Blog

Could the naming department please step forward?

All the major game dev pressers have come and gone leaving myself with with feelings of excitement and mild depression over failed predictions (more in a second). I'll go through my thoughts for each presser in the order they happened.

Microsoft

I honestly didn't pay too much attention to this conference as I knew it'd be mostly Gears 3 and Kinect stuff. However, I am excited for the Halo CE remake as I've lost the key for my PC copy and hadn't yet finished the campaign. My only hope is that Blood Gulch is one of the maps they bring over because most all of my fond memories of Halo are in that boxed canyon. Also, Halo 4 could be cool.

Sony

I'm an anti-Sony fanboy and yet I watched the whole damn presser. I had a hunch that they'd open with a canned apology and I was right on that. The only thing I really have to say is that I'm very, very surprised that the PS Vita is launching at the price point it is. I'd expected something in the $300-$400 range. Nintendo is really going to have to step it up with the DS if they want to maintain their market dominance.

Nintendo

The showing I was most eagerly awaiting and the only one I put any predictions on. I was right on the Skyward Sword and all the 3DS stuff (including the Smash Bros announce), but dead wrong on the thing I was most adamant about: that touch screen controller. I'll admit I'm not sold, but I wasn't sold on the dual screen of the DS either and that turned out awesome. I am ecstatic happy that the graphics have gotten the severe bump that they've been needing and that's all I honestly hoped for. In the 3DS realm, the Mario game may very well be a system seller for me, but we shall see.

I'm hesitant to place a "winner" label on anybody from an objective stand point. It's most definitely between Sony and Nintendo as Microsoft had yet another shitty showing (granted, no Skittles the tiger this year). Time will tell though.

P.S. Wii U? Seriously? You couldn't name it something like Ultra Nintendo Entertainment System or something?

Gaze Into My Crystal Ball

Looking a tad old there, Miyamoto-san

E3. For gamers, it's like a second Christmas. People are giddy with anticipation and large corporations are out to get your money. And the only gift we actually receive is information. It truly is a magical time of year.

It's getting a tad late for Sony and Microsoft (though I was pretty damn close with Gears 3 and Kinect shit, little else), but I wanted to toss my predictions for this year's Nintendo conference up to be mocked and ridiculed by the passage of time.

1. Zelda: Skyward Sword

This is the easy one. We'll see more video, maybe get some more insight into the story and get a release date. There may be a surprise or two as to what console it comes out for, though. My guess is we'll have another Twilight Princess scenario (i.e. current and next console simul-release).

2. 3DS

Of course, the newly released Nintendo 3DS will get a fair amount of time in the press release. We'll get some more info on the Kid Icarus game, the Mario game that's been teased, third party titles and and I'm guessing either a Zelda game (that's not OOT) or, going out on a limb, Smash Bros for 3DS.

3. The New Console

Of course, this will be the show stealer. But, in Nintendo fashion, little will actually be said this time 'round (look for more info at TGS). Will it be faster and close to on par with the 360/PS3? Yeah, but they won't give us hard facts. Will there be a fancy, 6" touch screen controller? I'm calling bullshit on that one. Firstly, it directly competes with their existing handheld line. Secondly, the unit would become far too expensive (imagine buying four iPhones at full retail price). There will be a gimmick in there somewhere, but I can't see this one coming to fruition. We'll also be teased some visuals of games we'll never actually see, but I don't expect just a lot of details on Project Cafe.

Well, there's my predictions. Nothing earth shattering, sure, but there they are. What we find out about the new console may make or break my future in gaming. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Wii-Ha!!

As I write this it is seven hours until Nintendo's E3 press conference and I tell you I'm currently wide awake riding a wave of excitement (which is bad because I have to work today :-P). If you've been paying attention to gaming news in the last few hours you'll know that Sony tried to pull a fast one and copy Nintendo's motion sensing stuff (a move I called a while back, sadly it wasn't on the podcast :-P). Also, you'll know that the cheapest you can get a PS3 for is $500 bucks, and that version doesn't even come with built-in wifi. I will say this only once: Sony is going to fester in their own turds this next generation.

But on to more current news. Next Monday we'll finally see the release of the first Mario Bros. game since Yoshi's Island (1995, I believe). From everything I've seen this game is going to be absolutely awesome and from the reviews it seems that it lives up to standards Nintendo set back in the 80s and 90s. I have every intention of picking up my copy Monday.

Well, that's about all for now. Oh, yeah, cashiering rocks ;-). I must try to get some sleep if I expect to be awake for the press conference. Night!