25 Things You DIDN'T Know About the GameCube

25 Things You Didn’t Know About the GameCube

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re exploring the history of one of Nintendo’s most underrated consoles to bring you 25 facts you might not know about the GameCube.

An Earlier Reveal

These days, a console’s official reveal usually happens the year before or even the same year as its release. Just look at Nintendo’s release schedule for the Switch 2, even if we all unofficially knew it was coming. But during the GameCube era, they tried drumming up excitement for it earlier. It was unveiled to the public in May of 1999, more than two years before it would be released in Japan. Most Nintendo fans know it was revealed as the Dolphin before its name was changed. Prior to that, it had other names like the Star Cube and the Nintendo Advance.

Continued Support

To many Nintendo fans, the GameCube controller is iconic. And that love was indirectly responsible for one of Nintendo’s more recent ways to market nostalgia. With the Wii’s backwards compatibility, players of “Super Smash Bros. Melee” didn’t have to give up their tried-and-true method of playing in the next installment, “Brawl.” For both Wii U and Switch, Nintendo released an adapter and produced new GameCube controllers, so fans could always play the way they wanted. It’s odd to think about now, how Nintendo kept supporting a controller mostly for one game’s community, even if you could use GameCube controllers in other games. But it also became a smart way for Nintendo to make more money, releasing new versions of retro controllers for Nintendo Switch Online members.

Early 3D

Long before the success of the 3DS, Nintendo was chasing the idea of playing games in 3D. There’s the legendary bomb that is the Virtual Boy. But the GameCube also could have supported it, though Nintendo showed more caution here. Stereoscopic 3D tech was developed, and supported in “Luigi’s Mansion.” However, Nintendo chose not to pursue it further because 3D TVs were extremely uncommon, and any kind of screen attachment they could have added would have been way too expensive for most players to afford.

The Little Engine That Couldn’t

The GameCube is now considered one of Nintendo’s more underrated consoles, given how poorly it sold. But it had a really strong start. Sales during its launch were extremely high, selling faster than Xbox and PS2 during their respective launches. Released in North America during the 2001 holiday season, with a strong starter like “Luigi’s Mansion,” and the incredible, aforementioned “Smash Bros. Melee” at Christmas, things looked very positive. Unfortunately, it failed to maintain the momentum, primarily due to a lack of third-party support and no DVD drive, something that was apparently vital in leading the PS2 to being the best-selling console of all time. The GameCube only sold around 22 million units, falling behind Nintendo’s predicted 50 million, as well as the sales of its predecessor, the N64, itself considered a poor seller at nearly 33 million.

Combating Piracy…Again

In our Nintendo 64 video, we talked about how Nintendo’s desire to fight against piracy by sticking with cartridges over discs directly led to less third-party support. Since cartridges couldn’t hold nearly as much data as CDs, it hurt the system in the long run. Well, here you have the GameCube, which used its own unique mini-discs, created by Nintendo to combat piracy, but which couldn’t hold as much data…you see where I’m going with this. Although the GameCube did have more third-party support than the N64, these mini-discs couldn’t hold as much data as discs from Nintendo’s competitors. And so, less third-party support partially led to fewer players a second time around.

Halting Production

Another sad story about the GameCube’s commercial performance comes in 2003. That August, Nintendo halted production of the console, not from any factory emergency or some defect, but because there were simply too many GameCubes to sell. Nintendo stated it needed to clear out back stock before producing any more. At the time, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata blamed industry-wide low sales on more sophisticated games, which took seasoned players longer to beat and alienated newcomers. And so, he wanted to focus more on creating games anyone could play. It’s a shame the GameCube sold so poorly. At least the renewed focus on games for everyone did lead to a lot of success with the Wii, but games, at least AAA ones, have only gotten bigger and more sophisticated.

A Different Success

Looking on the bright side, there is a silver lining to the GameCube’s commercial failure. Despite the low number of units sold, those of us who did have a GameCube supported the hell out of it. Software sales on the platform reached 208.57 million units, meaning an average of 9.59 games were bought per person that owned a GameCube. If that doesn’t seem high, trust us; it is. As of September 2025, it is still the highest attach rate of any Nintendo console. This level of passion in the playerbase is likely why people have so many fond memories of the GameCube, despite that playerbase being pretty small.

The Heineken Edition

It’s always fun to look back on old promotional releases, some of which come completely out of left field. For example, in 2002, Heineken began a promotional giveaway in North America. Contestants, which naturally had to be 21 or over, could enter for a chance to win one of one hundred GameCubes, fifty indigo and fifty black, all of which were also printed with the beer company’s logo directly under the console’s. Of course, even though it’s nearly identical to a regular GameCube, the limited supply has made these a sought after collector’s item these days.

The Mansion’s Origins

These days, “Luigi’s Mansion” is looked back on as one of the more charming launch titles for the GameCube. But its status as an early showcase of the system wasn’t always the plan. The game was originally in development for the Nintendo 64. According to director Hideki Konno, the team went through several iterations on what the game should be. At one point, it was set inside a doll house. The idea to use Luigi as the main character didn’t come until production switched to the GameCube. The project then debuted as a tech demo for the GameCube at SpaceWorld 2000, before launching alongside the GameCube in 2001.

Cutting Strings

Nintendo is traditionally very secretive about its projects, especially those that get canceled. During E3 2001, Nintendo accidentally released three names of upcoming GameCube titles: “Super Mario Sunshine,” “Super Mario 128,” and “Marionette.” “Sunshine” was obviously released, “Super Mario 128” was a GameCube tech demo that turned into several other games like “Pikmin,” but that last game is a bit of a mystery. Shigeru Miyamoto would later clarify that “Marionette” was not another Mario game, but one using an actual marionette puppet. Sadly, we would never see even a frame from this game. Although Miyamoto seemed passionate about the idea, with development having started on N64, he could apparently never nail down what exactly the game should be. “Marionette” was officially canceled prior to the release of the Wii.

Another Intro

Here’s a short one, but a fun one. The GameCube has a beloved start-up screen and jingle. And as we all know, holding down the Z-button before it starts causes the jingle to change to something sillier and squeakier, complete with child laughter. However, if you have four controllers plugged in, and the Z-button is pressed on them simultaneously, you’ll hear a second Easter Egg jingle, consisting of quick percussion that makes it sound like you’re running through a dojo.

Musical Roots

If you already knew about the start-up screen, we’ll throw in an extra musical Easter Egg for you. If you turn on a GameCube without a disc, or hold A during the start-up screen, you’ll be taken to a Settings screen. The music that plays in the background while you flip across different sides of the settings cube is very slow, made of calm, peaceful notes. However, it’s actually an incredibly slow version of the theme that plays when you boot up the Famicom Disk System, an add-on for Nintendo’s first home console in Japan.

Playing Online

The sixth generation is when online gaming began to take hold in home consoles. When it comes to the GameCube, most of our multiplayer memories have everyone in the same room. The console had some very quaint, and very selective, online capabilities. Only eight games could be played online. Five of these used a regular internet connection, two of which were Japan exclusives. The other three were in Sega’s “Phantasy Star” series, which even got a special keyboard controller. The remaining games utilized LAN support: “Kirby Air Ride,” “1080° Avalanche,” and “Mario Kart: Double Dash!!”

Harder in America

“Metroid Prime” was released in Japan about three months after it launched in North America. And according to an interview with Nintendo Dream in 2003, translated by DidYouKnowGaming, there were some noteworthy changes made. Most prominent was the difficulty level; Nintendo of Japan removed hints and waypoints it felt made the game too easy. Enemies also had more health and dropped fewer items. Other differences include an opening monologue from Samus, removed from the North American release, and brighter lighting, because Nintendo’s offices were brighter than developer Retro’s, which caused the game to look too dark.

The Panasonic Q

One of the most common things mentioned when talking about the GameCube’s commercial failure is its lack of a DVD player, which helped Sony pull ahead. But Nintendo did release a version of the GameCube with the ability to play DVD as well as CD, just in Japan. Created in partnership between Panasonic and Nintendo, the Panasonic Q launched just three months after the GameCube. At around 15,000 yen more expensive, and with the GameCube’s own struggling sales, the Panasonic Q consequently didn’t sell well and was discontinued two years later.

An Evolution in Wireless

Nintendo had been experimenting with wireless game controller functionality since the days of the Famicom. But it’s with the GameCube’s WaveBird that it truly revolutionized the idea. Previously, the use of infrared technology limited Nintendo’s designers in what was possible. When tech using radio frequency grew more advanced, it was implemented into the now-historic controller. Released in 2002, the WaveBird was the first real step for wireless controllers, which, of course, would become an industry-wide standard for the following generation. This clearly isn’t the first Nintendo controller to change the way we play, nor would it be the last.

A Revolutionary Prototype

Before work on the Wii was complete, Nintendo tested the unique, motion-centric capabilities of its controllers on the GameCube. The prototype for the WiiMote and Nunchuk look extremely similar to their final versions, with some key differences. The original WiiMote is a bit smaller and plugs into the controller port, while the Nunchuk uses an ethernet cable and plugs in at the bottom of the console. Meanwhile, the prototype sensor bar is much bigger and plugs into the memory card port. These were never planned to be released publicly, but are merely a step on the way to Nintendo’s future.

An Underrated Ride

If you’ve ever wondered what the lowest-rated first-party GameCube title is, the answer is a little sad. Most “Kirby” fans will tell you that “Kirby Air Ride,” the character’s racing game on the GameCube, is a pretty fun time. However, at the time of release, many critics disagreed. Of all the GameCube games actually made by Nintendo, “Air Ride” holds the lowest critical score on MetaCritic at 61, which sits in stark contrast to the current user score, an 8.1. MetaCritic scores aren’t everything, but some often seem a bit unfair. Maybe that’s why it took us more than 20 years to get a sequel.

A Failed Debut

During the GameCube era, Nintendo was all about integrating certain features with the Game Boy Advance. But not every idea succeeded. At E3 2003, Nintendo showed a game called “Stage Debut,” which would have put players inside the game using the handheld’s camera add-on, called the GameEye. The game never saw the light of day, presumably since that camera peripheral was never released. Public footage is all we ever saw of it, but Miyamoto did later confirm that part of the game lived on in the Miis, who debuted with Nintendo’s next platform and, in a less-creepy way, also put players inside the game.

The Other Triforce

Though we all know the mythical artifact from “The Legend of Zelda,” there’s also the arcade system of the same name. Nintendo, Sega, and Namco partnered for the release of the Triforce in 2002, whose hardware was based on that of the GameCube. The first game released was Sega’s association football game, “Virtua Striker 2002.” Other big releases were “Mario Kart Arcade GP” and “F-Zero AX,” the latter of which was unique for including a memory card slot that connected to the console counterpart, “F-Zero GX,” and unlocked new content.

A Swansong and a Phoenix

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” branched the death of the GameCube and the birth of the Wii, launching on both platforms in 2006. Unsurprising to us now, it sold a lot better on the Wii, helping it earn the highest attach rate of a launch game since “Super Mario 64,” and becoming the best-selling entry in the series until “Breath of the Wild.” It’s a good thing this is the case, because “Twilight Princess” wasn’t originally planned to launch on the Wii. Director Eiji Aonuma originally planned to work on a Wii “Zelda” after completing the game. But while testing motion controls, pointing with a bow and arrow, he knew he had to include it in the game. Of course, this meant a delay so both versions could release at the same time, but that was clearly worth it.

Pro-Humanity

Whenever anyone blames video games for terrible events or behavior, you can usually point to Nintendo games as proof against them. And the GameCube has a couple of good will stories. In 2009, when claims about video games causing violent behavior were at their misinformed peak, Iowa State University published a study that found some video games could actually establish positive behavior in their players, like empathy and cooperation, citing “Super Mario Sunshine” and “Chibi-Robo!” Then there’s the case of Dr. James Rosser, a laparoscopic surgeon who used “Super Monkey Ball” to warm up for procedures and, in 2004, co-authored a paper that found video games’ ability to improve hand-eye coordination made them great tools for surgeons.

The Missing Fifth

Many of us speak with fondness for the Capcom Five, a group of games Capcom promised to deliver exclusively to GameCube…even though most of them didn’t stay exclusive. “Resident Evil 4” is the legendary representative, this bit of its origin being a mere fraction of its overall history. The others, “Killer7,” “Viewtiful Joe,” and “P.N.03” have cult followings ranging in size. But no one remembers the fifth game, because it was sadly never released. “Dead Phoenix” was to be a mythical 3D shooter, and was set for a release in mid-2003. It was ultimately canceled for unknown reasons, though was among several other games canceled at the time, like “Capcom Fighting All Stars” and “Red Dead Revolver,” the latter of which was thankfully saved by Rockstar.

An Expensive Duo

With every year, the prices of certain retro games inflate to unbelievably high amounts. The GameCube has its fair share of pricey games. But the one that costs the prettiest penny might not be what you’d expect it to be. That honor goes to a duo pack featuring Sega’s “Sonic Heroes” and “Super Monkey Ball,” now one of the rarest releases on the platform. As of January, 2026, PriceCharting.com lists the price of a complete-in-box version as 3,850 US dollars. This version must not have been made in that high of quantity, as a similar duo pack was released on Xbox, and doesn’t hold nearly the same level of fame.

Switch Precursor

In 2020, Nintendo suffered a huge data leak, causing a ton of details covering games throughout its history to appear online. There were a few discoveries concerning the GameCube. But the most interesting included plans for a more portable model, built with a display screen but also able to connect to a TV through a dock, a concept that would be fully realized with the Switch. It’s interesting to see how an idea at Nintendo can come back around at a more opportune moment. The leak also showed scrapped plans for an HD follow-up codenamed Tako, which would have been released for Christmas 2005, but was scrapped in favor of the Wii.

Do you know any other fun facts about the GameCube? What was your favorite game on the platform? Share your thoughts in the comments, and we’ll see you next time!