After Hours

Cracking open the Nintendo GameCube

By · December 6, 2006, 8:06 AM PST · billdetwiler

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  • Nintendo GameCube

    Released in 2001, the GameCube was Nintendo's fourth video game console and a significant step forward. With the GameCube, Nintendo moved away a from cartridge-based games to 1.5GB 8cm discs--similar to miniDVD.

    Originally priced at $199 USD, we purchased this refurbished unit for about $70.

  • GameCube front

    The four controller ports and two memory card slots are located on the GameCube's front panel.

  • Top

    The top of the GameCube contains the optical drive cover, cover release, reset, and power buttons.

  • Left side

    The GameCube's air exhaust is located on the unit's left side.

  • Back

    The GameCube's carrying handle is a prominent fixture on the unit's back side.

  • Right

    The GameCube's air intake is located on the unit's right side.

  • Game disc lid open

  • DC power connector and AV outs

    The GameCube has one analog audio/video output and one "Digital" video output--this output was removed in later versions of the GameCube.

  • Bottom

  • Bottom port covers removed

    The GameCube has a highspeed data port and serial port.

  • Gamecube, power adapter, AV cable, and controller

  • GameCube Controller

    The GameCube controller has two analog sticks, a D-pad and eight buttons.

  • GameCube Controller back

    Two trigger buttons and a shoulder button are located on the front of the controller.

  • Top cover, front panel, back panel, and chassis

    Disassembling the GameCube begins by removing the four tamper resistant screws that hold on the top cover.

    These screws use a 6-point, external star head. You can buy specialty screwdrivers and bits online, but I didn't have that much time. I used a drill. this damaged the four cover posts on the GameCube's chassis, but it doesn't really matter. I don't plan on moving this GameCube around much and with the top cover in place, the unit works fine.

    With the four screws removed, you can lift off the top cover and the snap off the back and front panels.

  • Front panel

    The front panel snaps to the chassis. It contains the four controller ports and slot for the two memory card ports.

  • Chassis with optical drive still attached

    The GameCube's optical drive sits atop the chassis.

  • Cooling fan

    Before removing the optical drive, I had to removed the GameCube's fan assembly.

  • Optical drive

    With the fan removed, you can access and unscrew the remaining Phillips screws that hold the optical drive to the chassis.

  • Gamecube motherboard and heatsink - Top

    With the optical drive gone, we get our first look at the motherboard. The large heatsink covers most of the GameCubes chips.

  • Gamecube motherboard and heatsink - Front

  • Heatsink screws

    Six Phillips screws hold the heatsink to the motherboard.

  • Heatsink without screws

    With the screws removed, I can gently remove the heatsink and expose the CPU, GPU and the GameCube's two 1T-SRAM memory chips.

  • Motherboard without heatsink

    After removing the heatsink, we can see the CPU, GPU, and two 1T-SRAM memory chips.

  • IBM Power PC "Gekko" CPU

  • ATI "Flipper" GPU

  • Two MoSys 1T-SRAM memory chips (24MB total memory)

  • 16MB DRAM chip and audio/video outputs

  • GameCube heatshink - Top

  • GameCube heatshink - Bottom

  • Chassis with metal base plate

    The metal base plate is secured with two Phillips screws.

  • Second PCB

    With the metal base plate removed, we can see the GameCube second PCB.

  • Second PCB close-up

Nintendo GameCube

Released in 2001, the GameCube was Nintendo's fourth video game console and a significant step forward. With the GameCube, Nintendo moved away a from cartridge-based games to 1.5GB 8cm discs--similar to miniDVD.

Originally priced at $199 USD, we purchased this refurbished unit for about $70.

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After Hours Innovation Hardware Tech & Work

By Bill Detwiler

Bill Detwiler is Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the ...

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