A Nintendo GameCube fan recently gave their old wireless Wavebird controller a new paint job that calls to mind the classic Nintendo Famicom system. The GameCube was launched as Nintendo’s sixth-generation console in the fall of 2001, and while it didn’t catch on as well as the PlayStation 2 and original Xbox, there are still many gamers who look back fondly on the system thanks to its library of classic first-party Nintendo titles like Metroid Prime, Mario Kart: Double Dash, and Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Another memorable aspect of the old Nintendo GameCube was its unique controller, with one special variant being the Wavebird. This wireless, radio-based gamepad was the result of a decades-long effort by Nintendo to create a cord-free alternative to its traditional controllers, and would pave the way for future wireless offerings like the Nintendo Wii Remote, the PlayStation 3’s Dualshock 3 controller, and the Xbox 360 controller. The Wavebird was compatible with the Nintendo Wii on certain games, and Nintendo would eventually release a special GameCube Controller adapter for the Wii U that could also be used with the Nintendo Switch.

The packaging for the Switch 2's GameCube controller set against a red background.
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A Reddit user by the handle of supertazon recently showed off their repainted GameCube Wavebird controller, which was done in the colors of the old Nintendo Famicom system. For the uninitiated, the Famicom was the original Japanese version of the Nintendo Entertainment System and differed greatly from its Western counterpart in both color and design. For example, its controllers were red and gold instead of grey and black, and this is faithfully recreated in supertazon’s custom Wavebird paint job.

GameCube Fan Paints Their Wavebird Like the Famicom Controller

Other Reddit users have praised supertazon’s GameCube Wavebird controller, with some initially mistaking it for an official variant Nintendo might have offered through Club Nintendo back in the day. Others compare the red-and-gold Famicom color scheme to Iron Man, while some note that the paint job might not be the most practical if someone was planning to play games with the controller.

Still, recoloring the GameCube’s Wavebird controller in the style of the Famicom is quite fitting, as Nintendo’s efforts to create a wireless controller can be traced back to the development of its original home console. The Nintendo GameCube is also undergoing something of a renaissance on the newly released Switch 2 console, with a library of GameCube classics being made available for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers and a retro-style GameCube controller being sold.

Image
GameCubeConsolePage
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Brand
Nintendo
Original Release Date
November 18, 2001
Original MSRP (USD)
$199, £129, €199
Weight
3 lbs.
Div
Hardware Versions
GameCube
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Part of the sixth-generation console wars, the Nintendo GameCube was the company's upgrade from the Nintendo 64 and saw them changing from a cartridge-based system to small discs. It battled against the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

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