Playing The Simpsons Hit And Run on Gamecube was a fundamental part of my childhood. I was hooked on that game, and needed to play it wherever I went. Even now, it’s still one of those classics that holds up surprisingly well in this day and age. Since portable powerhouses like the Switch and the Steam Deck were considered future technology, there was only one way to take powerful consoles on the go; Portable Screens.
Nothing Beats Playing ‘Super Mario Sunshine’ on a 5 Inch Screen in a Bumpy Car
The first time I ever got to take this bad boy for a spin was on a trip when my brother got his first tattoo. It was an hour and a half each way, so when better to try it out than now? And I gotta say, playing on that 5-inch screen with terrible ghosting and horrid audio quality changed my life.
Playing my Gameboy Advance on the go, trying to squeeze as much daylight out of the non-backlit screen as possible. The pixellated graphics, while charming, weren’t anything like my powerful system at home. I wanted to play a 3D game on the go, damn it, and I couldn’t wait for handhelds to finally catch up with my favorite portable. That’s when I got the surprise of my life for Christmas the same year: the Intec Gamecube Portable Screen.
This thing was a certified banger back then. Even though the quality of the screen would leave much to be desired, it was a beautiful bit of technology. Plug in like 14 different wires to the portable screen. Power it through the vehicle’s cigarette charger. Now? You were in business.
Sure, you had to cradle a Gamecube in your lap and try to figure out how to comfortably hold a controller. But, the amount of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai I got to play on trips made this the best gift I’d ever received.
Take Me Home, Country Roads, to ‘Double Dash’, Where I Belong
Look, the portable Gamecube screen was a thing of its time. It was an especially cool piece of tech, especially when it was released. It’s horrifyingly nostalgic for me in a variety of ways, but being able to take my favorite console with me wherever? It was worth whatever sacrifices I had to make.
Was it comfortable to use? Absolutely not. But it was an answer to a question that, likely, not many people were asking. My 13-year-old self thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread, and honestly? I’d love to find one again to see how it stacks up.
The post Back in My Day, I Needed the Intec Gamecube Screen to Play Games on the Go appeared first on VICE.
The post Back in My Day, I Needed the Intec Gamecube Screen to Play Games on the Go appeared first on VICE.
