# 3DS vs Gamecube Graphical Potential



## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

Hey guys, I was just thinking; is the Nintendo 3DS more powerful than the Nintendo Gamecube from 2001?

Specs:

3DS: 
266 MHz ARM 11 Processor Dual Core
Approx 133 MHz Pica 200 Graphics Processor
128 MB of RAM
4-6 MB of Video RAM *Not Sure*

Gamecube:
465 MHz Single core 'Flipper' CPU
162 MHz GPU
40 MB of RAM
4 MB video RAM

The 3DS is rendering 2 screens, one of which is 400x240 while the other is 320x240, resulting in 172800 pixels to fill.

The top screen, (400x240) tends to be considered the primary screen, and is where the gameplay usually is, while the bottom screen is a secondary screen.

When the 3DS is rendering 3D, because the top screen goes to 800x240, the amount of pixels it has to fill grows to 268800 pixels, which is a pretty big jump.

The Gamecube is rendering one screen and no 3D, obviously. So the Gamecube is filling 307200 pixels for 4:3 ratio games, which is the ratio most Gamecube games run at. And this number is alot more than the 3DS has to render, even when taking both screens and 3D into account. This means the 3DS can use more power towards other things, like shaders.

So, what do you think? Do you think the 3DS has more graphical potential than the Gamecube? I would say the 3DS does, especially if more developers make games with Resident Evil Revelations Graphics although I would say that a game like Super Mario Sunshine has considerably better graphics than Super Mario 3D Land; Of course, some of that would be the result of a much lower resolution 3DS Screen.

Yes, I know the specs I listed are slightly rudimentary, but if I made a mistake or anything, feel free to correct me.


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## Sacrieur (Jan 14, 2013)

Not all processors are created equal. The 3DS's capabilities appear to be closer to the N64 than the Gamecube based on games.










Graphical discrepancies can be explained by better architecture, texturing techniques, and etc.

Let's not forget the Gamecube could play this:


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## CrimsonTrigger (Jun 28, 2011)

I don't know much about tech, but right now, it's hard to say. I remember Capcom said they were able to get Resident Evil 5 running on the system, and Revelations looked very good, almost like the Gamecube games, so for now that's about the best indication of what the system is capable of. Nintendo rarely pushes their own hardware, and there isn't a whole lot of mainstream third-party games on there that could show off what the system could do. The screen resolution doesn't help much. I wouldn't use Ocarina of Time as an example of the system's capabilities, just like I wouldn't use Wind Waker HD as an example of the Wii U's capabilities.

If you're interested, you might want to check out this video. I discovered it a while back. It's for a game apparently in development right now.






Something else worth mentioning is the system's frame rate. I'm playing Kingdom Hearts right now and there are times when the game gets horribly choppy. Is it because of the 3DS or the game engine itself? Demon's Souls and Dark Souls on PS3 aren't graphically demanding games, but the frame rate gets choppy anyways, so it's not necessarily the system's fault.


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## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

CrimsonTrigger said:


> I don't know much about tech, but right now, it's hard to say. I remember Capcom said they were able to get Resident Evil 5 running on the system, and Revelations looked very good, almost like the Gamecube games, so for now that's about the best indication of what the system is capable of. Nintendo rarely pushes their own hardware, and there isn't a whole lot of mainstream third-party games on there that could show off what the system could do. The screen resolution doesn't help much. I wouldn't use Ocarina of Time as an example of the system's capabilities, just like I wouldn't use Wind Waker HD as an example of the Wii U's capabilities.
> 
> If you're interested, you might want to check out this video. I discovered it a while back. It's for a game apparently in development right now.
> 
> ...


Uh, that would be because of the game engine. Have you seen Mario Kart 7? It has good graphics, effects and stuff like that, but it also runs at a silky smooth 60 FPS. In my opinion, Mario kart 7 is better looking than the Wii game and the Gamecube one, despite the lower resolution screen.

Also, that tech demo looks really cool, I think it shows the 3DS potential, although in the video, it is stated the the game engine can render at 7 million polygons per second. I've heard the that 3DS that render double that. It might because of the 3D however, as everything has to be rendered twice.


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## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

Sacrieur said:


> Not all processors are created equal. The 3DS's capabilities appear to be closer to the N64 than the Gamecube based on games.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ocarina of Time 3D was a near launch title for the 3DS. It would have been developed before the 3DS release.

Twilight Princess is probably one of the most advanced 6th generation games in terms of graphics, while not the best looking because of it's art style.

Developers should probably focus not on pure polygon counts for the 3DS, but nice art styles, like Zelda Wind Waker. That game still looks goregous in 2014.


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## Sacrieur (Jan 14, 2013)

MadTroll153 said:


> Ocarina of Time 3D was a near launch title for the 3DS. It would have been developed before the 3DS release.
> 
> Twilight Princess is probably one of the most advanced 6th generation games in terms of graphics, while not the best looking because of it's art style.
> 
> Developers should probably focus not on pure polygon counts for the 3DS, but nice art styles, like Zelda Wind Waker. That game still looks goregous in 2014.


Especially the HD version.


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## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

MadTroll153 said:


> Uh, that would be because of the game engine. Have you seen Mario Kart 7? It has good graphics, effects and stuff like that, but it also runs at a silky smooth 60 FPS. In my opinion, Mario kart 7 is better looking than the Wii game and the Gamecube one, despite the lower resolution screen.
> 
> Also, that tech demo looks really cool, I think it shows the 3DS potential, although in the video, it is stated the the game engine can render at 7 million polygons per second. I've heard the that 3DS that render double that. It might because of the 3D however, as everything has to be rendered twice.


The Gameplay will probably suck though as the game is being developed the creators of Cop: The Recruit. That game had GREAT DS graphics but got horrible reviews and was apparently very repetitive.


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## ShatteredGlass (Oct 12, 2012)

Sacrieur said:


> Especially the HD version.


Yeah, the HD version, in my opinion, can stand up to the Xbox One and PS4.


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## CrimsonTrigger (Jun 28, 2011)

I have no interest in that game to be honest. I don't like shooters and it looks about as mediocre as most shooters coming out these days. I just posted it because so many people were saying how impressive the tech demo was.


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