Time for another staff story, this time it's one of the latest to join our crew here, it's James!

James (AKA James_CE)

Hi everybody! My name's James Hamilton, but my friends call me Ham (Get it? Hamilton? Ham? Get it? Oh.)

I'm one of the newest members of CE, and I joined Cube-Europe because I've been a loyal follower of Ninty for a very long time, and have owned a NES, SNES, N64, GCN, and basically every Nintendo console released in the UK. I started reading NGC magazine (or N64 as it was known at the time) during the good old Nintendo 64 days, and it became an ambition of mine to become a games journalist. I sometimes wrote reviews of games I owned when I got bored, and I sometimes still do. When I found out about the site, I made it my homepage and spent every day checking out the latest news at CE. At one point, I remember thinking, 'Wouldn't it be cool if I found out the news before other people, and I was the one to let people know it?' That, and the fact I'm in a school full of Nintendo-haters, made me decide to start working at CE. I enjoy working at the site, have fulfilled my ambition of being a games journalist, and I haven't regretted a minute.

2. So what exactly do you do at Cube-Europe?

Sit on my ass all day playing GameCube. * Pause* Oh yeah, and GBA. *Longer pause * And I post news. I also did a Die Hard Vendetta review, which is really good. Really, really good. So good, in fact, that you ought to take a look right now. Yes, now. NOW!

3. What is the best part of what you do?

Finding out GC news before other people (ha, ha, ha) and being part of a community of people who are also addicted to Nintendo. Like a real life version of Animal Crossing. But without the animals. Yes.

4. What is the worst part of what you do?

'Cube-Europe', 'GameCube', and 'worst' do not, repeat, DO NOT belong in the same sentence. However, if I had to name the worst part, it would be all of that damn HTML I have to use when posting news.

5. What have been your personal highs and lows for the past year?

Highs of this year have been buying a Cube, starting work for Cube-Europe, and�uh, that's it. Bad points include the frickin' HTML, and I also found the Rare sale a bit disappointing, though it was probably for the best, and I wish Rare luck working under the slave master. Sorry, Bill Gates.

6. How do you think the last year has been for Cube-Europe?

Cube-Europe has done really well over the past year (especially since I joined ) and to expect more brilliance out of this fantastic site would be unreasonable. However, the great thing is I know I can. Go CE!

7. How do you think it has been for games sites in general?

Most game sites seem to do fairly well, but none can live up to the brilliance that is Cube-Europe. They definitely do try though .

8. How do you think it has been for Nintendo?

This year has really been a mixed bag for Ninty. I think the sales for the GameCube so far are phenomenal, and that Nintendo are giving its loyal gamers what they really deserve this year, with a tonne of fantastic games. Nintendo have also made ties with other games companies that they did not have with the N64, such as with Squaresoft (yay), Capcom (YAY) and Sega (Woohoo!). Thanks to these new ties, we have Resi Evil and five exclusive titles from Capcom, Final Fantasy from Square, plus F-Zero, Monkey Ball, and loads more games from SEGA.

However, Nintendo has lost as well as gained, and that loss is Rareware. They had some wicked titles planned for the Cube (Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero), and it looks like I'll have to do without them. *Sob* However, thankfully Rare will still develop for GBA, and they left behind them Starfox Adventures, which, no matter how good or bad it is, gamers should get as a kind of tribute to the lost Rare magic. Despite this, Nintendo have had a good year, and I expect great things in 2003. Vive le Nintendo!

9. What does the New Year hold for you and Cube-Europe?

For me, the New Year holds many great things from Nintendo, and (hopefully) Nintendo sticking two fingers up at Sony, because they have outsold them by triple the PS2 sales. Ah well, we live and hope. Also, whatever the future of Nintendo holds, you can guarantee that Cube Europe will let you know about everything that happens first. Hell, that's what we're there for!

10. Finally, any last words to the readers? Readers, hope you had a great Christmas, and that whatever you do in 2003, you will stick by Nintendo, because they, and only they, make the best games. Also, stick with Cube Europe, because me, Ash, ModoX, and the rest of the staff at Cube-Europe will work our hardest (well, hard enough) to make sure that you know all the latest in the world of Nintendo. Happy New Year!