Highlights
- A UK-based GameCube fan found NTSC copies of games in a local game store, despite the fact that they would not work in a UK GameCube due to region locking.
- Suggestions were made in the comments about selling the copies online or finding ways to make them compatible with a UK GameCube.
- The mystery remains as to how these American copies ended up in the United Kingdom.
A UK-based GameCube fan made an interesting discovery regarding the copies of some of its games. It's far from the first time someone has discovered an anomaly with the GameCube.
Released in late 2001 in most regions, the GameCube represented Nintendo during the sixth generation of gaming. Despite its endearing, compact design, powerful hardware for the era, and impressive first-party output, the console's game-size-limiting mini discs led to it ultimately getting decimated by the PlayStation 2, which still remains the bestselling video game hardware of all time. Still, the years have been kind to the GameCube, with many fans looking back fondly on both it and its library. Its startup jingle has been memed to death, and its distinctive controller has proven so popular that it's been compatible with every Nintendo console since.
Reddit user PureHost4482 shared an image of four GameCube games they purchased, including Super Mario Sunshine, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, the often rereleased Resident Evil 4, and the remake of 1996's Resident Evil. The user explained that they found all of these in the house clearance bin at a local game store and that they are based in the United Kingdom. Some in the minimal comment section noted the fantastic game selection, with some users who are from the United States asking if they could buy the games off of the OP.
What makes this discovery interesting is the fact that these were NTSC (USA/Canada) copies, signified by the ESRB content ratings. Likewise, the discs would not work in a UK GameCube, as Nintendo did not do away with region locking until the Nintendo Switch debuted almost sixteen years later. As such, fellow Redditors in the comments suggested either selling these copies online (which the OP said they were most likely to do) and trading them in for cheaper PAL copies, importing an NTSC GameCube, or buying a Freeloader, a console accessory that would remove the region lock.
One commenter stated that it isn't unheard of to find such copies in house clearance, although most consumers would just skip over them, knowing they'd be incompatible. The only mystery that remains is the reason as to how these copies from the Americas managed to reach the United Kingdom. But seeing how people are still discovering new things about the GameCube to this day, it can only be a matter of time before the conclusion is reached.