Though it looks like a toy and comes at a relatively low price, don't be fooled: Nintendo's GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other game systems.

The GameCube doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, or read your e-mail.

Nintendo has concentrated its efforts on games, and the titles are uniformly smooth, with bright, fast graphics and great sound.

The GameCube is optimised to push speed up while pushing costs down, hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based media - in this case proprietary 3-inch, 1GB discs - rather than cartridges for its games, which means lower game development costs, ie: lower prices for consumers and a higher likelihood of new game ideas.

The controllers (one is included) are ergonomically designed and comfy to use even for long periods; there's a built-in rumble feature and two analog control sticks complement an intuitive series of face and shoulder buttons.

The system comes with four built-in controller ports, a built-in carry-handle, and two memory card slots plus there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming.