gamecube
Latest
Dolphin is releasing its GameCube and Wii emulator on Steam
The project hopes to launch on Steam before the end of June.
Ayn's Odin is the retro gaming handheld to beat
Retro gaming handhelds come in many shapes and sizes, but the Odin from newcomer Ayn might be the most impressive to date in terms of form, function and price.
The GameCube games we still love, 20 years later
On the system's 20th anniversary, the Engadget staff talks about their favorite GameCube titles.
Fan mod adds modern online features to 'Super Smash Bros. Melee'
The modder behind Project Slippi, a tool that lets people play an emulated copy of Super Smash Bros. Melee on their PC, has released an update with integrated matchmaking, auto updates and replays.
The forgotten dream of second-screen gaming
The original iPad came out on April 3rd, 2010, at a time when most smartphone manufacturers were making the awkward transition from full QWERTY keyboards to touchscreen-only devices. Apple sold 1 million iPads in that first month, and by the end of 2010, that figure had climbed to 15 million. That same year, the top video games were Fallout: New Vegas, Bayonetta, Red Dead Redemption, Super Meat Boy and StarCraft II. The alpha version of Minecraft was generating some slight buzz.
Modder makes the GameCube Joy-Cons you've always wanted for your Switch
If you're a veteran Nintendo gamer, you've likely dreamed of using a GameCube controller with the Switch -- if just to recreate that 2001 vibe of playing Super Smash Bros. Melee in the family den. For mod creator Shank, that's now a practical reality. The hardware enthusiast has torn apart a Wavebird wireless controller to turn into a pair of Joy-Cons that share nearly all the functionality of the official controllers, including the tiny shoulder buttons used for shared-screen multiplayer (it's as awkward as you'd expect, Shank said). About the only thing missing is infrared.
8Bitdo's GBros. links your wired GameCube controller and your Switch
When Super Smash Bros. Ultimate arrives on December 7th for the Nintendo Switch, it will come with support for the GameCube controller. It's the pros' controller of choice for Smash games, after all, and even non-pro fans might prefer it over the Switch's Joy-Cons. You will need an adapter to link a wired gamepad with your Switch, though, like this new accessory called GBros. from 8Bitdo.
Nintendo Switch passes the GameCube in lifetime sales
The Nintendo Switch has overtaken another console in lifetime sales: the GameCube. The Japanese console maker sold 3.19 million units in the last quarter, bringing the Switch's total install base to 22.86 million. The beloved GameCube, by comparison, managed 21.74 million in its six-year run. (The Switch eclipsed the Wii U back in January.) For Nintendo, these are healthy numbers. The company sold 2.93 million Switch consoles in the same period last year, before entering a bumper holiday season that shifted 7.23 million units. The house of Mario will need similar success this Christmas to hit its sales target of 20 million for the current financial year.
Prototype Nintendo Wii remote turns up at auction
Nintendo's hidden device history isn't just limited to an unreleased PlayStation. Yahoo Japan user Kuriaisu1122 recently sold a prototype Wii remote that bears only superficial similarity to the one that shipped in 2006. The button layout is the same, but this two-piece controller had a wired GameCube connection and even required plugging the sensor bar into a GameCube memory card slot. The main remote and nunchuck control joined together through Ethernet rather than the finished proprietary link, and the primary controls (including the D-pad and main buttons) came from the Game Boy Advance SP.
‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ bundle includes a GameCube controller
Nintendo has been dribbling out more info on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ahead of its release this December. Aside from new characters, the company announced -- unsurprisingly -- that the title will be compatible with GameCube controllers, which are preferred by pro players. After today's Nintendo Direct, the company tweeted that a limited edition of the game will be available that includes one of these controllers along with an adapter to use it on the Switch.
'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' will support GameCube controllers
The full reveal of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Switch capped off Nintendo's pre-recorded Direct presentation for E3. The first teaser for the game dropped back in March, a year after the new console released. While fans have been pumped for the next game in the venerable franchise, so has the pro community -- and their prayers have been answered, as the game will support the much-preferred GameCube controller.
Nintendo Wii, GameCube games come to China on NVIDIA Shield
As revealed by industry analyst Daniel Ahmad, Nintendo is teaming up with NVIDIA to release some of its Wii and Gamecube games in China for the first time. While NVIDIA's Tegra chip is at the heart of the Nintendo Switch, in this case, the games will run on the NVIDIA Shield, which hit the market today in China. NVIDIA confirmed that New Super Mario Bros. Wii, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and PUNCH-OUT!! are all available now for the Shield in 1080p, while others including Super Mario Galaxy are "coming soon." Ahmad posted videos of Nintendo games running on the Shield (sourced from Weibo) and provided some pricing info, saying that the Shield in China costs 1499 RMB (about $226), while each remastered game costs 68 RMB (about $10). We wouldn't expect anything about this arrangement to expand beyond China in the foreseeable future, but the licensing arrangement is a way for Nintendo to crack the market officially. We don't have much information on the Shield that's available in China, but it is different from the US version, with local "content, store, search and more" plus a voice control AI powered by Baidu.
Nintendo's Switch now supports your old GameCube controllers
Nintendo's latest Switch update is apparently a treasure trove of secrets. In addition to secretly slipping in support for USB headphones, the gaming titan has also bundled in the ability to support GameCube controllers. Yup, you can dig up your old console and use your old friend to play new games... and maybe even old ones, too, if the rumors about a GameCube virtual console ever becomes a reality. Unfortunately, the compatibility isn't that straightforward -- you'll also need to have the USB adapter Nintendo released for the Wii U sometime ago. It adds GameCube controller support to the Wii U, though it only works if you're playing Super Smash Bros.
'Sonic Riders' may have been (legally) plagiarized
Sonic the Hedgehog is known for two things: going fast and his love of chili dogs. While the blue blur is returning to the fray in a pair of new games (made independently of each other, no less) this year, the ever-vigilant folks at Unseen64 have uncovered an entry from the expedient rodent's past we'll never get to play. It was a skateboarding game called Sonic Extreme that used the groundwork of a Nickelodeon-skinned version of a game featuring Tech Deck finger-skateboard toys and was set to release on Gamecube, PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox. And you thought your family tree was complicated.
Nintendo's Switch might play GameCube games
Following years of pining after GameCube games on the Virtual Console, it looks like Nintendo fans will soon be getting their wish. According to a recent report by Eurogamer, the Nintendo Switch is rumored to be the first Nintendo console to offer GameCube games on its Virtual Console. Citing several sources within the company, the article states that Nintendo already has classic titles like Super Mario Sunshine, Luigi's Mansion and Super Smash Bros. Melee running on the Switch.
Dolphin emulator now supports every GameCube game
The open-source Dolphin emulator has been able to run nearly every GameCube title since 2009, but one title has stumped it -- Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It turns out that the 14-year-old game used some pretty clever, tricky-to-implement memory tricks. However, the team says it finally cracked the game with a more accurate memory emulator, which had the added benefit of making other GameCube titles more stable.
A look at the evolution of modern video game controllers
If anything's kept pace with how video games have changed over the years, it's how we interact with them. Our biggest touchpoint with virtual worlds is the gamepad and -- akin to how games themselves have evolved from simple 2D affairs into 100-hour-long labyrinths in three dimensions -- controllers have changed to accommodate that. What you'll find in the gallery below is a comprehensive look at gamepads from the past 30-plus years of gaming, including high points and missteps alike. [Image: Adafruit Industries/Flickr]
Third-party GameCube adapter fills gap left by Nintendo
Nintendo's GameCube controller adapter for Wii U hasn't been discontinued, but it sure has been hard to find in available stock. Thankfully, where there is demand, there's a company willing to create a near-identical product to sell via their own channels. Typically these knock-offs might be considered of inferior quality (looking at you, bootleg DVDs and Twist & Shout cookies) but you could still give Mayflash's own version of the GameCube controller adapter a shot. Selling for $19.99 via import site Play-Asia, the Mayflash GameCube controller adapter looks pretty darn similar to the official Nintendo brand one, albeit with some sharper edges around the base. There's also a switch on the side to allow swapping between Wii U and PC modes, in case you'd like to have the power of a modern PC but the feel in your hands of a GameCube. Of course, there's always the chance the adapter won't work as advertised, so exercise caution. On the other hand, if it works great, enjoy beating the tar out of your friends in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. For the more cautious-minded hoping for an official adapter, Nintendo's online store suggests you "check back again soon." [Image: Mayflash]
Nintendo: We'll 'likely' phase out some Amiibo after first run
Nintendo of America confirmed this week some Amiibo toys "likely will not return to market," following a retailer's claim that the publisher had officially discontinued the Marth, Wii Fit Trainer and Villager figures. In a statement provided to several sites including Wired, Kotaku and Destructoid, Nintendo said it'll aim to keep the "most popular" figures available, but that there's only so much shelf space to go around. "We will aim for certain Amiibo to always be available," reads the statement. "These will be for our most popular characters like Mario and Link. Due to shelf space constraints, other figures likely will not return to the market once they have sold through their initial shipment."
Pikachu gets its own Hori Battle Pad for Wii U controller in Japan
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U fighters planning on leading their offense with Pikachu should take note of Hori's controller inspired by everyone's favorite electric rodent – the above version of the Battle Pad for Wii U has appeared on Amazon Japan for 3,434 (~$30 USD), with a release date of November 20. The packaging also depicts a matching Wiimote cover, presumably to help complete the effect. For those unable to order through Amazon Japan, there's always the Mario and Luigi-themed variants available in the North American store for $24.99 apiece. The turbo-enabled Battle Pad for Wii U connects to a Wiimote rather than the upcoming GameCube controller converter and can be used with games that support the Classic Controller or Classic Controller Pro. It won't work as a stand-in for the Pro Controller, however. [Image: Hori]
