IGN Wii posted an article with a collection of rumors surfacing on the Internet. Apparently one rumor is based on a mystery source stating that IBM is working on reducing the size of the Wii’s Broadway CPU for use in a “future Nintendo handheld– presumably one that plays Gamecube disks.” Shortly thereafter, the rumor was removed from the article. The idea of a Gamecube handheld is not new, but it is very interesting that it would show its way onto IGN and then disappear.
This is what every Nintendo fanboy dreams of, right? To play Metroid Prime while taking the bus to work? It is easy to assume that this refers to a portable version of the Gamecube, but the rumor really only makes mention of a handheld using IBM’s Broadway CPU. Then a presumption is make that it will play Gamecube disks. It makes no mention of playing Gamecube games. In comparison to the Xbox 360 and PS3, the Wii’s CPU is presumably inexpensive to produce. With further development and modifications it could be very cheap to mass produce in a few years time- cheap enough to use in a handheld sold for the price of a Nintendo DS. Using similar architecture to the Gamecube and Wii would make development easy. To take advantage of the power, the system could use disk based media, like a Gamecube disk.
This sounds reasonable. However, a portable Gamecube is not. Imagine trying to see your character, much less items, in a Super Smash Bros. Melee battle on a three inch screen? Or dodging laser blasts in Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader? It would be next to impossible. Not to mention Nintendo would collect less royalties off of new software sales, since many people already have a large Gamecube collection. I want new games on a new Nintendo handheld, don’t you?
Yeah. If it does happen, you can be almost certain that it will be NEW games.
Those discs are about the size of the PSP discs, right?
Yeah right. After all this time IGN gets secret info, like they got none for the Wii all these time… And what else? a New Mario game for that secret console? a new Zelda? IGN pretty much guesses all the time…
I think optical disks are not good for portable device… they need too much energy to work, plus it is easier to scratch the disk. I really like the flash-based devices, just like DS cartridges.Best!!
Well seeing as Nintendo owns three production plants that produce the GameCube sized discs this could be possible. Its a great media that worked well with The GC.
Gamecube discs are larger than PSP discs.An interesting idea, but financially idiotic – Nintendo is primarily a software manufacturer, and, as stated, most people already have a 'Cube library.I don't think that Nintendo will let anything about a new handheld out until the DS has stopped selling like bread – IIRC, it was Iwata who said that there is no point in stepping on the DS'es success by worrying about a new Gameboy.In the meantime, we'll be stuck with our homemade 'Cubes – though personally I think the Cube is quite portable as is.What's funny to note is that no one thought to mention playing Twilight Princess on a handheld.
This is as fake as their ratings. Did it say at the end of the article? "Wanna know more? get an insider subcription! Have your credit card ready!"
look at the c stick and the d stick if it were to fold they would be hitting the screen
Thats a mockup there eh ;)I think flash based is the way forward for handhelds, until battery life has been dealt with then it seems like a crazy idea to think about a handheld like that. Especially when memory is coming down in price so fast. In 2 years time when they launch something like Wii mobile or something then it might be as cheap to do something with some kind of flash rom – a proprietory one.I cant see them launching a portable GCN right now – Maybe a movie player though… Or another laptop with advanced ffeatures (like the GBA player one)
I can't believe this is still being touted as "possible". Nintendo does their own Sega Nomad? No new software? Games without a save system made for portables? Rotating disc media to suck the life out of the batteries? Seriously, this is Nintendo we're talking about. They may take chances, but they aren't retarded.You can bet money they're developing new hardware based off the current technology, and testing things out to see if they would work with a portable console for future hardware, but you guys are going to have to bother Ben Heck if you want a portable cube.
Nintendo should use the system employed by Sega with the Naomi GD Rom unit – Load all game contents into Ram – One drive access and your done.
Flash based media is the future – you can bet they're staying with that.