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The Cube and G-Boy get hooked up
Editorial by Trent Dickerson
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Ninendo has produced several ingenious peripherals for their systems in the past, but never before have they made something that could bridge the gap in between consoles and portable gaming...until now.
It may not have a fancy name, but the GCN/GBA Link has almost limitless possibilities. Ever since the GameCube was announced, the only example Nintendo could think of for the link cable is a football game. Now, it is apparent that there are other possibillities. There is of course the obvious example of controlling a GCN game with you GBA, thus allowing for secret plays. Other possibilities include data transfer from the GameCube to Gameboy Advance, or vice-versa. By 'data transfer', I mean sending save games and new items. It is even possible to unlock new levels by simply completing the played system's counterpart game.
So now that you know what the GCN/GBA Link can do, you're probably wondering why Nintendo would invent such a wonderful device. Well it certainly wasn't so much because of what the link cable could do electronically, but more of what it can do monetarily. The GCN/GBA Link was influenced by the N64 Transfer Pak and the Dreamcast's Visual Memory Unit. Nintendo knew the abilities of the latter stated peripherals, and they almost instantly saw money signs. Nintendo knew that a cable that could link systems would cause both GameCube and GameBoy Advance hardware and software sales to incease. Nintendo also knew that if a consumer only bought one of the games, the temptation would still be there to buy the other game in order to discover the linking abilities. This is why Nintendo usually releases a GCN game and a GBA game that are linkable on the same day(like Metroid Prime and Metroid Fusion for example).
So what games utilize the linking capability? Well, there is of course Metroid Prime, which allows you to unlock the original Metroid game for NES on Metroid Fusion. Another good example is Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, in which you can transfer your Chaos to the Chao Garden ub Sonic Advance. In Phantasy Star Online Episodes I & II, if you have the Card e-Reader for GBA, you can log on to Sega's website and download classic NES games. Animal Crossing also does the same thing. In the upcoming Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, you MUST control the game with your Gameboy Advance wia link cable, which utilizes the secret play ability.
There are of course other linkable games in the works. Examples include, but are not limited to: Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life and the yet-to-be announced Harvest Moon GBA game, the yet-to-be announced new Megaman games, Animal Forest+ and Animal Island, and lastly Kirby Tilt N' Tumble for GameCube will have a GBA counterpart. Keep in mind there are of course other games in the works.
In conclusion, the GCN/GBA Link appears to be an ingenious and faultless peripheral. In fact, the only problems consumers have had with the device are suggestions for some things that the link SHOULD do, such as that it should be used to make the GBA an extra controller for the GameCube and also that it should allow you to play your GBA on your TV. Since none of those thing really bother me, I highly suggest you go buy this $12.99 masterpiece. This device clearly defines the 'Nintendo Difference'.
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