Well, Nintendo’s conference just wrapped up, so let me give you an overview of what they announced and showed off. After that, I’ll post my impressions and then Mark will come in and post his. If you want to see all the details, then you can view my Live Blog HERE.

Wii

• Shaun White Snowboarding demoed. Graphics look pretty N64ish. Game coming out by year’s end and will feature racing and tricks.
• Animal Crossing: City Folk coming to Wii in 2008. The graphics and gameplay look very similar to previous entries, although now you can go to the city to do a bunch of new things, such as visit the auction house. You can send pictures and messages to friends to their game, message board, computer, or cell phone.
• Wii Speak is new microphone that sits near tv where everyone in the living room can use it. It will be featured in Animal Crossing, and probably bundled with it, but wasn’t specified.
• A few games are shown off, including Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Raving Rabbids: TV Party, and Call of Duty: World at War, which will feature the Wii Zapper and co-op play.
• MotionPlus attachment shown off, and will come packaged with Wii Sports Resort.
• Wii Sports Resort will feature a variety of activities, including frisbee throwing, jet skiing, and sword fighting, which is 1-to-1. Coming Spring ‘09.
• Wii Music to feature over 50 instruments, all of which are played via motion controls which imitate the actual ways you would play said instruments. Instruments include piano, violin, drums, other percussions, guitar, and many, many others. Game will also feature a lessons mode to teach you how to play, conductor mode, and others. Drum set can be played with balance board for pedals.DS
• Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades, a new GH game, which will also allow for song sharing from other GH DS games.
• Spore Creatures and new Pokemon Rangers games also mentioned.
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars coming this winter. Will feature modern day Liberty City, new characters, and free ranging gameplay like other iterations.
• Cooking Navi localized for NA this November.

Impressions

By: Zach Potts

Well, overall I was a bit disappointed, as I was expecting many more games to be announced, such as Pikmin 3, Kid Icarus, and some real surprises. The MotionPlus device is cool though and should really open things up, so I’m very excited to see how developers use that. We all knew Animal Crossing was coming, but it doesn’t seem to be that big of a jump from previous games, so again, that’s disappointing. Just more of the same on that front, except that they also announced the Wii Speak microphone along with it, which is nice to see. Finally Nintendo takes the next step in the online department. Hopefully you can use it in future games and for other things that merely talking to friends only.

But other than those two peripherals, nothing of too much interest. GTA coming to the DS might be pretty awesome, but no real surprise Wii games which is what I was looking forward to the most.

VERDICT on E3 Press Conference: MEDIOCRE!

Impressions:

By: Mark Fajardo

Okay, the first time I saw this lady that started the conference, I already knew that I’m going to be bored. From the overall presentation of Nintendo, It bored me from the beginning to the end. The only game that caught my attention was Animal Crossing for the Wii. It bothers me that Nintendo KEEPS on bragging about their sales on the DS and Wii.

Ok, WE DONT CARE ABOUT SALES. What we need for the Nintendo Wii is games. I admit that Nintendo DS is successful but the Nintendo Wii isn’t because of the lack of third party support. Even though if there is a third party support, it’s multiplatform and I rather get the PS3 or 360 version. Let’s take Call of Duty: World At War as an example. I don’t see myself playing that game with my Wii Remote so, I rather get the PS3 or 360 version.

It’s great to hear that the Grand Theft Auto series are making its way to the Nintendo platforms. Now that Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars are coming out this winter in the United States, I’m just wondering if this game will be in 3D or 2D. Wii Music and Wii Motion Plus for me are just another gimmick for the Nintendo Wii to keep the hype up. Balance Board is cool at first but it gets old after a week.

Nintendo, what we need is GREAT GAMES. Enough of the gimmicky game. Ok?

VERDICT on E3 Press Conference: FAIL!