GameCube at 25

This week marks the Nintendo GameCube’s 25th* birthday! It was the first games console I fully owned, and it’s the one I probably have the fondest memories of. I was the only one of my friends to have one, and loved it until the Wii replaced it a number of years later. I’d spend hours playing The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life, and Star Fox Adventures.

Looking back, the GameCube made little sense. It had more graphical muscle than the PS2 yet didn’t end up getting the “big” games of its generation (such as GTA: San Andreas). It had a carrying handle, yet was a home console (were we supposed to pack it up and its cables to go on holiday with it?) It had tiny 8cm mini-DVD discs while CD/DVD became the standard for other consoles.

With all this in mind, it’s not surprising the confused little cube didn’t win out. It was a device with one foot in the past (pushing polygons equals customers), and one foot in the future (releasing games that were weird and fun). Meanwhile the industry experienced a shift to an edgier style, as gaming went through its awkward “teen” years.

Since its release though, it’s developed a bit of a cult following. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is still highly regarded for its art direction and style, while Metroid Prime nailed the dark and isolating environments well before the so called “adult” gaming machines did. Nintendo have been re-releasing some classics via their Nintendo Switch Online subscription, and while I’ve not yet jumped ship to a Switch 2 (a requirement to play these titles) with every new addition it’s making me itch to do so.

So I salute you, little GameCube; while you didn’t wow others when you were around, you certainly wowed me.

* Actually, that’s not strictly true if you’re European; it’s 24.