Motion-sensing, role-playing games and the rise of Nintendo

Thoughts on E3 2010

E3 2010 is now over and now that I’ve recuperated from all the news and announcements, it’s time to make up the balance. It’s a shame I couldn’t witness it first-hand, but luckily we live in the age of internet, so I got my daily updates of game trailers, interviews and what not. And from what I saw, the E3 didn’t disappoint as much as I initially feared: in fact, I’m quite satisfied. My expectations before hand weren’t especially high, but I crossed my fingers and hoped Nintendo would redeem itself and make up for the lost years. And for me, they did. Nintendo stole the show. I’ve seen so many good things from them this E3 I don’t know where to start. I got the feeling Microsoft really wanted their Kinect thing to be a big deal, but from what I saw, it’s pretty dull. You’d almost fear they follow in Nintendo’s footsteps and try to be popular with all target audiences except gamers (I don’t think they will, fortunately).

As for the assortment of games on both Xbox360 and PS3, I can’t say I’m particularly surprised but they’ve shown some good stuff. I’m really looking forward to Castlevania: Lord of Shadows, for instance. I have ever since the first trailers, but the new footage looked pretty rad and impressed me even more. I can’t wait to play the game! Furthermore, I was mildly enthusiastic about a new Silent Hill game, and although I found the trailer I saw pretty unimpressive, I still hope it will be a great game. Time will tell, I suppose.

The title of this article pretty much sums up the E3 for me. I was surprised by how many (relatively) high-profile role-playing games were shown this year. We have Fable 3, which hardly impressed me since all I’ve heard the developers say about it sounded like boring yip-yap to me and I’ve never really liked the series, and another similar game: Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned. A movie-license RPG, loosely based on the Pirates? That’s the last thing I expected to see (no news of this game had come to my attention beforehand, but this may have to do with the fact that any game that even has Pirates of the Caribbean in the title is instantly uninteresting to me). The movies (well… the first movie) have great settings and pirates are indeed cool, so it seems like a good idea on paper. However, I’ve couldn’t have been disappointed more by any pirate-themed game of the last few years, so how is this going to be better?

Furthermore, is it me or is this game similar to Fable (in style, at least)? I’m sure you won’t get to sim your own kingdom but the visual style seems familiar. And from what demo footage I’ve seen, so does the gameplay! Not necessarily a bad thing, but I’ll wait and see how it will turn out.

The biggest RPG this E3 (probably), was of course Star Wars: the Old Republic. Too bad I’ve heard nothing of Dragon Age 2 or Mass Effect 3, but with such a project on the way, I sort of understand Bioware may not have had the time. From what I’ve seen and heard, it seems the game is going to be pretty epic and bad-ass. Admitted, I have a minor dislike for the graphics (it’s a very weird cartoony style), especially when compared to the downright bad-ass FMV trailers, but I can easily adjust. The biggest problem for me is the fact that it’s a MMO. I don’t know what it is exactly, but MMO games don’t interest me that much. This is a shame, since the game looks actually promising otherwise, and I know how high the quality of Bioware RPG’s normally is. Were this a normal RPG, I wouldn’t probably eagerly await it’s release, but now I likely won’t touch is. I still hope it turns out to be a good game, though (I’ll wait for Mass Effect 3).

I’m also a little interested in Deus Ex: Human Revolution due to the trailer alone. I’ve no real experience with the series and it might not be my kind of game at all, but at least the trailer was fantastic and really got me into the atmosphere.

Also: Marvel vs Capcom 3. It’s like Tatsunoko vs Capcom was just a preview to what was to come. I’m sure the announcement got the fans crazy and it was good to see the game playable at the E3. We already knew this was coming before, but more info and footage is a good thing. I myself actually have mixed feelings: I know these types of fighting games are too over the top for me and I generally don’t like them too much, but I’ve got to say: MvC3 looks pretty damn good. I’m anxious to see how it turns out!

And then, of course, there is Nintendo. Oh, how Nintendo has delivered this E3! A new Metroid and Zelda are always welcome and although those weren’t the real surprises to me, it’s good to see they’ve still got it over at Nintendo. The new Zelda looks like a Wind Waker/Twilight Princess mix to me and I don’t know what to think of it, but at least they keep the fans happy. Me, I’m not such a fan of the series (strange, I know) but even I admit it looks pretty good. With all the disappointments Nintendo has accumulated during the last few years almost anything looks good, but together with the other things they have in store for us the impact is enormous and their reputation might just be saved. For behold, it is the Nintendo 3DS! I of course have to start with how pointless the DSi and enlarged DSLite seem in light of this new handheld but fortunately they announced it fast enough so I know to keep the money in my pocket and just wait for the 3DS. Of course, I haven’t played on a 3DS yet so I couldn’t say whether it’s really impressive, but if it works I might be hyped up to get one (even though I’d be the first to complain about the whole 3D crazy of this day and age). 3D games might be a great thing if it works without problems, and I look forward to what it might have in store for us. Not too impressed with the games so far, but these are just the launch games and I have no problem waiting until more good stuff becomes available. As far as handhelds go, Nintendo has rarily (if at all) disappointed me.

But arguably the biggest thing Nintendo could’ve possibly announced as far as I’m concerned was a new entry in the Donkey Kong Country series. And they did it. They REALLY did it. It looks good, it looks fresh and comfortably familiar at the same time, it sounds good, it’s awesome! I really, really look forward to this game and probably hype it to the stars. I love everything that is and was DKC, and if this game is even only half as good as its predecessors, it’s still pure gold. I keep my fingers crossed!

Next to Castlevania, DKC is the thing I most look forward to, but there are many others great games at E3 this year. These were the ones I was most interested in, but be sure to check the news for a lot of other good stuff. Now we can only wait and see if the GamesCom can shed new light on the matter!

New Nintendo 3DS Does Head Tracking

Today Nintendo announced that they will reveal a new DS the 3DS  (temporary name) This new DS will make it able to see 3D without the glasses. This doe make us wonder if a new DS is really needed for this sins it can already be done with the current DSi technology. Nintendo is planing to announce the new 3DS this financial year (this ends March 2011) Most likely the announcement will toke place at the E3.

With the DSi's cam there is already some amazing 3D possible.

Note this is not the 3DS but a possible way on how it might work!

DSi XL Gets Set For Europe On 5 March 2010

This is what Nintendo has to say about it:

The new handheld console sports two 4.2 inch screens – 93% bigger than the screen on the Nintendo DS Lite. In addition, the new screens have a much wider viewing angle, making it easy for people to watch and share the fun.  Whether it’s encouraging family or friends to beat your score on A Little Bit of… Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training, solving the mysteries of Professor Layton together or simply offering ‘helpful’ backseat advice during a frantic race in Mario Kart, the Nintendo DSi XL opens up a new world of shared handheld gaming whilst breathing new life into your favourite Nintendo DS games as you experience them on the big screen.

The new handheld is a premium addition to the Nintendo DS family, coming pre-loaded with some top software:  A Little Bit of… Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: Arts Edition, Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function and the Nintendo DSi Browser, which enables you to easily access the Internet from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection. The console is launching in two colours – wine red and dark brown, with a glossy sheen on top and matt finish on the underside that provides excellent grip when resting on a table or other surface during gameplay.  It also features a larger pen-like stylus, making gameplay more comfortable and natural.

The Nintendo DSi XL will feature the full capabilities of the original Nintendo DSi, which launched in Europe in April 2009 packed with features such as the ability to create, customise and share photos with friends and family, listen to and play with your music and sounds and download games through the Nintendo DSi Shop.

Nintendo DSi XL is the fourth member of the Nintendo DS family which is currently enjoyed by over 100 million people around the world.  It features the trademark dual screens and the simple-to-use controls that players have come to love, but will take your gaming experience to a new level.

Join in the fun from 5 March 2010, when Nintendo DSi XL is available across Europe.