The Wii that Wasn't

Some of the most popular GameCube games would have actually made more sense on the Wii. Crazy theory? Eric-Jon Rössel Waugh examines the evidence.

Market analysts call the Wii a return to form after the relative flop of the GameCube. Design analysts call it a potential return to form after the relative rut of the previous fifteen years. Whatever the spin, when people look at Nintendo's recent misadventures, generally the GameCube sits right on top, doe-eyed and chirping. Its failure to do more than turn a profit has made its dissection an industry-wide pastime. Everything comes under the microscope, from its dainty size and handle, to its purpleness, to the storage capacity of its mini-DVDs. The controller, though, has perplexed all from the start.