GameCube Hardware

Background

The Nintendo GameCube system is loaded with innovative features. From its fast loading, high capacity optical disk to its four controller ports, Nintendo GameCube was made to provide you with the most entertaining gaming experience possible.

Features

• System: One look at the Nintendo GameCube hardware and you know it's different. The compact shape is not only practical -- the unique design is symbolic of Nintendo's commitment to focus on creating the world's most original and innovative video games.
  
• Controller: The Nintendo GameCube Controller provides the crucial connection between the player and the game. Two analog Control Sticks, a built-in rumble feature and flawless ergonomic design ensure that the Controller feels and plays perfectly. The WaveBird Wireless Controller accessory allows players to feel the freedom of cord-free gaming!
  
• Disc: The Nintendo GameCube Game Disc holds an incredible 1.5 Gigabytes of information, but it has a diameter of only three inches. The disc drive and processor work together with awesome speed, which makes load times hardly noticeable.
  
• Games: A gaming system is only as good as the games it plays. Nintendo GameCube offers an ever-growing game library which caters to fans of all genres. Exclusive games and characters like Mario, Metroid, Zelda, Pokémon and more are only available on Nintendo consoles. It's simple: Nintendo GameCube delivers the games you want to play.
  
• Connectivity: On their own, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube are each powerhouse game systems. Together, they make an awesome team. Using the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable, the Game Boy Advance can be connected directly to the Nintendo GameCube. Click here for more information on this innovative feature.
  
• Online: Accessories for Nintendo GameCube include a 56K Modem Adapter and a Broadband Adapter. With these accessories, Nintendo GameCube is fully capable of supporting online game play. The Broadband Adapter can also be used for LAN Play in games that have been developed to take advantage of that feature.

Hardware Requirements

Technical Specifications
<li type="square">MPU ("Microprocessor Unit")* : Custom IBM Power PC "Gekko"
<li type="square">Manufacturing process : 0.18 micron IBM copper wire technology
<li type="square">Clock frequency : 485 MHz
<li type="square">CPU capacity : 1125 Dmips (Dhrystone 2.1)
<li type="square">Internal data precision : 32-bit Integer & 64-bit floating-point
<li type="square">External bus : 1.3GB/second peak bandwidth (32-bit address space, 64-bit data bus 162 MHz clock)
<li type="square">Internal cache L1: instruction 32KB, data 32KB (8 way) L2: 256KB (2 way)
<li type="square">System LSI : Custom ATI/Nintendo "Flipper"
<li type="square">Embedded frame buffer : Approx. 2MB sustainable latency : 6.2ns (1T-SRAM)
<li type="square">Embedded texture cache : Approx. 1MB sustainable latency : 6.2ns (1T-SRAM)
<li type="square">Texture read bandwidth : 10.4GB/second (Peak)
<li type="square">Main memory bandwidth : 2.6GB/second (Peak)
<li type="square">Pixel depth : 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer
<li type="square">Image processing functions : Fog, subpixel anti-aliasing, 8 hardware lights, alpha blending, virtual texture design, multi-texturing, bump mapping, environment mapping, MIP mapping, bilinear filtering, trilinear filtering, anisotropic filtering, real-time hardware texture decompression (S3TC), real-time decompression of display list, HW 3-line deflickering filter.

International release dates:
Europe: May 3, 02
Japan: Sep 14, 01

Official URL

Official Site