If there’s one thing the Switch falters at in comparison to its Nintendo console forebears, it’s backwards compatibility. Sure, a metric tonne of titles from eras past have either been ported or made available via Switch Online, but it ain’t the same thing. And you know it. Where the Wii allowed for GameCube games to be fed to its glowing blue slot, and the DS and 3DS accepted GBA and original DS cartridges respectively (to say nothing of the Wii U, which remains the single most versatile Ninty system to date), you’re a bit out of luck with the Switch. No Virtual Console, no physical compatibility with anything other than its own games, not even any meaningful online features. My kingdom for a decent internet browser.
Portable Gamecube details
So, as is usual, fans have stepped up to the plate to fill this gaping hole in the market where the Big N won’t. Rather than wait for GameCube classics like Wind Waker and Smash Bros. Melee to be brought to the Switch, online modder GingerOfOz has taken it upon himself to cut out the middle man and assemble a portable GCN. As ScreenRant reports, it’s not unlike the Switch itself, putting traditionally TV-bound experiences at your sticky fingertips, but comes with a host of bells and whistles to call its own.
Looking at it, it sort of resembles the GameBoy Advance SP, utilising a foldable clamshell design that can snap shut into your pocket for convenience. All the requisite buttons, sticks and nubs are included, and there’s even a slot for you to pop a disc in – however, it’s sadly purely cosmetic. Owing to space constraints, a functional disc drive couldn’t be included (unless you fancy lugging around something twice the weight just to get your ‘Cube fix in public) so this little gizmo runs the games digitally. Other than this compromise, it runs pretty flawlessly, in the console’s native 480p and at 60fps where appropriate. Check it out in action in the ‘making of’ video below:
Final thoughts
Of course, GingerOfOz doesn’t deserve full credit for the idea. For years, the internet at large had batted this ‘portable GameCube’ concept around, but no-one had been able to bring it to fruition ’til now. Though it might be a while until we see it in mass production – some fans “requested to buy the device in the video’s comments, but GingerOfOz responded that he becomes rather attached to the first builds of his projects, and that the Portable GameCube is incredibly fragile”, per the report – it’s undeniably cool. Just think of all the shovelware early 2000s movie tie-in games this baby could play. I’m giddy.
How about you? Do you fancy playing Luigi’s Mansion, or perhaps Paper Mario: TTYD on the toilet? Let us know!
Via, ScreenRant.
