GameCube 25th Anniversary: Price, Launch Games, and Mini Discs

The Nintendo GameCube turns 25 on November 18, 2026, counting from its North American launch. If you remember a purple lunchbox of a console and a controller with a big green A button, this one is for you.

The GameCube did not win the sales race. It still left a pile of games and ideas people talk about today. Here is what it cost, what you could play on day one, and what made the box so odd.

Launch dates and the $199 price

The GameCube came out in different places on different days, according to Wikipedia:

• Japan: September 14, 2001
• North America: November 18, 2001
• Europe: May 3, 2002
• Australia: May 17, 2002

In the U.S., the console cost $199, and GameSpot says it came in indigo and jet black. Extra controllers were $34.95 and memory cards were $14.95. The Register reports that the price was $100 less than both the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox.

The date moved, too. GameSpot says Nintendo planned a November 5 launch, then pushed it back to November 18 to make sure it had enough consoles. The result: Nintendo shipped a little more than 700,000 units to U.S. stores, and GameSpot says most retailers sold out of their stock on launch day.

What you could play at launch

GameSpot names Luigi’s Mansion, Wave Race: Blue Storm, Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 in the U.S. launch lineup. The article says the lineup includes “such games as” those, so the list is not complete. The Register counts 12 launch titles in all.

There was no Mario platformer on day one. Super Mario Sunshine arrived in 2002, and Wikipedia lists Super Smash Bros. Melee as the console’s best seller at 7.09 million copies. Other big names on the system include The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Resident Evil 4.

The odd little box: discs and controller

The GameCube did not play regular DVDs or CDs. It used small 8 cm discs, and Wikipedia says each one holds up to 1.5 GB. Nintendo’s own pitch was that the console did not copy the DVD player or computer you already owned. Peter Main of Nintendo of America said that meant the company did not have to compromise on software quality or on the price of the hardware.

The controller was a big part of the look. Wikipedia describes a handlebar-style pad with staggered analog sticks and pressure-sensitive triggers. It also had a second small stick, the C-Stick, and built-in rumble. Four controller ports sat on the front of the console, so friends could plug in without crawling behind the TV.

Saves went on memory cards. The three official sizes were 512 KB, 2 MB, and 8 MB, per Wikipedia. Two slots sat on the front.

Game Boy Advance link and online play

Nintendo sold a link cable that let a Game Boy Advance work as a second screen or an extra controller. Not every game used it, but the idea showed up again years later with the Wii U and its tablet-style pad.

Online play was a side note. Wikipedia says broadband and modem adapters let a small number of games go online. If you wanted a wireless pad, the WaveBird came later and ran on AA batteries.

Sales and the end of the line

Wikipedia lists lifetime sales at 21.74 million consoles. Nintendo confirmed in February 2007 that it had stopped making the hardware. The next Nintendo home console was the Wii, which launched in North America in November 2006 and could play GameCube discs on early models.

Frequently asked questions

Is the GameCube 25 years old this month?

Yes, but only in North America on November 18. Japan’s 25th anniversary was September 14, and Europe and Australia follow in May 2027.

Does a GameCube play regular DVDs?

No. Wikipedia says it uses its own small 8 cm discs, so you need GameCube games to play on it.

Celebrating hardware milestones this month? Read our original Xbox retrospective, which launched just three days before the GameCube in the U.S. Which GameCube game would you play first on a rainy weekend?

Image Credit: Paweł Durczok / Unsplash