The GameCube controller is the standard
game controller
A game controller, gaming controller, or simply controller, is an input device used with video games or entertainment systems to provide input to a video game, typically to control an object or character in the game. Before the seventh generatio ...
for the
GameCube home video game console
A home video game console is a video game console that is designed to be connected to a display device, such as a television, and an external power source as to play video games. Home consoles are generally less powerful and customizable than ...
, manufactured by
Nintendo and launched in 2001. As the successor to the
Nintendo 64 controller
The Nintendo 64 controller (model number: NUS-005) is the standard game controller for the Nintendo 64 home video game console. Manufactured and released by Nintendo on June 23, 1996, in Japan, in late 1996 in North America, and 1997 in Europe, ...
, it is the progression of Nintendo's controller design in numerous ways. The contentious M-shaped design of its predecessor was replaced with a more conventional handlebar style controller shape; a second analog stick was added, replacing the C buttons with a C stick and the X and Y face buttons, last seen on the
Super Nintendo controller
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in E ...
, were reintroduced; the shoulder buttons were changed to hybrid analog triggers. A wireless variant of the GameCube controller known as the
WaveBird
The WaveBird Wireless Controller (stylized as WAVEBIRD, commonly abbreviated as WaveBird or WaveBird controller) is a radio frequency-based wireless controller manufactured by Nintendo for use with the GameCube home video game console. Its nam ...
was released in 2002.
Though many elements of the GameCube controller's unique design were not embraced by many future twin-stick gamepads (such as the pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons and a face button layout that emphasizes one button over three others), some controllers adopted its staggered
analog stick
An analog stick (or analogue stick in British English), sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller (often a game controller) that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joy ...
layout. The GameCube controller continued to endure even beyond its system's launch cycle, gaining varying levels of support from its subsequent successor consoles.
Years after the GameCube's discontinuation, Nintendo officially re-released the controller, with the international launch of the fourth and fifth installments of the ''
Super Smash Bros.'' series, ''
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'' and ''
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
,'' due to the persisting popularity of the GameCube controller in the
''Super Smash Bros.'' community after the release of the critically-acclaimed ''
Super Smash Bros. Melee'' in 2001.
Overview
![Gamecube-controller-breakdown](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Gamecube-controller-breakdown.jpg)
Released alongside the
GameCube console, the standard GameCube controller has a wing grip design. This controller was bundled with all new GameCube systems throughout the console's life cycle and was also available separately. It connects to the console's controller ports via a cable.
The standard GameCube controller provides
haptic feedback by way of a built-in rumble motor rather than using an external
Rumble Pak
The is a removable device from Nintendo which provides force feedback while playing video games. Games that support the Rumble Pak cause it to vibrate in select situations, such as when firing a weapon or receiving damage, to immerse the player ...
add-on like the
Nintendo 64 controller
The Nintendo 64 controller (model number: NUS-005) is the standard game controller for the Nintendo 64 home video game console. Manufactured and released by Nintendo on June 23, 1996, in Japan, in late 1996 in North America, and 1997 in Europe, ...
.
[ Also unlike its predecessor, it does not feature any expansion capabilities.
The controller features a total of six digital buttons, two staggered ]analog stick
An analog stick (or analogue stick in British English), sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller (often a game controller) that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joy ...
s, a directional pad
A D-pad (short for directional pad or digital pad; officially referred to by Nintendo as a +Control Pad) is a flat, usually thumb-operated, often digital, four-way directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern vi ...
and two hybrid analog and digital triggers. The primary analog stick is on the left, with the D-pad below it. The four face buttons are on the right side of the controller with a large green button in the center, flanked by a smaller red button to its bottom left and two kidney
The kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates. They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about in length. They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blo ...
-shaped buttons to its right () and top (); below the face buttons is a yellow stick. A Start/Pause button is located in the middle of the controller. On the "shoulders" of the controller are two pressure-sensitive analog triggers marked and , as well as one digital button marked which sits in front of the trigger. The and triggers feature both analog and digital capabilities: each behaves as a typical analog trigger until fully depressed, at which point the button "clicks" to register an additional digital signal. This method effectively serves to provide two functions per button without actually adding two separate physical buttons.
Versions
Colors and designs
Standard editions
The GameCube controller was sold in several different colors over the console's lifespan. Standard colors included "Indigo" (dark royal purple), "Jet Black", and "Platinum" (Silver), which were bundled with their respective colored GameCube consoles and sold separately in many countries. Other standard colors sold separately included "Spice" (Orange), "Indigo/Clear" (Indigo top with a clear translucent bottom), "Emerald Blue" (Turquoise), and White; the latter two colors are available exclusively in Japan.
Limited editions
Nintendo released a number of limited edition controllers in Japan through Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo was a customer loyalty program provided by Nintendo. The loyalty program was free to join and provided rewards in exchange for consumer feedback and loyalty to purchasing official Nintendo products. Members of Club Nintendo earned ...
, which featured a unique color scheme and/or logo in the center. Club Nintendo controllers could be purchased for 500 points each and designs included "Mario" (red top and blue bottom), "Luigi" (green top and blue bottom), "Wario" (yellow top and purple bottom) and a "Club Nintendo" controller (white top and light blue bottom). The "Mario" design was also made available in limited quantities through the European Stars Catalogue for 5000 points.
A number of limited edition GameCube consoles have been released which included matching controllers. Colors released in Japan include "Starlight Gold", "Crystal White", "Symphonic Green" (mint green), "Hanshin Tigers" (black with Hanshin Tigers
The Hanshin Tigers (Japanese: 阪神タイガース ''Hanshin Taigāsu'') are a Nippon Professional Baseball team playing in the Central League. The team is based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and is owned by Hanshin Electric Railwa ...
logo), "Gundam Copper" (two-tone red with ''Gundam
is a Japanese military fiction media franchise. Created by Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise (now Bandai Namco Filmworks), the franchise features giant robots, or mecha, with the name "Gundam". The franchise began on April 7, 1979, with ''Mobile ...
'' logo), and "Transparent" which is in the "Enjoy Plus Pack +" bundle. The "Symphonic Green" and "Crystal White" colors were also released in Europe, although the latter was renamed "Pearl White" and bundled with '' Mario Smash Football''. A ''Resident Evil 4
''Resident Evil 4'' is a 2005 survival horror third-person shooter game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by Capcom. It was originally released for the GameCube on January 11, 2005. Players control U.S. government specia ...
'' controller (silver top and black bottom with logo) was available in Europe as part of a limited edition ''Resident Evil 4'' console bundle. The Panasonic Q
The is a home video game console developed and released by Nintendo in Japan on September 14, 2001, in North America on November 18, 2001, and in PAL territories in 2002. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 (1996), and predecessor of the Wii ...
, a GameCube/DVD player hybrid exclusive to Japan, came bundled with a grey Panasonic branded version of the controller. The controller has the Panasonic logo on it instead of the Nintendo GameCube text.
WaveBird Wireless Controller
The WaveBird Wireless Controller, released in 2002, is a radio frequency
Radio frequency (RF) is the oscillation rate of an alternating electric current or voltage or of a magnetic, electric or electromagnetic field or mechanical system in the frequency range from around to around . This is roughly between the ...
-based wireless
Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most ...
controller based on the same design as the standard controller. It communicates with the GameCube console wirelessly through a receiver dongle connected to one of its controller ports. It is powered by two AA batteries
AA, Aa, Double A, or Double-A may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* '' America's Army'', a 2002 computer game published by the U.S. Army
* '' Ancient Anguish'', a computer game in existence since 1992
* Aa!, a J-Pop musical group
* D ...
. As a power-conservation measure, the WaveBird lacks the rumble function of the standard controller. The WaveBird came in two colors, gray and silver (Platinum).
LodgeNet controller
A specially-designed variant of the GameCube controller was created for the LodgeNet
SONIFI Incorporated, previously SONIFI Solutions, is an interactive content and connectivity provider. The company serves approximately 1.4 million hotel rooms worldwide in addition to healthcare facilities throughout the United States with core ...
in some North American hotels. The controller can be used for pay-per-play access to select GameCube games. In addition to the standard GameCube controller inputs, the LodgeNet controller also includes six additional buttons which are used to control the on-screen game selection interface. The controller cannot be used on regular GameCube hardware.
Development
The Nintendo 64 controller received mixed impressions, being lauded for standardizing the controls for 3D movement with its analog stick and for its comfortable design, but derided for its bulkiness[ and overall layout. Shigeru Miyamoto designed the GameCube controller in a span of at least three years—the longest he had spent on any controller at that time—with the goal being to accommodate as many people as possible, regardless of their age, the size of their hands, and whether they have any experience in playing video games with a gamepad. The controller had seen at least four or five versions during its development cycle, and each build would be radically different on a monthly basis, containing new ideas and discarding old ones.][
]
Miyamoto's first idea was to redesign the controller's four rhombus
In plane Euclidean geometry, a rhombus (plural rhombi or rhombuses) is a quadrilateral whose four sides all have the same length. Another name is equilateral quadrilateral, since equilateral means that all of its sides are equal in length. The ...
-positioned face buttons, a standard he had set when he designed the SNES controller
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), commonly shortened to Super NES or Super Nintendo, is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea, 1991 in North America, 1992 in E ...
. The green button was made the largest to give the holder the idea that it performs the primary function.[ That button would be surrounded by a smaller red button to the left and two colorless kidney-shaped and buttons to the top and right, respectively. The button was initially also kidney-shaped before it was made a circle.][ According to Ashida Kenichiro, one of the GameCube console's hardware designers, the controller was intended to be intuitive to the point where the player would forget they were holding it, but achieving that and adding many features proved difficult. As games transitioned to 3D graphics, Nintendo debated whether the controller needed a D-pad anymore. Ultimately, they settled on keeping it at the bottom right of the primary analog stick.][ They also settled on replacing the four buttons with a second analog stick, and placed it on the bottom left of the face buttons.][ The player's thumbs were meant to naturally rest on the primary analog stick and the button, from which the player can move them in a downward arc to reach the D-pad and secondary stick.
The GameCube controller was released to Japan on September 14, 2001; to North America on November 18; to Europe on May 3, 2002; and to Australia on May 17. It was made available in numerous colors to boost its sales, following the same course as the Nintendo 64 due to the latter's improved performance.][
]
Availability
While unlicensed third-party GameCube controllers have been on the market, they have been criticized for generally being made of lower quality products than Nintendo's official GameCube controllers. The official controllers have become scarce at retailers, as an increased demand of the controller started due to the Wii's backward compatibility with GameCube games and the fact that several Wii games support the controller as a primary method of control. In response to the regained popularity, Nintendo re-launched the GameCube controller. These relaunched models of the controller have a cable, longer than the original models cable. These relaunched models also lack the metal braces inserted inside the controller's triggers to help push the triggers down, something which the original 2001-2007 manufactured GameCube controllers do have.
White controller
In April 2008, Nintendo released a white GameCube controller exclusively in Japan. It differs from previous editions in that it features a white cable which is long, rather than the black cable used on standard controllers. This model also lacks the metal braces inserted inside the L and R triggers (see above). This controller has not been released outside Japan, but online retailer
Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser or a mobile app. Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of the r ...
s such as Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
and Play-Asia
Playasia is an online retailer of entertainment products from Asia. The website sells import games, DVDs, music, CDs, gadgets, groceries, books, gaming console accessories, cables and toys. Playasia is based in Hong Kong and caters to the Asia-P ...
do import and sell the controller internationally.
In 2014, the manufacturing production of the white controller was resumed under the ''Super Smash Bros.'' branding, again exclusively in Japan.
Continued production of platinum controller
Nintendo of America continued to sell wired platinum controllers up until early 2012 in North America, but have since ceased production.
''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Edition'' controller
The ''Super Smash Bros.'' edition controller was released in 2014, in conjunction with the release of ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
''. The controller features a metallic silver ''Super Smash Bros.'' logo surrounded by flames instead of the GameCube logo. It came in black worldwide, although a white version was released in Japan. The controller has the same length cable as the 2008 re-release and also lacks the metal braces inserted inside the triggers (see above). Along with the release of the controller, Nintendo released a GameCube controller adapter for the Wii U. The adapter supports four GameCube controllers, and all original pads are supported. A second adapter can be hooked up to a console, allowing up to eight players to use a GameCube controller. The adapter is officially compatible with ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' only, and does not support any other Wii U software. Furthermore, the adapter also does not support Wii software running on the Wii U.
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Edition'' controller
During E3 2018
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 (E3 2018) was the 24th E3, during which hardware manufacturers, software developers, and publishers from the video game industry presented new and upcoming products to the attendees, primarily retailers a ...
, Nintendo confirmed it would re-issue the black GameCube controller for use with ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'' for the Nintendo Switch as the game officially supports the controller (albeit in docked mode only, though it is still possible to play in tabletop mode via an adapter) like its Wii and Wii U predecessors. The controller has the same length cable as the 2008 and 2014 re-releases and also lacks the metal braces inserted inside the triggers (see above). The re-issued controller was released on November 2, 2018, and features a simplified variant ''Super Smash Bros.'' emblem design. On the same day, Nintendo also re-released the official USB GameCube controller adapter, with a generic Nintendo embossed branding unlike the first edition that features the Wii U logo. The Wii U adapter released in 2014 also works on the Switch. The Switch itself and its games are capable of supporting the GameCube controller in both docked and handheld mode after a system update issued in October 2017. Though GameCube controllers are now supported as of the 4.0 firmware update, the Switch recognizes them as generic controllers. However, due to the lack of a minus button, the ZL button, clickable analogue sticks and motion sensors, players may have trouble playing games that use these features using a GameCube controller. This adapter is also forward-compatible with the Wii U, but just like with the Wii U adapter, it only supports ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' and does not support any other Wii U games and software, including backwards-compatibility with the Wii on the console.
Use on subsequent consoles
Due to the Wii's ability to use GameCube controller input, all official GameCube controllers can be used on the Wii. GameCube software played on the Wii requires the use of a GameCube controller. Wii software can be programmed to make full use of GameCube controllers. Nearly all Virtual Console
A virtual console (VC) – also known as a virtual terminal (VT) – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some Unix-like operating systems such as Linux, BSD, illumos, Uni ...
games and certain Wii and WiiWare
WiiWare was a service that allowed Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii ...
games have been designed to support GameCube controllers as input. However, some later Wii models, such as the Wii Family Edition and Wii Mini, lack support for GameCube software and accessories.
Although the subsequent console, the Wii U
The Wii U ( ) is a home video game console developed by Nintendo as the successor to the Wii. Released in late 2012, it is the first eighth-generation video game console and competed with Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4.
Th ...
, omits compatibility with GameCube software and hardware, Nintendo announced that an official adapter would be released that allows the use of up to four GameCube controllers on the Wii U via USB
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is an industry standard that establishes specifications for cables, connectors and protocols for connection, communication and power supply (interfacing) between computers, peripherals and other computers. A broad ...
. Though its initial product listing stated it would be compatible with any Wii U game that supports the Wii U Pro Controller
The is a video game controller produced by Nintendo for the Wii U video game console. It is available in Black and White.
History
Nintendo unveiled the Wii U Pro Controller at E3 2012. Many video game journalists have noted the similarity betwe ...
, Nintendo since corrected the listing, stating the adapter can only be used with ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
and (colloquially and collectively referred to as ''Super Smash Bros. 4'' or ''Smash 4'') is a group of two 2014 crossover fighting video games developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS ...
'' and would not be compatible with other Wii U or Wii software. The adapter launched alongside the game in November 2014, both separately and as part of a bundle with the game.
Support for the adapter on Nintendo Switch was introduced via its 4.0 firmware update. Though the Switch itself only supports it in docked mode, there are third-party accessories that allow it to connect in tabletop mode. Unlike the Wii U, it is supported by any game, although the Switch recognizes it as a Pro Controller and functionality may be affected if a game utilizes buttons not found on the GameCube controller. ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...
'', '' Super Mario 3D All-Stars'' and ''Grid Autosport
''Grid Autosport'' is a racing video game developed by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Linux, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch and Android. It is the third game in the ''Grid'' series. It aims to move the series back ...
'' are among the Switch games that recognizes them as a GameCube controller in-game.
Replications
Accessory maker Performance Designed Products (PDP) began releasing a line of officially licensed "Wired Fight Pad" controllers for the Wii and Wii U in 2014, with color schemes based on various Nintendo characters. They are based on the design and layout of the GameCube controller, but are connected via the Wii Remote's expansion port and act identically to a Classic Controller Pro
The is a game controller produced by Nintendo for the Wii home video game console. While it later featured some compatibility with the Wii U console, the controller was ultimately succeeded by the Wii U Pro Controller. In April 2014, Nintendo d ...
(thus supporting any Wii and Wii U game that supports the Classic Controller Pro, but not GameCube games). To provide parity with the Classic Controller Pro, these controllers feature dual shoulder buttons, as well as the "+", "−", and "Home" buttons standard on Wii controllers. The smaller C-stick is also replaced with a more standard analog stick. Hori released a similar product line known as the "Battle Pad". Unlike PDP, Hori's controllers look identical to real GameCube controllers while also including the same features of the PDP controllers. Both the PDP "Wired Fight Pad" and the Hori "Battle Pad" will work on the NES Classic
NES Classic Edition is a Dedicated console, dedicated home video game console by Nintendo, which Video game console emulator, emulates the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). It launched on November 10, 2016 in Australia and Japan, and November ...
and the SNES Classic
The Super NES Classic Edition is a dedicated home video game console released by Nintendo, which emulates the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The console, a successor to the NES Classic Edition, comes with twenty-one Super NES titles pre ...
.
In anticipation of ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'', both Hori and PDP unveiled similar replications as USB gamepads for Nintendo Switch, both officially licensed. As with their Wii U counterparts, they maintain similar designs and appearance to the standard GameCube controllers, but updated to include dual shoulder buttons and Switch system buttons.
PowerA released a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is a game controller manufactured and released by Nintendo for use with the Nintendo Switch video game console. It is an alternative controller to the Joy-Con.
Design and features
The Nintendo Switch Pro Controll ...
with the GameCube controller layout but with additional inputs standard on Switch controllers, allowing it to be used in all Switch games. This controller was officially licensed by Nintendo and is available wireless and wired.
Legal issues
Anascape Ltd, a Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
-based firm, filed a lawsuit against Nintendo for patent infringements regarding many of Nintendo's controllers. A July 2008 verdict found that a ban would be issued preventing Nintendo from selling the regular GameCube and WaveBird controllers in the United States. Nintendo was free to continue selling the controllers pending an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (in case citations, Fed. Cir. or C.A.F.C.) is a United States court of appeals that has special appellate jurisdiction over certain types of specialized cases in the U.S. federal court ...
. On April 13, 2010, Nintendo won the appeal and the previous court decision was reversed.
See also
* List of Nintendo controllers
The following is a list of video game controllers created for Nintendo consoles.
Color TV Game 15
The Color TV Game 15 system was Nintendo's first system which had controllers. These controllers came in the form of two paddles connected to the ...
References
{{Nintendo hardware, GameCube
GameCube accessories
Nintendo controllers
Products introduced in 2001
Game controllers