The Nintendo GameCube (GCN) is Nintendo's fourth home video game console and is part of the sixth generation era. The hardware system itself is the most compact and least expensive, next to Sega's Dreamcast, of the sixth generation era consoles. It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 and the predecessor of the Wii. The console was released on September 14 2001 in Japan, November 18 2001 in North America, May 3 2002 in Europe, and May 17 2002 in Australia.