For gamers, E3 is undoubtedly one of the most exciting events as far as the gaming industry goes. E3 is the biggest and best video game expo and every year gamers from all around the world have their eyes glued to the computer screen as they scour the Internet for the latest announcements from the show floor. Some shows are better then others and the better shows are those that coincide with the introduction of the next-generation in video game hardware and software. The Xbox360 is already out and now both Sony and Nintendo have announced a tentative quarter 4 2006 release for their respective consoles. Next-generation is very much upon us and for the next 5 or 6 years Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft will continue to wage war against one another in order to dominate the video game industry.
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It is about now that I should point out that I do not intend to argue as to who is the best company as they are all fantastic in their own individual way. I will not argue against Sonys runaway success with the Playstation franchise with sales figure of the Nintendo DS. We are gamers and the success of all three companies only equates to better gaming for us. A healthy competition against one another only ensures that each company will strive harder to win over the customer. We can only benefit from their competition so let us reflect on the success of Nintendos show and in particular, the Wii.
Nintendo have had a few lackluster showings in the past few years though this was certainly not the case this year. The Wii was a runaway success in terms of the amount of attention is received. Nintendo paced things nicely before E3 and, in retrospect, the early announcement of the Wii name was a great move. It gave us time to let it sink in, make some lame jokes, vent some anger, and place a vendetta on Nintendo. After a couple of weeks, most of us had moved on from the controversial name. Sure, many of us still to this day dont like the title Wii but surely we have now realised that the name is not that important. After absorbing the name before E3 commenced, we were in the position to observe the Wii in all its glory without our perception being distorted by angry thoughts. This years E3 was huge for Nintendo as any console unveiling should be. The size of the line to play the Wii was of immense proportions and if that line is anything to go by, Nintendo just may hit a home run with the Wii.
The Internet is good for rumours and there were plenty of them in the weeks leading up to E3. Word went around that Nintendo had a megaton like secret up their sleeves that would exceed even the motion sensing control scheme. A popular rumour was that the Wii could project 3D images in some way and allow us to play games in that fashion. Well, what eventuated was a microphone/speaker in the controller that would allow us to hear certain sound effects from the control itself. In all honesty, did we need another big secret? Isnt the whole new approach to gaming significant enough? Funnily enough, people from Nintendo have mentioned that hardware secrets still exist so maybe the 3D projection will become a reality. Then again, maybe it wont. The point is, we are already being spoilt with a console that promises to reinvent the way we play games.
So what can we make from this years E3? We now have a more in depth understanding of the Wii and how it works. We know that graphics wont stand up against the Xbox360 or PS3 but we know we can expect an original and fresh approach to playing video games. We also know that we can expect an online service plus the brilliant virtual console. Nintendo have also showed encouraging signs by announcing a Mario, Zelda, Smash Brothers, and Metroid Prime game to be released in the first 6 12 months of the Wiis life. This is a very exciting prospect and just as promising is the support the Wii is getting from 3rd parties. Red Steel, Rayman, Madden, Sonic, Final Fantasy, and Dungeon & Dragons are just a few games that we can expect from outside developers. Throw Nintendos new IPs such as Project H.A.M.M.E.R and Wiisports into the mix and you can understand why it is an exciting time to be a Nintendo fan.
Nintendo had some 27 playable games on the E3 show floor, which is excellent to say the least. Mario, Zelda, and Metroid Nintendos prized franchises all looked fantastic. The ability to play some of our favorite franchises with a new motion sensing control is riveting. Zelda looks particularly brilliant and I do not think I could think of a grander launch title then The Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess. Even the graphically dull Wiisports looked brilliant. A tennis game is not all that appealing to me personally but the ability to play the game using actual motions that are similar to playing the real sport enthralls me. Hopefully Nintendo add several other games to the Wiisports line up as I feel it will make a great launch title especially for those people who are a bit unsure of what the Wii is all about. Even ExciteTruck looked interesting to me and I would not normally consider buying such a game. This is the whole point with the Wii it has the potential to reinvent the way we play games. Whether Nintendo are successful with the Wii is yet to be seen. Impressions from the E3 show floor were mostly positive but there were some reservations from some people. I wouldnt say alarm bells are ringing but Nintendo have just a short amount of time to get things right. I have faith in them personally and surely they can iron out any problems in the coming months. They have promised much and a failure to deliver on this promise would not bode well for them.
Whilst the Wii was the main focus at E3, the showing for the DS was also impressive with the announcement of some great titles coming our way. Amongst these titles was a Diddy Kong Racing game developed by Rare, which is good news for any Rare fans. Phantom Hourglass looks interesting although, personally, I am unsure about controlling Link with the stylus. However, I am yet to play a Zelda adventure that has disappointed me so I await Phantom Hourglass with eager anticipation. Several Pokemon games can be expected on the horizon, which is great for any fans of the famous series. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl mark a return to the franchises most notable games and I believe they will play great on the DS system. Considering the amount of energy and attention that was placed on the Wii, it was surprising to see the DS receive quite a few impressive software announcements.
The DS Lite was also on the agenda, which launches in both the U.S and Australia in the coming months. Nintendo have proved quite successful in releasing a console that, despite only minor upgrades, sells like hot cakes. It makes me wonder if they deliberately leave features out of the design that can be implemented later in an updated version
E3 2006 was immensely successful from Nintendos position and it is most certainly one of the better shows in the last 4 or 5 years. There is a lot riding on the Wii and Nintendo have a significant task ahead of them marketing and selling the console to all walks of life. Nintendo have survived of their loyal fans for quite some time and although they could probably do it again, it would be a much wiser move to draw in the mainstream gamer. Nintendo have argued well that simply improving graphics each generation is not enough. Sure, incredibly realistic graphics are brilliant to look at and play with but with each generation, the improvement in graphics becomes less and less noticeable.
However, whilst Nintendo have argued their point, they need to back it up by providing a console that will indeed revolutionise the way games are played. So far they have done the right thing; they have had an excellent E3 showing that has given some people the chance to the play with the Wii, they have announced a launch line up that boasts some incredible titles, they have embraced online gaming, they have offered a much more affordable console, they have the virtual console, and they have the best 3rd party support they have seen for quite some time. Furthermore, they have as many as 80 odd games currently in development for the Wii, which will hopefully result in a great first 12 months of play. How the general public will react to the Wii when it becomes a household name is yet to seen. Nintendo have sold their product to the majority of Nintendo loyalist and gaming enthusiast alike yet conquering the mainstream market stands as their biggest challenge yet. How will this generation shape up for Nintendo? Only time can answer that question but they have certainly injected some excitement into the gaming world. Bring on the Wii.
