E3 2010: Nintendo Press Conference Impressions


Nintendo held their annual E3 press conference inside the Nokia Theater this year, and offered a number of surprises for fans and the press. Everything from announcements of new games of their beloved franchises to the unveiling of a new handheld, Nintendo offered something for everyone. Casual game players, electronics fans and Nintendo loyalists all have something to look forward to for the upcoming year.
]

The presentation opened up with a bang, and gave gamers exactly what
they wanted without a moment of hesitation. A trailer unveiled the new
Wii Zelda game, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.
Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto then made a dramatic appearance on stage
by jumping out from behind the screen to demonstrate the revamped
control scheme for the game, which is what differentiates itself from
past Zelda titles.



The
controls are designed to mimic using a real sword and shield using the
Wii Motion Plus attachment. When the player raises the controller toward
the sky, for example, Link will point his sword in that same direction.
The shield is controlled by the left hand's nunchuck controller.
Unfortunately, as the demonstration progressed, players are reminded of
the Wii's often unresponsive controls when Mr. Miyamoto had difficulty
using the new controls to perform certain acts, such as using the bow
and arrows. His translator, Bill Trinen, took the opportunity to poke
fun at Steve Jobs by asking the audience to
turn off their wi-fi
. Despite the technical difficulties, the new
Zelda looks great. It's more of what makes the Zelda franchise so
popular, with the addition of a new control scheme and cel-shaded art
style similar to the fan favorite Wind Waker. The game will be
released 2011.

Many Wii exclusive games were announced back to
back at this point, in an attempt to end the misinterpretation that Wii
owners only purchase the system for Wii Sports or Wii Fit.
The games included were NBA Jam, Mario Sports Mix, Wii Party, Just
Dance 2
, and Golden Sun 3 for the Nintendo DS.[
If there's one
thing that Nintendo does better than any other company, it's their ability
to repackage retro games that appeal to long time Nintendo fans.
Nintendo announced a new Goldeneye game, which is a modern
version of the Nintendo 64 game that many still consider the best
shooter of all time. The game trailer looked great, even compared to
some shooters on the XBOX360 or PS3. With the James Bond music playing
during the trailer and everyone's fond memories of the N64 original,
it's no surprise the audience loved it. The game is scheduled to be
released this holiday season.



Epic
Mickey
was announced. Warren Spector and Adam Creighton from Junction
Point were on stage to demonstrate the game and explain its development.
Spector, as many fans know, is responsible for his cyberpunk video
games such as System Shock and Deux Ex.

First of
all, the game looks great. The game features forgotten Disney characters
and environments based on old Disneyland attractions, such as the Tiki Room.
Occasionally, Mickey is transported into “films” based on classic Disney
films. A side scroller based on Steamboat Willie was demonstrated.

However, one of the most interesting gameplay features of Epic Mickey is
what appears to be a morality system. Players have the freedom to solve
dilemmas using a variety of methods: The can either destroy or create,
using paint thinner or paint respectively. The destroying or
creation of the environment is a central theme of the game, and will
ultimately affect the outcome of each player's experience. Supporting characters and the world will change depending on your actions. With a deep and
thoughtful game starring one of the world's most recognized mascots on
the this generation's best selling console, Epic Mickey will
undoubtedly be a hit.

More exclusive games announced included
Kirby's Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid Other M
and
Dragon Quest IX. These are more examples of Nintendo repacking their old
game franchises with more features and a shiny new coat of paint.
However, long time Nintendo fans don't mind, and these games are
accessible for even newer, more casual players.

Finally, Nintendo
closed their press conference with the unveiling that everyone had been
waiting for. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata made a dramatic appearance
behind a wall of mist to unveil the much-hyped Nintendo 3DS. The 3DS is
Nintendo's successor to the Nintendo DS, which is the best selling
console of all time.[


The
3DS features a wide-screen on the upper screen, and a touch screen on the
lower screen. The graphics of the system have been improved, and based
on the Kid Icarus Uprising demonstration, it is comparable to the Sony
PSP.

Another feature includes the ability to view games and
Hollywood movies in 3D without the use of any special glasses. There
were even trailers for movies such as How to Train Your Dragon in
3D available on the show floor.

There are now two front-facing
cameras, so that users are able to take and view pictures in 3D.



Surely
Sony executives realize now their PSP needs an upgrade, for the 3DS
offers just about everything the PSP does, but more. Should we be
expecting an response from Sony soon? Absolutely.



The show ended
with a group of female attendants that allowed those in audience to try
out the new handheld. Because the systems were tethered to their waists,
players are unable to run off with the system–unless they also planned on
kidnapping the attendant.

Overall, Nintendo's E3 press conference
was very powerful, and impressed fans and press alike. There indeed was
something for everyone. From modern twists of favorite franchises to
the unveiling of a powerful new portable entertainment device, it's
clear that Nintendo's press conference excited the public and brought
worry to their competitors.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *