How to connect your retro GameCube to a modern TV

With the 25th anniversary of the GameCube rapidly approaching, it's never been a better time to revisit Nintendo's sixth generation console. Sure, it might have been less popular than the PlayStation 2, but the GameCube had some incredible games that still hold up today, including The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and Metroid Prime . Some releases, like Resident Evil 4 , were even better on the GameCube than on PS2.

The one issue with revisiting the GameCube is that it was designed to work with analog CRT TVs, not modern LCD and OLED TVs. In 2026, most TVs don't have analog inputs anymore. Thankfully, the console is still modern enough that you can connect it to a newer television without too much work. In this guide, I'll explain how you do exactly that.

First, some bad news. Not all GameCubes were created equally. Between the time Nintendo first released the console in Japan on September 14, 2001 and eventually discontinued it in early 2007, the company made one major revision to the hardware to cut costs. Unfortunately, if you own that later model, it's harder to connect your GameCube to a modern TV.

Ideally, what you want is a DOL-001 model GameCube. If you own a DOL-101 variant, things are more complicated. This is because the latter is missing a Digital AV Out connection. In the US and other NTSC regions, this port was originally designed to allow the GameCube to output a 480p signal over a set of component video cables Nintendo sold separately. In 2026, a handful of companies make adapters that use that same port to allow the GameCube to output video over HDMI to a modern TV.

Finding out whether you own a DOL-001 GameCube is easy. If the back of the console has two audio-video ports, with one labeled Digital AV Out , you're in luck. Another way to check is to flip the console over and read the label on the bottom. If it says DOL-001 toward the top, you have the correct model.

With the right variant, playing GameCube games on an LCD or OLED TV is as simple as buying an adapter and connecting the two devices over HDMI. While you can find plenty of cheap HDMI adapters online, I recommend spending a bit more to buy the Retro-Bit Prism HD Adapter . Retro-Bit makes great stuff, and its GameCube adapter is no exception. Most GameCube HDMI adapters rely on open-source software called GC Video . The Retro-Bit comes with a USB-C port to make updating that software easy; no need to take apart the device.

Another option is the Carby from Insurrection Industries or, for a more affordable alternative, consider Bitfunx's offering . Just note, depending on the dongle you buy, you may also need to get a separate HDMI cable if don't have a spare.

Once you have an adapter, all you need to do is plug it into your GameCube's Digital AV Out port, and then connect an HDMI cable from the adapter to you TV. All three of the models recommended above come with a remote that allows you to bring up GC Video's on-screen menu to adjust settings like output resolution.