ÿþ<HTML> <HEAD><TITLE>Nintndo Gamecube - the Latest System by Nintendo</TITLE></HEAD> <hr> <font size=+2>Nintendo GameCube</font><br> <hr><br> <table><tr><td><a href="Pictures/GAMECUBE.JPG"><img src="Pictures/GAMECUBE.JPG" align=left></a></td> <td></td></tr></table> <hr> Talk about a milestone. For the first time, <A Href="http://www.nintendo.com">Nintendo</a> is releasing its games on a disk rather than cartridge. Released just in time for the 2001 Holiday Shopping Season, this system handles twice as much information as the Nintendo 64. Nintendo is competing with <a href="http://www.microsoft.com">Microsoft</a>'s X-Box which was released a few weeks earlier than GameCube and <a href="http://www.sony.com">Sony</a>'s Playstation 2. (For those of You who brought a Playstation 2 when it was released, You're in luck. You will be able to play imported DVDs -- that it ignores region codes, see <a href="dvd.htm">DVD Player</a>). <P>All three systems play games on a disk, but the Game Cube cost $100 less because the GameCube doesn't play DVDs. Games are released on 8 centimeter DVDs, but standard size disks won't fit. Panasonic plans to release a DVD player capable of playing the game disks, though. I'm hoping it's the last system we have to see. It just can't get any better than this. <P> With game being on a disk, their are many drawbacks. The need of a Memory Card to save Your progress, and the fact the games are more delicate are the price You pay for having the game on disks. If You crack, scratch, or somehow warp the disk. Your $50 investment is worthless. I once had a Hollow Man DVD and it cracked so I had to get another copy. But a lot of space is needed for large game and cartridges just can't hold gigabytes of space. Disks are also cheapr to make. <p> I recently took the GameCube for a test drive, and I think it's cool. But I don't plan to buy it until any Zelda or Metroid Game come out. I'm sure those game will be exciting. <hr> <a href="universe.htm">Return to the list of characters<a><br> <a href="index.htm">Go to My main webpage</a> </BODY></HTML>