GameCube:GameCube Model Differences

Page content & researching collaboratively taken from io55.net's GameCube page with permission.

There are three GameCube models.

Models

Models are arranged chronologically. There are no revisions.

“GameCube (DOL-001)” (2001-2004?)

The original, and the version with the most features. On the top is power, reset, and drive open, plus the drive itself. Up front, there’s 4 controller ports and 2 memory slots. To the back is the DC in, plus both analogue and digital video outs. On the bottom, closer to the rear, is a “Hi Speed” port. Similarly on the bottom, but towards the front, is 2 serial ports near the corner. All three of these are meant to have removable plastic covers over their slots. These systems may have a drive laser which lasts longer, but it can occasionally do wrong reads. Some DOL-001 systems from later on do NOT have the 2nd serial port, so be wary of that. Check both the back and bottom, which is good anyway (ensures the plastic port covers are there). Motherboard revisions exist, but seemingly without impact to anything (may be wrong).

“GameCube (DOL-002)(BRA)” (200?-200?)

For unclear reasons, the Brazilian GameCube (based on the American DOL-001, part of a then-ongoing collaboration between Nintendo and Gradiente) was renamed to the same model number as the power bricks. It is the only model of GameCube with software switchable color encoding (NTSC and PAL-M), although in official practice that means games only use the former and the main menu the latter.

“GameCube (DOL-101)” (2004?-2007)

A cost-reduced version of the GameCube. On these systems, the Digital AV out port is removed, as for the 2nd serial port on the bottom (towards the console’s front corner). Furthermore, the little “GameCube” nameplate cannot be removed anymore, as it was in fact removable on the DOL-001. Action Replay disks are less likely to work, and the drive laser, while reading better, doesn’t last as long. These also have motherboard revisions, but again, to seemingly no impact (may also be wrong).