Babbages

• Were taking pre-orders, stopped due to high demand

• One Babbages outlet reported that following the initial launch shipment, they will have more GameCubes as early as November 22nd.

“I had my mom call our local Babbages and EB today to see what was up with preorders. Babbages said that they weren't taking any more preorders, as their list was full. They said to try back on November 22nd because they would be getting more then. EB said they weren't taking preorders yet and said to try back every day.

1. System Price:

   
   $211.00 w.Tax included

2. Is it part of a bundle?

   
   No

3. Can you reserve a particular color?

   
   Yes

4. Store Name:

   
   Babbages

5. Store Location - City, State, Country:

   
   Fashion Square Mall, Orlando, Florida

6. If this store is part of a chain, is this nationwide, or just this particular store.

   
   Yes, it is part of a chain, but I do not know how others in the chain are handling pre-orders.

7. Any freebies tossed in like T-shirts, game protectors, etc.?

   
   Nope no freebies

Thanks guys...hope this helps! Here’s a picture of my pre-order receipt!"

Electronics Boutique

• No pre-orders yet; some may start this week

• Bundles are expected in some stores, that will consist of a few games and accessories

”I used to work at Electronics Boutique and my source told me that only like each store will get 10 to 20 units each...thus making it nearly impossible to get a system in November, unless you know someone. I just wanted to pass you this info....he said he would hold me one, but damn will it be tough to get it this year....sounds familiar though, like with the PS2....”

“A few days ago I telephoned my local (Tyrone Mall, Pinellas Park, Florida) Electronic Boutique store to inquire about their status of GameCube pre-ordering. I asked the clerk if they had begun their GCN reserve list and he stated that is should start in the first week of October. At this point I asked if they would ONLY be pre-ordering the hardware or if I would be able to secure copies of the software I was planning of purchasing on release. His response was "Well, what ever we do it will be as a bundle. Call back in the middle of next week, around Wednesday. We'll know for sure then." By this I suspect that EB will be taking a similar route to GCN reservations as they have with Microsoft's XBOX. If this is true then chances are that you'd most likely be paying MORE than the cumulative cost of the products in the bundle, similar to that of the XBOX bundles. With this information, I'll be taking my videogaming cash elsewhere. Price and freebies were not mentioned.”

FuncoLand

• Price: $199.99, no bundle, $50 down

• No word on color reservation

• One FuncoLand is allowing customers to sell games and get double the credit if it goes toward a GameCube purchase. Whether or not this is at all locations is uncertain.

• At a FuncoLand in Brooklyn, you can reserve up to two Cube launch games. This was the only limit on game pre-orders we heard of.

• A FuncoLand in Lancaster took 15 pre-orders and then stopping, because they didn’t know how many they were getting. We received a handful of similar accounts from the other GameStop stores.

”I'm pretty sure isn't the best deal out there, but I'll tell you this: I reserved the GameCube JULY 7!!! FuncoLand was the only store in New York City that allowed you to reserve the GC at that time. I later reserved SSB:M and Wave Race: Blue Storm. I only wish that you could reserve controllers...”

GameCrazy

These are Located/Attached to many Hollywood Video stores. One of our readers wrote in with the info.

”I pre-ordered mine at "GameCrazy". These are associated with and attached to Hollywood video stores.

1. System Price:

   
   standard $199

2. Is it part of a bundle?

   
   No

3. Can you reserve a particular color?

   
   Don't know

4. Store Name?

   
   GameCrazy

5. Store Location - City, State, Country:

   
   The one I went to is in Portland, OR

6. If this store is part of a chain, is this nationwide, or just this particular store.

   
   Yes it is a chain. Don't know if it is nationwide, but I believe a lot of states have them.

7. Any freebies tossed in like T-shirts, game protectors, etc.?

   
   don't believe so

Additional notes: The one I went to ONLY required that you put SOMETHING down... even if it's just 10 bucks.”

Gamestop

• Price: $199.99

• $50 down (minimum) for Pre-orders. Was $10 initially but was raised to prevent people from dropping orders.

• Jet or Indigo can (or could) be reserved. At one GameStop in Kentucky, a customer was told that color could be selected on launch day. This probably will happen with a few retailers.

• Like other GameStop companies, has “passively reserved” the GameCube since last November until the demand became so huge they stopped. Allegedly, GameStop’s parent company, and not Nintendo, is blocking further pre-orders. Most locations have been “sold out for months” for NGC pre-orders and have been keeping an unofficial waiting list since then. Whether or not this pre-order campaign began with Nintendo’s sanction is unknown.

“Hey I live in Tampa Florida and I recently visited a Gamestop store at the Westshore Mall. I asked about the preorders for the Gamecube and the guy there told me that they were taking preorders but stopped because they were unsure about the number of cubes they would be receiving. But once they know, it sounded like they will. Not sure if this helps but just thought I would let you guys know. Glad to see that your site is taking the launch of GCN seriously, I only hope that I here news from a big retailer soon (like target or Circuit City, which I work at and still have heard nothing).”

“I work at my local Gamestop.com store, and I can answer your questions regarding preorders:

1. $200 for the GCN. $50 down, but it goes toward the system and can be withdrawn at any time.

2. No, it is not part of a bundle.

3. You can reserve both Jet and Indigo.

4. Gamestop.com stores (Gamestop.com, Babbage's, etc, Software, etc, Funcoland)

5. Store Location - Pittsburgh, PA, USA

6. Nationwide as far as what my manager told me.

7. Nothing free is added in as of now.

We have had this policy since November, and so have all other Gamestop.com stores in my area. The only changes were a $50 deposit as opposed to $10 to prevent people dropping preorders, and the option of color. All of our preorders have been sold out for months, but people can be put on awaiting list if they want.”

We’ve heard from many employees within GameStop and we’re always happy to hear from them.

A passionate employee who I’ll simply dub “GameStop Mystery Manager”

“MYSTERY MANAGER:

I'm a Sr Store Manager for Gamestop and I have been VERY, VERY disappointed with my company's handling of the Gamecube pre-orders thus far, I have actually gone to the highest of authorities (our own Store Operations VP) and he stated that the reason why we are not actively pursuing Gamecube business is due mainly to Nintendo itself, you see, we have (or better yet, HAD ) not received ANY info on the Gamecube launch until last week. so expect to get a lot of in-your-face advertising for the purple wonder similar to the X-flop.. Anyhow so you know, our stores passively RESERVED Systems and the response was so huge, that we are not ALLOWED by our company (not Nintendo) to take any more reservations, however, WE WILL GET "lots of extra systems" sent to us for launch... basically it's Nintendo's plan to have systems available to ANYONE who wants to buy one (NOT just reservation customers)

As far as games are concerned, you can walk into any Funcoland/Gamestop/Software ETC and reserve your GAMES ONLY. I would strongly recommend this since you will not be able to get you hands on any little NGC DVD without a reservation...”

“Pre-Orders are impossible to find for the Cube. I've been searching all over stores and the net. The only place that I have seen thus far is Babbages, Software Etc., Funcoland and Gamestop. Head to gamestop.com and they have store locators that can locate via zip code. They are mostly pre-ordering the system and games but not accessories such as controllers, DigiMem etc. The only real problem is that they are selling like Hotcakes. Every store I called was sold-out or weren't taking them. So I'm stuck in the camping category until and online occurrence happens.

The story I've gotten from most retailers (Wal-Mart, K-Mart, ToysRus, and KB Toys) is that Nintendo doesn't want them to take Pre-Orders because they don't want what happened to Sony happen to them. So it looks like a lot of people will be camping or stalking their Internet retailers like toysrus.com, walmart.com and ebgames.com when they go on sale. I think ebgames might be pre-ordering but not right now. Most online retailers are waiting till the 18th to start selling. But why wait when you can camp? Keep fighting the good fight! “

KB Toys

One reader wrote in with KB Toys info.

“Found this out last weekend, but there was a 10 only pre order, everyone else is on a waiting list.

1. Price:

   $250

2. Bundle:

   No

3. Color choice:

   No

4. Store:

   K&B Toys

5. Location:

   North Little Rock Mall, Little Rock, Arkansas

6. 1 memory card is included”

Sam Goody

Like other retailers, some Sam Goody stores seem to be taking pre-orders, some aren’t.

1. "Price is 200 dollars (100 dollar deposit)

2. No bundles

3. Dunno about colors

4. Sam Goody

5. Miwaukee, WI, USA

6. Chain – Nationwide

7. Dunno about freebies”

“I just got off the phone with a young lady at EB saying that Pre-orders MAY be taken the first week of Oct. Also Sam Goody is going to take Pre-Orders as soon as they have their allocation numbers, Regardless of what Nintendo is saying. Hope that helps.”

Software Etc.

• Like its GameStop partner stores, Software Etc was doing pre-orders for awhile but no longer.

• Most Software Etc. stores would NOT guarantee color and said this would be sorted out after the launch.

• One Software Etc. said it would have NO GameCubes available until Monday the 19th

“I reserved my Gamecube last March ay Software ETC in Ft.Walton Beach Florida. They said I was about 20th on the list we I did this. It is not a bundled package and I believe the store is throughout the USA. It cost me $50 to reserve it which goes towards the purchase of the system, which will be $199.99. I was able to pre-oder a silver one but when Nintendo announced only black and purple, i picked black. As for freeebies, they said possibly. Hope I have helped.”

” The day Mario Tennis GBC came out I went to go buy it at my closest Software Etc., and I noticed a poster, you remember those pictures floating around?, well I saw that hanging on the wall and I pre-ordered the system. This was I think in January. I came back a few months later for Mario Kart: Super Circuit, the

day it came out, and I asked about pre-ordering games for Gamecube and hardware (I didn't pre-order any games the day I pre-ordered the system cuz E3 was still months to come), so they said I could pre-order games but not hardware, so I pre-ordered Luigi's Mansion, Pikmin, SSBM and Rogue Leader. I asked about Star Fox Adventures but they were only accepting pre-orders for games that come out this year. So they asked ‘What if you don't get here in time for your system? You got all these games but no system?’ I said that I pre-ordered a Gamecube at the same store and they replied ‘So you're the only one, we stopped taking pre-orders after half a day because we received news we weren't supposed to.’ This store is in

Fremont California, U.S.A.”

“I pre-ordered mine through Software Etc. I am not sure if they are still taking pre-orders, as I did mine awhile back. I also preordered, Luigi, Wave Race, and Rogue Leader. I couldn't get them to gaurantee me a black GCN though. Damn, I really hope I get the black one.”

”In my area the only place that I know is taking pre-orders here in Tulsa. Oklahoma (and is nearly out of the initial shipment of everything) is Software ETC, in Woodland Hills mall. They aren't requiring you to get a bundle, but you can throw in games, controllers, and whatever else your heart desires except for system color (damn me and my inability to guarantee a black Gamecube). As far as perks, there are none that I am aware of.”

Target

No word of pre-orders, though Target is preparing for Cube:

”Hey guys, I was in my local Target store today when I saw some promotional materials for the GC and X-Box. Their whole video game space in the store has been changed, and in the place of where you could play N64 and PS2, now stands a 3 TV setup, with GameCube, PS2, and X-Box. None of them were working at the time. They also have redone their shelves, with now 2 columns for PS2 games, 1 for PS1, 1 for GBA, 1 for GC, and 1 for X-Box. I also asked when the GC system would be up, and she said in a couple of days. She wouldn't say whether it was a video setup, like the one in Toys R Us now, or a playable station.”

Toys R Us

Toys R Us was one of the places we got the most responses from by far. It seems that it may be one of the places that varies the most when it comes to GameCube pre-orders. At least one person was recently able to pre-order successfully from Toys R Us and sent us a scan of his pre-order slip. We also heard from someone in Canada who said their TRU was doing pre-orders. Otherwise, most TRUs stated they would not be doing system pre-orders and would handle the Cubes, first come first served and this is what Nintendo has asked them to do. According to TendoNext, one TRU location suggested they would be doing pre-orders, but a week later said they would not be.

• Although most TRUs aren’t offering it, Pre-orders for games are available, at $10 each. There is no limit to the number of games you can pre-order apparently.

• There are a FEW playable kiosks in select TRUs with more coming in the following weeks.

• TRU will not be staying open 24 hours for launch.

“According to Toys'r'us in Green Bay, Wisconsin (GO PACK!). Over the weekend I talked to one of the guys about pre-ordering a Gamecube at Toys'r'us. He said that As of what he was told Nintendo will not allow anyone to pre-order the Gamecube. He said that no other place would be pre-ordering. But then he also said that Nintendo could change and let people pre-order it.”

“I visited Toys R' Us last night, and they were pre-ordering GameCube games

only. The guy in the Video Games Section said that Nintendo wasn't doing

pre-orders for the system this time around, so Toys R' Us wasn't either.

They had ten slots for game pre-orders, and I saw eight of them filled. All

were $49.99 (pre-order for $10) and were to be in store on 11/18/01 @ 1 p.m.

Pikmin was being pre-ordered and was to be in the store on 11/18 as well, so

the dates aren't necessarily set in stone. The game pre-orders I saw are

listed below.

• Luigi's Mansion

• Pikmin

• Wave Race: Blue Storm

• Dave Mirra Freestyle BMX 2

• NHL Hitz 2002

• Super Monkey Ball

• Madden NFL 2002

• Star Wars Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2

Hope this helps, and thanks for the GREAT site!”

“Anyway after work today I stopped by my local mall to see if I could find a

place that was taking Gamecube preorders and (Whoo Hoo!) Toys 'R' Us was

taking them and I became number eight on the list. Anyway here's the

required info:

1. The system cost $300 Canadian plus taxes. To preorder you had to put down a $100 deposit ($114 with taxes) and then pay the difference when you

   got the system.

2. The system was not part of a bundle. $300 was for the console and

   nothing else. $300 was the announced Candian price so I'm pretty happy.

3. As far as I know you cannot reserve a colour. The clerk didn't mention

   it and when I asked about colours he said Nintendo was only launching in

   purple. He's probably an idiot since we know black will be available but

   the preorder list didn't have anything about colour.

4. The store is Toys 'R' Us

5. The store is in Langley BC, Canada.

6. The store is of course a chain but I don't know if this is nationwide

   thing. So far all the game sites have been saying Toys 'R' Us isn't taking

   preorders so it's likely this is a location specific offer.

7. As for freebies they mentioned something about an inflatable kids chair. I wasn't that interested so I didn't ask much about it.

There's a few other points worth mentioning. The clerk said the store would get the console on November 20 two days after the launch date. They also

mentioned they would get the Xbox two days late as well. When the GBA launched I remember all my local stores (including Toys 'R' Us) didn't get it until two days after the launch date so perhaps this is a BC or Canadian thing. The clerk asked for my name and phone number and gave me a piece of paper to represent my preorder that I am to bring with my reciept when I pick up my Gamecube in November. Naturally I have put my reciept and this piece of paper in a very safe place.”

Wal-Mart

• No reservations. Price is $199.99

• Wal-Mart’s in store TV stations are playing GBA/GameCube promos

• One of our readers heard that Wal-Mart is planning on keeping stores open 24 hours nationally the night of the 18th so gamers can get their Cubes ASAP.

• There are apparently GameCube promotional pamphlets in Wal-Mart’s too

  “Among other things, Wal Mart's in-store TV station is showing preview videos

  of GAMECUBE/GBA. They've got short video snippets of Luigi's Mansion, Wave

  Race, and Pikmin. The thing loops, so if you miss it, just stand in the

  middle of the aisles and crane your neck up at the TV's dangling from the

  ceiling. It comes around every 10 minutes or so.”

  “I work at a local Wal Mart store, and a few days ago we received a new issue

  of NCREW. If you are not familiar with NCREW, it is a free mini-magazine/ad

  that is a joint venture between Nintendo and Wal Mart (I think they are the

  only two involved anyway). I often disregard this, mainly due to the fact it

  is usually outdated, and only contains material on games set to come out in

  the particular month of publication (none of which have interested me). Well

  this edition is dedicated to GCN, and while it is basically just an

  advertisement, it is one of the first GCN ads to hit North America. I have

  included 4 pictures, and I apologize in advance for the quality. I have not

  yet gained access to a digital camera to take pictures, so my cheap ass web

  cam will have to do for now.

  Also, our store is showing a GAMECUBE preview video similar to those

  reported at TRU stores, except it is being showed on the Wal Mart TV

  Network, which is basically 30 or so TVs scattered across the store. This

  preview is shown about every 30 to 50 minutes, and I'm pretty sure that

  every Wal Mart store picks up this feed. No word on when we will be getting

  our kiosks, but I’m pretty sure we will be receiving more than one (but we

  have yet to receive a XBOX or even a PS2 kiosk, maybe this is because of

  Nintendo and Wal Mart's long relationship?)”