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Topic: The Official GameCube Thread

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Gamecuber

Today I ‘upgraded’ to a 20’’ crt tv for retro games that was lying around at work.

It’s even got a built in VHS player.

Let’s party like it 1999!

‘You swapped three different N64 games for Pokemon Stadium? Where’s your pride? Your dignity?!?

‘…I traded it for a Pikachu’

ThanosReXXX

@gcunit Ah, yes. I didn't confuse them initially, though. When I first mentioned it, I said Limited Edition. Only after @RedderRugfish made his comment, I responded to that, probably indicating that I might possibly meant the Collector's Edition.

Either way: I have both of them, so I'm good.
I got that Collector's Edition from Nintendo's Star Catalog. Back in the day when they actually still had good (and actually realistically collectable) items to save points for...

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

Nintendo Network ID: ThanosReXX

Banjo-

Gamecuber wrote:

Currently playing some Wario world. The menu music is so annoying, I’ve had to mute it whilst I type this!

I know, it's sooooooo annoying, if we can call that music. Whenever I checked the menu which you have to do for the inventory I had to turn the volume off. The game is pretty fun in my opinion but a bit confusing if you want to get 100%, which I did.

Banjo-

NikBoToon

I do wish Nintendo would release a Gamecube mini in 2019 or next year soon. Cause i wanna see 25 games with Mario and everything. Right?

Old school games, retro games, Nintendo, SEGA, PlayStation, you name it! 😉👍

Maaryotyme

I wish your wish comes true. I don’t even own 25 gamecube games. But wouldn’t a 64mini be coming before the cube. 25 games will be more or less 30gb of space so a gamecube mini will cost more than the Nintendo switch

Maaryotyme

Octane

LuigisCube wrote:

25 games will be more or less 30gb of space so a gamecube mini will cost more than the Nintendo switch

What? How does that work?

Octane

gcunit

I don't feel the need for a Gamecube mini, but I do wish they'd make Gamecube controllers more generally available rather than just the limited releases they do for a new Smash game.

You guys had me at blood and semen.

What better way to celebrate than firing something out of the pipe?

Nothing is true. Everything is permitted.

My Nintendo: gcunit | Nintendo Network ID: gcunit

Gamecuber

I think a GameCube mini would be an excellent idea:

1) nostalgia - I played the cube in my early 20s, but for many people it may well have been their first console as a young child (just as the Mega Drive was for me). They would probably like it as a nod to their childhood and those of us who are a bit older probably have enough cash to treat ourselves to one too 😁

2) untouched resources - aside from hd remakes of Resident Evil, Zero, 4 and LoZ: Wind waker and the port of Luigi’s Masion on 3DS (and a couple of third party updates like Beyond Good and Evil) a lot of games remain exclusive for the cube. Now, for someone like me who has most of the big games that’s less of an issue, but some games are getting harder and harder to get at a reasonable price. Some are £40+ so a mini console for around rrp £80 (cheaper if you shop around) it is a real bargain, especially if a couple of such games are included (e.g. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes, Chibirobo, LoZ: Twilight Princess). Even one such game would be a decent deal, especially as you’re likely to get nice versions of the obvious classics as well.

3) GameCube pads- these are still manufactured and fairly easy to get hold of. I’d love if it worked with the original connectors on the old school pads. Wavebird for the win!

4) time marches on - all technology has a life expectancy. Yeah, Nintendo machines seem to last forever, but disc reader lenses and lasers eventually break and it’s only going to get harder and more costly to replace them (case in point: I had to get my Wii repaired for that reason recently, too much valuable VC content to just replace with a new console, plus it is a back up GameCube too). A mini console has no moving parts so should be less prone to breakage. Furthermore, it’s going to be harder and harder to connect to newer TVs. SCART RGB is bound to go soon, so unless you want to be messing around with converters (to varying degrees of success) something that gives out a digital signal through HDMI should last a fairly long time.

Before anyone says ‘just emulate it’ I’m sure that works well, but some of us are Luddites! I remember when the first CD rom drives arrived and I only use a PC for work. Plus, there is something reassuring about playing on either original hardware or a good modern version well made by the same company. I just hope the Mega Drive Mini fits this category, that really is nostalgia for me!

‘You swapped three different N64 games for Pokemon Stadium? Where’s your pride? Your dignity?!?

‘…I traded it for a Pikachu’

ThanosReXXX

@Gamecuber Although I'd also like a GameCube Mini to arrive at some point, I don't think it ever will. If there's even going to be another Mini (because according to many, that's highly debatable), then it's probably going to be the last, and that then, will be the N64 Mini. The Minis were always about classic consoles, and once you get to the disc-based systems, it's not really all that classic anymore, even though they are obviously also not really all that young anymore...

And even if they DO release a GameCube Mini, I'd definitely not expect a list of more than 20 games, and probably even considerably less than that. Just because the NES and SNES Minis had a good amount of games, doesn't mean the GameCube Mini would also. We're comparing 256Kb to 2MB ROMs with 1.38GB ISOs here, so that's not even remotely the same.

Putting 10 games on a GameCube Mini already requires several times the maximum amount of space that both previous Minis had (which is 512MB of total storage space, of which only a maximum of around 300 - 350MB could be used, because you had to take the save states for individual games into account), so that additional cost would also reflect on the consumer, and I don't think that anyone would be willing to pay more than around $150 - $175 for it, if even that much.

As for displaying consoles on newer TV screens: nowadays, there's a HDMI mod or plug/converter available for pretty much every console ever made, so that's really not an issue at all. If you want a new compatible cable for your GameCube, then look no further than this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Hyperkin-Hdtv-Cable-GameCube-N64-SNES/...
(and just in case: yes, that cable is compatible with both PAL and NTSC systems)
Alternatively, you could get one of these all in one boxes, which work with just about any console or other device, that has no HDMI output:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01MU6KHKB/ref=twister_B07V3KZBTV...
And for SCART only devices, there's dedicated converters:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adapter-GANA-Converter-Connecting-Se...

Concerning emulators: for GameCube (and Wii) there's the excellent Dolphin emulator, which is all but plug and play. Even for luddites...
https://dolphin-emu.org/
All you need to do, is download the program, install it, and load up an ISO (disc image) which you must of course find yourself. But Google is your friend in that regard. The emulator will then run it, with standard settings, which are compatible with nearly all games and controllers, so all you'd have to do, is go into the options of the emulator, to map your buttons, and that's it.

And on the site itself, there's lots of information and various guides to get you going, so if that is the only thing holding you back, then I'd say just give it a try and see how it works on your own PC/laptop.

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

Nintendo Network ID: ThanosReXX

Banjo-

@Gamecuber Yes, the SNES Classic does all that right and the upcoming Mega Drive Mini seems to be top-quality too. I really love the SNES Classic. Just Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island which is not available on any Virtual Console and it's very difficult to emulate makes that mini console with two controllers bundled a bargain.

Banjo-

Gamecuber

@ThanosReXXX yeah, you’re absolutely right that (if anything) an N64 mini is much more likely. However, I can’t imagine how they’d cope with the control pad; it would dwarf the system itself! Production costs would be higher than the SNES and NES, which would translate to the consumer. I do have a lot of nostalgia for the N64, as I’m sure many do, but not sure how much people would be willing to pay (which would again be an issue with a cube mini, more so with storage on that system.

As for connecting with modern TVs I’ve gone down the route of anything up to the Wii ideally goes into the CRT (though the Wii looks fine with component into a flat screen) and keeping the HD tv for Xbox 360 onwards.

I’m intrigued by some of the plug and play options for GameCube but the cost is an issue. As for some of the converters/ upscalers I’ll check out those links so thanks 🙂

Oh, and my laptop at home probably won’t be of any use for gaming (however I do have a cheeky version of the Streets of Rage fan remake on there. Now that I wish I could play on my Xbox...)

‘You swapped three different N64 games for Pokemon Stadium? Where’s your pride? Your dignity?!?

‘…I traded it for a Pikachu’

ThanosReXXX

@Gamecuber Well, I don't know what you'd consider to be expensive/too expensive to invest in, but that first cable I linked to, which works for both N64 and GameCube (and I even believe it also works for the SNES), is only $30 dollars.

Don't know how that translates to pounds exactly, because there'll probably be some additional costs, but at least it's a whole lot cheaper than getting an HDMI mod like some of the ones featured on Nintendo Life in the articles that they've written on them, which cost around $100 or more.

And that universal one in the second link is even cheaper, but if it were me, I'd probably go for the best value for money option, which is that dedicated cable from Hyperkin from the first link.

P.S.

I've also got that Streets of Rage remake on my PC...
That's pretty much Freeware though, seeing as they released the source code, which is what enabled these guys to make that remake in the first place. So, nothing really cheeky going on there...

By the way: if you really like those kinds of games, then you might want to look into both OpenBoR and MUGEN engine games. Both are 2D fighting game engines, except the difference is that BoR, which stands for Beats of Rage, is the base engine used in Streets of Rage games, whereas MUGEN, sometimes also written as M.U.G.E.N., is an engine for Street Fighter type games, so no scrolling fighters such as Streets of Rage. And these too, are both Freeware, so you can find various plug and play packages to download all over the internet, and there's all kinds of mods with just about any character and/or IP you could imagine.

Here's some footage from games made with both engines, to give you an idea of what's available:

Edited on by ThanosReXXX

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

Nintendo Network ID: ThanosReXX

Gamecuber

@ThanosReXXX I’ve had a look at that first cable you put a link to before. Not available here in the UK (though maybe some retro shops import them). Does it really do the job of some of these $100 plug and play devices (I’ve seen footage on Modern Retro Gaming and Metal Jesus Rocks on YouTube of them and it is impressive)?

I was always under the impression that these sorts of cables were just a convenient way to connect to modern TVs but didn’t really do much to the picture quality. The official component cable has some sort of chip that was difficult to copy, hence why some people spend a lot on a set. I’m using the official RGB Scart cable with my cube into a CRT, and it looks acceptable on an HD tv too. A $30 alternative almost sounds too good to be true.

In terms of fighters I’m terrible at them 😆. Streets of Rage is the only one that I’ve ever been good at (but I have been playing the series since about 1992). Apart from that I tend to stick to Smash Bros, Street Fighter 2, Mortal Kombat, Double Dragon on the og GameBoy. I got quite good at Tekken Tag Tournament at university. I’ve tried various others and I am going to have a go at Double Dragon Neon at some point. A lot of fighters feel like either button mashers or a long, dull list of combos to learn.

‘You swapped three different N64 games for Pokemon Stadium? Where’s your pride? Your dignity?!?

‘…I traded it for a Pikachu’

ThanosReXXX

@Gamecuber I know the cable is not available in the UK, but you can order it from Amazon US and get it shipped to the UK, which by the way, is also the very reason that I mentioned that the cable works on both PAL and NTSC systems. And yes, it yields pretty good results. Equal to the official GameCube component cable, which is not only REALLY hard to get a hold of, but if you even find it, then the prices they go for, are often around the $150 - $200 mark, so not even worth considering, especially since most (if not all) are second hand as well.

As for the Hyperkin cable: the magic is in the box that's in the middle of the cable. That contains the actual HDMI upscaler. And trust me, if a £5.49 HDMI converter plug like the one you see below here can already do the same trick for the Wii:
Untitled
then an upscaler for the GameCube that costs three times as much, can definitely yield a similar result.

Mind you: the actual end result is often also a combination between cables and the screen, so if your TV is lousy at upscaling lo-res graphics, then results may vary. But at the very least, it's a lag free and clean and crisp way to display either your N64 or GameCube on an HD TV. Do keep in mind that, unlike the more expensive upscalers, this one doesn't have options for scan lines and so on: all it has, is a switch, to alternate between original image or wide screen, so 4:3 or 16:9.

Of course, it's not gonna give you the exact same result as one of these more intricate HDMI boxes that cost almost 5 times as much, but it is definitely good value for money.

Here's a couple of reviews, to give you an idea of what to expect:

And here's a video that compares the cable to one of the more expensive solutions, so you can see how it holds up:
Of course, it's not gonna give you the exact same result as one of these modern boxes that cost almost 5 times as much, but it is definitely good value for money.

Edited on by ThanosReXXX

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

Nintendo Network ID: ThanosReXX

ThanosReXXX

@Gamecuber P.S.

Here's a link to another web shop, that also offers all kinds of HDMI solutions:
https://castlemaniagames.com/

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

Nintendo Network ID: ThanosReXX

Gamecuber

@ThanosReXXX cheers mate, I’ll definitively have a look at the videos and cable (as the fact it might make my N64 look better on a flatscreen too, composite looks terrible!)

I have one of those Wii2HDMI boxes and it is not brilliant. When I tried playing some virtual console games the colours went weird (for example upon entering a cave the black was so dark that everything inside was invisible). I have both the official RGB SCART and component cable for the Wii, the only issue is that the flatscreen on the lounge (a 40 inch Sony Bravia) has every connection under the sun but the one I have in my game room lacks component inputs.

However, both GameCube and Wii look really good on CRT through RGB scart (and I like the 4:3 aspect, no black bars at the sides). In PAL regions GameCube games are stuck at 480i as well, so possibly 60hz RGB SCART is the best I’ll get out of the cube. However, to future proof both systems a bespoke cable might not be a bad investment.

‘You swapped three different N64 games for Pokemon Stadium? Where’s your pride? Your dignity?!?

‘…I traded it for a Pikachu’

1UP_MARIO

@Gamecuber if it’s a PAL gamecube. Rgb scart is the best option you have without homebrew software.

If your N64 is a PAL too and the original grey model. It will look much better if you use a modded s-video cable.

We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

ThanosReXXX

@Gamecuber I used to own one of these Wii2HDMI converters as well, but seeing as it only displays any and all games in stretched 16:9, I gave it away and bought a high end component cable instead, which gives great results on my plasma screen. (edit: and yes, the colors on that Wii2HDMI converter were quite off in various senses. I also thought the reds were too bright)

The comparison video, that third one, actually also mentions the Wii2HDMI converter, and mentions this very problem, about image stretching. That's why the Hyperkin cable has the switch on it, so you can display games natively. And of course, the benefit of it, is that all games are displayed in a 720p upscaled 480p. And even standard 480p is already an improvement over 480i.

I installed all my GameCube games on my modded Wii's external hard drive, so I'm not using my discs anymore, but if I were, then I would probably buy this cable. Only if I had some extra cash to spare, would I go for the more expensive options, also because personally, I'm kind of fond of scan lines in older games.

By the way, if your TV has a VGA input, then it might also be worth investigating if there's an option to use that for the GameCube. Just search for 'VGA to GameCube' if that's the case.

Edited on by ThanosReXXX

'The console wars are like boobs: Sony and Microsoft fight over which ones look the nicest and Nintendo's are the most fun to play with.'

Nintendo Network ID: ThanosReXX

Gamecuber

@1UP_MARIO I suspected as much about the cube. Years ago I thought of tracking down an official component cable but the fact that it would make no difference in the UK (plus the price of course) put me off. With a Wii plus component there really isn’t a need.

S-video isn’t available on tvs here (it’s usually just a blocked port on our TVs). It is crazy when you think that a SNES could do RGB SCART but the N64 never could. Having said that I started playing N64 through RF; when I got a cube I was able to use the standard AV cable that came with it to ‘upgrade’ the N64 to composite 😁

‘You swapped three different N64 games for Pokemon Stadium? Where’s your pride? Your dignity?!?

‘…I traded it for a Pikachu’

Gamecuber

@ThanosReXXX actually my tv does have a VGA input. Wasn’t there an actual VGA cable produced for the cube back in the day?

‘You swapped three different N64 games for Pokemon Stadium? Where’s your pride? Your dignity?!?

‘…I traded it for a Pikachu’

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