PGC: Hello, this is Planet GameCube, and we're going to ask Mr. Cory O'Neill a few questions about the Canadian Cube Tour. So, to start off, how long have you been working for Nintendo and what are your basic duties?

Cory: I've been doing marketing promotions for Nintendo now just going on two years. Currently, I am the Toronto market manager and I cover all of the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) market.

Right now, Nintendo is running a Gamecube Sampling program in various locations across Canada. I'm currently running our program here in Toronto which consists of our GameCube trailer that has 13 screens all with playable GameCube games and our GameCube Inflatable room with one big screen inside it. Our team of six travels to locations in the GTA and give people a chance to sample the GameCube. They ask us questions give us their impressions and we make there day a whole lot of fun by running tournaments, challenges, contests and games.

PGC: How many of these "samplings" have you actually done so far? We first met in Newmarket, and then you went to Belleville. What about in the earlier cities? Weren't you just giving out promotional items?

Cory: Yes, beforehand our team was doing a lot of SWAG. You know, just giving out all sorts of cool prizes to many of the consumers at retail stores such as "Toys 'R' Us", "Wal-Mart", "Zellers", "Electronic Boutique", "Future Shop". We're still doing all that, sticking mainly to the GTA.

We actually started our first weekend of playable GameCube sampling in Newmarket. After Newmarket, this is our second weekend now, and here we are at the Oshawa Centre. This is our first weekend with the Nintendo GameCube trailer. And I really couldn't ask for anything better. We've had a good crowd all weekend; there's been close to 1500 people on Saturday alone! We're looking at about 3000 people altogether for the whole weekend. It's been phenomenal.

PGC: Yeah, you've been running these tournaments, and people have been winning great little things like the lanyards, the hats and whatnot. On the whole, what's been the reaction? Have people been surprised this is from Nintendo, with games like Rogue Leader? I mean, after the N64 many people sort of equated the company with kids, even though that’s rather far from the truth...

Cory: Well people know that when Nintendo comes to a region near them. We bring lots of fun, excitement, great staff to assist them, free prizes and most of all an enjoyable gaming experience. So you're going to enjoy yourself , but the GameCube has really brought out the excitement in everyone. The level of energy and excitement is beyond what I've seen before. Everybody's been commenting on the clearness of the graphics, how smooth and fast the system runs. The graphics are amazing , especially after seeing Rogue Leader. For our tournaments, we've been running them on the top of every hour. We get anywhere from 16 to 32 competitors that go head-to-head in a 2-Player WaveRace heat, on the big 32'' TV on the back of the trailer. People are loving it, everybody walks home with a prize and the winners get a nice GameCube package which consists of a GC baseball cap, lanyards, posters, some GC stickers and tattoos. We even had "The Battle of the Parents" and "Battle the GC Pros" and "Challenge a GC Pro" where people had to challenge me. Not many people won that one.[laughs] Well... other than the 13th person because I crashed my jet-ski.

From people that have sampled the GC, there's been nothing but positive feedback. Especially after playing in our inflatable Game Cube room, which you saw last weekend of course, but now we've got Rogue running on the big TV in there. It's pitch black, the volume is cranked so people who are sampling it are getting the full theatrical effect. Rogue has really been showing off the kind of system the GC is. It's simply the ultimate gaming machine with amazing gameplay.

PGC: So what happens when people see that big Nintendo truck/trailer combination on the road?

Cory: Wherever we go there's always people who follow us. Basically wanting to pull us over , or follow us into the stores. Everyone's crazy and they're hyped about it. They want to know more and more about the system, they want to get their hands on it. We even get people asking us at gas stations for free stuff! But it doesn't bother us at all, it adds more to our day. The hype is unreal. The awareness is out there now here in Canada, and I think we're looking at a very successful launch.

PGC: Do you have any other comments, just things you've might have noticed when travelling around?

Cory: Yeah. I'd like to thank everyone for coming out and especially those who make those special trips and come from 2-3 hours away. On our website, www.nintendo.ca you can actually check the GameCube Tour to see the locations in Canada that Nintendo will be visiting next. People have been doing this, and some of our more ardent fans have been checking the site daily and they want to know where we are next and when is the next chance to get their hands on the GC and its software. I mean people have come as far as 4 hours away, and others follow us from city to city.

PGC: You were telling me about one fellow.

Cory: We've got one guy who has been following me now for a year and a half. Right from the Pokémon on the N64 and GameBoy Color to the GameBoy Advance Tour and now to the GameCube. He's been here for the past two weekends. Like I said before, the response to all of this is simply unbelievable. We'll be continuing the tour up until Christmas, and I expect things to get better and better.

PGC: Thank you very much for your time and answers, Cory.

Cory: No problem.