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What’s with the strange comparison I hear you cry?
Well, the sugar cube and Rubik’s Cube both represent how a consoles life can turn out, and in this case, it’s another cube; the Gamecube.
The question is; will the Gamecube be a successful and long running cube like the sugar or be a craze that will soon be forgotten like the Rubik’s?
Whilst there’s no denying that Mr. Erno Rubik’s small multi-coloured cube of hair pulling frustration was fun, popular and a financial success, it proved merely a 70’s and 80’s fad, that most sane people have long since forgotten about and is now confined to the history books along with other similar crazes, but will the Gamecube go this way I wonder?
Sugar cubes revolutionised the way people lived their lives, many didn’t need to measure out sugar in their tea with a spoon anymore, and since their invention (whenever that was), horses and donkeys have regularly voted them as their favourite snack (although I bet they also like candy cigarettes and Mars Bars).
Sugar cubes will be around forever (until a more ergonomically designed shape like a sugar sphere or pyramid is invented). I know the Gamecube won’t be around forever, but hopefully it’ll have a longer lifespan that the Dreamcast did.
Sugar cubes even come in multiple colours like the Gamecube.
Whilst the clever (or not so clever) cube analogy is there, this is really a question about whether three consoles can survive in the massive but possibly overcrowded games market. It hasn’t happened yet, and there’s the old saying that “two’s company but three’s a crowd” (catchy name for a “who will survive in the crowded console market” post...)
Will Nintendo’s lovely little purple (or black depending on your preference) find it’s niche in the market but have a short lifespan the way the Rubik’s Cube did? Or will it be a long lasting success like the under-advertised sugar cubes? The low price tag, tradition of great gameplay and great looking games will help, but it does arrive a lot later than the others which doesn’t help, but the wait shouldn’t matter to true gaming connoisseurs. Hopefully Nintendo will advertise the Gamecube a bit as well, something which has greatly helped the PSOne and PS2 achieve their great success.
I personally feel that this time around there can be room for three consoles in the market, although the relative failure of the Dreamcast puts a dent in people’s confidence about owning all three, many people are excited at the prospects of all three consoles, as each system has some great looking “killer apps” to look forward to.
Not forgetting the Gameboy Advance of course, I’ve been avidly playing Golden Sun over the last couple of days and it’s a tremendous title, and in terms of quality and lastability outshines many other games on next-gen systems (If you own a GBA I highly recommend it). Then there’s the gaming wonder that is Broken Sword coming very soon.
I had a DC, and whilst it did provide some great gaming experiences like MSR, Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Powerstone, Soul Calibur etc. It did lack some great game genres like football sims (a decent version of ISS for example), however it looked like it was going to be a massive hit, but it lived the life of the Rubik’s Cube: fun while it lasted but didn’t go the distance. I just hope the Gamecube doesn’t go the same way.
Although here I am assuming that the Gamecube is the underdog, when I suppose it’s the Xbox which has the most to prove (especially in Japan) being Microsoft’s first foray into the competitive video game console business, and it must live up to expectations to justify its high price tag.
I already own a PS2, will probably get an Xbox when there’s a price reduction and I await my Gamecube with great anticipation having pre-ordered it many months ago. I’m mainly a Nintendo fan, so I’m hoping that the GC has the success and addictiveness of the Rubik’s Cube and the staying power and sweetness of the sugar cube.
Hopefully, each console will have many years of great gaming to look forward too and all three can survive; because in the end, the more great consoles and games that are on the market, the more gamers like you and myself will benefit.
Well, the sugar cube and Rubik’s Cube both represent how a consoles life can turn out, and in this case, it’s another cube; the Gamecube.
The question is; will the Gamecube be a successful and long running cube like the sugar or be a craze that will soon be forgotten like the Rubik’s?
Whilst there’s no denying that Mr. Erno Rubik’s small multi-coloured cube of hair pulling frustration was fun, popular and a financial success, it proved merely a 70’s and 80’s fad, that most sane people have long since forgotten about and is now confined to the history books along with other similar crazes, but will the Gamecube go this way I wonder?
Sugar cubes revolutionised the way people lived their lives, many didn’t need to measure out sugar in their tea with a spoon anymore, and since their invention (whenever that was), horses and donkeys have regularly voted them as their favourite snack (although I bet they also like candy cigarettes and Mars Bars).
Sugar cubes will be around forever (until a more ergonomically designed shape like a sugar sphere or pyramid is invented). I know the Gamecube won’t be around forever, but hopefully it’ll have a longer lifespan that the Dreamcast did.
Sugar cubes even come in multiple colours like the Gamecube.
Whilst the clever (or not so clever) cube analogy is there, this is really a question about whether three consoles can survive in the massive but possibly overcrowded games market. It hasn’t happened yet, and there’s the old saying that “two’s company but three’s a crowd” (catchy name for a “who will survive in the crowded console market” post...)
Will Nintendo’s lovely little purple (or black depending on your preference) find it’s niche in the market but have a short lifespan the way the Rubik’s Cube did? Or will it be a long lasting success like the under-advertised sugar cubes? The low price tag, tradition of great gameplay and great looking games will help, but it does arrive a lot later than the others which doesn’t help, but the wait shouldn’t matter to true gaming connoisseurs. Hopefully Nintendo will advertise the Gamecube a bit as well, something which has greatly helped the PSOne and PS2 achieve their great success.
I personally feel that this time around there can be room for three consoles in the market, although the relative failure of the Dreamcast puts a dent in people’s confidence about owning all three, many people are excited at the prospects of all three consoles, as each system has some great looking “killer apps” to look forward to.
Not forgetting the Gameboy Advance of course, I’ve been avidly playing Golden Sun over the last couple of days and it’s a tremendous title, and in terms of quality and lastability outshines many other games on next-gen systems (If you own a GBA I highly recommend it). Then there’s the gaming wonder that is Broken Sword coming very soon.
I had a DC, and whilst it did provide some great gaming experiences like MSR, Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Powerstone, Soul Calibur etc. It did lack some great game genres like football sims (a decent version of ISS for example), however it looked like it was going to be a massive hit, but it lived the life of the Rubik’s Cube: fun while it lasted but didn’t go the distance. I just hope the Gamecube doesn’t go the same way.
Although here I am assuming that the Gamecube is the underdog, when I suppose it’s the Xbox which has the most to prove (especially in Japan) being Microsoft’s first foray into the competitive video game console business, and it must live up to expectations to justify its high price tag.
I already own a PS2, will probably get an Xbox when there’s a price reduction and I await my Gamecube with great anticipation having pre-ordered it many months ago. I’m mainly a Nintendo fan, so I’m hoping that the GC has the success and addictiveness of the Rubik’s Cube and the staying power and sweetness of the sugar cube.
Hopefully, each console will have many years of great gaming to look forward too and all three can survive; because in the end, the more great consoles and games that are on the market, the more gamers like you and myself will benefit.
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What’s with the strange comparison I hear you cry?
Well, the sugar cube and Rubik’s Cube both represent how a consoles life can turn out, and in this case, it’s another cube; the Gamecube.
The question is; will the Gamecube be a successful and long running cube like the sugar or be a craze that will soon be forgotten like the Rubik’s?
Whilst there’s no denying that Mr. Erno Rubik’s small multi-coloured cube of hair pulling frustration was fun, popular and a financial success, it proved merely a 70’s and 80’s fad, that most sane people have long since forgotten about and is now confined to the history books along with other similar crazes, but will the Gamecube go this way I wonder?
Sugar cubes revolutionised the way people lived their lives, many didn’t need to measure out sugar in their tea with a spoon anymore, and since their invention (whenever that was), horses and donkeys have regularly voted them as their favourite snack (although I bet they also like candy cigarettes and Mars Bars).
Sugar cubes will be around forever (until a more ergonomically designed shape like a sugar sphere or pyramid is invented). I know the Gamecube won’t be around forever, but hopefully it’ll have a longer lifespan that the Dreamcast did.
Sugar cubes even come in multiple colours like the Gamecube.
Whilst the clever (or not so clever) cube analogy is there, this is really a question about whether three consoles can survive in the massive but possibly overcrowded games market. It hasn’t happened yet, and there’s the old saying that “two’s company but three’s a crowd” (catchy name for a “who will survive in the crowded console market” post...)
Will Nintendo’s lovely little purple (or black depending on your preference) find it’s niche in the market but have a short lifespan the way the Rubik’s Cube did? Or will it be a long lasting success like the under-advertised sugar cubes? The low price tag, tradition of great gameplay and great looking games will help, but it does arrive a lot later than the others which doesn’t help, but the wait shouldn’t matter to true gaming connoisseurs. Hopefully Nintendo will advertise the Gamecube a bit as well, something which has greatly helped the PSOne and PS2 achieve their great success.
I personally feel that this time around there can be room for three consoles in the market, although the relative failure of the Dreamcast puts a dent in people’s confidence about owning all three, many people are excited at the prospects of all three consoles, as each system has some great looking “killer apps” to look forward to.
Not forgetting the Gameboy Advance of course, I’ve been avidly playing Golden Sun over the last couple of days and it’s a tremendous title, and in terms of quality and lastability outshines many other games on next-gen systems (If you own a GBA I highly recommend it). Then there’s the gaming wonder that is Broken Sword coming very soon.
I had a DC, and whilst it did provide some great gaming experiences like MSR, Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Powerstone, Soul Calibur etc. It did lack some great game genres like football sims (a decent version of ISS for example), however it looked like it was going to be a massive hit, but it lived the life of the Rubik’s Cube: fun while it lasted but didn’t go the distance. I just hope the Gamecube doesn’t go the same way.
Although here I am assuming that the Gamecube is the underdog, when I suppose it’s the Xbox which has the most to prove (especially in Japan) being Microsoft’s first foray into the competitive video game console business, and it must live up to expectations to justify its high price tag.
I already own a PS2, will probably get an Xbox when there’s a price reduction and I await my Gamecube with great anticipation having pre-ordered it many months ago. I’m mainly a Nintendo fan, so I’m hoping that the GC has the success and addictiveness of the Rubik’s Cube and the staying power and sweetness of the sugar cube.
Hopefully, each console will have many years of great gaming to look forward too and all three can survive; because in the end, the more great consoles and games that are on the market, the more gamers like you and myself will benefit.
Well, the sugar cube and Rubik’s Cube both represent how a consoles life can turn out, and in this case, it’s another cube; the Gamecube.
The question is; will the Gamecube be a successful and long running cube like the sugar or be a craze that will soon be forgotten like the Rubik’s?
Whilst there’s no denying that Mr. Erno Rubik’s small multi-coloured cube of hair pulling frustration was fun, popular and a financial success, it proved merely a 70’s and 80’s fad, that most sane people have long since forgotten about and is now confined to the history books along with other similar crazes, but will the Gamecube go this way I wonder?
Sugar cubes revolutionised the way people lived their lives, many didn’t need to measure out sugar in their tea with a spoon anymore, and since their invention (whenever that was), horses and donkeys have regularly voted them as their favourite snack (although I bet they also like candy cigarettes and Mars Bars).
Sugar cubes will be around forever (until a more ergonomically designed shape like a sugar sphere or pyramid is invented). I know the Gamecube won’t be around forever, but hopefully it’ll have a longer lifespan that the Dreamcast did.
Sugar cubes even come in multiple colours like the Gamecube.
Whilst the clever (or not so clever) cube analogy is there, this is really a question about whether three consoles can survive in the massive but possibly overcrowded games market. It hasn’t happened yet, and there’s the old saying that “two’s company but three’s a crowd” (catchy name for a “who will survive in the crowded console market” post...)
Will Nintendo’s lovely little purple (or black depending on your preference) find it’s niche in the market but have a short lifespan the way the Rubik’s Cube did? Or will it be a long lasting success like the under-advertised sugar cubes? The low price tag, tradition of great gameplay and great looking games will help, but it does arrive a lot later than the others which doesn’t help, but the wait shouldn’t matter to true gaming connoisseurs. Hopefully Nintendo will advertise the Gamecube a bit as well, something which has greatly helped the PSOne and PS2 achieve their great success.
I personally feel that this time around there can be room for three consoles in the market, although the relative failure of the Dreamcast puts a dent in people’s confidence about owning all three, many people are excited at the prospects of all three consoles, as each system has some great looking “killer apps” to look forward to.
Not forgetting the Gameboy Advance of course, I’ve been avidly playing Golden Sun over the last couple of days and it’s a tremendous title, and in terms of quality and lastability outshines many other games on next-gen systems (If you own a GBA I highly recommend it). Then there’s the gaming wonder that is Broken Sword coming very soon.
I had a DC, and whilst it did provide some great gaming experiences like MSR, Shenmue, Jet Set Radio, Powerstone, Soul Calibur etc. It did lack some great game genres like football sims (a decent version of ISS for example), however it looked like it was going to be a massive hit, but it lived the life of the Rubik’s Cube: fun while it lasted but didn’t go the distance. I just hope the Gamecube doesn’t go the same way.
Although here I am assuming that the Gamecube is the underdog, when I suppose it’s the Xbox which has the most to prove (especially in Japan) being Microsoft’s first foray into the competitive video game console business, and it must live up to expectations to justify its high price tag.
I already own a PS2, will probably get an Xbox when there’s a price reduction and I await my Gamecube with great anticipation having pre-ordered it many months ago. I’m mainly a Nintendo fan, so I’m hoping that the GC has the success and addictiveness of the Rubik’s Cube and the staying power and sweetness of the sugar cube.
Hopefully, each console will have many years of great gaming to look forward too and all three can survive; because in the end, the more great consoles and games that are on the market, the more gamers like you and myself will benefit.
Excellent post, and er, nice analogy (I think?).
Like you say, I think there IS room for the three consoles to exist side by side in a kind of tetchy yet respectful menage-a-trois.
The PS2 has a huge and loyal fan base.
The GameCube has the GameBoy Advance to back it up and draw in the punters.
The Xbox is the most powerful console and has the backing of the MicroSoft empire.
When compared to the above three, little(ish) Sega and it's Dreamcast didn't stand much of a chance.
But I still have fond memories of it, regardless of its premature demise.
Like you say, I think there IS room for the three consoles to exist side by side in a kind of tetchy yet respectful menage-a-trois.
The PS2 has a huge and loyal fan base.
The GameCube has the GameBoy Advance to back it up and draw in the punters.
The Xbox is the most powerful console and has the backing of the MicroSoft empire.
When compared to the above three, little(ish) Sega and it's Dreamcast didn't stand much of a chance.
But I still have fond memories of it, regardless of its premature demise.
I reckon there's room for all three, as the price of the Gamecube makes it affordable to many more people, and some will consider it as a second console.
I see the games on the Xbox and the PS2 as being too similar for a great number of gamers to want both consoles and already I've heard of people trading in Playstation 2's for Xbox's.
Then again there have been people deciding that maybe the PS2 is a better console for them afterall. As such I see the Xbox coming along and fitting in nicely. Giving consoles to some gamers that have previously stuck to the PC, and taking a little of the Playstation 2's market.
So room for all three, of that I'm sure. I'm not so sure that donkeys like candy cigarettes though.
I see the games on the Xbox and the PS2 as being too similar for a great number of gamers to want both consoles and already I've heard of people trading in Playstation 2's for Xbox's.
Then again there have been people deciding that maybe the PS2 is a better console for them afterall. As such I see the Xbox coming along and fitting in nicely. Giving consoles to some gamers that have previously stuck to the PC, and taking a little of the Playstation 2's market.
So room for all three, of that I'm sure. I'm not so sure that donkeys like candy cigarettes though.
excellent topic, the sort that should win GAD, unlike some of the others recently...
But RM18 ... you now as well as me it won't sadly... top class post!
The Gamecube should float in the current market, but i can't help but think that the whole situation smacks of the N64 story. Clearly nintendo have got an excellent console with it's own merits, but they are shooting themselves in the foot by releasing too late and letting everyone buy PS2's and XBoxes first. Hopefully the low initial price and better game prices will let the GC flourish more than the N64 did.
Nice Post!
Nice Post!
i've got a ps2 and i'm getting a GC so i dont think it will matter nintendo releasing it later
But surely a lot of the less serious gamers will only opt for one console? In this case if you already have a PS2/XBox that you are happy with, then Nintendo are going to have to really pull off something special to get you to trade in for a GC.
spose
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