Nintendo GameCube Turns 25 Years Old

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1:01Sora is definitely becoming a Fortnite scan. Text-based teasers also released by developer Epic Games suggests three other Kingdom Hearts characters are also coming along for the ride, including Riku, Kyrie and Roxas. Sadly, there's no sign of Mickey yet, though the idea of him cranking 90s while holding a shotgun seems unlikely. Kingdom Hearts will be the latest gaming franchise to join Fortnite during Override. This current video game theme season, which has already added Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog, Dr. Robotnik, Crash Bandicoot and Mega Man among others. Other upcoming additions have also been rumored with fans crossing their fingers for representation from Persona and Final Fantasy VII. And the first major cast member has confirmed his appearance in Grand Theft Auto VI, seemingly going off Rockstar's tightly controlled marketing script. Steven Rute, who voices Bill Dota Reve and Buck Strickland on the animated series King of the Hill, confirmed his involvement in GTA VI in an interview with the Associated Press.

2:05We know his character to be Brian Heter, a drug trafficker and a parent boatyard owner seeing speaking to Jason about paying rent. Just go get me my cheques, he shouts as Jason heads indoors. Remarkably, Rockstar has yet to confirm any GTA VI actors, leading fans to try to work out the cast for themselves. We don't even know who plays Jason and Lucia, the game's dual protagonists. Perhaps we won't until the game is out in November and the credits roll. While you wait to find out, head over to ign.com and check out ign's extensive GTA VI coverage, including our interview with Rockstar's Rob Nelson on What to Expect. Monday, Mark 25 years since the launch of Nintendo GameCube, a console that provided one of the company's most joyous eras of console gaming, even if it felt underappreciated at the time. Just at a glance, the GameCube looked fun, maybe it was the handle or the purple colored case. Either way, it was immediately obvious that the GameCube was designed around Nintendo's

3:07biggest strength. Games that bring a smile to your face of a kind you won't find anywhere else. As Sony and Microsoft sought to provide DVD and CD playback, Nintendo's box focused solely on games, to the extent that it only fit many DVDs in its dinky disc bay. The console's front prominently advertised its capability of supporting four controllers with no extra add-ons, perfect for multiplayer games of Mario Kart Double Dash, while its colorful pad remains beloved and still used by Nintendo fans today. Of course, the GameCube is best remembered for its game lineup and as the birthplace of franchises that have since become Nintendo staples. Even at release, the GameCube offered perhaps one of the best console launch lineups of all time. On arrival in Japan on September 14th, 2001, the GameCube boasted Luigi's Mansion, Wave Race, Blue Storm, and Pikmin from Nintendo itself, plus Sega's brilliant Super Monkey Ball. By the time GameCube rolled out in the US and Europe, that lineup was extended to include

4:10Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 and Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2 Rogue Leader, whose visuals made me feel like I was actually inside a Star Wars film. Through the GameCube's first year, the hits kept coming. While not the first entry in the series, Super Smash Bros. Malay set the standard for Nintendo's hugely popular fighting game series. And while a version of Animal Crossing may have had a limited release on N64, its GameCube arrival built the foundations of another core franchise, even if its debut outside Japan was much delayed. Alas, as time went on and the GameCube's sales numbers couldn't match PS2 or Xbox, third party support for the console began to wane. Still, Nintendo rewarded its faithful with games that still regularly feature among lists of the all-time grades. Metroid Prime and its under-appreciated sequel, Super Mario Sunshine, and the Legend of Zelda Wind Waker, and some notable third party support did continue with a post-dreamcast Aresega providing the phenomenal skies of Arcadia Legends, while the infamous Capcom

5:135 agreement saw the launch of the Masterpiece that is Resident Evil 4. In terms of pure numbers, GameCube was something of a failure. It shifted 21.74 million units worldwide, a figure that trailed far behind the PS2, in which Switch 2 has now eclipsed just in its first year. The only Nintendo console to ever sell less was the Wii U, but its contribution to the history of Nintendo and its gaming library remains remarkable nonetheless. Last night I dipped back into Super Mario Sunshine V and Nintendo Switch Online, and took Mario for a nostalgic dash around the rooftops of Delphino Plaza. My view out into the distance, artfully blurred by a shimmering heat wave, even a quarter of a century on. There's something remarkable about Nintendo's creation and the dinky purple box it first launched on. That's your IGN Daily Update. My name is Tony Jackson, and if you want more news on your favorite games and entertainment topics, make sure to visit us at IGN.com.

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