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Infamous Nintendo GameCube handheld is finally a reality with some caveats

The 'GameCube Advance' leaked in 2005 after Nintendo released the DS in Europe. (Image source: GingerOfOz)
The 'GameCube Advance' leaked in 2005 after Nintendo released the DS in Europe. (Image source: GingerOfOz)
A YouTuber has realised a handheld Nintendo GameCube, almost two decades after the 'GameCube Advance' leaked online. Unsurprisingly, the result is bizarre, and it is easy to see why Nintendo decided against bringing such a device to market.

YouTuber GingerOfOz has built a GameCube handheld, a mythical device that surfaced in 2005 as the 'GameCube Advance'. At first glance, GingerOfOz's creation resembles the original, which turned out to be a fake. However, the YouTuber has made a few design changes, outlined in the video embedded below.

Specifically, he used Nintendo DS-style analog sticks to allow the device to be closed, which would have been difficult to engineer using equivalents from the GameCube controller. Additionally, GingerOfOz designed a more functional hinge and did not include a disk drive. Moreover, GingerOfOz did not base his portable GameCube on the console from which it derives its name.

(Image source: GingerOfOz)
(Image source: GingerOfOz)

Instead, GingerOfOz relied on the Nintendo Wii, which can play digital copies of GameCube games. For reference, the Nintendo Wii has a smaller cooling system and motherboard than the GameCube, along with a more efficient chipset. Hence, it was a more sensible choice in a project that prioritised compactness.

Still, the YouTuber modified the Wii's software to show the original GameCube logo at boot. While the Nintendo Wii has a less power-hungry SoC than the GameCube, it chews through 4,000 mAh of batteries in an hour of gaming. Unfortunately, GingerOfOz does not plan to mass-produce his creation nor publish a guide on how to build it at home.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2022 03 > Infamous Nintendo GameCube handheld is finally a reality with some caveats
Alex Alderson, 2022-03-21 (Update: 2022-03-21)