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Nintendo's 128-Bit next generation GameCube system, which ships Nov. 18 for $199, is touring the country in Cube Clubs. Nintendo had 32 GameCubes set up in a special Cube Club LosAngeles retail site at Hollywood and Vine, playing all 17 fourth quarter titles, as well as some titles shipping early next year.
After playing all of the system's games for a solid eight hours, it looks like Nintendo's little box (4.3inch height, 5.9-inch width, 6.3-inch depth) has a handful of AAA hits for launch and the processing power to give Nintendo a serious shot at second place in the three-way next generation horserace with current leader Sony's PlayStation 2 and new entrant Microsoft's Xbox.
Although Nintendo has blockbusters like Mario Sunflower, Metroid Prime, a Mickey Mouse game, a new Legend of Zelda game and a new Pokemon game slated for its new system next year, the most impressive launch titles for GameCube come from thirdparty developers.
A galaxy beyond any other title is Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II (Nov. 18) by LucasAts Entertainment.This sequel to the bestselling Nintendo 64 exclusive will only appear on GameCube, which should help jettison the hardware at retail. This game has the potential to sell on a oneto-one ratio with the hardware.
The game begins with the Death Star battle from Star Wars and takes players to Hoth, Tatooine, Bespin and to a series of new planets not seen in the films. Luke Skywalker is the main protagonist of this game, which features better-than-cinematic visuals and new surround-sound technology to deliver a breathtaking arcade experience. Piloting...