When Was the Gamecube Released?

For years, Nintendo stuck to making video games in cartridge form. From the Nintendo to the N64, games for these systems could only be found on a cartridge. This would all change with the release of the Nintendo Gamecube. The Gamecube's release changed the way Nintendo operated and eventually led to the release of the Wii, which also plays the Nintendo Gamecube discs.

Time Frame

The Nintendo Gamecube was released in the United States on November 18, 2001. This was only a few months after the release in Japan on September 14, 2001 and about six months before the system would be available in Europe on May 3, 2002. The system came out 5 years after the Nintendo 64 was released. The Nintendo Wii would be released 5 years later to the United States on November 19, 2006 and in Japan on December 2, 2006. Europe's Nintendo Wii release would be a few days after that, on December 7, 2006.

Identification

The release of the Gamecube marked a huge landmark for Nintendo-based video game systems. It was the first system that games were released in a disc format as opposed to the cartridge format. When playing with cartridges, loading times were minimal and almost non-existent; the discs added a loading time, though they were relatively short. The Gamecube was shaped as a symmetrical box and featured a top-loading game player with four controller ports on the front of the machine. This was an advantage over the Sony Playstation and Playstation 2, which only featured two controller ports.

Features

Capitalizing on the analog features at the time, the Nintendo Gamecube redesigned the innovative Nintendo 64 controller. It featured a smaller controller that players could easily get used to. The controller had two handles, with the left side focusing on the directional keypads and the right side featuring the different buttons. There are two top buttons, one on the left and one on the right, for extra moves and controls during the game.

Function

Upon its release, the Nintendo Gamecube was used only for playing games. This was a lot different then its competitors, the Xbox and PS2, because both of those systems featured DVD players and music players. This kept the Gamecube's focus on gaming, and the system saw success with games starring Super Mario and Legend of Zelda's Link.

Considerations

If you purchased or owned a Nintendo Gamecube when it was first released, you should not attempt to sell it off right away. This is because the games and controllers are all compatible with the Nintendo Wii. The Nintendo Wii features four Gamecube controller ports and the Wii also plays all Gamecube discs.