E3 - Nintendo press conference roundup
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007 at 2:38pm by David
Here’s a quick list of the new stuff we learned from Nintendo today:
Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Will be released in the Americas on December 3rd.
Super Mario Galaxy - Out on November 12th 2007.
Wii Zapper - Will be sold later this year for $19.99 and will include a game. Combines Wii Remote and Nunchuck together. Medal Of Honor for Wii will be built to take advantage of the Wii Zapper.
Mario Kart for Wii - Available Q1 2008. Features online play with “a lot” of other players. Includes a plastic steering “Wii Wheel”.
Check Mii Out Channel - A sort of Mii popularity contest channel. Will feature lookalike Mii contests.
Brain Age 2 - Out on August 20th.
Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day - Out October 15th. Known as Medicara in Japan.Wii Fit - Out first half of 2008. Includes wireless Balance Board to measure BMI, balance, etc. Used for aerobics, yoga, and more.
July 11th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Looking excited for ‘07~
July 11th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
You know what gets me really excited to play games? One is anticipated sequels to beloved past franchises. The second, and I believe more important one, is new ways to experience gaming.
Not since I first saw and played Mario 64 have I been excited about experiencing games in a new way. And now again Nintendo is paving the way for it with the wii and all the possibilities it entails. I love how Nintendo is giving us more options in their upcoming games that inculde everyone that doesn’t include dumbing it down for the hardcore.
July 11th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
I’m really excited. I think WiiFit is going to be a bigger hit than even WiiSports and WiiPlay.
July 11th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
ugh- more plastic crap to crowd up the living room. Feels like theyre on the brink of announcing wiiROB. (’It’s so bad’).
and a wiizapper? why? now correct me if I’m wrong, but the wii doesnt sense esactly where you point on the screen. It’s not a light gun. All movement is relative. But a zapper gives the impression of pinpoiint accuracy. Who wants to use a zapper that doesn’t shoot where it points?
and a wiiworkout? guess that’s for all the people who get exhausted playing wiitennis.
honestly, besides the two IPs we new were coming (Mario Galaxy and Mario and Friends Fight Night), where’s the hardcore love??
sigh….
July 11th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
At deepthought:
Make honor to your name and stop being so shallow…
July 11th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
Mario Kart was announced, and appeals to hardcore fans as well. In the space of 6 months (4Q07-1Q08) there will be entries in 4 of Nintendo’s biggest franchises on this one console. If there has ever been a bigger rush of hardcore first-party love on any one Nintendo console, someone please tell me when, what console and what games.
I really didn’t see the balance board coming, and I’m impressed by the concept. If they can actually make it compelling it could be exactly what they need to make the Wii “sticky” with non-gamers. Not just literally, either…. I’ve seen enough people still playing Wii Sports’ little daily regimen a few times a week to know there really are some people who’ll make Wii Fit their daily workout as people have used DDR in the past, except this one will actually tell you how you’re doing and not just how you’re “dancing.”
So, not earthshattering, but all those looking for fuel to support a “popping bubble” argument are going to find their arguments ringing a little hollow. I’ll be interested to see how the mainstream press covers this, since I’ve been predicting for months that Nintendo’s E3 conference would be aimed at them, not the gaming press nor fan sites.
July 11th, 2007 at 5:12 pm
Light guns use a relative position as well and actually are far less accurate in determining position than the Wiimote. And besides, it’s an illusion. The zapper isn’t shooting anything out, but it’s enhancing an age-old illusion of immersion and creating a much more visceral experience. I’m guessing Deepthought hasn’t played Resident Evil 4 Wii yet. It’s a weird sensation when the wiimote magically becomes a gun in your mind: the game becomes infinitely more intense as you scramble to empty a clip and then reload before being eaten alive. I can’t wait for Umbrella Chronicles. This is all pointing to the inevitable destiny of the casual gaming movement: the return of the arcade game experience (which will complete the circle and return to hard core gaming in due time; this is how the industry is moving and Nintendo is the only company that truly understands what is happening. When the time is right, Nintendo will unleash the hardcore experience. Does that answer your question, Deepthought?).
July 11th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Disappointments: STILL no DS connectivity and game demo downloads for Wii or DS. They have to know how successful game demos are at converting people to buy. You should be able to download demos to your DS, use your DS to construct better Mii’s, and use your DS as part of the game experience.
Nothing about serious online support - a few titles isn’t “Serious”.
Also - no word on colored consoles in the US?
Positive: The games they showed looked great. Mario Kart was a great announcement. Not sure about a wireless mid-air wheel, however. No feel.
The Zapper will be cool ONLY if you can calibrate it like a light gun. There’s no reason you can’t.
The fit board - well, that might be very cool - it’s hard to tell right now.
July 11th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
All I can think about right now is SSX + Balance Board.
July 11th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
thanks kale. the idea of calibrating the wiigun is interesting, and can be done I suppose.
see- it’s not that I’m interested in actually zapping the screen- the exact mechanics of the technology aren’t my interest. It’s that, as I understand it, the wiimote does not, um, ’shoot’ where it points. but it does give precise control based on relative movement. so the calibration of a wiigun would require setting the wiimote offcenter in some way- imagine like setting a rifle’s site if you’re familiar with that. and if you are familiar, then you also know that’s def not a casual gamer/instant gratification thing.
the other interesting thing about the wiigun is how it would limit gameplay. you can’t use movement controls independently in each controler, so you are limited to moving the gun and the buttons. Since there are few buttons, I wonder how this would restrict gameplay.
and again, it sounds like youre saying nintendo is waiting to unleash the hardcore stuff. so i’ll stick by my disappointment at the lack of new hardcore skus being announced.
and i also dont like unaesthetic plastic junk in my living room. it feels juvenile (haha, i know, ’cause a couple consoles by your tv scream ‘im an adult!’, but still). ymmv (natch)
July 11th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
I found it really interesting and was overall pleased by the entire thing. I couldn’t believe that I was actually excited for the Zapper when I saw it pop up on the screen, but it seems pretty sweet.
July 11th, 2007 at 8:59 pm
Not bad at all.
Mario Kart in Q1 2008? Just great news.
The x-box 360 and Wii presentations were great.
I am so glad i own both consoles, they are a great compliment.
Go Nintendo !
Dont let us down with lack of serious Wi-fi multiplay this year and it will all be good!
July 11th, 2007 at 11:20 pm
I love the idea of a wii zapper… but the price is waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much. at least they’re bundling it.
July 12th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
July 14th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
The one ‘oddball-group’ out there that are supposed experts claimed that the Nintendo Conf sucked. They are the ‘1up Show’. This bunch of idiots were blabbing about, talking a whole 2 minutes about the Nintendo conference and only about Sony/Microsoft because they haven’t forgotten about them, the ‘hardcore-gamers’. Like Nintendo had forgotten about them. They went on to blab about games that are coming out on the 360 and failing PS3 stating they can’t wait to play them. I was wondering about the games they mentioned, ALL FPS or driving sims. That is it! Is this all what the ‘hardcore-gamer’ needs? Surely not me. They talked about Halo 3, Killzone 2, Mass Effect, Haze, PGR4…the list goes on…
Anyways, the 1up crew needs to re-examine their place in the media. Their website claims ‘1up - Where gamers call home’. FPS gamers exactly. Not a website for me. They also claim the Wii is a system for their mothers, not them.