| Model |
Nintendo Wii |
| Weight (kg) |
0.1 |
The GameCube controller is the standard game controller for the GameCube home video game console, manufactured by Nintendo and launched in 2001. As the successor to the Nintendo 64 controller, it is the progression of Nintendo's controller design in numerous ways. The contentious M-shaped design of its predecessor was replaced with a more conventional handlebar style controller shape; a second analog stick was added, replacing the C buttons with a C stick and the X and Y face buttons, last seen on the Super Nintendo controller, were reintroduced; the shoulder buttons were changed to hybrid analog triggers. A wireless variant of the GameCube controller known as the WaveBird was released in 2002.
Though many elements of the GameCube controller's unique design were not embraced by many future twin-stick gamepads (such as the pressure-sensitive shoulder buttons and a face button layout that emphasizes one button over three others), some controllers adopted its staggered analog stick layout. The GameCube controller continued to endure even beyond its system's launch cycle, gaining varying levels of support from its subsequent successors. Years after the GameCube's discontinuation, Nintendo officially re-released the controller, with the international launch of the fourth and fifth installments of the Super Smash Bros. series, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Key Features
Released alongside the GameCube console, the standard GameCube controller has a wing grip design. This controller was bundled with all new GameCube systems throughout the console's life cycle and was also available separately. It connects to the console's controller ports via a 2 m (6 ft 7 in) cable.
The standard GameCube controller provides haptic feedback by way of a built-in rumble motor rather than using an external Rumble Pak add-on like the Nintendo 64 controller. Also unlike its predecessor, it does not feature any expansion capabilities.
The controller features a total of six digital buttons, two staggered analog sticks, a directional pad and two hybrid analog and digital triggers. The primary analog stick is on the left, with the D-pad below it. The four face buttons are on the right side of the controller with a large green A button in the center, flanked by a smaller red B button to its bottom left and two kidney-shaped buttons to its right (X) and top (Y); below the face buttons is a yellow C stick. A Start/Pause button is located in the middle of the controller. On the "shoulders" of the controller are two pressure-sensitive analog triggers marked L and R, as well as one digital button marked Z which sits in front of the R trigger. The L and R triggers feature both analog and digital capabilities:
Each behaves as a typical analog trigger until fully depressed, at which point the button "clicks" to register an additional digital signal. This method effectively serves to provide two functions per button without actually adding two separate physical buttons.
