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The GameCube games we still love, 20 years later
On the system's 20th anniversary, the Engadget staff talks about their favorite GameCube titles.
Nintendo rumored to end Wii U production this week (update: nope)
The Wii U game console has come to the end of the line -- its production line, specifically. Eurogamer reports multiple sources have confirmed that the final Wii U unit will be built this Friday. (Update: Nintendo told Japanese site ITMedia that the rumors are not true -- a spokesperson said so unequivocally, adding that new Wii U titles are still in development. The company typically implicitly states when it ends production on its consoles.)
Project Unity stuffs 20 classic consoles into one: if you can't play it, it's probably too new (video)
Most gamer who want to play with more than one or two vintage console platforms often turn to software-based emulators that may or may not be above-board. How about stuffing all of the authentic hardware into one controller and one base unit? Modders at Bacteria's forums have developed Project Unity, an attempt to natively address 20 consoles across 17 actual platforms folded into a single device. The gamepad, arguably the centerpiece, includes two each of analog sticks and directional pads, along with multiple shoulder buttons and a central button grid that can either be used to steer an Intellivision or fill in for otherwise missing controls. Stuffing the unique controller hardware into one gamepad obviously presents problems with board sizes and the laws of physics, so much of the relevant circuitry sits in modified NES cartridges. Our only dismays are the lack of original Xbox support and the slightly imposing challenge of aggregating and modifying that much classic gaming componentry in one place -- if you're more concerned about convenience in your retro gaming than preserving the original feel of that Sega Master System or SNK NeoGeo, though, you've just found Utopia.
Nintendo GameCube turns ten years dead, still in denial about the whole color purple thing
For many hardcore gamers, it wasn't so hard to say goodbye to the Big N's purple box of yesteryear. But for those of us who stuck by Nintendo's side in 2001 and embraced the quirky StarCube GameCube, today's 10th anniversary is all too bittersweet. Sure, the house that Mario built may have misfired when it slapped the wrong coat of paint on an otherwise competent chunk of hardware, yet let us not overlook the legacy of top-tier, first-party titles that led us bleary-eyed into the wee hours of the morning. Who could forget that first mischievous sacrifice, when you willfully slung a gaggle of Pikmin into the eager mouth of a Bulbor? Or the time you thought your TV was possessed when those insanity effects from Eternal Darkness kicked in? Surely, we have this sixth generation console to thank for Samus Aran's second act. So, the next time you gaze upon your dust-collecting Wii, think admirably of the machine that came before it. Think appreciatively of the machine that lives still inside it.
Fusion Micro mod weds PSP and GameCube hardware, but battery won't last the honeymoon
It may not be the first console we've seen modded and squeezed into portable clothing, but we've got to admire the sheer pluck of cramming all the GameCube's goodnesss into PSP hardware. Modder Ashen, also responsible for the stockier GameCube Fusion, has managed just that, with some heavy-duty adjustments and modifications. The Fusion Micro is a fair bit chunkier than the original PSP, mainly due to the fan and heat sink behind all that busy hardware. Other modifications include an extra analog stick on the right to mimic the GameCube controller and two card slots for games and emulation. Despite this impressive engineering, however, it won't stand up to extensive plays; this unholy union of Nintendo and Sony can only squeeze out about two hours of gaming from its 5000mAh battery. Click on after the break to see Zelda in action, alongside a full break-down of the controls and modifications. [Thanks Ashen.]
Nintendo's Game Boy Advance SP once had an autostereoscopic screen
It may seem like 3D sprung from the ashes of discontentment -- not to mention red / blue glasses -- but Nintendo never stopped believing. It's been secretly refining stereoscopic tech for years in the likes of the Game Boy Advance and GameCube. And while president Satoru Iwata already mentioned early last year that the GameCube had hidden 3D circuits, he recently revealed that the 3DS's autostereoscopic panel actually dates back to the clamshell Game Boy Advance SP. Which, as you might recall, also once sported a touchscreen. At the time, his story goes, LCD resolution was too low to generate a sharp image, but the optometrist-friendly glasses-free tech was already in place. Of course, if you truly want to consult the history books, you can consider Nintendo's entry into the market to be the Famicom 3D System shutter glasses pictured above... which hit stores in Japan way back in 1986. Yeah, we know.
The NCube: probably the best portable Gamecube of all time (video)
Oh sure, we've seen a few "portable" Gamecube systems over the years, but we've yet to set our eyes on anything as glorious as this. Not surprisingly, the NCube's creator is yet another Ben Heck apprentice, with the case being a heavily modded Datamax Kid's Delight and the display an unmodded Zenith PSone. There's a 2-way switch for running off of batteries or the AC outlet, a relocated memory card slot and a rear-mounted disc drive that's just begging to be broken. Hit the read link for a look at 90 grueling hours of work, or just jump past the break for a celebratory video. [Thanks, Jonathan]
Nintendo gets Fenner Investments patent lawsuit dismissed, goes back to printing money
With DS sales continuing their astronomical climb and people still snagging Wii consoles off of shelves faster than you can say: "Your princess is in another castle," Nintendo's doing pretty well for itself in these difficult economic times. It's doing even better today on news that the lawsuit filed against it two years ago by Fenner Investments has been dismissed. The suit alleged that Nintendo inappropriately infringed on a 1998 patent relating to the monitoring of the position of analog joysticks in the Wii and GameCube. Since the company has been using analog sticks at least since 1996's N64, we didn't think this one would go far, and we don't think the proceedings against MS or Sony regarding the same patent will go any further. So, big N can now go back to focusing on other lawsuits and dreaming up new ways to take our hard earned cash.
Japanese hardware sales, 29 May - 4 June: How bizarre [Update 1]
Oh, look. It's the weekly Japanese hardware sales chart. Every time I look around, it's in my face. The ranking, according to number of units sold:- DS Lite: 135,614 149,411 (52.42%)- PSP: 24,595 2,632 (9.67%)- PS2: 18,513 1,285 (6.49%)- GBA SP: 4,364 2288 (34.40%)- Game Boy Micro: 1,270 743 (36.91%)- Xbox 360: 1,245 3 (0.24%)- Phat DS: 1,159 2,967 (71.91%)- Gamecube: 798 318 (28.49%)- Xbox: 43 35 (43.75%)- GBA: 30 14 (31.81%) Whether it's a rare planetary alignment or mass hypnosis, something irregular is surely to blame for this weird state of events. Microsoft's consoles are the only ones not to take a sales plunge this week -- even the DS Phat's fall from grace sends it hurtling past the Xbox 360. How bizarre.[Update: Quite bizarrely, some of the numbers were from last week. Corrected.][Source: Media Create]
