The GameCube Linux project on Groundhog Day released an alpha version of Linux running on the Nintendo GameCube. The busybox-based release supports screen output, networking code, a telnet server, and a webserver. The project aims to enable GameCube use as a thin client, multimedia terminal, server, or runtime environment for “homebrew” development.

(Click for larger view of GameCube running Linux)

The Nintendo GameCube is based on an IBM PowerPC processor chip clocked at 486MHz. According to the project, the CPU is strong enough to decode MPEG-4/DivX and MP3 files, enabling GameCubes to be used to display or play files stored on a central fileserver (they have no hard drive of their own).

Another key goal is to broaden the utility of the GameCube as a platform for development. Metrowerks Codewarrior and Nintendo libraries are available to professional GameCube developers, but thus far hobbyists have had to make do with GCLIB, an open source alternative for GameCube development. A standard Linux environment will let developers use SDL, OpenGL, and other libraries useful for games and other applications. A standard Linux environment will also facilitate ports of existing applications to the GameCube, according to the GameCube Linux project.

GameCube Linux Webserver default page
(Click for larger view)

GameCubes include a graphics chipset from ATI. 40MB of RAM, optional 10/100 Ethernet port, and an 8cm optical drive.

The project is similar in nature to an earlier effort to create an embedded Linux distribution for Microsoft's X-Box.

More details about GameCube Linux can be found on the project Website.

 
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