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The Nintendo GameCube Appreciation and Collecting Thread.

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Glad you got the GC games again. I have the first two on GC, Corruption and the Trilogy on Wii. I like both the GC controls and the Wii ones for different reasons. The GC game controls were built around the controller, and they worked very well. The move/look system on Wii is so simple, but beam switching doesn't feel as fluid as the C-stick. With regard to Metroid Prime still holding up...yes it certainly does. The game will, IMO, continue to hold up really well in the future. It's a timeless classic (just like Super).

For me, the feel of the GC controller is also hugely important. Like, I've never used another controller that's given me this sensation. The feeling when you mash L to lock on to a bunch of enemies in quick succession is distinct. The feel when you press the B-button to jump has a certain amount of resistance to it that wouldn't be the same on anything else. The clickiness of the C-stick as you flick between your weapons. The Gamecube controller has such a distinct tactile response for everything that I just can't imagine using anything else.


I should really buy up like a dozen GC controllers.
 
For me, the feel of the GC controller is also hugely important. Like, I've never used another controller that's given me this sensation. The feeling when you mash L to lock on to a bunch of enemies in quick succession is distinct. The feel when you press the B-button to jump has a certain amount of resistance to it that wouldn't be the same on anything else. The clickiness of the C-stick as you flick between your weapons. The Gamecube controller has such a distinct tactile response for everything that I just can't imagine using anything else.


I should really buy up like a dozen GC controllers.

I'm pretty sure I am the extreme minority in saying that, I despise the GC controller. It's easily my least favorite controller. I hate the c-stick, I don't like the feel of the L & R buttons and the d-pad is small. The positioning of the buttons always felt off to me, but if I had to pick one thing I liked, it would be the platinum color.
 

televator

Member
I prefer pointer control in prime trilogy. A rare case where I stand favorably towards the wiimote. It's an ergonomic nightmare, but the pointer part is flawless.
 

alf717

Member
I have some GC controllers in need of replacement joystick caps for both analog and c-stick caps. The ones on eBay look cheap. Anyone know of a good source for these?
 

Timu

Member
I'm not a huge fan of motion controls so I rather stick with playing the 1st 2 on Gamecube over the Trilogy versions.
 

Mega

Banned
I'm not a huge fan of motion controls so I rather stick with playing the 1st 2 on Gamecube over the Trilogy versions.

I've gladly acquired more GC games and sort of been iffy on the majority of Wii titles in the past year because of my growing dislike of the motion controls. Just booting up and navigating the Wii menu irritates me like a thorn in my side. And as I get a little older, the Wii has literally been a pain in the neck.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
I warmed up to the Wii a bit when I realized motion controls were a minor part of most of the good games on the system. But... Yeah, I still don't like motion controls at all. AT. ALL.

I enjoy buttons.
 

chaosblade

Unconfirmed Member
Replay Prime 2 again in a few years and it will probably grow on you even more. At this point I can safely say I like it more than Prime 1, though I'm not sure I'd call it a "better game."
 

televator

Member
Guys, guys... We all (in this conversation) hate motion controls. I hate them vehemently. Can't stand Skyward Sword because of them. It completely breaks games like Silent Hill: Shatered Memories. But Metroid trilogy, with some minor yet well working exceptions in MP3, doesn't use motion controls. It makes use of the pointer, and it's done well. Prefer the GC controller all you want. That's great, but let's not lump trilogy in with waggle fest crap.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Guys, guys... We all (in this conversation) hate motion controls. I hate them vehemently. Can't stand Skyward Sword because of them. It completely breaks games like Silent Hill: Shatered Memories. But Metroid trilogy, with some minor yet well working exceptions in MP3, doesn't use motion controls. It makes use of the pointer, and it's done well. Prefer the GC controller all you want. That's great, but let's not lump trilogy in with waggle fest crap.

Pointer fares better, but it still feels relatively imprecise in MP1 and 2. Like, yeah, you're directly aiming, but the games weren't built for that. They were built for the GC controller. Snapping to enemies with the L button will always feel best in those games.
 

Timu

Member
Pointer fares better, but it still feels relatively imprecise in MP1 and 2. Like, yeah, you're directly aiming, but the games weren't built for that. They were built for the GC controller. Snapping to enemies with the L button will always feel best in those games.
Agreed with this 100%!
 

chaosblade

Unconfirmed Member
I am fine with both control schemes. The main advantage of free aim is just being able to aim at things while moving. Like shooting open a door that would either require you to wait until you get to it or stop and aim. For combat there aren't many situations where you don't want to just lock on.
 
Metroid Prime Trilogy's controls were great, what's going on here

I mean, okay, Metroid Prime/2 worked fine once you got over the learning curve, but the point-and-shoot mechanics of Prime 3 and Trilogy were much more intuitive. And it's not like they ditched the lock-on or anything, either! Still use that all the time in Trilogy.

I mean, fair point made with the comment about switching visors and guns with the Wiimote being clumsier than the D-Pad and C-stick, but I felt the control scheme had improved enough otherwise to more than compensate for that shortcoming.
 

shanafan

Member
Picked up the component cable for $200 locally. It was on my mind too much this week, and knew if I didn't get it, I would regret it!
 
Got everything together for the HDMI mod and soldered a decent amount of the board in when I realised I was using too high a gauge of wire; it was too much of a pain to keep everything together and move the FPGA board into place. Seems like there is always something!

Guess I'm waiting until I get back from PAX to finish it.
 

Mega

Banned
Picked up the component cable for $200 locally. It was on my mind too much this week, and knew if I didn't get it, I would regret it!

I got one from a Gaffer for $140 a few months ago. A great deal considering the prices for these cables now. I remember laughing about the thought of paying like $80 for one, years ago.
 

Theosmeo

Member
Those component cables feel super satisfying, managed to stockpile like 4 as a kid so I should be good if one breaks

They go for $300 online?!?!? WOW what?
 

shanafan

Member
Those component cables feel super satisfying, managed to stockpile like 4 as a kid so I should be good if one breaks

They go for $300 online?!?!? WOW what?

Honesty, that online price is definitely inflated. In comparison, the store where I got it from said they have had it since October, and were thankful someone was finally buying it. I should have asked if they would have taken a lower price!
 
Do all the HDMI solutions involved busting up your case? It just seems so wrong. So thoughtless. So violating.
It seems that way for now. But word in this thread has been that there's apparently a solution coming that's just a standard cable, no severing of the Gamecube needed. I'd hold out for a bit if I were you. I know I am.
 

shanafan

Member
Sorry for the crappy pics (and links as they're huge) but I emptied a bedroom cupboard today and under a load of old baby clothes and toys found this lot stashed away.

I've still got the GC boxed under a bed somewhere as well.

http://i.imgur.com/D7TMZ6b.jpg

Bonus pic of a few N64, DC and Xbox games too!

http://i.imgur.com/gkm7vwT.jpg

So that's nice!

Definitely some great N64 boxed games you have! Especially Conker.

Question, why does your Double Dash have a gold box?
 

IrishNinja

Member
prolly a dumb question i'd not need to ask if i weren't so tired, but: can't get sound from my GC at the moment. ive got it on component cables to my XRGB, and use the composite cables (red/white only) to my receiver, but nothing from that channel. should i maybe plug the audio into the uspcaler itself, or what? wanna play chibi robo over here
 

televator

Member
prolly a dumb question i'd not need to ask if i weren't so tired, but: can't get sound from my GC at the moment. ive got it on component cables to my XRGB, and use the composite cables (red/white only) to my receiver, but nothing from that channel. should i maybe plug the audio into the uspcaler itself, or what? wanna play chibi robo over here

The Mini is going to the TV and not through the receiver, right?
 
Hi everyone, first time posting here. I am going to Tokyo next month, and suddenly I want to buy a GameCube as I want to play some old games. Do I need to know anything special before buying a used GameCube? Like, any problems on cables, regions or memory cards? I have a power converter for Japanese electronics, so AC is not a problem. I am also confident towards the quality of second-hand goods of Japan. Last time I brought a used DSLL from Trader (1500yen) and it is in mint condition, such a crazy deal.

One more thing, any games, especially hidden gems, I should get? I am learning Japanese so language is not a problem. Fire Emblem and Mario Sunshine are currently on my shopping list.
 
Hi everyone, first time posting here. I am going to Tokyo next month, and suddenly I want to buy a GameCube as I want to play some old games. Do I need to know anything special before buying a used GameCube? Like, any problems on cables, regions or memory cards? I have a power converter for Japanese electronics, so AC is not a problem. I am also confident towards the quality of second-hand goods of Japan. Last time I brought a used DSLL from Trader (1500yen) and it is in mint condition, such a crazy deal.

One more thing, any games, especially hidden gems, I should get? I am learning Japanese so language is not a problem. The two Fire Emblem games and Mario Sunshine are currently on my shopping list.

They're region locked. If you want to play US games, you can install a region mod switch but it involves taking the whole thing apart, removing a heatsink, and soldering to a couple of really tiny point.

Memory cards are also region locked, in that they need to be formatted per region and you'll lose all saves when you do. You'll trip over extra memory cards there so just pick an extra few up.

You might as well get a matching GameBoy Player as well since they're really cheap there.

There are very few worthwhile JP exclusive GameCube games. The system didn't sell so well in Japan and sold fairly well in NTSC-U land so almost all games ended up reaching US store shelves. I picked up Nintendo Puzzle Collection but... eh it's nothing special, you might as well play the original Yoshi's Cookie, Dr. Mario, and Panel de Pon instead.
 
prolly a dumb question i'd not need to ask if i weren't so tired, but: can't get sound from my GC at the moment. ive got it on component cables to my XRGB, and use the composite cables (red/white only) to my receiver, but nothing from that channel. should i maybe plug the audio into the uspcaler itself, or what? wanna play chibi robo over here

I would pump the audio into the XRGB, I don't think most receivers let you do separate audio while doing video over HDMI. I would just pump all of it into the FM and let it handled the audio output.
 
The Japanese version of Sonic Gems Collection has extra games on it (Bonanza Bros. and the Streets of Rage trilogy(!)) and uses the Hataya/Ogata soundtrack for CD instead of the Nilsen soundtrack, but there's plenty of ways to buy the former and there's that remake of Sonic CD that honestly blows Gems's rather poor port out of the water, so...

But hey, Sonic R! I don't care what anyone else says, I have tons of fun playing that game. Guilty pleasure, I guess.
 

alf717

Member
Mostly use the gameboy interface. I found a recent build I think, but there was no info on how to put it on the card and where files needed to live. I think I got it set up right, but only 1 of the 3 modes will load, and honestly I didn't find it vs the default worth all the money and hassle to get it loaded. I think it was just the default GB Interface. I couldn't get ULL or LL modes to load at all. I'm pretty disappointed in the build quality of the SD memory card adapter itself. For how much this thing cost, it feels like a cheap chinese knock off that cost 50 cents to build.

GB Interface was the same reason I got so interested in doing all this. ULL and LL will only work on CRT screens. At least that is the way I understood it when skimming the read me.

Has anyone tried dumping there own games using GB Interface? The latest build 2016-04-04 mentions that you can do that. I don't have a SD adapter and I doubt dumping ROMS to a memory card would be fun thing to figure out how to get the data off it. I believe you can dump saved games with it as well using addition software.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Hi everyone, first time posting here. I am going to Tokyo next month, and suddenly I want to buy a GameCube as I want to play some old games. Do I need to know anything special before buying a used GameCube? Like, any problems on cables, regions or memory cards? I have a power converter for Japanese electronics, so AC is not a problem. I am also confident towards the quality of second-hand goods of Japan. Last time I brought a used DSLL from Trader (1500yen) and it is in mint condition, such a crazy deal.

One more thing, any games, especially hidden gems, I should get? I am learning Japanese so language is not a problem. Fire Emblem and Mario Sunshine are currently on my shopping list.

Just be sure you get the DOL-001 model that has the digital out on the back. If it doesn't have that, it's junk. Junk, I tell ya!


As for imports... get Nintendo Puzzle Collection, the Kururin game on there (I think it's Kururin Paradise), and uh... Battle Stadium DON?
 
They're region locked. If you want to play US games, you can install a region mod switch but it involves taking the whole thing apart, removing a heatsink, and soldering to a couple of really tiny point.

Memory cards are also region locked, in that they need to be formatted per region and you'll lose all saves when you do. You'll trip over extra memory cards there so just pick an extra few up.

You might as well get a matching GameBoy Player as well since they're really cheap there.

There are very few worthwhile JP exclusive GameCube games. The system didn't sell so well in Japan and sold fairly well in NTSC-U land so almost all games ended up reaching US store shelves. I picked up Nintendo Puzzle Collection but... eh it's nothing special, you might as well play the original Yoshi's Cookie, Dr. Mario, and Panel de Pon instead.

I am not living in the US, so all games are fine. :)

It is a good thing to me that almost all games released in both region, I guess I can concentrate on playing games and learning Japanese instead of distinguishing which games only released in Japan. So region lock should not be a huge problem.

BTW, thank you for your recommendations. I did not know there is a GameBoy Player for GC. This is great news as there are many GB games I want to play!

Just be sure you get the DOL-001 model that has the digital out on the back. If it doesn't have that, it's junk. Junk, I tell ya!


As for imports... get Nintendo Puzzle Collection, the Kururin game on there (I think it's Kururin Paradise), and uh... Battle Stadium DON?

I looked it up, so only DOL-001 model has the component cable. I will try to find this model instead of others. And thanks for the game recommendation. Battle Stadium D.O.N is definitely for me as I like shonen jump's manga.
 

Sheentak

Member
Ordered beach spikes. Owned it as a kid stupidly sold it one of my biggest gaming regrets ever.

Only £5 hopefully ebay pulls through
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Ordered beach spikes. Owned it as a kid stupidly sold it one of my biggest gaming regrets ever.

Only £5 hopefully ebay pulls through

Beach Spikers is great. I remember buying that for $10 before DOAX came out, and people were like "why didn't you just wait for DOAX?" Well, because Beach Spikers is a good fucking game, as it turns out.

Game got pretty expensive a while back, but prices dropped again. I need to rebuy it. I miss that game.
 
Beach Spikers is great. I remember buying that for $10 before DOAX came out, and people were like "why didn't you just wait for DOAX?" Well, because Beach Spikers is a good fucking game, as it turns out.

Game got pretty expensive a while back, but prices dropped again. I need to rebuy it. I miss that game.

I liked Beach Spikers so much that it convinced me to try DOAX2, just in case it was also a good beach volleyball game. it really wasn't.
 

NDPsycho

Member
I liked Beach Spikers so much that it convinced me to try DOAX2, just in case it was also a good beach volleyball game. it really wasn't.

DOAX games shouldn't really be thought of as strictly a volleyball game. The first one wasn't that bad at it, but even then it was just a part of a larger game. T&A pokemon mash up. I agree with you though, it seemed worse in the second one.

I also like spikers. Bought it back when it came out simply because it was a Sega game and I was still upset they went software only, but was trying to be supportive. I miss having a first party publisher that was arcade focused...
 
Beach Spikers is great. I remember buying that for $10 before DOAX came out, and people were like "why didn't you just wait for DOAX?" Well, because Beach Spikers is a good fucking game, as it turns out.

Game got pretty expensive a while back, but prices dropped again. I need to rebuy it. I miss that game.

I remember buying it for I think $5 at an old FYE, I loved it and managed to unlock everything. Should boot it up again one of these days. Wish SEGA would port it to new systems/steam, it would be amazing.

Man...I still wish I could find a component cable for a reasonable price, it would be nice to have.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Hmm...

So, I've gotten to the Phazon Mines part of Metroid Prime. I'd always felt like it was kind of the low point of the game... which isn't to say I thought it was bad, but it was less exciting than the rest of it. I'm kind of reevaluating that now. Maybe it's because this is the first playthrough where I've actually bothered reading the logs I've scanned, and those add a lot of context to the area. But I also, for the first time, really appreciate how the area gets more and more alien the deeper you descend into it. The sound design contributes a lot to that. It's extremely well-done.

What a fucking masterpiece.
 

Glowsquid

Member
i always disliked phazon mine because of the goddamn bullet sponge beam troopers and the large, save room-less stretch between the start and the invisible drone boss.

one thing I dislike about the metroid prime games is this bizarre trend of introducing an annoying bullet sponge enemy and putting those enemies everywhere, including in areas that didn't have them originally. the chozo ghosts and beam troopers in Mp1, the "phaazoids" in MP3. I havwen't played MP2 but I wouldn't be surprised if it does that too.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
i always disliked phazon mine because of the goddamn bullet sponge beam troopers and the large, save room-less stretch between the start and the invisible drone boss.

one thing I dislike about the metroid prime games is this bizarre trend of introducing an annoying bullet sponge enemy and putting those enemies everywhere, including in areas that didn't have them originally. the chozo ghosts and beam troopers in Mp1, the "phaazoids" in MP3. I havwen't played MP2 but I wouldn't be surprised if it does that too.

I actually thought the long stretch without a save point in the mines was a good thing -- it made it more stressful and forced you to experience that whole descent without being taken out of it.
 

Danny Dudekisser

I paid good money for this Dynex!
Finished Metroid Prime. The game is obviously still a classic. I mean... shit, I think I actually liked it better this time around.

Next on the list... I might finally open up that copy of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance. Crazy how expensive that game has gotten. But yeah, I was kind of disappointed with Fates, so I basically need to play a new Fire Emblem that's up to snuff. I think this'll fit the bill.

And it'll be nice to play FE on a TV.

Edit: I looked it up, and... I bought FE 8 years ago . Kinda weird to think it took me this long.
 
Beach Spikers is great. I remember buying that for $10 before DOAX came out, and people were like "why didn't you just wait for DOAX?" Well, because Beach Spikers is a good fucking game, as it turns out.

Game got pretty expensive a while back, but prices dropped again. I need to rebuy it. I miss that game.

There hasn't been a volleyball game with gameplay nearly as good as Beach Spikers since that game, has there? You'd think there'd have been something, but I sure can't think of any...
 
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