Nintendo's promotion for launch has reached new heights. Well, only 7ft high, wide and deep. Photos and more inside.
Two days ago, at midnight 3 cubes resembling those seen on the GameCube television advertisement appeared outside HMV stores in Birmingham, Glasgow and London. There will be performers inside the giant cubes 24 hours a day until the launch of the GameCube on the 3rd of May. That makes 168 hours of displays at 3 different locations.
These photos were taken today at Covent Garden. The sides of the giant cubes are made of Perspex and there are lights at the front so the inside can be seen at night. The back of the structure can be opened as a door and there are fans under the floor to keep those inside it cool.
One of the performers, Mary said that she had been there since 8:30am that morning, taking turns inside the box and there was a great atmosphere, after 11am the crowd was really growing. The rather unusual arrangement meant that a lot of people stopped to look, and it was a good way of advertising because of this. She was dressed as a dancing ballerina, dancing bunny and taking requests for songs from the audience who had gathered and made balloon animals. The other performer that morning was dressed up as a guitar playing nun, who would also read the newspaper, answered the phone and everything else you could in an under 7ft height cube with only a suitcase full of props. Including a sign that read “STOP LOOKING AT ME YOUR MAKING ME PARANOID” (written exactly like that!).
Acts to come include a spoon eater, a classical violinist, major bands and every street act imaginable. The showing of the video from a member of the So Solid Crew has been moved from Saturday to Monday night. In fact, there are over 100 acts, some who are performing more than once for the week. This is Nintendo’s alternative entertainment for you, until the GameCube launches in less than a week’s time.
A few stores on Oxford Street (including EB and HMV) will be opening at midnight on Thursday/Friday night for the first sales of GameCubes, games and accessories. HMV will be giving away copies of Luigi’s Mansion with the first 100 console purchases. You should be able to find your GameCube for £129.99 at launch, there seem to be no retailers charging more than this price. Games will be around £39.99.
Groovy hula hoop dancing by the pink ballerina
Quite a large crowd are around by lunchtime (also some are watching other events)
The cube door can be opened! But only by nuns with guitars
Even more dancing antics, this time with animals
