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GameCube's Timeline, Accomplishments Charted

Posted by simoniker on from the parent-teacher-evening dept.

Thanks to GameSpy for its article charting the progress of Nintendo's GameCube console from launch to the present day, as part of an ongoing series that has also included the Xbox. The piece starts with the bold statement: "Despite being the wrong product at the wrong time, Nintendo's durable GameCube game console has demonstrated lasting power in a market for which it was not well targeted", and ends by noting: "GameCube will certainly end this generation in second place internationally -- the virtual shutout that Xbox received in Japan settles that part of the race, and it may yet challenge Microsoft in the U.S. and European markets." What's your view of the success of the GameCube and its software titles in the current console generation?

4 of 154 comments (clear)

  1. Nintendo hasn't messed up the formula by reiggin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nintendo plays it safe for the most part. The GameCube continues a long tradition of building a good, reliable console that plays games. Plain and simple. And the games aren't bad. I enjoy mine. Metroid Prime rules, Wind Waker is highly enjoyable, and Viewtiful Joe is amazing. What's not to love? I think the pros heavily outweigh the cons. There's just too much focus from game critics on the marketshare. What does marketshare matter when your games are good, sales are good (doens't have to be the #1 seller to remain profitable), and you keep rolling out original titles (Crystal Chronicles as the most recent example). I think Nintendo is here to stay for quite some time. They definitely have not made the mistakes Sega made. They still have good brand-indentity.

    1. Re:Nintendo hasn't messed up the formula by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That's one of the reasons a GameCube would be the last console I would think about buying. It's got too much of a stigma for being a child's console system. Who am I kidding though, I'm such a dork that I'm 28 and still playing video games. I should be going to art festivals or theater or the orchestra. I can't imagine being 30 years old and still playing video games... you're practically middle-aged.

      I can't imagine being 28 and worried about what others think of my "child's console". Hell, I stopped worrying about the opinions of others when I got out of High School.

  2. Sold my Playstation, bought a GameCube. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Why? Simple. I look at the games available for the PS2. I look at the games available for the GC. I compare them. I take out of consideration the games available for both (either now, or in the near future -- Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is released in Australia on the GC tomorrow, but has been out here for the PS2 for a while.)

    Net result: there might be one, maybe two, games on the PS2 I can find in a hurry that I can't get on the Gamecube that I'm interested in. But there's at least three games on the GC that aren't available on the PS2 that interest me: Metroid Prime, Pikmin, and Eternal Darkness. That makes the decision a no-brainer.

    I go where the games are. This round, that's Nintendo. Next round, who knows? But I expect the GameCube to give me good gaming for quite some time yet.

  3. Re:Some notable GC exclusives... by CaptMonkeyDLuffy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Er... Online play is a necessity?

    I keep hearing this repeated again and again, by both 'professional' critics, and online experts debating the various consoles. But if you look at the numbers, it just doesn't add up. When compared to the installed user base, or compared to the sales of blockbuster(or near blockbuster) game titles, the numbers of consoles being used online is rather pitiful.

    This isn't to say that going online is a bad step for a console, but the reality of the current situation is that a very vocal minority are hyping the concept, but the majority are rather lukewarm to it. If online consoles were the must have killer app that people make them out to be, then the Dreamcast should have done a lot better. The XBox should be overtaking the PS2, not losing to the Cube in Japan, and fighting on fairly even footing across the rest of the world. If online console gaming is such a killer app, then XBox live subscriptions should be through the roof.

    A good online system is definitely a benefit to a console. Currently, in the console market online gaming sells, but it's not the sort of issue that makes or breaks a deal yet. The market for online consoles is definitely improving, and growing and one day a strong online function will be a requirement for a console, but given the current numbers that day hasn't occured yet.