About a month ago my GameCube was subjected to an unfortunate, and dramatic, tumble from my half-open bag to the ground. Yes, I know; stupid, stupid me. I'm usually extremely cautious with all my stuff - I hate breaking things, and thus I rarely do - and it was only a complete and utter lapse of reason that made me rush out the door with the console exposed to the elements. It was also pretty stupid, I reckon, to begin looking for my car keys when I was carrying two bags.

Anyways, when the GameCube crashed to the cement, the Eternal Darkness disc popped out of the drive and landed on the ground, silver side down. I'd been playing the game almost continuously since I purchased it, which was why I'd decided to bring the GameCube with me. I wanted to be able to keep playing the game while I was away for the weekend. Doh.

Ever since the "accident", Eternal Darkness has been almost intolerable to play. Why? Because the sound keeps skipping, the disc-drive keeps clicking, and I have no idea whether it's the game or the console that's causing it. I'm hoping for the former, but I've also noticed some odd clicking sounds and strange slowdowns in other games - like Super Monkey Ball - that I could've sworn weren't there before. And it's a crying shame, because Eternal Darkness [ED] is one of the best games I've ever played...or, more correctly, been unable to play.

So what do I do? Even if I could afford it (and I really can't), I won't be able to get a new GameCube, at least not now. See, the one I have is a U.S. model - I buy all my games online - and you can't buy the U.S. model here (in Norway, if you didn't already know). I could buy a new copy of ED from Tronix, but unless I'm certain that it's the game, and not the console, that's causing the problem - well, that'd be fifty bucks down the drain.

It's a minor issue, sure, but still hugely irritating...simply because I want to play, and finish, ED! Yes, it's that good.  ¶ 23:50