See the long run that after was

A bit of Nintendo historical past has resurfaced on YouTube. As soon as-lost footage of Nintendo’s prototype LCD monitor for the GameCube has proven up, years after the {hardware} was proven at E3 2002.

YouTuber and IGN mother or father firm Ziff Davis worker Adam Doree uploaded some footage from the present, as observed by GoNintendo. This LCD monitor was apparently proven at E3 2002, however was by no means launched.

The connected LCD monitor would have made that GameCube deal with immediately make much more sense. To me, it appears like a distant murmur of the concepts that might result in the Wii U and Swap. A part of the considering, as Nintendo’s Satoru Iwata explains within the footage, is that gamers would possibly be capable to carry their GameCube round and hyperlink them up, utilizing one thing like a broadband cable.

A distinct dimension

Having a small display screen on prime of the GameCube wasn’t the one gimmick of this monitor, although. This may occasionally have additionally contained one other wild potential twist: 3D expertise. In an Iwata Asks concerning the Nintendo 3DS, Iwata talked with producer Hideki Konno about early makes an attempt at glasses-free 3D.

Iwata: Then after improvement had superior a bit, the 3D thought got here up.

Konno: Sure. I feel the timing was good. Among the employees members round me had been saying issues like, “Immediately’s 3D LCDs actually look good!” I believed so, too. I had a reference to 3D video games anyway. After the event of Luigi’s Mansion for Nintendo GameCube was over, I used to be concerned within the experiment of constructing a 3D model of it.

Iwata: Luigi’s Mansion 3D. Sadly, we by no means launched it.

Konno: Yeah. We tried becoming the Nintendo GameCube with a small, roughly four-inch, LCD that allowed you to take pleasure in Luigi’s Mansion in glasses-free 3D.

Iwata: We confirmed that LCD as a reference exhibit on the 2002 E317, however stored the 3D side secret. I preferred that, although.

Konno: Yeah. It had depth, so it actually pulled you into the world of the sport. I believed it was nice, however…

Iwata: However we simply couldn’t get previous the issue of learn how to promote it.

Konno: Proper. Liquid crystal was nonetheless costly again then, and regardless of how new an expertise we may present via the video games, there would have been a necessity for gamers to purchase the LCD as an adjunct. There was even discuss that it may transform dearer than the console itself!

Iwata: Ultimately, we couldn’t overcome that hurdle and it by no means made it out into the sunshine as a product.

LCD Wonderworld

As if the event historical past of this long-lost LCD display screen couldn’t get extra attention-grabbing, right here comes Yuji Naka. Additionally included in Doree’s tape archives from the present is footage of Iwata discussing the historical past of this monitor. As Iwata shares, Nintendo introduced out the LCD monitor to point out off the expertise. However this display screen additionally result in a collaboration between two different well-known builders: Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto and, on the time from Sega, Yuji Naka.

In keeping with Iwata, Miyamoto was speaking to Naka about Phantasy Star On-line. The query was floated: is there a approach PSO may go transportable? Naka responded, saying it will be a good suggestion, however there was one thing else he had been eager about and wished to suggest.

Naka then forwarded a card recreation primarily based on Phantasy Star, which Iwata says is being proven off on the consoles. Clearly, this by no means got here to fruition on this kind. However given the timing (E3 2002), that sounds vaguely just like 2003’s GameCube entry Phantasy Star On-line Episode III: C.A.R.D. Revolution.

Both approach, it’s an unbelievable piece of GameCube historical past, for a console that’s appeared to solely develop fonder in peoples’ hearts as time goes on. Whereas we could dream of what could have been, we do a minimum of have the Swap now for our on-the-go Nintendo wants.