Loading stock discs from a wickedly exposed spinning disc drive on the back of the device, this "Gamecube" is ironically constructed from almost everything but the charming purple box. Inside this body, you'll find a Datamax Kid's Delight, Dreamcast Quantam Fighterpad, Wii Classic controller (3rd Party), and most of the components from the PSOne portable screen.

It's all fun and games until one particularly dexterous jump in Super Mario Sunshine costs someone a finger. [benheck forums via Engadget]

We can only assume that while some poor boy with an unconfirmed fractured tibia had to wait i excrutiating pain for a hospital's only x-ray room to open, Flickr member Reintji had locked the doors from the inside as he tossed forth a pile of vintage gaming equipment to be scanned despite its inherent and shameless lack of medical insurance.

Fast forward a few weeks, and an HMO lacky is approving the expenses of Mr. Play Station the Third. Then just for a moment, the little guy claims a victory over mega corporations...while an even littler guy nurses his still-broken leg. [Flickr via AcidMods via technabob]

With the success of Wii Sports, it's easy to see how swinging your arms in Mario Tennis can be more fun than playing tennis with your thumbs. And with Pikmin, using gesture controls to direct your Pikmin is better than commands via buttons. Essentially, some GameCube games would just be more successful on an active-controller supporting platform. On May 4, Nintendo will be releasing Donkey Kong Jungle Beat for the Wii, but unlike its GameCube version, this one uses Wiimotes and Nunchucks so you won't have to pay $50 for bongo drums.

On most Wii games, you have the ability to use Classic or GameCube controllers; however, Donkey Kong Jungle Beat Wii only works with Wiimotes and Nunchucks. In the GameCube version, banging on the right and left bongo drums made Donkey Kong move, slamming on them together made him jump, alternately banging both of them pounded on things, and clapping your hands triggered special moves. Worried that the Wii would have identical controls—just on Wiimotes and Nunchucks—I was pleasantly surprised with the Wiimote's more intuitive controls, using basic Nintendo commands: A makes DK jump, B produces a nice buttslam, the analog stick directs him, and shaking either wrist activates special moves, including sonic booms that will do anything from shaking bananas out of tress to slaying your enemies.

The greatest thing about the new play controls is that you won't end up breathless, with stinging palms and a sweaty body. Your arms won't get tired as your thumbs and the analog stick control directions, and the controls are sensitive enough that jiggling your wrist lightly for special moves works fine. Sometimes you'll have to quickly alternate moving your left and right hands up and down to pound enemies to death, but it's barely noticeable or tiring. You may have sweaty palms when you're done, but at least your body will be dry and ache-free. Moreover, because the Wii versions of these GameCube games are basically almost the same games, they'll cost you $30 instead of the typical $50 for a Wii game.

So, what other GameCube games we could be expecting as part of the "New Play Control!" series? Metroid Prime, Metroid Prime 2, Pikmin 2 and Chibi-Robo! will be available with the new control in Japan this year. Assuming that the technology, game-control conversions and gameplay have already been modified for their Wii counterparts in Japan, it seems safe to anticipate American copies of these games shortly after. [Nintendo]

Loaded through the Homebrew Channel, WiiGator seems to work well enough in this video clip. But, according to the sharp eyes of one YouTube commenter, the gameplay does seem to be a bit quicker than normal...by two or three times. Hopefully issues like that are precisely why the bugs are still being worked out.

And for a complete instructions to hacking the Wii, check out John Mahoney's handy guide. [via Maxconsole]

– Matt Buchanan

Gamecube Tissue Box [via Kotaku]

Entries can be Emulators, Homebrew Games, Demos or Applications that work directly on the Gamecube/Nintendo Wii.

Homebrewers getting organized...what is the world coming to? Next thing you know, they'll want us to pay for their work. – Mark Wilson

Coding Contest [wiinews]

But the Portable GameCube Advance is really the work of a random email tipster...surely not just a Photoshop rendition...but an entirely ready-to-go product complete with external OLED display and MP3 playback that will be in stores any day now.

Hit the jump for a picture of the music functions in action.

In the case that this surely real product isn't real, look for Chinese OEM rip offs at a website near you. – Mark Wilson

Portable GameCube Advance [techeblog]

We've upgraded our development tools to new versions but, you can still use GC programs as they are. With that in mind, I thought we could remake GC titles for the Wii and modify them to work with the Wii remote so that they're more fun to play.

Since the hardware is pretty much the same, they're charging you again for the same device, just Wii-ified with the awesome controller. As much as we hate paying for the "same thing" more than once, we're still going to, since it's the Gamecube++. And because we never bought a Gamecube in the first place. – Jason Chen

Miyamoto The Interview Part 2 [Game Brink via Kotaku]

He could have made this completely portable by adding a battery pack, but he decided to cut down on the weight and have it be externally powered. Pretty neat overall, but Ben says he won't make anymore. Maybe if you ask him real nicely, he'll show you how to make one yourself. – Jason Chen

Handheld Gamecube [N-Central]

Nintendo cuts Gamecube price shackles [The Inquirer]