FlippyDrive vs GC Loader: which GameCube mod should you get?

If you want to play your GameCube game backups from an SD card, the two mods most people end up choosing between are the FlippyDrive and the GC Loader. Both run Swiss, the open-source homebrew menu that lists your games and launches them. They cost the same on our GameCube mod service. The decision really comes down to one question: do you want to keep playing discs?

The short answer

• Pick a FlippyDrive if you still play original discs, or you want the console to stay as close to stock as possible. It is added alongside the disc drive, so discs keep working.
• Pick a GC Loader if your disc drive is failing, noisy, or you never plan to use discs again. It takes the place of the disc drive, so there is no laser or motor left to wear out.

How each mod works

FlippyDrive

A FlippyDrive is installed inside the console next to the original disc drive. When the GameCube starts, you can boot into Swiss and load games from the SD card, or put in a disc and play it the normal way. The original drive is still there and still used for discs, so a drive that is already failing will still fail when you use it.

GC Loader

A GC Loader replaces the disc drive entirely. The console reads games from the SD card instead of a disc, and the spinning drive, laser and motor are gone. That makes it the better choice for a console whose drive no longer reads discs reliably, and it runs quieter too. The trade-off is that the console no longer plays discs.

Side by side

Which GameCube models they fit

Flip the console over and check the model number on the label. The DOL-001 is the original model, with a Digital AV port on the back next to the regular AV port. The DOL-101 is the later model without that port. We install both the FlippyDrive and the GC Loader on either one. We do not mod the Panasonic Q.

What about other GameCube mods?

There are other ways to boot Swiss, such as boot chips that load games through an SD adapter plugged into the memory card or serial port slot. They work, but the adapter sits outside the console. We focus on the FlippyDrive and the GC Loader because everything lives inside the GameCube and games load straight from internal storage.

If you already own a Wii with GameCube controller ports, that is another route: a Wii softmod plays GameCube backups through Nintendont, with your GameCube controllers.

Common questions

Will my memory card saves still work?

Yes. Games still save to your GameCube memory cards with either mod.

Can I add a new shell at the same time?

Yes. A drive mod and a shell replacement can be done in the same visit to our bench, so you only ship the console once.

Do you include games?

No. We install the hardware, set up Swiss on the SD card, and show you how to back up and load the games you own.