The GameCube was the UK"s biggest selling console last week, beating back both Xbox and PS2 with sales of 14,000 units, with Nintendo now hoping that its GBA SP rebate deal will keep sales high.
The GameBoy Advance SP launches on Friday in Europe, and 400,000 units of the new console have been shipped throughout the territory, backed by a £30 million marketing campaign. Purchasers of the unit will receive a coupon offering €50 off a new GameCube.
Last week"s massive boost in GameCube sales - an increase of 60 per cent over the preceding week - came mostly thanks to price cutting at retailers including Argos and Dixons, and the launch of key software title Metroid Prime.
However, Argos" offer - which saw the Cube sold at £78.99 including a game and memory card - will come to an end on April 1st, and with the next really major GameCube release (Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker) not due until May 3rd, it seems entirely likely that the Cube could slip off the consumer radar for another couple of months.