Page Location: Home > GameCube Lounge > Topic
Manji
rank 11
Posted:
Sat Oct 18, 2008 12:40 pm
quote : #1
profile : pm
Posts: 158
Type: NTSC-U/C
i am a big gamecube fan, so i want to talk about the gamecube from a design standpoint. first of all, it's a very convenient, comfortably sized console. at first the handle is kind of a weird thing for a console to have, but nintendo obviously had portability in mind and it actually turns out to be very nice to have. you know exactly where to safely hold the gamecube when you're carrying it around. not like a console really needs a handle, but it's still pretty cool never the less and the only console designed with such a feature. i enjoy the dimensions of the gamecube too. it's got a quiet, unobtrusive cube shape and packs everything into a neat little package.

another first for a console was the proprietary mini disc format. the gamecube wouldn't be as cool if it didnt have those little discs to fit inside of an equally compact console. i think they're very durable too. not as prone to scratching and damage simply because of the smaller surface area for those things to occur. although i can see how people might manhandle the discs because they're so small and then get fingerprints or smudges on there, especially the younger crowd, but the discs still feel solid and almost indestructible. you really have to purposely toss those things around or mistreat them to get them into bad shape. i dont mind multiple disc media either, so even though a gc disc might hold less data, putting things on two discs is cool with me. some games are so awesome, it makes them feel even more epic knowing a single disc can't hold all that greatness. like resident evil, re zero, re 4, twin snakes, baten kaitos, tales of symphonia, etc.

i also like the cases the games come in. they are original and unlike any other. it's not just a plain dvd case like ps2, or xbox or any of those, it actually makes gamecube games more unique.

and then there's the controller! which to me is my favorite console controller, ever. the only downside (and it's kind of a big one) is the tiny d-pad. i mean that thing looks like and feels like it belongs on a handheld. definitely not good for certain fighting games like capcom vs. snk 2 eo. which is why i believe in that game they gave you an option to map special moves onto the c-stick so you didnt have to mess with the miniature d-pad for those precision inputs. other than this, the gamecube controller is super efficient and feels like home on the hands. easy to hold, comfortable, the buttons are solid, well placed, easy to find and sized appropriately. the big green A button makes me and everyone else looking at the controller realize what the action button is gonna be. it's like the centerpiece of a great banquet meal. the whole controller just contours your hand perfectly. the primary analog stick is also a highlight. very high quality and responsive. i've never had a problem with any official nintendo controllers. i guess one slightly awkward thing is the z-button. i never quite understood its purpose, but it's another button and it's not really in the way or anything, so that's good thing.

Last edited by Manji on Sun Oct 19, 2008 2:15 pm; edited 1 time in total
 
lazybum
rank 10
Posted:
Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:47 pm
quote : #2
profile : pm
Posts: 142
Type: NTSC-U/C
yea i just bought a gamecube( 2 actually) this summer. The controllers are really comfortable and that surprised me. They look like a mess of buttons before you hold it. I do really hate the tiny dpad though. My hands are big and it is impossible for me to not hit 2 directions at once on that. At least when I use my gameboyplayer I use my gba sp as a controller since its dpad is actually bigger than the gamecube controller's.

Posted Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:42 pm:

After playing mario kart dd and fzero gx, I realized the gc controller is like amazing for racing games. Damn thing is so comfortable. The z button sucks though. Like in Fzero-gx that is the button to do the spin attack. It feels very awkward to move my finger from the right trigger to press that button.
  _________________
blog - game collection - youtube
xlink nickname = lazyhobobum
It's a me! Slow Motion Matrixy Mario Kart!
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Display:   
 
View previous topic - View next topic
Page Location: Home > GameCube Lounge > Topic