Welcome.
I like a lot of your thoughts but disagree with your assessment of the Gamecube.
People such as myself bought it as a party box. When it comes to 4 player games where everyone is sitting around 1 TV the Gamecube really shined. If you look through their library:
*Mario Kart
*Mario Golf
*Mario Tennis
*[Roster update sport] Sports games
*Monkey Ball party games
*this list goes on
Anyway, one of its key strengths was in the social aspect. That ability to pick up and immediately be at least somewhat familiar and easily enjoyable. Nintendo has a monopoly on that.
Never gone to or thought of a console as a hardcore experience, so I definitely won't agree with that :P
3rd Party Wall of Shame
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=30478.msg581036#msg581036
