Nintendo GameCube

This article is about the video game system. For the Battle mode stage in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! of the same name, see Nintendo GameCube (battle course). For the treasure based off the system from Wario World, see List of treasures in Wario World § Pecan Sands.

Not to be confused with Nintendo Cube.

Nintendo GameCube
Generation	Sixth generation
Release date	September 14, 2001 November 18, 2001 May 3, 2002 May 17, 2002 November 2002 November 21, 2002 December 14, 2002
Discontinued	October 28, 2007 2007 May 17, 2008
Predecessor	Nintendo 64
Successor	Wii

“Born to Play.”

—The GameCube slogan

The Nintendo GameCube, or simply the GameCube, is a home video game console developed by Nintendo and released in late 2001 as the successor to the Nintendo 64. The Nintendo GameCube has six ports on its front: four controller ports (like the Nintendo 64) and two memory card ports. It has three buttons on top: Open, Reset, and Power. On the bottom are two serial ports and one high-speed port for add-on expansions. The Nintendo GameCube was released in five colors: Indigo, Black, Orange (outside America), Silver (since 2003), and Gold, though indigo is the standard color, as shown from its few appearances in the Super Mario franchise and other Nintendo media in general. The system uses proprietary 8-cm Game Discs based on the MiniDVD format that are able to hold up to 1.5 GB (1,459,978,240 bytes), making it the first Nintendo console to use optical discs as the primary storage medium.

During pre-production, the console was codenamed "Project Dolphin," a name alluded to in several early Nintendo GameCube games, such as Super Mario Sunshine, where its main setting, Isle Delfino, is shaped like a dolphin. Since Super Mario Sunshine did not release alongside the Nintendo GameCube at launch, the Nintendo GameCube is the first Nintendo home console since the Family Computer to not have a game from the Super Mario series as a launch title.

In Japan, the GameCube is abbreviated as both "NGC" and "GC," as "NGC" is also an abbreviation used by the Japanese electronics company NGC Corporation. In Western regions, the GameCube is abbreviated as "GCN," notably for classic courses in the Mario Kart games, because the abbreviation "NGC" is trademarked by the National Geographic Channel.

The GameCube is Nintendo's first home console to support digital audio and video output, albeit through analog component cables; this feature was also used to display standard definition video through progressive scanning rather than conventional interlacing. Progressive scan is also supported when playing GameCube games on a Wii through component cables. All but two games related to the Super Mario franchise for the GameCube support progressive scan, which can be enabled by holding down while booting up a game; the sole exceptions are NBA Street V3 and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!

The GameCube is also Nintendo's first home console to be distributed in South Korea without the aid of Hyundai Electronics, who sold rebranded versions of the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy as the Comboy line of products; instead, the GameCube and its titles were distributed through Daewon Media, who also handled the South Korean releases of the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS. Only 27 titles were officially released in the region, including Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Party 4, Mario Party 5, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Smash Bros. Melee.

In 2006, the Nintendo GameCube was succeeded by the Wii. The original version of the Wii is mostly compatible with Nintendo GameCube hardware and software. Like the Nintendo GameCube, the Wii has four controller ports and two memory card slots that support all controllers and accessories, like the dance mat and microphone, though it does not support add-ons that attach to the console, like the Game Boy Player. Later revisions of the Wii, such as the Wii Family Edition and Wii Mini, would remove Nintendo GameCube support. The Wii U and Nintendo Switch are also not compatible with any Nintendo GameCube games, but Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and most Nintendo Switch games are compatible with the controllers through a special adapter. The GameCube controller is compatible with more consoles than any other Nintendo controller, with a total of four: GameCube, Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch (as of its 4.0.0 update).

Accessories and peripherals

Nintendo GameCube Controller

NintendoWiki article: Nintendo GameCube Controller

An indigo Nintendo GameCube Controller

The Nintendo GameCube Controller is the system's standard controller. In addition to standard , , and buttons and a control stick, the Nintendo GameCube is the first Nintendo system to include a second analog stick known as the C-Stick, located on the bottom right side of the controller. This analog stick replaces the C-buttons found on a Nintendo 64 controller. The controller features analog triggers on the left and right sides of its back, and a single small shoulder button on the right. The controller features a built-in rumble motor, carried over from the Nintendo 64's Rumble Pak accessory. Unlike the Nintendo 64 controller, the GameCube Controller features and buttons, as well as only two grips instead of three. The directional pad on the Nintendo GameCube Controller has the same size and shape as the directional pad on the original Game Boy Advance.

A wireless version of the controller, known as the "WaveBird"

A wireless variant of the Nintendo GameCube controller, known as the WaveBird Wireless Controller, was released in 2002. It connects to the system via a radio sensor that plugs into one of the system's controller ports. However, the WaveBird does not support the rumble feature that the standard controllers have.

A LodgeNet GameCube Controller

Another variant, as part of the LodgeNet service, was exclusive to hotels.

The Nintendo GameCube controller can also be used to play several Wii titles, including Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros. Brawl as well as most Virtual Console titles. In addition, through use of the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, the controller can be used to play Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The accessory was released alongside an official Super Smash Bros.-themed GameCube controller. As of update 4.0.0, the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U and the controller itself can be used on the Nintendo Switch, the latter of which is treated as a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller except within certain games that specifically detect it; unlike on the Wii U, however, the controller can be used in all Switch games.

Memory Card

NintendoWiki article: Memory card

A 1019-block memory card

The Nintendo GameCube used proprietary memory cards to save data for games, and had no internal memory, making the GameCube the first (and as of May 2024 the only) Nintendo console that required memory cards to save game data. Nintendo released three color variants, each of which contain varying block capacities (one block on GameCube memory cards being 8 KB):

• Gray - 59 blocks (0.47 MB)
• Black - 251 blocks (2.0 MB)
• White - 1,019 blocks (8.1 MB)

Games played without a memory card inserted act as if they were being played for the first time, and data cannot be saved. The Nintendo GameCube and the Nintendo Wii have two slots for GameCube memory cards, allowing content from one card to be copied to another card.

The boxes for GameCube games have memory card holders inside which can be used to place a memory card along with the Game Disc.

Below is a list of the different Super Mario games and their respective block size, and conversion to kilobytes.

Nintendo GameCube–Game Boy Advance Link Cable

NintendoWiki article: Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable

The cable

The Nintendo GameCube–Game Boy Advance Link Cable allows for a Game Boy Advance to be connected to the Nintendo GameCube, similar to the Transfer Pak released for the Nintendo 64. The cable can be used in numerous GameCube games to unlock special content, such as Wario World, which utilizes the cable for sending microgames from WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! to the Game Boy Advance. The cable is also compatible with the Game Boy Player, with which the Game Boy Advance can be used as a controller for Game Boy Advance games being played on the GameCube.

The following games involve compatibility with a game from the Super Mario franchise:

GameCube game	Game Boy Advance game	Features
Game Boy Player	N/A	The GBA can be used as the controller instead of the GameCube controller.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour	Mario Golf: Advance Tour	Unlocks new content and transfers game progress.
Mario Kart Double Dash!! Bonus Disc	Fire Emblem	Unlocks exclusive items that can be obtained only from the bonus disc. Also unlocks the soundtracks 99 & 100. The GBA link option is absent in the European version of Fire Emblem, since the Bonus Disc was not released in Europe.
Nintendo GameCube Preview Disc	N/A	Used to play downloadable games WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! and Dr. Mario.
Nintendo Puzzle Collection	N/A	Used as a controller. Can also be used to download the NES versions of Dr. Mario and Yoshi's Cookie to the GBA, along with a GBA port of Panel de Pon.
Wario World	N/A	Sends a demo version of WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! to the GBA.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!	N/A	The GBA can be used as the controller instead of the GameCube controller.

Nintendo GameCube Action Pad

The second version of the Nintendo GameCube Action Pad

The Nintendo GameCube Action Pad is a dance pad controller released by Konami and packaged with Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix, the only game it is compatible with on the system. The pad only features eight buttons: the directional inputs, the and buttons next to the up button, and the and buttons on the top corners of the pad. Two versions of the pad were released.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Chinese (traditional)	跳舞墊 Tiàowǔ Diàn	Dancing Mat

Nintendo GameCube Microphone

NintendoWiki article: Nintendo GameCube Microphone

The microphone plugged into a Nintendo GameCube

The Nintendo GameCube Microphone is a special accessory used for Nintendo GameCube games on the GameCube or a backwards-compatible Wii. It is unusual in that it is plugged into a Memory Card slot rather than a controller slot. It has been used in Mario Party 6 and Mario Party 7 as a tool for playing Mic minigames and making Mic Spaces functional. As the Mic was intended to be used specifically with the GameCube, it is not compatible with any Wii games.

DK Bongos

A pair of DK Bongos

The DK Bongos are bongo-shaped GameCube controllers primarily intended for use with the Donkey Konga series and Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. The controller is symmetrical, and each side is shaped like Barrel with a rubber drum skin fastened on top. It has a Start/Pause button in the center, along with the "DK" logo. DK Bongos even have a built-in microphone to detect clapping (although hitting the sides of it also functions). Each Barrel represents left or right on the GameCube's directional stick, based on how Donkey Kong moves left and right in Donkey Kong Jungle Beat. The DK Bongos are backward-compatible from the GameCube controller ports of the Wii. They are also usable from the GameCube Controller Adapter for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch.

In Japan, the controller is called the 「タルコンガ」TaruKonga (or "TaruConga") controller. The name is a multilayered pun, combining taru (the Japanese word for "barrel"), kon, or "con" (a suffix used by Namco when naming their original peripherals, such as the "GunCon", or the "TaTaCon"), and "Konga" (or "Conga").

Before Donkey Kong Barrel Blast's release on the Wii, it was originally developed for the GameCube with the title DK Bongo Blast. It would have been the fifth title to use the DK Bongos (fourth if excluding the Japan-exclusive Donkey Konga 3). The DK Bongos are also incompatible with New Play Control! Donkey Kong Jungle Beat, a port of Jungle Beat on the Wii.

The DK Bongos are the main feature of Konga Beat, which is Donkey Kong's Final Smash in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Chinese (traditional)	康加鼓 Kāngjiāgǔ	Konga

Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter

The Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter

NintendoWiki article: Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter

The Nintendo GameCube Broadband Adapter is an attachment that allows the console to connect via LAN with another Nintendo GameCube console. A few games can employ this connection for multiplayer purposes, such as Mario Kart: Double Dash!! To connect, owners of this device must register their network cards and configure the systems for the DHCP server. Some games can support up to eight consoles connected if each system has its GameCube discs.

Game Boy Player

The Game Boy Player

Main article: Game Boy Player

The Game Boy Player is an add-on peripheral released in 2003 and allowing players to play Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance titles on their television screen through their Nintendo GameCube. Most Super Mario games across the three systems are compatible with the Game Boy Player. However, those with tilt functionality, including Yoshi Topsy-Turvy and WarioWare: Twisted!, are prohibitively difficult to play via the Game Boy Player due to the games using gyroscopes built into the cartridges, requiring the player to tilt the GameCube itself. The peripheral attaches to the bottom of the system, and requires a special disc in order to play any handheld titles. It is also capable of linking up to Game Boy systems and accessories, including the e-Reader and Game Boy Camera, and players can connect their Game Boy Advance systems to the Nintendo GameCube by use of the Nintendo GameCube–Game Boy Advance Cable to use their systems as a controller, though some games support the rumble feature included with the standard controller. During gameplay, players can bring up a menu with the button that allows them to scroll through various options, including setting the screen size, changing the border surrounding the game, changing the button mapping for a Nintendo GameCube controller, changing the screen filter, and setting a timer. Players can also select to change the cartridge from this menu without turning off the system.

Appearances in the Super Mario franchise

Super Smash Bros. Melee

The Nintendo GameCube in Super Smash Bros. Melee appears in one Super Mario-related capacity, as a platform for Luigi's Target Test. Besides this, it is also a trophy, and can be seen in the background of the trophy room along with numerous other Nintendo consoles.

Mario Party series

The Nintendo GameCube has a few minor appearances in the Mario Party series. The Nintendo GameCube in Mario Party 4 is referenced in the form of the Party Cube, and the rumble machine in the options screen is clearly based on the system. A Nintendo GameCube in Mario Party 6 and Mario Party 7 can be seen inside the Orb huts; Additionally, a GameCube can be seen in E. Gadd's Garage on the bottom-left corner of the board in Mario Party 6.

Wario World

The Nintendo GameCube in Wario World appears as a treasure, and is found in pink chest at Pecan Sands.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

The console as a battle arena in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

The Nintendo GameCube in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! appears in the form of a Nintendo GameCube battle course. The Nintendo GameCube logo can appear at the bottom of the word "Mario Kart" on the five pointed star in Mario Circuit and Sherbet Land, and on the logo seen on the billboards at Mushroom City.

Paper Mario series

Super Paper Mario

The Nintendo GameCube in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door will have its internal clock mentioned by Lucky, the brown Bulky Bob-omb that runs the lottery in the west side of Rogueport, if the player attempts to cheat the lottery by changing the time. The Nintendo Switch remake has a new badge, Nostalgic Tunes, with the appearance of the Nintendo GameCube, and mentions in its badge description that it changes the soundtrack to the GameCube version of the game.

A Nintendo GameCube in Super Paper Mario is one of the game consoles that Francis keeps in his room.

WarioWare series

WarioWare: Touched!

In WarioWare: Touched!, a Nintendo GameCube can be seen in the microgame Game On, along with its controller cable and a Game Disc, and one of the falling objects during the credit reel is a Nintendo GameCube logo. A Nintendo GameCube is also used by 9-Volt and 18-Volt to play a fictional video game, 36-Volt Man.

WarioWare: Get It Together!

In WarioWare: Get It Together!, a Nintendo GameCube appears in Level 1 of the microgame WarioWare. Three GameCubes also can be seen in 9-Volt's room.

Super Mario Galaxy

The Nintendo GameCube in Super Mario Galaxy has its logo used as a texture on Kamella's wand.

Yoshi's Woolly World

The Nintendo GameCube in Yoshi's Woolly World, there is a Yoshi design called GameCube Yoshi.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The Nintendo GameCube in The Super Mario Bros. Movie has its startup jingle featured as the ringtone of Luigi's phone. On the website SMBPlumbing.com created to promote the film, clicking on the phone number plays the GameCube startup jingle.

Profiles

Super Smash Bros. Melee

Trophy Nintendo GameCube
	Game/move: Nintendo GameCube Hardware
	How to unlock: Random
	Nintendo's latest bundle of joy arrived in North America on November 18, 2001, and video-game fans rejoiced. This little beauty is sleek, compact and full of cutting-edge technology. Incorporating optical media for the first time, the Nintendo GameCube was truly born to play. Rumor has it that Super Smash Bros. Melee is a software title for this wondrous device. (American English)
	Nintendo's latest bundle of joy arrived in Europe in May 2002, and video-game fans rejoiced. This little beauty is sleek, compact and full of cutting-edge technology. Incorporating optical media for the first time, the Nintendo GameCube was truly born to play. Rumor has it that Super Smash Bros. Melee is a software title for this wondrous device. (British English)

Gallery

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  Alternate logo

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  Monochrome logo

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  The logo's symbol

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  The startup animation

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  The main menu

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  Memory card mangement

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  Silver color

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  Orange color

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  Black color with controller

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  Five color designs of the GameCube, including the unreleased Hot Pink variant

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  How the cable connects to a Game Boy Advance

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  The Nintendo GameCube battle course in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

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  The GameCube icon used to promote Super Mario 3D All-Stars

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  The Nostalgic Tunes badge in the Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Media

Default boot jingle

File infoMedia:GCN Default Boot.oga ​

Holding on P1 during boot

File infoMedia:GCN 1Z Boot.oga ​

Holding on all four controllers during boot

File infoMedia:GCN 4Z Boot.oga ​

Main menu

File infoMedia:GCN Main Menu.oga ​

Main menu (sped up 16x)

File infoMedia:GCN Main Menu Sped Up.oga ​

Jingle from SMBPlumbing.com website

File infoMedia:TSMBM GCN Jingle.oga ​

Help:Media • Having trouble playing?

Game gallery

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  Luigi's Mansion

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  Super Smash Bros. Melee

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  Super Mario Sunshine

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  Mario Party 4

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  Nintendo Puzzle Collection

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  Wario World

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  Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour

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  WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!

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  Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

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  Mario Party 5

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  Donkey Konga

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  Donkey Konga 2

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  Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

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  Mario Power Tennis

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  Mario Party 6

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  Donkey Kong Jungle Beat

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  NBA Street V3

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  Donkey Konga 3 JP

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  Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix

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  Mario Superstar Baseball

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  SSX on Tour

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  Mario Party 7

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  Super Mario Strikers

Trivia

• When the main menu theme is sped up to at least 16 times its normal speed, the theme is revealed to be a much slower version of the Famicom Disk System startup fanfare.
• The initial edition of the Japanese instruction booklet contained a screenshot showing "Super Mario 2001" with a description of Luigi, Peach, Bowser and Toad joining forces to save the kidnapped Mario from someone. This was made up as an example for showing the Game Play Screen and was replaced in reprints with the screenshot showing Luigi's Mansion.