Gamecube: The Most Underrated Console of All time

We here at XboxMessiah might seem as though we only care about, well, Xbox. This is just plain not true. We are just avid gamers who appreciate a good console when we see it. Plus, the name is pretty cool, is it not? If you don’t believe we can rep another system, check this out:

Obviously, if you are reading this, you’re a gamer. If not, then you are in close contact with a gamer. If neither of those, well….you’ve stumbled onto this site while looking up dirty pictures on the internet. And that brings us back to gamers. I’ve played many consoles. Some good, some not-so-much. SNES, Good. Coleco-Vision, bad. With me? Alrighty. Let me introduce you to my friend, Gamecube. He’s a little older than some of you whippersnappers are used to, but still one of the greatest consoles of all time.  Unfortunately, my awesomely-geometric little buddy has been swept under the rug of bigger consoles, like the Original Xbox, and PS2. I think it’s time someone stood up for the rights of this amazing little guy, and seeing as I’ve owned 3 of these bad boys, I’m just the one to do it.

Let me start off with the most basic aspect: The Design. It’s a cube. An adorable, portable, and overall cool little cube. Unlike some of the bulkier systems, (I’m looking at you, OG Xbox) this console was small, easy to move about (should you need to bring it to a friend’s house) and took up very little space.  It was durable, lightweight, and also had a handle. This thing was made for walking.

The controllers were also some of the coolest pieces of gaming hardware. They offered something that was, and in some instances is still rare: comfort. They conformed well to the hands of any gamer holding them, and the button layout was simple. Even the most novice gamers could adapt to the easy-to-understand controls, and hardcore fans could work magic with them.

The Discs. Now, unfortunately, this was something that severely hurt Gamecube’s sales. Most people were appalled that the Gamecube didn’t use the same cartridges that N64 used. Now obviously, discs are superior, but that didn’t stop gamers from refusing to stop playing their N64 games entirely. While some of the major titles were eventually moved to discs, it was too little too late to save this console. The discs themselves are awesome mini-discs that contain more information on them than you would expect. While these discs held less data than Xbox or PS2 discs, some of the biggest, innovative, and epic games are Gamecube games.

The Games are where this console really shine. I’ve literally played the vast majority of the Gamecube catalog, and can honestly say that many of them are great. While most systems were littered with crappy games, nearly every Major release on Gamecube was a guaranteed good time. Legend of Zelda: the Wind Waker, Animal Crossing, Metroid Prime, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, Super Smash Bros Melee, Resident Evil 4, Super Mario Sunshine, Tales of Symphonia, just to name a select few. Even games remade, or re-released on Gamecube were great. Games like: Skies of Arcadia Legends, Legend of Zelda The Twilight Princess, and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes were all games I preferred, and still prefer to play on my Gamecube.

Of course, even the greatest things in life have their bad points. Dogs have to be fed and cleaned up after, pretty girls have to eventually be talked to, and Gamecube uses memory cards. While only a minor detail, really, many gamers saw this as just one more thing they had to buy, further ruining console sales. The games usually take up very little space, and there really is no need for internal memory, it was just another nail in the proverbial coffin for this system.

There were many accessories available. Many could hook up their Gameboy Advances to their Gamecube to do mini games. There were wireless controllers, turbo controllers, and even air-conditioned controllers.

The last straw for potential fans was total lack of any online features. Xbox had live, PS2 had Playstation Network, Gamecube had nothing. There was no real widely available online feature. Nothing downloadable, no online multiplayer, and no online chat. In my mind, not a big deal. Console sales-wise, a very big deal, apparently.

What more can I really say about this under-appreciated console? It’s got great games, great hardware, and even looks cool. Though overtaken by bigger consoles like Xbox and PS2, and totally forgotten after the release of Wii, 360, and PS3, Gamecube remains my favorite console of all time. It holds a special place in my gaming heart, where it will remain for a very long time.

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