Nintendo’s E3 Press Conference was one of the most-anticipated conferences at the event. Fans want to know about this “Project Cafe,” and if the company plans to being back their first party titles. The Wii has simply lost its shine in the past year, and fans seem to be shying away from the system. The 3DS just released, and plenty of fans are anxiously awaiting The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Nintendo has a lot of questions to answer, and we have the announcements from the conference right here.
Shigery Miyamoto entered the stage and immediately started talking about the 25th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda. The orchestra ran though a medley of Zelda tunes, which really brought back memories. The first actual announcement from Miyamoto was that The Legend of Zelda: Link’s awakening is now available for Virtual Console on the Wii. Also, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time will launch next week for the Nintendo 3DS. Of course, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will be available starting this holiday season. A special gold Zelda-themed Wii Remote will be available at launch when Skyward Sword hits.
Next up, Nintendo went straight into their new console. They spoke about the importance of bringing all types of players together, which is something they think they can achieve with their new platform. After a few words about the new console, Nintendo stated that they wanted to leave specific details for later in the conference. Afterwards, the focus was swiftly shifted to the 3DS, hinting some all-new titles such as Star Fox, Mario Kart, and even Luigi’s Mansion.
MarioKart returns, this time on the 3DS. It looks like a perfect port of the N64 version that we all love, though it has a bit more detail, and some new tricks up its sleeve. With new customizable karts, flying karts, and more banana peels than before, the title is what fans have been asking for. The game hits this holiday season.
Up next, StarFox64 3D took the screen. The 3DS cameras bring your friends’ voices and photos to life within your cockpit. The game releases this coming September.
A new Super Mario title comes to the 3DS, bringing with it everything players want in a Mario title. Simply being called Super Mario, the game looks fluid and brings back the days of old.
Kid Icarus: Uprising appeared on the screen, showing some amazing visuals that are pitted for the 3DS. The game offers a PvP multiplayer mode, and augmented reality cards. Uprising releases on the system later this year.
Luigi’s Mansion 2 was announced, giving a laugh to a few players on the floor. It looks like a perfect sequel to its predecessor, and the 3DS does it justice. The game features multiple new mansions, and offers a great new way to play.
Virtual Console for the 3DS was featured, which will bring classic portable games to the handheld system. A 3D version of Excitebike was revealed, and players can grab it for free on the Virtual Console.
Pokemon Black and White versions will now register Pokemon in 3D, allowing them to be seen in Augmented Reality. This feature even allows you to take photos and add your favorite Pokemon to them, creating brand new images. The Pokedex 3D is free from Nintendo, and players can get it by downloading a system update to their 3DS systems.
Finally, Nintendo went headstrong announcing their new console, called the Wii U. The new controller resembles a touch pad, though it retains all of the buttons of an original controller. Players don’t have to play strictly on the TV, as they can use the touch screen on the controller as their display. They can also use the touch pad to create pieces of artwork, and view them on their big-screen TV. The system will release in 2012.
In closing, Nintendo announced that Super Smash Brothers is in production for the 3DS and the Wii U. A demo was shown, demonstrating the new way that the Wii U can display graphics, and it seems that Nintendo is finally catching up with next-gen HD display. Lego City Stories is the first actual title in development for the Wii U, which will also surface for the 3DS. A handful of titles such as Darksiders II, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Online, Dirt, Metro: Last Night, Tekken, and Ninja Gaiden 3 were showcased, making Nintendo’s conference a huge success. It’s really changing the industry, now that major gaming companies are jumping in to add their software for the Wii U. This can definitely be the game changer that shifted the events of E3, and it’s definitely something to look out for.