two controller ports at the bottom, and a compartment at the top to put carts in.

    There are other non-commercial SNES clones as well, such as the in-flight games on Singapore Airlines and the in-room entertainment at some hotels.

    If anything, Nintendo is weary of not being open to partners - after all, the PlayStation only came about after Nintendo shunned Sony from making a CD-Rom addon for the SNES!

  3. details by Sodakar · · Score: 5, Informative

    From: http://www.dvdgame.jp:

    On-sale 12/14, Retail price 39,800 yen (at 110 yen per dollar, roughly $350)

    According to http://www.dvdgame.jp/product/index.html, the main feature is really the DVD player and the new looks... they are listed as:
    1) Compatable with the Nintendo Game Cube
    2) The timer function helps you keep track of play-time. (laf, more like helps parents keep track of kids)
    3) CD, DVD playback
    4) A handy remote control for CD, DVD playback
    5) "ABCD" (Advanced surround, Bass plus, Cinema mode, Dialogue enhancer) features for DVD playback.
    6) Dolby Digital/DTS Fiber Out

    Advanced surround = 2-speaker emulation of 5.1 dolby digital
    Bass plus = the ability to add a subwoofer from a dedicated subwoofer output
    Cinema mode = filters put in place to not make the TV screen appear too jaggedy during DVD playback. (shrug, I never knew this was a problem)
    Dialogue Enhancer - enhances the center channel on DVD audio tracks where there is no center channel present. This allows you to hear dialogue clearly, even at night, without upsetting your neighbors. (ha, quite useful in Japan..)

    They have a pretty darn big picture here -- enjoy.

  4. Re:The important question... by dimator · · Score: 4, Informative

    Can't find the link, but the dvd-enabled GC will arrive in the U.S. next year, 2nd quarter I believe...

    The dvd-player in the ps2 was a good idea. I want a gamecube for the games, though. Plus, if you have both, then you're set. :)

    --
    python -c "x='python -c %sx=%s; print x%%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))%s'; print x%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))"
  5. one more thing... by Sodakar · · Score: 2, Informative

    To the person who asked about the price... In Japan, the Nintendo Game Cube is 25,000 yen (at 110 yen per dollar, roughly $225)...

    The "Q", coming in at $350, is a big jump... While I understand the desire to get the added feature of a DVD player, this only makes sense if you only have one TV. The moment you have/get a 2nd TV, you're far better off with a GameCube and a DVD -- seperately...

    (much like the DVD player + computer argument... you can't effectively use both at the same time)

    I found it amusing that Nintendo's site has an ad for the "Q"... Yeah, it's in Japanese, but check out the middle of this page...

    http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ngc/index.html

  6. *Cough* Goldeneye *Cough* by El+Camino+SS · · Score: 2, Informative


    You apparently missed that whole 4 people having fun with Goldeneye-Mario Party-Mario Kart thing. Too bad. Made a lot of friends with people who aren't excited by cartoon characters that are about pump action shotguns and cleavage.

    Oh, and Grand Tourismo sucks. It always will, no matter how many versions. It is never fun obsessing about car decals and shock absorbers when you should be racing with four of your friends AT THE SAME TIME... WITHOUT TWO SEPERATE MACHINES AND TWO SEPERATE TELEVISIONS.

    I may be a Nintendo fanboy, but I even thought that the mighty Metal Gear on Playstation had some gameplay issues... mostly not being able to see more than 3 feet without using a "look" button. What a horrible design.

    I would suggest Commandos 2 instead of Metal Gear anything.

  7. Re:Arrrrr Matey by geomcbay · · Score: 3, Informative

    This won't hurt Nintendo's sales at all. They licensed rights to produce GameCube compatible HARDWARE, not software. All official GameCube games still must be distributed through Nintendo..

    And when it comes to hardware, Nintendo LOSES money on every sale of the GameCube, which is completely standard for the console business. They make up the losses (and then some) on the cut of software sales they take from every game (even the 3rd party games).

  8. I saw this at... by HappyDrgn · · Score: 2, Informative

    E3. They had it up front at the NOA booth. The US version does not have lights on it, but hey according to the Nintendo spokesperson it is supposed to have DTS and Dolby 5.1. Here is a picture I took of it:

    http://www.dn3dgamer.com/e3/MISC/MVC-002F_3.JPG