Mike_AA

The Gamecube is slowly moving down to #3 behind the X-Box and PS2 in my opinion....it doesn't seem to have anything amazing like the PS2 and X-Box are offering.

Smash Brothers Melee doesn't seem to have the mass appeal or Smash Bros. for the N64 and sub-par titles like Luigi's Mansion and Wave Race: Blue Storm are doing anything but selling out Cubes left and right. The Star Wars title looks good, but gives the average Joe (me) nothing to drool over. I'm not what you would call the avid Star Wars fan. Once again, it seems like Nintendo is looking at a dissapointing first couple of months.

However, the N64 did have a title named Super Mario 64, which I consider to this day one of the greatest games of all time. I've owned the NES, SNES and N64 all at launch, but have passed up on the Gamecube until it gets some quality titles, or mature/adult ones at that. I see myself owning pretty much every Nintendo console for the rest of my days, but until they put out a quality Mario 128 (or whatever) or a groundbreaking title like Goldeneye aimed for older audiences, the X-Box and more importantly the PS2 will continue to dominate my time. Needless to say, I think Nintendo has dissapointed older gamers quite a bit with the Gamecube so far.

darkside

There wasn't a copy of Smash Bros or Luigi's Mansion to be found today and very few copies of Pikmin or Wave Race either. The Gamecube buyers seem to be happy with the current Nintendo titles.

As far as disapointing gamers, everyone I know that has one is very happy with it. The Mario, Metroid, and Zelda games will be out next year, so if you are waiting for a killer ap I guess you will have to wait for those. The Xbox line up isn't filled with great software either, so really the PS2 is the only console with a strong library right now.

Kellehair

I think it's pretty stupid to say Gamecube doesn't have quality titles out right now. There is a lack of a flagship title though. But, as someone already mentioned, Mario, Zelda, and Metroid will be coming next year to put a stop to all this crazy talk.

KnightLerxst

Rogue Leader or Smash Brothers. Not all killer apps apply to everyone. I want to play Halo, but I don't have to have it, and apparently that is the killer app for Xbox. GTA3 is an awsome game, but I don't have to have it. I think it once again boils down to what you like and what you don't like.

Outlaw

In before the thread lock!! er.. what? heh well you know its gonna happen it seemed to be the point of this.

The killer app is already out and it is super smash bros. melee and super monkey ball! I don't know what you mean that the "mass appeal" of the game is, I do know that I own it is kick ***!! This game rocks!

Groucho

Wave Race is "sub-par?" You're cracking me up here! The game is anything but.

Anyway, the current killer app for the Cube is Super Monkey Ball.

jeffdsmith

Wow, up here in South Bend IN its almost the oppisite, people are buying the gamecube left and right while the xbox just sits there.

Don't get me wrong, the xbox has its fair share of sales, but right now the GC is just flying...

Thunderball

Monkey Ball and Super Smash Bros..

I need more games?

Deftones

I would say the first killer app is gonna be the new Mario game next year.

SmackDaddy

I agree, and this is not a knock on the GC, that the GC did not launch with a singular "must have" title. Although I am a HUGE SW fan Rogue Leader did not offer enough innovation over its predecessor to warrant a console purchase(same with Wave Race). You would have thought that Nintendo would have had one of it's big guns ready to go at launch to do battle with the entrenched PS2 and surprisingly popular Xbox.

Halo was enough for me to warrant an Xbox purchase, and had the GC come out with something like a Jedi Knight sequel that would be a whole different ball game.

Kellehair

If Nintendo spent all their preparing a killer-app like Mario, then there wouldn't be as many games to play right now. Gamecube owners would have Mario and that's it. Personally, I'm happy either way, but most people want a variety of games to play.

Soybean

As a pretty big Nintendo fan, I too would be happy either way. I think what Nintendo wanted to do here was offer as many games as possible and introduce some new games (like Pikmin). Nintendo detractors always accuse them of doing nothing but sequels, so they tried to address that. Now granted, neither LM or Pikmin are killer apps, but LM seemed to sell well enough (in a higher ratio to hardware than Halo even, if a recent report I read is to be believed).

Cyberock

I haven't seen a killer-ap yet for the nintendo. I think the launch line up is pretty disappointing. I do like rogue leader but I wouldn't say its the killer app. I just hope the nintendo system is capable of that killer app.

Kellehair

Why wouldn't the system be capable of a killer app? Hardware often has very little to do with how good a game is and the Cube might even be the most capable console on the market anyways.

seeyouauntie

I'll *HAVE* to buy a GC when the new Mario comes out. Period.

To be fair, I only own a PS2 and both the xbox and gc have a much better launch than sony did last year.

Cyberock

I think Sony had a fairly good launch last year for where game consoles were at the time. Sony was ahead of the game and had an o.k. launch library. The XBOX took consoles to the next level with graphics, basicly making the console into a computer. Gamecube launch I'm very disappointed with. I feel like the gamecube is ahead of Sony but about 6 months behind Microsoft. The launch library does not impress me. Maybe if you're 10 years old, the gamecube library so far would be exciting. I'm only enjoying Rogue Leader. I just hope the games I'm waiting for on the cube live up to the hype. With the launch, I'm really questing if the cube is going to be capable of producing that killer-app. I haven't really seen a game that graphicly was all that better than what the last nintendo system was capable of. Yes, there's better game play but I'm looking for more.

I took all three systems yesterday, PS2, Gamecube, and XBOX, to a family party. The system that seem to wow everyone over was the XBOX.

Kellehair

I think it's pretty obvious that the Cube's graphics are a lot more impressive than the N64's. Add in all the great effects with little or no slowdown and you've got a wonderful visual treat. You ever notice how things move when you suck them with you vacuum in Luigi's Mansion? Have you seen the waves and weather and Wave Race? Have you seen all the colorful action in Smash Bros.? Have you seen the explosions in Rogue Leader? All those things are very impressive.

Soybean

I think you'd have to be insane not to see an enormous difference between the N64's graphics ability and GameCube's. Just take Smash Bros. for example. Each character was ridiculously blocky, but now in Smash Bros. Melee you have minute details down to the denim in Mario's overalls. The N64 also couldn't hope to do the bump-mapping and high polygon counts of Rogue Leader.

Josh H

I have Rogue Leader, Wave Race, Tony Hawk 3, Madden 2002, Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Monkey Ball. These are 6 of the best games I've ever played, and 4 of them are exclusive to the GameCube. This is easily the most great games this early in a systems lifespan that I can remember. It just comes down to what you like. If these don't appeal to you, but a PS2 or X-box based on which one has, and will have, the most exclusive games that appeal to you.

Groucho

I consider this a personal attack against those of us who enjoy the Cube's current library of games. Quite frankly the whole "kiddie" argument against the cube is getting quite old. Big boobies and mindless gore does not a "mature" game make, it's the gameplay. There are plenty of excellent games for all ages out there, all of which have been mentioned on this thread.

larryw

I bought a Gamecube specifically for Pikmin and Super Monkey Ball. Pikmin is amazing. Some people complain about the length but as long as the game is top notch I'm fine. Super Monkey Ball is so much fun - great single and multi-player. If you pass these up as kiddy games I think you are missing out, but to each his own.

Trigger

Actually - gameplay is all the same, it's the subject matter that denotes a mature game. Violence and big boobies and whatnot are mature themes... hence the mature ratings on certain games containing such themes. You don't have to take what he said as a personal attack... I mean if you feel embarassed about playing kiddie games because someone suggests that only a ten year old would like what you like, then you shouldn't be playing games in the first place. I'm more into games with a compelling story than games about little giggly creatures that look like cartoons... but that's me. I don't think there's anything wrong with an adult playing on a gamecube. I like video games and so do you and so does Cyberock probably. We don't have to all like the SAME games. Perhaps what he said was uncalled for... or perhaps he was just acting out his frustration over the fact that none of the current lineup of Nintendo games meets approval with his personal taste. I mean - Nintendo mostly makes games for children and most of them can be enjoyed by the entire family. There's nothing wrong with that. You don't have to get so upset when someone says that the games are for children.

jeffdsmith

Yes, nintendo caters to children and family gaming... Oh no!!! God forbid a company rely on solid gameplay and pure fun rather then mindless gore and poorly copied game mechanics.

It's true, some great games do contain mature themes and story lines that are actually good. I enjoy these games as well. Silient Hill2 anyone? Awesome game. However, I have fun playing Pikmin for Gamecube too. I completly support and am grateful for Konomi's effort. However who do you think will make more money this year? For Nintendo is just intelligent buisness sense. Why limit your audiance with a mature theme when you know your game is fun for everyone?

Any one who will sit back and criticize Nintendo games as just being for stupid little kids is a moron. Not only are they showing their closed mindness, but they are depriving themselves of some great games. Their loss.

And in case people are worried about mature titles for the gamecube, well here is a hint: Nintendo is using their second parties to fullfill this requirement. Titles such as Eternal Drakness, Perfect Dark 0, Too Human, Rune, Metroid, etc. This way Nintendo gamers get exclusive quality titles for the system too.

In addition Nintendo is pursuing third parties much more aggressivly in order to cater to its aging gaming audiance. We all know about the 4 Resident Evil games coming. Not to mention the countless other titles that will arrive over time, exspecially once the above titles sell really well.

As you can see, nintendo is maintaining their market image while meeting the specific demands of older gamers as well.

On a side note: I had 6 of my friends over (All ages 20-23) for some quality Super Smash Brothers. During game time one of the guys sitting out saw my new copy of pikmin, he laughed. So did a few other guys upon looking at it. However they were willing to try it. At first everyone was making fun of it. (Comments about a Nintendo guy growing weed, and other dumb comments were made) But about 15-20 minutes into it everyone began to "instruct" my friend Brian what to do. "Go over there!" "Do this." "Kill him" "Bring that over there". Not to amazing, everyone was getting into it. Pretty soon everyone wanted to "at least try it". At the end of the night everyone played pikmin for about half an hour. Since then EVERY single guy has come back over and wanted to play it some more. So the point is this, yes the game may appear kiddy, but STOP basing your opinions on games with out playing them first! Seriously.

Also, People complain that pikmin and Luigi are short. The ONLY reason people complain about this is because they arn't traditionally as long as other Nintendo games. Metal gear Solid 2 only took me 11 hours to beat! So what? $50/11 = $4.54 an hour. That is more expensive then a movie, however I now own the game and will probally reply it again here soon, and in the future which will increase my dollar per hour ratio. Point is, even shorter games are good values if it's a quality title.

Okay, I am done ranting. I'll go back to my cave.
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2001-12-14

Cyberock

First, let me apologize to anyone who was offended by the comment of the games for 10 year olds. The kiddie argument though is valid. Most people would agree that the cube was marketed toward the young audience. What makes a game mature is not boobs and gore, it's good gameplay without all those extra cartoon like stuff. I grew up on Mario Bros. and I'm tired of it. The Star Wars game is not boobs and gore but it appeals toward adults too. Wave Race is also another good game. On the graphics, I don't own Super Smash Bros. Melee but every review I have read says the graphics aren't much better than the last version but the gameplay is greatly improved. If I want to play a fighter game, I'm going to play DOA3, no not because of boobs, but because I want something more realistic looking than a bunch of cartoon characters. I look forward to seeing what nintendo does next year because right now not much of their games appeal to me.

Outlaw

Wha? There's more to DOA3 than boobs?? -j/k-