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News   South Park Loves the GameCube (possibly)
- Posted By Michael Loewer, 08.10.2001

On Wednesday, 8-8-2001, I had the pleasure of watching Trey Parker and Matt Stone's newest South Park episode, entitled Towelie.

There were two storylines running through this episode -- the important one for Nintendo loyalists being Stan's aquisition of a new video game system called:

THE OKAMA GAMESPHERE

Borrowed from South Park Studios

It took me a few seconds to realize the similarities with the Nintendo GameCube, but looking back they're obvious.

First, take a look at the company name of Okama. It has a very Japanese feel similar to that of Nintendo. Granted, Sony is technically a Japanese company as well, but no one immediately associates the name Sony with Japanese gaming. The major hint, obviously, is the name of the system -- the GameSphere. If the play on words between Cube and Sphere were any more obvious, they might as well have called it the GameCube to begin with.


Green = XBox?

Borrowed from South Park Studios

True, I can't help but notice the bright green coloring of the system. It would have been easier on my conscience of the GameSphere had been colored purple, but I've got an explanation for that as well. Perhaps, with the obvious name reference to the GameCube plus the color green, the South Park crew is noting a hint of respect towards the XBox -- which doesn't bother me all that much.

Lately, I'll admit the whole XBox fiasco has been irking me a little. Microsoft's press meetings have been nothing more than propaganda parades, and upon opening my newest issue of FHM today, I noticed a full page article on the "stunning" XBox -- ignoring GameCube's very existence. Even so, I certainly don't mind XBox assisting Nintendo in crushing the PS2, as long as soon after an example is made of Gates as well.

As for those who think I'm stretching the GameCube connection to the Okama GameSphere, just how many media references have you seen lately to the GameCube? More than likely, whenever a next-gen gaming discussion arises, the major players are the PS2, XBox, or hell, I've even seen the Dreamcast mentioned a couple of times (which proves media idiocy). The fact is that a name like the GameSphere is simply too close to be a coincidence.

Even if the hat is being tipped in Microsoft's direction just a little, there's absolutely no relation to the PS2 by any stretch of the imagination. That, my friends, is the best part of all.

Enjoy the pics, and kudos to South Park Studios for caring about the fans and allowing me to "borrow" these screenshots.


Senior Editor Michael Loewer, signing off.
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