2012 Nintendo E3 Press Conference

[Rudy]

Where the heck is the serious/decent Zelda game? The Metroid or Mario Galaxys? Only thing I was a bit "ooh" on was Zombi U thing, tho I can see the actual game being mince much like how Red Steel or whatever it was for the Wii turned out.

Cant see how or why other than sheer luxury I`d want a Wii U and im a bit sad about that tbh. Also what about virtual consoles? What about online stores and features? What about hardware specs? What about 1st party hardcore games?

These games take longer to develop, I would expect to see them at E3 next year

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

I thought the conference showed promise with 3rd party offerings this time around with Arkham City Armored Edition, Mass Effect 3, Ninja Gaiden 3, Zombiu and more that they showed. I wouldn't expect Nintendo to showcase those kinds of games when they have been so family conscious before. Hopefully it means they are going to try harder garnering more 3rd party support this time around.

Otherwise conference started strong, and ended fairly weak. Was hoping for a bombshell at the end, but oh well.

I'm still not really sure what Nintendoland is supposed to be?

Problem is all of that is already playable on a 360 or PS3. It doesn't make it feel like a new console launch, more of a catch-up.

A unique exclusive game from one of the devs of these titles would've made it better.

[TheLegendOfMart]

These games take longer to develop, I would expect to see them at E3 next year

They've had a year since announcing the Wii U at last years E3 with somewhat finished hardware, probably even longer before that.

[nominak]

Problem is all of that is already playable on a 360 or PS3. It doesn't make it feel like a new console launch, more of a catch-up.

A unique exclusive game from one of the devs of these titles would've made it better.

You mean like... Rayman Legends?

They've had a year since announcing the Wii U at last years E3 with somewhat finished hardware, probably even longer before that.

Skyward Sword came out last year, Not gonna be a new one for a while.

NSMB U is a nice hold over til the next 3D mario adventure.

Paper Mario 3DS/NSMB2 looks awesome. Those games are ridiculously fun because the gameplay is good.

[~Johnny]

I only caught a little bit, but am I right in saying no real specs were offered up?

Internet is not responding that great, mainly because of no real 3rd party support, very safe 1st party and a lack of showing the device to be anything really fresh or different from Nintendo.

Nintendo haven't offered up specs for anything since the GC, and they've already said they wouldn't for WiiU. As far as I'm aware all the major third party publishers (THQ, EA, Ubisoft, Activision) are all making WiiU games, but their currently announced first party titles leads something to be desired.

You mean like... Rayman Legends?

And ZombiU, for what it's worth :p Hopefully we'll see more before the week is out.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I am watching the Gametrailers wrap up, and I am really surprised, i thought the Wii U Mario game was going to look a whole, whole lot better visually. Especially when compared to the likes of Rayman Legends, which is also a platformer, the visuals I thought would be much, much better. We already know the gameplay is going to be there, that is a Mario game, so push the visuals as far as possible with the hardware. That is my opinion of things. Then again, Nintendo has never been about graphics, but they finally have hardware capable of doing good visuals, and they seem to not be taken full advantage of it.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

You mean like... Rayman Legends?

Yes that is a good example and it'll be a stunning game, but they'll be some Rayman game announced next year for the next Xbox and PS4.

[Tarvis123]

Problem is all of that is already playable on a 360 or PS3. It doesn't make it feel like a new console launch, more of a catch-up.

A unique exclusive game from one of the devs of these titles would've made it better.

I agree, I'm surprised they didn't showcase the new Rayman Legends game that was leaked a little while back as that seemed like a very good game. I can't decide if it's better to have old, but critically-acclaimed games or rushed third party attempts at launch. Regardless, I've never seen Nintendo highlight third party efforts at much at their conferences, so it's at least hopeful they have realized some of the problems with the Wii.

[Dotdot]

They've had a year since announcing the Wii U at last years E3 with somewhat finished hardware, probably even longer before that.

Exactly, Mario Galaxys wasn`t exactly a launch title but we learnt of its existance at E3 along with the Wii. Plus remember the Zelda tech demo from last year, and theres not even a screen of a Wii U title? Wtf? Wheres your day 1 hardcore gamer app? Pikmin 3? Pass.

[Rudy]

Exactly, Mario Galaxys was exactly a launch title but we learnt of its existance at E3 along with the Wii. Plus remember the Zelda tech demo from last year, and theres not even a screen of a Wii U title? Wtf? Wheres your day 1 hardcore gamer app? Pikmin 3? Pass.

Mario Galaxy came out almost exactly a year after the Wii ;)

[nominak]

I agree, I'm surprised they didn't showcase the new Rayman Legends game that was leaked a little while back as that seemed like a very good game. I can't decide if it's better to have old, but critically-acclaimed games or rushed third party attempts at launch. Regardless, I've never seen Nintendo highlight third party efforts at much at their conferences, so it's at least hopeful they have realized some of the problems with the Wii.

They showed Rayman Legends yesterday at Ubisofts conference.

on Spike/GTTV Nintendo are going to reveal an unannounced game from a major developer.

[Dotdot]

Its a shame tbh cause im actually aching to see Zelda Wii U or Wii U Galaxys / SMW3D. Smash bros, Star Wing, Metriod, Donkey Kong. I could go on maybe. I love Nintys IPs but this is a bit upsetting.

@ Rudy i meant wasn`t, edited now. "was exactly a launch title..." isn`t exactly the best grammar :p

[~Johnny]

Exactly, Mario Galaxys was exactly a launch title but we learnt of its existance at E3 along with the Wii. Plus remember the Zelda tech demo from last year, and theres not even a screen of a Wii U title? Wtf? Wheres your day 1 hardcore gamer app? Pikmin 3? Pass.

A lot of core gamers do like Pikmin - but Zelda games come from one team, and they spend 3-5 years on each Zelda game. Making a tech demo with a Zelda theme has little to do with a Zelda game (hell, the GC tech demo looked nothing like Wind Waker) :p Though they seem to be relying a lot more on third parties for core launch games, whilst they handle all the integreated software and services.

But given they have studios like Retro, Monolith Soft, Intelligent Systems, HAL Laboratories, Nd Cube, Genius Senority, Grezzo, etc under their belt as first / second party studios... I can only hope there's a shed load left to be shown.

[MillionVoltss]

Looking forward to 3ds news.

[Rudy]

Its a shame tbh cause im actually aching to see Zelda Wii U or Wii U Galaxys / SMW3D. Smash bros, Star Wing, Metriod, Donkey Kong. I could go on maybe. I love Nintys IPs but this is a bit upsetting.

@ Rudy i meant wasn`t, edited now. "was exactly a launch title..." isn`t exactly the best grammar :p

Makes more sense now ;)

[Anthony Tosie Veteran]

What's wrong with Pikmin? I've never understood the fuss over a game being "casual."

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Update: In a follow-up, Nintendo Japan has posted on Twitter that there's a price to pay if two Gamepads are active. Frame rates drop to about 30 fps if two are active; any games that really want that extra controller won't be quite as glass-smooth. On the upside, it's possible to switch one off with a smooth transition; there won't be a need for theatrics just to switch to a solo game.

http://www.engadget....-on-one-system/

Kind of expected, but it goes to show the slight disconnect appearing in hardware and tech capability.

Also this is just normal conference antics, but it's funny :p

[n_K]

To whowmever said that nintendo nearly went under with the GC... There was a very good reason they made a lot less income with the GC...

The cost of development hardware!

I've no idea how much a developent NES cost, a SNES development kit (hardware only, not including software, SCSI cards, controllers, SDK, NDAs, etc.) was ?10,000.

N64 was a similar price.

Then the GC came along, as MS and sony were in the market, that meant they had to DRAMATICALLY drop the price of their dev hardware, it was still pricey at ~?3,000 per unit and has since came down to about ?1,000 with the Wii. Because of this, if a nintendo console tanks now, they don't have a wad of cash from the sale of development hardware like they did before, so it impacts them pretty badly.

The gamecube itself didn't sell badly as people presume, same as with the 3DS. The 3DS didn't reach their expected sales because they figures for expected sales they came up with was bull****, if they were the ONLY handheld console producer in the world then they'd have been realistic.

Also; 'Intelligent Systems' is 1st party, owned by nintendo. They used to make all the development hardware too for nintendo systems.

[~Johnny]

Update: In a follow-up, Nintendo Japan has posted on Twitter that there's a price to pay if two Gamepads are active. Frame rates drop to about 30 fps if two are active; any games that really want that extra controller won't be quite as glass-smooth. On the upside, it's possible to switch one off with a smooth transition; there won't be a need for theatrics just to switch to a solo game.

http://www.engadget....-on-one-system/

Kind of expected, but it goes to show the slight disconnect appearing in hardware and tech capability.

Shouldn't be surprising, considering the pad's dont render anything themselves - it's all rendered on console and streamed over. 30 FPS is still admirable - though is this the FPS for the pads or the actual TV-out?

Anyway, looked back at some of the games at Wii's original E3 reveal: Zelda: Twilight Princess, Metroid Prime 3, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wario Ware Touched, Wii Sports, Disaster Day Of Crisis, Excite Truck, Project Hammer, Red Steel... now that was something to get excited about. I'm assuming they'll most definitely be having to host their own show closer to the machines launch to try and build some hype back up.

[TheLegendOfMart]

Update: In a follow-up, Nintendo Japan has posted on Twitter that there's a price to pay if two Gamepads are active. Frame rates drop to about 30 fps if two are active; any games that really want that extra controller won't be quite as glass-smooth. On the upside, it's possible to switch one off with a smooth transition; there won't be a need for theatrics just to switch to a solo game.

http://www.engadget....-on-one-system/

Kind of expected, but it goes to show the slight disconnect appearing in hardware and tech capability.

Also this is just normal conference antics, but it's funny :p

Oh dear.

[+Audioboxer Subscriber²]

Anyone think today is maybe a sign of Nintendo rushing a little to get this device out asap? I've read it's planned for the holidays. I think it could still safely launch in 2013 as I really don't think we'll see the other two launching till 3rd/4th quarter next year or beyond.

If you're going to launch something in like 5 months time, you'd really expect to have being seeing more titles being demoed today, even if they were coming out after launch.

[notuptome2004]

For those who dont know

The Wii U Gamepad is a Gamepad not a Tablet or a Tablet controller it is called a Gamepad

[nominak]

Anyone think today is maybe a sign of Nintendo rushing a little to get this device out asap? I've read it's planned for the holidays. I think it could still safely launch in 2013 as I really don't think we'll see the other two launching till 3rd/4th quarter next year or beyond.

If you're going to launch something in like 5 months time, you'd really expect to have being seeing more titles being demoed today, even if they were coming out after launch.

They would be stupid to release in 2013. I'd say around november. They've got plenty of games coming out between launch and the "launch window". NSMB U is enough for me to start with, hopefully ZombiU is good.

[TheLegendOfMart]

For those who dont know

The Wii U Gamepad is a Gamepad not a Tablet or a Tablet controller it is called a Gamepad

Its a tablet controller end of story.

[Tarvis123]

Have they released info on how far you can stream to the game pads? Can it reach separate rooms if you wanted to play elsewhere in the home?