History Platform / NintendoGameCube

* Games were stored on a 8cm optical disc based on the Mini UsefulNotes/{{DVD}} standard and created by Matsushita (Panasonic). A key difference is that the [=GameCube=] uses Constant Angular Velocity (in which the disk spins at the same speed regardless of the reading laser's position) rather than Constant Linear Velocity (in which the disc spins slower or faster depending on the reading laser's position to achieve a constant velocity of the laser beam traveling across the disc surface). The total storage capacity of the disc is 1.5GB although games typically only used around 1.34GB. The three main reasons why this format was chosen was to reduce load times, to [[CopyProtection make piracy harder]], [[note]] Although it was discovered later on test points are present on the drive controller that when sent a signal containing the drive password, bypasses the IPL's security and allows unauthorized discs to boot. That password was "MATSUSHITA" in all caps. Nintendo fixed this for the Wii...by reusing the same password only entirely in lowercase. Oops. [[/note]] and to avoid paying licensing fees to the DVD forum. Much like what had happened with the N64, Nintendo's choice of the lower capacity storage medium was criticized by some developers. However, while there were a few games that had to come out on multiple discs, and a few others that cut content or used extra compression to fit on one, it was overall much less of an issue than the N64's cartridges. Interestingly, the disc drive can read full sized [=DVD=] discs by modifying the upper shell of the console and a simple modchip to bypass security. Although it can only address the first 1.5GB of data on this disc. Hacker's developed special disc images that combined multi disc games onto a single disc with a custom loader.

* The Flipper is a fixed function processor like many [=GPUs=] of its era. However, Flippers contains a unique series of engine components called the Texture Environment Unit, or TEV Unit, which is a 16 stage color blender. This allows the [=GameCube=] to produce numerous effects by blending multiple texels together including feeding its own results back into the pipeline in realtime for further effects up to 15 times for each loop. This unique shader like system allowed the console to achieve effects similar to what could be achieved using the freely programmable pixel shaders on more advanced graphics hardware such as the Platform/{{Xbox}} and contemporary high-end PC UsefulNotes/{{Graphics Processing Unit}}s starting with the [=GeForce=] 3.

->''"Who Are You?"''

The '''Creator/{{Nintendo}} [=GameCube=]''' (officially abbreviated as GCN internationally and NGC in Japan), Nintendo's entry into the [[MediaNotes/TheSixthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames sixth generation]] of the MediaNotes/ConsoleWars, was released in late 2001. In response to third parties being driven away by the Platform/{{Nintendo 64}}'s continued use of cartridges, Nintendo shifted away from that format and toward optical media with this system, favoring proprietary 8cm discs based on the [=miniDVD=] format due to a desire to [[DigitalPiracyIsEvil cut down on piracy rates]] (unsuccessfully) and avoid paying licensing fees to the DVD Forum (of which their direct competitor Creator/{{Sony}} was a member). Its graphical capabilities are capable of surpassing the Platform/PlayStation2 despite its limited storage, and in some cases, its performance was on par with the Platform/{{Xbox}}. ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/RogueSquadron III'' actually holds the sixth-gen record for polygon count at 20 million polygons. The [=GameCube=] was the first Nintendo console to have fewer buttons on its controller than its predecessor; this was due to the introduction of a second analog stick to replace the N64's C buttons, though this C-stick was smaller than the primary analog stick; Nintendo wouldn't release a proper dual analog controller until the Platform/{{Wii}} Classic Controller five years later.

** ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc Scream Arena''

** ''Pac-Man Fever''

*** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda''

*** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZelda1''