In Nintendo’s vast history of video game consoles and handhelds, the GameCube is perhaps one of the most iconic. This cube-shaped console hit the scene in 2001 and has remained beloved by Nintendo fans not only for its unique design and controller, but for its vast catalog of games that include the likes of Super Mario Sunshine, Eternal Darkness, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Mario Kart: Double Dash, and so many others.
While the GameCube remains popular to this day, there are many facts about the console that some, especially newer Nintendo fans, might not know about. As such, if you’re interested in learning more about the legacy Nintendo platform, here are seven interesting tidbits about the GameCube that have been forgotten.
1. GameCube Sold Incredibly Poorly
Given the fondness that many now have for the GameCube, it’s hard to believe that the console was actually a failure in terms of sales for Nintendo. Throughout its lifespan, the GameCube managed to sell roughly 22 million units. This wasn’t just a failure when compared to the gargantuan success of the PS2, but it also sold less than the first Xbox console.
Prior to its launch, Nintendo expected the GameCube to sell 50 million units around the globe, which really puts into context just how much it floundered. Thankfully, Nintendo would bounce back in the next generation with the Wii, but had the Wii not been a success, then the gaming giant could have been in hot water due to the underperformance of the GameCube.
2. GameCube Had an Absurd Attach Rate
Although the GameCube didn’t sell well, its attach rate was incredibly impressive. Throughout its lifespan, the GameCube sold almost 209 million units of software, which means that the average GameCube owner purchased about 10 games for the console.
To put into context just how great this is, it means the GameCube has the highest attach rate of any Nintendo console in history. While the platform might not have sold at the same clip as the Wii or Switch, those who did buy it were buying games for the hardware at a frequent cadence.
3. Nintendo Has Never Stopped Supporting GameCube
Compared to every other platform that Nintendo has ever released, the GameCube is the one piece of hardware that the company is still technically supporting. While GameCube games are no longer being made by Nintendo, accessories for the console are still being manufactured to this day.
The reason for this is primarily due to the love that many have for the GameCube controller itself. Not only was the Wii fully backward compatible with GameCube games, controllers, and accessories, but Nintendo would later release an adapter for the Wii U that would allow GameCube controllers to be compatible with the console. This same support has since been extended to the Switch and Switch 2, and has even resulted in Nintendo manufacturing new GameCube controllers that many flocked to purchase earlier this year.
4. GameCube’s Reveal Happened Over Two Years Before Its Release
In 2025, it’s pretty rare for gaming companies to show off new hardware that isn’t close to its release. This was most recently seen with the Nintendo Switch 2, which Nintendo didn’t bother to show off to the world until the start of this year. It then had a fairly quick turnaround and went on to launch the Switch 2 less than six months later in June.
Back in the late ’90s, things were quite different. Nintendo first announced the GameCube in 1999 under the codename “Dolphin”. It was then fully revealed as the GameCube the following year in 2000. Despite this, it then took another entire year for the GameCube to actually see the light of day as it launched in September 2001 in Japan and November 2001 in North America.
5. GameCube’s Initial Launch Lineup Was One of the Smallest Ever
When the GameCube first released in Japan in 2001, there were essentially no games available for the platform. A whopping three games were let loose for the GameCube that included Luigi’s Mansion, Super Monkey Ball, and Wave Race: Blue Storm. Unless you were a diehard Luigi fan, there was really no reason to buy the GameCube at launch.
Fortunately, when the GameCube’s release finally happened in North America a couple of months later, Nintendo had a lot more ready to release alongside the hardware. Games like Pikmin, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Star Wars Rogue Squadron 2: Rogue Leader, Madden NFL 2002, and SSX Tricky were all dropped in proximity to the GameCube. While this ended up being one of the best launch lineups of all-time, initially for those in Japan, it was a pretty meager slate.
6. Kirby Air Ride Is the Lowest Rated GameCube Game From Nintendo
Believe it or not, Kirby Air Ride is the lowest-rated GameCube game made by Nintendo throughout the console’s life. While most Nintendo games throughout the GameCube era scored somewhere in the 80s or 90s on Metacritic, Kirby Air Ride was met with a dismal 61/100 aggregate score on the site. This stands in stark contrast to the game’s user score, which sits at an 8.1 rating.
With this in mind, it’s perhaps a bit surprising that Kirby Air Ride is now finally getting a sequel in the form of Kirby Air Riders. Set to release on Nintendo Switch 2 later in 2025, details on this long-awaited sequel are still being kept under wraps. Hopefully, when it does arrive, it will be met with a bit more acclaim than the original did on GameCube.
7. The Rarest GameCube Costs Thousands
While most GameCube consoles can be purchased at resale for about $100 nowadays, there is one version of the platform that goes for thousands. The mythical “Heineken Edition” of the GameCube came with a Heineken stamp from the beer brand on top of the console itself. This edition of the console came about thanks to a rare partnership between Nintendo and Heineken that resulted in the latter giving out some uniquely branded GameCubes via a drawing that could be entered on its website. Winners, obviously, had to be 21 years of age or older.
In total, only 100 units of the Heineken Edition GameCube are in existence. 50 of these GameCube units are in the console’s black color, while the other 50 are in purple. Given its rarity, the Heineken GameCube tends to go for a lot of money, with the most recent sale of the console happening this year for $2,000. That’s a steep price to pay, but those who have deep pockets can own a piece of GameCube history if they’re willing to throw down the money.
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