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Nintendo were somewhat of a joke back in ‘09s junket. I remember watching the live feed and being… disappointed. The Wii Vitality sensor was probably their biggest announcement, and the tail-end reveals of Metroid: Other M and Golden Sun 3 barely saved the show and validated our time. Luckily, this year, Nintendo were all up in our grill from the get go with news we actually cared about. The games. And they couldn’t have started with a more highly anticipated one.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is the latest offering in a lineage that needs no introduction. The short trailer that announced the title was greeted with what is now a customary cheer of excitement from the crowd, which was no doubt was echoed around the world as gamers watched the feed online.

The style was immediately striking, a mix of the adult design of Twilight Princess and the beautiful visuals of Wind Waker, whilst the colour palette of the game is a wonderful flashback to A Link to the Past. It’s at once nostalgic and totally fresh.

It was then demonstrated live on stage by Mr. Miyamoto himself. The game boasts 1:1 Wiimote to Sword action made possible with last years WiiMotion Plus addition, and this sounds like pretty exciting stuff. This was a logical next step, no doubt predicted by many, but oh so welcome. It promises to give a much meatier feel to the combat, and of course the implementations this has on the bow and arrow and other such items have already been felt in Twilight Princess to great effect.

Overall however, I can’t help but feel disappointed with the title and its announcement. There was a distinct lack of anything hugely different in the core gameplay mechanics, despite the new control methods. Four years ago I reviewed Twilight Princess and criticized the been there, done that feel the series was developing. Reassuringly we were told it was ‘the last Zelda of it’s kind’ by Nintendo and promised the next instalment would completely revitalize the series, but so far I’m not feeling it. Regardless of change or lack thereof, there is little doubt I’ll love this game. Zelda is my series. I grew up rescuing the other princess, and I’m not about to stop now.

 

Gaming news continued to flow with an announcement of Mario Sports Mix, a collection of games infused with Mario characters. Pretty standard fare from Nintendo, and over-saturation at its finest, so the less said about it the better.

Wii Party follows suit, and looks to be another addition in the whole Wii Sports / Resort / Play line of games – “Games that drive social interaction”. Basically a collection of titles for your Miis to play around in, and something that won’t be explored on this site.

Next up was a title a more hardcore fanbase can appreciate – the continuation of quite possibly the best RPG series on the Gameboy Advance – Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. The trailer showed the games new look, a very Tales Of style of cel-shading. The gameplay was very old-school, from its dungeon trawling and puzzle solving to its classic battle system and dual-screen summons. As a fan of the series I have to say I am quite excited, despite the trailers distinct lack of Oomph.

A bigger reveal came next with a pretentious introduction: a video played showing roundtable discussions as to why exactly a classic shooter is as highly regarded as it is today. Then these gamers are told that a Goldeneye remake is on the way, to gasps and cheers and ‘Oh My GOD!’s.

Strangely, though, this title isn’t so much of a remake as it is a reimagining. There will be familiarity, not loyalty to the source material. It’s seems to be a slightly generic shooter paying homage to a classic. Strangely, Brosnan’s Bond is now out, making way for a digital Daniel Craig to take his place, which makes for a jarring experience seeing as he didn’t play Bond in the film. Activision – up there with EA in terms of the size of their cash-cow farms – are developing and generally the entire production seems a little half-baked. It’s home to more explosions and set-piece events than the original was ever privy to, thanks to thirteen years of technological advances, but conversely the graphics are poor even by Wii standards. The whole thing reeks of money-hungry shareholders rather than a genuine interest in the IP, and I’d take the reskin-treatment Rare planned for 360 in 2008 over this any day. As we’ve seen from this years re-release of Perfect Dark, a crisp resolution with untouched gameplay makes for a happy nostalgiafan. Needless to say I don’t quite trust Goldeneye ‘10. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

It was my first time seeing Epic Mickey, and although hearing a little about it beforehand I didn’t really know what to expect. The story centres around Mickey travelling through the forgotten worlds of Disney – The Wasteland – inhabited by the rejected characters and locations that never quite made it. Mickey, playing around with the creators brush, accidentally created an ink-blot monster that terrorizes this world, and Mickey sets about to save the world and redeem himself. It’s surprisingly dark and – suitably – epic. The main mechanic is you can manipulate the world with the brush in a seemingly much more direct way than previous titles with similar hooks (read: Okami). You can erase walls and ceilings that are between you and your goals and paint into existence platforms to climb ever higher.

I didn’t think much of the demo – it really didn’t impress me in any way other than the brave new direction Disney are taking their most beloved character. The gameplay felt old and uninspired, as did the design and graphics of the hub level they showcased. Even the Steamboat Willie inspired side-scrolling section – which looked great – featured play that will feel horribly archaic – not classic – to a gamer with the least bit of experience. Right now it seems like one for uninitiated kids – don’t get me wrong, it looks like far better than the movie tie-in garbage they usually have to put up with – it’s just a disappointment it doesn’t seem to hold much appeal to the older fan. Fans of say, the wonderful Castle of Illusion, for instance. It could of course be a huge surprise and success when it finally hits. Definitely one to watch, but I’m keeping my expectations low.

Nintendo continued to revisit old favourites and grand synonyms with Kirby’s Epic Yarn, featuring a very unique art style that has to be seen to be appreciated.

It’s a fun looking platformer that is very refreshing in a genre that has been done to death – pay attention, Epic Mickey. Kirby has a new whip mechanic and the very cool visual style goes a long way to infuse the title with something special. It is worrying, however, that Kirby did not suck a single enemy inside of himself and gain their powers during that entire trailer! I am in fact worried that Kirby will not have this ability in Epic Yarn. Very worried indeed. Anyway, Kirby’s oral powers aside, it looks like a lot of fun and I’ve always dug Kirby, so I’m glad to see the character have the presence he deserves.

 

Dragon Quest IX got a quick mention, most probably to reignite interest before the long wait for a stateside release is over (July 11th, by the way) This game always has been pretty important as JRPGs go, so it’s great to finally hear that release date and know it wont be long until I’m playing it.

The absolutely stunning Metroid: Other M finally had its place under the spotlight next. It was big news ever since its debut at E309 and carried the entire success of the otherwise terrible conference on its back. Taking over from the massively successful Prime trilogy and its awesome creators, Retro Studios, Team Ninja – of Ninja Gaiden, Dead or Alive and generally big-boobies fame – are handling development this time around and by the looks of it doing a stellar job. The game switches freely between first person and third person perspectives by pointing the Wiimote at the screen or holding it on its side, respectively. There is also a mix of 2D and 3D gameplay, and the entire title seems so tightly knit into one cohesive, classic-Metroid package that it sits pretty atop my list of most anticipated games. And it’s out in two short months. Oh yes. With Team Ninja working side-by-side with Nintendo on this one, we’re getting a Metroid unlike any other yet somehow more in tune with it’s legacy than any Metroid since Zero Mission. To say I am pumped would be a huge understatement. Check out the trailer below. The music alone is worth your time.

 

Even with all of this, Nintendo weren’t done. They have a huge wealth of back-catalogue to choose from when planning their future, and 2010 seems to be the year they decided to reach back and grab pretty much everything. Nintendo front man Reggie teased us with some familiar music before stepping aside for something the gaming world has been waiting for since 1996.

 

Donkey Kong Country Returns – what is there to say that the above video didn’t? It’s rare that a trailer instils you with such utter confidence in a title. Even the aforementioned Other M, despite my huge anticipation in regards to it, doesn’t garner this level of trust. What Retro studios have created here looks foolproof. It’s hard not to get crazy-excited for this title as you see it play out. The crowd went bananas (pun) as I’m sure most of us did too. This was quickly becoming the greatest Nintendo press conference of all time.  And it was about to get a whole lot better.

The 3DS – Nintendo’s next handheld – was officially revealed. As I’m sure you’ve realized by now, the 3DS is already a massive hit with everyone who’s played it. The internet is unanimously abuzz with praise for the device and the effects it produces. The no-glasses-required 3D seems to have its focus on Avatar-esque depth rather than gimmick-pop. It definitely seems Nintendo has something special again, something honestly worthwhile. The ability to produce 3D images without the need to buy-in to the new technology – that is, hugely expensive TV screens – is a massive draw and the device can display both 3D games and movies. Like the PS3’s Blu-Ray player before it, applying this new technology at a comparatively cheap price is going to be a killer way to shift consoles.

Aesthetically the device is similar to the DSi. The top screen is slightly wider than the touch screen below, and embedded into the top of the console is an extra camera for taking photographs in 3D – something I’ve been told is absolutely astounding. There is a ‘slide pad’ where the D pad used to be, which looks to be far more comfortable than the PSP’s painful analogue nub. The D-Pad’s lower position looks to be slightly awkward however, and thinking of playing games on it whilst pressing the face buttons higher up feels strange in my mind. Only experience will confirm or deny this. There is also a slider to reduce or even turn off the 3D effects, a feature which tired eyes will no doubt appreciate.

There is a huge list of titles already planned for the console, with Iwata stating the 3DS will enjoy Nintendo’s biggest ever launch line-up. Many were playable at the event, on consoles securely tied around the waists of the show girls that spewed out of every entrance in the theatre. Some were full titles such as the hugely awaited Kid Icarus title, Pit’s first outing in nearly two decades and channelling a new,   Panzer-inspired playstyle. Others, unfortunately, were only tech demos, showcasing the 3DS’ amazing new graphical capabilities on par with the Gamecube (read: Wii), with titles that may or may not make the leap to a full game in the future, including an Ocarina of Time remake. Thanks to the huge support of developers and their upcoming titles it’s easy to invest in the 3DS because it will hit the ground running – unlike Microsoft’s poorly supported Kinect. To see a full list of confirmed games check out Kotaku’s comprehensive guide, including Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid and Street Fighter IV.

It’s obviously something that pictures can’t do justice to, let alone words, and must be seen to truly be believed. I for one am ridiculously excited, and can’t wait to get my hands on it. This is by far the best thing revealed this year – and remember, this was the expo that Dance Central was revealed. A greater approbation does not exist.

 

Nintendo both surprised and impressed me massively this year. They brought it, and then some. The show was succinct, weighing in at just over an hour, yet full to bursting with big reveals – all of which were sure-fire crowd pleasers. Games and tech were back where they belong – front and centre – and self-fellating comments were sparse. Nintendo knew they had the casual market, and for the first time in a long time turned their attention instead to hardcore fanbase, whilst Microsoft did the exact opposite and appealed to the casual player. And then everyone stood on their heads and spoke backwards. Most importantly the 3DS proved itself to many of its detractors and definitely convinced me of its worth. Nintendo did everything right this year, and I have no problem with saying their conference was the best thing about E3 in it’s entirety.

It’s just nice to see they still care :3

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