12-21-2003, 08:11 PM
The GameCube lacks real online-play support, such as PS2's PlayOnline, or Xbox's Xbox Live!. Although there aren't any OFFICIAL services for the GameCube, you CAN play games that can be setup for LAN play over the 'net via a service called Warp Pipe (www.warppipe.com). I haven't checked much into this, as I don't own any of the games compatible with this kind of setup, and I don't have a broadband connection, but I've heard that games of Mario Kart: Double Dash!! and Kirby Air Ride have been successfully played. I would assume that communication would take place via a PC service like AIM.
The GameCube is $99.99 at all stores now, compared to about $179.99 for a PS2, and $179.99 for an XBox. Game prices vary, but most console games cost the standard $49.99; you can pick up several GameCube games (like Super Mario Sunshine, Rogue Squadron II, Metroid Prime, and Starfox Adventures) for $29.99, and you can pick up third-party games for as low as $4.99. I picked up TimeSplitters 2 for $19.99 at a Best Buy.
And don't discount the GameBoy Advance (SP or original) as an option. It may be a handheld, but it has an incredible selection of good games, and it's fairly cheap. There is also the GameBoy Player (basically a GBA that attaches to your GCN) for the GameCube, which allows you to play all GameBoy games (including original GameBoy games like Metroid 2, GameBoy Color games, and GBA games); it can be had for $49.99.
If you look into the GBA, some games you should look at are: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (largely considered the best Zelda in the series), Metroid Fusion (the next step in the storyline; whether it is Metroid 4 or Metroid 5 is unknown - I'd need to know what Metroid Prime is considered), any of the Super Mario Advance series (Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and Super Mario Brothers 3 are the best of the bunch), Pokemon Ruby and/or Sapphire (it's Pokemon, and despite the cuteness of it all, they're GREAT games), Advance Wars/Advance Wars 2 (turn-based strategy by the awesome developer Intelligent Systems), Fire Emblem (the series finally makes it to America!!!), Golden Sun/Golden Sun: The Lost Age (they look drop-dead gorgeous for psuedo-SNES games, and are both pretty fun; plus, they're about 20-hour games, to boot), and any of the Castlevania series of games (Aria of Sorrow is incredibly addictive and fun!)
Personally, I recommend against the XBox - it's literally a circa-1999 PC in a big, heavy black box.
The GameCube is $99.99 at all stores now, compared to about $179.99 for a PS2, and $179.99 for an XBox. Game prices vary, but most console games cost the standard $49.99; you can pick up several GameCube games (like Super Mario Sunshine, Rogue Squadron II, Metroid Prime, and Starfox Adventures) for $29.99, and you can pick up third-party games for as low as $4.99. I picked up TimeSplitters 2 for $19.99 at a Best Buy.
And don't discount the GameBoy Advance (SP or original) as an option. It may be a handheld, but it has an incredible selection of good games, and it's fairly cheap. There is also the GameBoy Player (basically a GBA that attaches to your GCN) for the GameCube, which allows you to play all GameBoy games (including original GameBoy games like Metroid 2, GameBoy Color games, and GBA games); it can be had for $49.99.
If you look into the GBA, some games you should look at are: The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (largely considered the best Zelda in the series), Metroid Fusion (the next step in the storyline; whether it is Metroid 4 or Metroid 5 is unknown - I'd need to know what Metroid Prime is considered), any of the Super Mario Advance series (Super Mario World, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, and Super Mario Brothers 3 are the best of the bunch), Pokemon Ruby and/or Sapphire (it's Pokemon, and despite the cuteness of it all, they're GREAT games), Advance Wars/Advance Wars 2 (turn-based strategy by the awesome developer Intelligent Systems), Fire Emblem (the series finally makes it to America!!!), Golden Sun/Golden Sun: The Lost Age (they look drop-dead gorgeous for psuedo-SNES games, and are both pretty fun; plus, they're about 20-hour games, to boot), and any of the Castlevania series of games (Aria of Sorrow is incredibly addictive and fun!)
Personally, I recommend against the XBox - it's literally a circa-1999 PC in a big, heavy black box.
ArrayPaladins were not meant to sit in the back of the raid staring at health bars all day, spamming heals and listening to eight different classes whine about buffs.[/quote]
The original Heavy Metal Cowâ¢. USDA inspected, FDA approved.
The original Heavy Metal Cowâ¢. USDA inspected, FDA approved.