[G a f f e r]

Very silly idea but is Nintendo saying bye bye to its Gamecube?
1) CEO said it was their last home console
2)Nintendo themselves seem to undervalue their console by retailing it at 2/3 price of the others (makes most lay people think it's an inferior console)
3) Most retailers don't stock it anymore or don't really promote it (pc world/ dixons etc)
4)Nintendo themselves never promote it
5)new games not appearing at all on the NGC (burnout3?)
5)Are Nintendo planning to release N5 2005/6????

Silly q i know but there's no point me considering one if it goes the way of the dreamcast or due to be replaced soon...

(PS was considering the MarioKart se pack for £80 brand new)

[CrispyXUK]

Gamecube is here to stay mate, new machines from all companies should be out next year though. Anyway Nintendo have never put a lot into advertising compared to its rivals as they enerally dont need to.

[G a f f e r]

It's VERY tempting.

I might be able to get hold of a USA one for free......(nick it off my nephew - his tv doesn't support ntsc but my projector does... so he has never used it)
Just need a transformer...
But the crystal xbox is also tempting (apart from the fact that it's £140 that is).

Genuinly can't decice, but I remember loving the old N64 around my cousins house years ago and would be interested in the cube for mariokart and mario sunshine amd starwars......etc, etc. They do tend to have genuinly different games rather than just trying to copy eachother (xbox vs PS2).

I'm missing GT3 on my PS2 (gave it to other nephews last week) and the only thing holding me back is the above worries re:support and the total lack of decent driving games (just found out driv3r won't be on it either )

[Tetlee]

If you could afford it I'd buy both the Gamecube and the Xbox, however if I could only afford a choice of one, I'd probably go for the Cube. Reasons, basicaly a handfull of games present and future, namely MarioKart DoubleDash (classic game!), Resident Evil 4 (I'm sure it's gonna be amazing and I'm a big fan of the series), MarioParty5 (haven't bought it yet, waiting for the iminent price drop ) and MarioGolf! But then I admit, the Cube IMO is the best multiplayer console (apart from online of course, guess if you want online play then Xbox would be yer best bet).
You can really pick up some Cube bargains, I bought my Cube as a bundle for only £79.99, sold a couple of the games that came with it I didn't want on ebay, in the end it worked out that I payed £45 for the Cube 2x controlers and MarioKart DD
Anyway, that's just my opinion, personaly I like all of the consoles and wouldn't knock any of 'em. That's why I bought them all

[Miyazaki]

There is already a thread on here discussing which console to get, so lets leave all that discussion there.

Nintendo have a good line-up this year and I don't see the console going the way of the Dreamcast. Even if it did it isn't really a big deal as I still play on my Dreamcast ever since I got one in 1999.

[G a f f e r]

my apologies, i don't want it to descend into Best Console.....you're right. I was just concerned re: nintendo's percieved lack of support, but you've answered that...

[James45]

Nintendo's lack of support for the Cube (especially in Europe) mystifies me, they don't seem to be doing anything to counteract the gradual disappearance of the console and it's games from stores. I can't believe the lack of advertising either, there were a few TV in the run up to the console's release, a few multi-title ads then the tacky pricedrop ads and that was it.

I wouldn't be suprised if the general public did think it was an inferior console, personally I'd get a lot of new blood in at Nintendo Europe and get a half intelligent ad agency to come up with a decent campaign before thinking of releasing GC2. Also this fiasco with the three top selling UK titles (harvest moon, twin snakes and FFCC) virtually selling out across the country (in the case of HM completely selling out) is crazy.

[CrispyXUK]

I think they tend to rely too heavily on built in customers who want to play Nintendo games (me and many others), they need more third party games on the system, but they are always using the smaller storage format which I think turns developers off.

[James45]

are you talking about their smaller discs? The amount of gameplay most developers can fit on those is astonishing. Besides do the majority of PS2 and XBox games manage to fill entire DVDs?

[CrispyXUK]

nah PS2 & XBOX games would normally fit on a GC disc, but Sony & Microsoft must be offering developers more insentives than Nintendo but whats wwith the lack of RPGs?

[Sinzer]

Yeah, I am waiting for Baten Kaitos and Tales of Symphonia!!!

Symphonia will be out in the states in June, I had mine on pre-order the day dvdboxoffice listed it, I was sad enough to check for it nearly every day! lol

[Miyazaki]

Originally posted by James45
are you talking about their smaller discs? The amount of gameplay most developers can fit on those is astonishing. Besides do the majority of PS2 and XBox games manage to fill entire DVDs?

I think KOTOR was 6GB or there abouts. The newer xbox games are creeping up to 4GB, but I think the GC disc holds about 1.5GB. Res Evil 3 on GC was over 2 discs, which was a little annoying.

Nintendo can't rely on word of mouth anymore. They need to advertise. It is pretty infuriating. The GC went online in stealth mode. Hardly anyone even knows there are modem and broadband adaptors for it!

[CrispyXUK]

You got to find the adaptors first

I wouldn't worry about the Gamecube. Even if Nintendo came out today and said, "we're scrapping the Cube", there's still a mess of games in the pipe, and the system's been around long enough to build a decent library. Nobody should feel ripped off if no more new games went into development.

What you should be worrying about is the first point. Will Nintendo be in the next round of the console wars?

[CrispyXUK]

Nintendo will definatly be in the next round, they are one of the biggest companies in Japan with stacks of cash to make new hardware, all I wanna see is the new controller

[Paul Williams]

I’m three weeks into GameCube ownership and have absolutely no concerns about its longevity – as was mentioned above even if it stopped being produced tomorrow, there’d still be a whole catalogue of games to explore. Initially I was a bit perturbed by the lack of high street availability of the games. This has just pushed me more toward the E-retailer sector. The only thing that has been reinforced time and time again is that the game specific retailers provide the worst value. In another thread I suggested that we need a recommended retailers list. Does any source provide consistent low prices and good service? So far the 4 games that I’ve purchased have all come from different retailers at considerable saving over places like ‘Game’. As for hardware – controllers, memory cards and the like, sources in Canada & Hong Kong are proving cheaper than using the local retail sector or UK ‘e-tailers’, even with postage.

Paul

[Solar]

Originally posted by Gaffer74
3) Most retailers don't stock it anymore or don't really promote it (pc world/ dixons etc)

how many gamers actualy shop at these stores anyway ?

[Miyazaki]

TBH I'd love to see Nintendo, Sega and Namco club together and make their own console. They are my favourite developers (along with capcom) and that would just be the best.

As it stands in the long term I think Nintendo are out of their league in terms of hardware manufacturing compared to MS and Sony, personally I didn't get on very well with the controller. It sat nicely in my hands but the positioning of the "z" button had me confused. It was innovative but I found it very difficult.

The next round might be Nintendo's last breath, unless they get their arses in gear and start advertising as MS and Sony have a cash mountain and can throw away money all they like by slashing their prices if they think it might squeeze out a competitior.

[G a f f e r]

Well that USA GC is tempting me (not sure if it has hdtv support though as 720p/1080i would be perfect (native) for my projector).

Talking about shops - I find that Game vastly overprices most of its stock compared to the usuallly better deals at WHSmiths/Woolies and the like. In fact, I only ever got about a fifth of my ps2 games from dedicated shops,. finding that online places like Play.com ALWAYS undercuts them.

I was very dissapointed to find WHSmiths has stopped selling ALL NGC hardware and software and relying on selling only a few gameboy games/handhelds instead (well, in Sussex anyway - my home and work towns both). It's this that gives the general perception that most regular shops don't really care (probably because Nintendo doesn't seem to). I would like to see more shops stocking NGC stuff alongside XBX/PS2 because this simply equates to more competition and therefore lower prices. Im afraid that before long, the only high street shop to sell nintendo will be GAME (probably on one shelf at the back of the shop like it does now) and therefore charging higher prices for the privilage.
The flipside to this is that with less public support, you'll end up with less software suppport (as we can see by more and more major developers deciding not to have future software releases on the cube), which in turn means less game choice.
I still think ninty games have a unique and different flavour to the other two (who just seem to copy eachother) but they'd better pull their finger out soon otherwise we'll end up with just XBX2 and PS3 to choose from come 2006.

...and with thoughts like this, I (the customer) need A LOT of convincing before buying a gc (come on guys, I just need an excuse Where is the Evidence that it won't die out?)

[Bascombe]

I think there's more than a few reasons to pick up a cube - main two for myself (if I didnt already have one) would be Killer 7, which just looks damn cool, and RE4, which looks jaw droppingly gorgeous. Plus Metroid 2 of course. I will admit that more and more these days I'm seeing games on the xbox that I fancy playing (Fable looks very cool), but not to the extent of trading in the cube. Tho if online gaming is your thing, then the cube isnt going to do it for you. The cube will die out. But one the strength of current release lists, it doesnt seem like it'll happen this year. And for myself, there's already a fair few games I'd still like to purchase, so whatever the case, it'll entertain for a couple of years yet.

Whatever the case, pick one up - you wont regret it

Cheers

Bascombe

[Paul Williams]

Personally, I don’t think we really need to convince you one way or the other – you either want a Cube or you don’t. I looked at all three of the current offerings and decided the cube was the most suitable. It is just a matter of making a balanced decision. Does it have the facilities you require? Does it have the games you require? Do you want to pay the price? (Add other questions to suit) For me, no doubt any of the consoles would have provided the two former (although all the games I have bought don’t seem to be available on the other consoles) but only the Cube met the last criteria. Indeed, for me the PS1 had a higher notional score than the PS2. I just didn’t want to pay for facilities I’d never use, or having seen/heard the results (DVD/CD play back) they did badly. Is this going to be your only console? It would seem to me that quite a few here have several. In the grand scale of things what else would you spend the £80 on (or put the money toward)? If you can think of something better, buy that, if you can’t buy the Cube.

Paul

I bought a Gamecube last Christmas along with a few reccomended games such as Metroid Prime, Supermonkeyball 1 + 2 , Mario Kart etc!! And i have to say that it was the best money i have spent on any console! So much so that i sold my Xbox as i didn't play on it anymore!! The Cube is going to be/all ready is a classic console and is such a breath of fresh air with it's unique games! You don't buy a cube to play the latest incarnation of fifa, need for speed or any other multiformat games! You buy one to play games that really amaze you Like metroid and soon resident evil 4 !!

Sorry for rambling, but i can't praise this console enough!!

Oh yeah and freeloader is work of genius!!!

[Miyazaki]

Originally posted by Bascombe
I think there's more than a few reasons to pick up a cube - main two for myself (if I didnt already have one) would be Killer 7, which just looks damn cool, and RE4, which looks jaw droppingly gorgeous. Plus Metroid 2 of course. I will admit that more and more these days I'm seeing games on the xbox that I fancy playing (Fable looks very cool), but not to the extent of trading in the cube. Tho if online gaming is your thing, then the cube isnt going to do it for you. The cube will die out. But one the strength of current release lists, it doesnt seem like it'll happen this year. And for myself, there's already a fair few games I'd still like to purchase, so whatever the case, it'll entertain for a couple of years yet.

Whatever the case, pick one up - you wont regret it

Cheers

Bascombe

RE4 isn't out til xmas over here and I've not even heard of metroid 2 mate. Bit silly to say to buy a gamecube for games that aren't out for the best part of a year.

[CAS FAN]

Gamecubes, I got one in my cornflakes this morning! Seriously though, they are dirt cheap now and have loads of top games on them so just buy one you can't go wrong! If i wasn't in the process of leaving a well paid job to set up in business i'd buy one too! Nintendo make some of the greatest games going and you simply can't play them on another console so IMO if you have the money there really isn't even a decision that needs to be made.

[RL123]

Originally posted by Games Guru
RE4 isn't out til xmas over here and I've not even heard of metroid 2 mate. Bit silly to say to buy a gamecube for games that aren't out for the best part of a year.

Metroid Prime 2 scans just for you

Obviously the image quality isn't too good but never mind. There was a short teaser video from E3 last year though if you want to look for it

And Resi 4 isn't out here until Easter 2005 The US/JPN release is Winter 2004 so if people want the game, my suggestion is to import it

[RL123]

Official Metroid Prime 2 details and screens from Nintendo

http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gam...Game-0000-1699

[Solar]

Originally posted by Games Guru
TBH I'd love to see Nintendo, Sega and Namco club together and make their own console.

that would destroy everything :D but its not gonna happen
at least nintendo know they dominate the handheld market

your right, they need better marketing and advertisment to get it out people heads its a "kiddie" console. ! because its not
"he said shes said" goes a long way in the wrong direction

[Miyazaki]

Originally posted by Solar

at least nintendo know they dominate the handheld market

For how long though mate? When and if PSP does well, i can see MS releasing their own handheld, somewhere along the lines of an n-gage or similar to their own (incrediable) Orange SPV, which I can personally see completely owning the handheld console market.

And with n-gage 2 on the horizon, which is supposed to be actually good, maybe it really is sink or swim time for Nintendo.

[Solar]

with the NDS, i think the companies will go for the new concept.
but for home console i cant see them lasting much longer myself either. Pity because Nintendo is the only company i and just about every one here respect for what they have done for the gaming world

we will just have to wait and see what happens

Originally posted by Games Guru
For how long though mate? When and if PSP does well, i can see MS releasing their own handheld, somewhere along the lines of an n-gage or similar to their own (incrediable) Orange SPV, which I can personally see completely owning the handheld console market.

And with n-gage 2 on the horizon, which is supposed to be actually good, maybe it really is sink or swim time for Nintendo.

Every new console/handheld is "supposed to be good" whether it is or not is a different story the ngage was "supposed to be good" and totally flopped from what i heard from ngage forums people are really disapointed by Ngage 2, no Radio, no MP3, same specs internally, not much changed atall apart from taking off features to cut cost oh hot swapable games which should of been a standard feature on ngage 1

we will see

the orange SPV was very buggy when i owned one, was not atall impressed, since changed to a SX1 smartphone much better