Nintendo Announce GameCube 'Enjoyment' Pack News

In an attempt to boost sales of the GameCube, Nintendo has decided to couple it with the more popular GameBoy Advance in a new bundle recently confirmed for release in Japan.<br><br>The ‘Enjoyment Pack’ consists of a GameCube and the GameBoy Player peripheral, allowing you to play GameBoy, GameBoy Colour and GameBoy Advance titles on your GameCube at home.<br><br>The package retails for an unbelievable 19,800 yen (~£102), which effectively gives you four consoles and access to a library of thousands of games and is scheduled for release on June 21st. Currently there’s no word as to whether the pack will be released in the West, however we wouldn’t be surprised to see a launch in the Summer.<br><br>Whether or not the move is a sign of the desperate situation facing the GameCube and signalling Nintendo’s hope to sell the machine on the success of the GameBoy Advance, or whether Nintendo are aggressively promoting the highly vaunted GC-GBA connectivity features, is anyone’s guess at present. <br><br>All we can say at present is that we were a little disappointed by the GC-GBA titles shown at E3, whilst Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicle was enjoyable and the new Zelda looked impressive, a remake of PacMan isn’t going to set the world alight and convince gamers to drop their headsets and Xbox Live! subscriptions.<br><br>In separate Nintendo news; recent allegations from Satoru Iwata, Chairman Nintendo, recently made revelations in the Japanese press, which upon rather apparent sensationalist English translations have suggested the Japanese publisher is looking for a new Mascot/Franchise to replace Mario and Pokemon.<br><br>Naturally Nintendo are always in search of the next ‘big thing’ and the fact remains that Mario’s popularity appears to be slipping slightly; however can you really see Nintendo without the moustachioed one – I for one will be picketing outside their Kyoto headquarters, who’s with me???