Here’s how Nintendo missed the mark with the GameCube console

When we look back at the annals of video game history, certain consoles are appreciated (Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)), criticized (Google Stadia) or terribly ahead of their time (the Sega Dreamcast, of which we have almost everything). And then there are those systems that are frankly bizarre and polarizing, like the Nintendo GameCube. Burdened with the dubious honor of being Nintendo’s second worst-selling console with just 21.74 million units, the GameCube is only surpassed by the Wii U (and the Virtual Boy, if you want to get technical).

For me, the GameCube was such a spectacular failure that it was the last Nintendo console I owned until the Switch debuted. To be honest, there are some things I liked about the console, like the design and a game or two. However, a fun color and a clever handle weren’t enough to stem the ebb tide. Lack of games, over-reliance on first-party titles, and lack of a DVD player are just a few of the things that doomed GameCube to commercial failure.

But let’s go back in time to examine exactly where the GameCube went wrong.

This one stings a bit because I really liked the design of the GameCube. With the built-in handle, the GameCube was one of the most portable home consoles of its time. It had eye-catching colors and its compact construction allowed it to fit easily into most entertainment centers. It was also one of the last consoles to feature four-person local multiplayer, making it perfect for games like Super Smash Bros. Melee, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and the four Mario Party titles that appeared on the system.

These fancy colors weren’t as popular as Nintendo had hoped. Children who grew up with Super Mario Bros. And Legend of Zelda were now either teenagers or young adults who wanted consoles that matched their maturity. As a result, the GameCube, with its smaller dimensions, has been criticized for feeling more like a toy than a console.

GameCube controllers have also fanned the flames of discontent. The smallest of the controllers of this era, some players on Reddit complained about the button layout and unconventional shape. The A button was huge compared to the B, X, and Y buttons that revolved around it. It was good for games like Smashbut it was annoying for other titles. The small d-pad, single shoulder button, and lack of a selection and second analog stick were common complaints on Reddit forums. And sure enough, the games felt as difficult to play as the controller looked.

A cute box contains a matching disc. Where the PlayStation 2 and Xbox used DVDs to store their games, GameCube and Dreamcast took a left turn in Albuquerque. Nintendo opted for the GameCube Optical Disc format, while Sega chose GD-ROM. These decisions were made largely to combat piracy while avoiding DVD Forum and DVD FLLC (Format/Logo Licensing Corporation) licensing fees.

However, the decision turned out to be one of the nails in the coffin for Nintendo and Sega. Sony and Microsoft used single-layer and dual-layer DVDs, containing 4.7 and 8.5 GB of data, respectively. Compare that to the 1.47 GB and 1.2 GB of the GameCube and Dreamcast. This is why, apart from certain titles, we have seen far fewer multidisc games on PlayStation 2 than on PS1. The optical disc’s limited storage posed major problems as video and audio files took up a huge amount of space. Lack of space forced Nintendo to compress these files, resulting in muddy cutscenes and lower audio quality. In some cases this content has been seen on Xbox and PlayStation, such as additional missions in Splinter Cell by Tom Clancy And Resident Evil 4.

These odd formats also exclude the GameCube and Dreamcast from a lucrative revenue stream as built-in DVD players. My DVD collection exploded once I learned I could play movies on PlayStation and Xbox when I wasn’t gaming.

Phew. Even though Nintendo and Sega were known for their games, that didn’t mean they played well with others, especially when it came to third-party developers and publishers. Although the GameCube had around 600 third-party titles during its lifespan, many major developers ignored the console due to its optical disc format, including Rockstar Games, EA Sports, and Square Enix, initially.

And in what turned out to be a devastating blow, Rare Ltd. left Nintendo in a split almost as shocking as Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’ split. This meant that games like Perfect dark, Conker, Banjo-Kazooie the sequels and the Killer Instinct series have all moved to Xbox. Dreamcast also got the green light from Rockstar, EA and Square Enix. Eidos Interactive also said adios, taking the Tomb Raider and Deus Ex series with it.

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The result left both consoles too dependent on their first-party titles. And even though Nintendo has solid artists such as Mario, Zelda and maybe a Kirby Or Metroid game thrown into the mix from time to time, these games were released too infrequently to keep a console afloat. But wait, Nintendo didn’t have any of these games ready for launch. Instead, the company offered titles such as Super Monkey Ball, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3, Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader And Luigi’s mansion. The latter is now a cult classic, but at the time, Luigi without Mario was absolutely forbidden. And I don’t touch the hubbub The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker created.

The Dreamcast had an even worse situation, since Shenmue, Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio And Sound adventures don’t make a console.

The final nail in the GameCube’s colorful coffin was the lack of online services. While PlayStation Online and Xbox Live were rudimentary at best, at least the companies saw which way the wind was blowing and set sail. Even Sega saw the writing on the wall since Dreamcast was the first console to dip its toes into the online waters.

Not Nintendo. Of course, you can plug it into your router to play Fantasy Star Online or organize a funky LAN game to Mario Kart: Double Dash!! But it was not until the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection in 2005 that we could benefit from real online services. It was a mind-boggling choice at the height of the Internet age. GameSpot noted that Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s president at the time, told the Japan Economic Foundation magazine: Spotlight on Japanthat consumers did not want to pay more for online games or even the Internet services needed to enjoy them. After all, it was early days, and he wasn’t wrong when he added that “the procedures for connecting to the Internet are still not easy.”

Alas, poor GameCube! I knew him, Horatio. In a tragic comedy of errors and miscalculations, the GameCube quietly entered that good night with abysmal sales figures that became a case study in what not to do. Which they quickly did again with the Wii U, but hey, they can’t all be winners I guess. Today, many gamers on Reddit look back fondly on the GameCube as it has achieved cult status, with the controller considered in some circles to be one of the best of all time.

The console’s design is considered charming and its game design praised as innovative and experimental. In fact, trying to find a GameCube console today is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It is currently one of the rarest and most expensive devices on the retro market. These unique optical discs can cost anywhere from $5 to $1,500. It’s a nice way to end things for one of Nintendo’s most misunderstood consoles.