Tag: E3 2012

  • First Impressions Wii U Panorama View

    Look around you

    Wii U's ability to output different scenes to television and controller is something truly special, but many of the games we've seen have been content to use the GamePad's extra screen to provide an alternative take on the main display, or an inventory, or a map. Wii U Panorama View is a startling look at the possibilities of the new...

  • First Impressions Trine 2: Director's Cut

    Triple trouble

    Three: it's the magic number. It's also the number of playable characters in Trine 2: Director's Cut, a 2D puzzle platformer that sees you regularly switching between a mismatched trio of varying skillsets to traverse beautiful lands. The wizard Amadeus commands bridges and blocks with the tips of his wizened fingers, either...

  • First Impressions New Super Mario Bros. U

    Mushroom magic?

    It's OK to say you were disappointed that New Super Mario Bros. U is Wii U's first Super Mario game. You may have wanted something groundbreaking like Super Mario 64, and Nintendo revealed a shinier, sharper version of a Wii game from 2009. You're entitled to be disappointed. Your excitement for Mario's next home adventure all...

  • First Impressions Project P-100

    Crowd sourcing

    Tucked away at E3, shielded from the glare of the main presentation for reasons unknown, was Project P-100. It's an all-new superhero action IP by well-lauded developer Platinum Games, due to be published by Nintendo in Wii U's launch window. It's also bonkers. One Mr Hideki Kamiya is at the helm as director, famous for a track...

  • First Impressions ZombiU

    London crawling

    Ubisoft's first-person shooter ZombiU is brutal. Adapted from the ashes of the cancelled Killer Freaks from Outer Space, it sees London overrun by hordes of infected monsters. Your only goal is to survive, but don't expect to do so for very long; battles are desperate, fought with melee weapons or a weak pistol until you can scrape...

  • First Impressions Game & Wario

    No Ware out

    Wario's first Wii U appearance isn't quite what we've come to expect from the garlic-munching gold grabber. Instead of a platformer or a new entry in the micro game-fuelled WarioWare series, Game & Wario is a collection of more fleshed out mini games that shows off what Nintendo's new home console can do with a single GamePad. Game...

  • First Impressions Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition

    Sonar, so good

    Batman's latest crusade through video games has been out on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC for a good eight months now, but that didn't stop Nintendo giving enhanced port Batman: Arkham City Armoured Edition plenty of stage time at E3. Escaping the confines of Arkham Asylum, a section of Gotham City has been cordoned off as a gigantic...

  • Talking Point Are E3 Conferences a Dying Breed?

    E3 is changing

    9am PDT, Tuesday, E3 week. For Nintendo fans, this time and date is akin to New Year's Day, ringing in the next big batch of games Nintendo has to offer and beginning a week-long celebration of all things gaming. Nintendo’s E3 press conference has created some magical moments over the years, from the reveal of The Legend of Zelda:...

  • First Impressions Scribblenauts Unlimited

    Unlimited indeed

    We've already seen two Scribblenauts releases on Nintendo's DS system, but now the series is making the jump to the home console on Nintendo's upcoming Wii U, in the form of Scribblenauts Unlimited. While the series has never looked better visually, it's the major improvements to the gaming experience itself that really takes this...

  • First Impressions Rayman Legends

    An absolute jaw-dropper

    Ubisoft's Rayman Origins was praised for its amazing 2D visuals, lush environments and solid platforming. So when word leaked out that Ubisoft was working on a possible sequel, fans of the limbless one sat up and took notice. After finding out the game would be shown at E3 on Nintendo's upcoming Wii U console, the thought of...

  • First Impressions Bomb Monkey

    Monkey + bombs = puzzler fun

    When you mention developer Renegade Kid's name, some gamers' minds immediately gravitate towards the spine-chilling first-person shooters the developer has created like Dementium and Moon. So when the group released its retro platformer Mutant Mudds, most were fairly caught by surprise. There's another surprise as...

  • Preview Wii U Hands-On

    Is Wii U for U?

    Any time a company is about to release new gaming hardware there's a certain buzz that comes along with the E3 show that year. We've known for some time that Nintendo was getting set to release its brand new Wii U console this year, and we had a rather short sneak peek of the system at last year's E3. At the time we were unable to...

  • E3 2012 Our View of Nintendo's E3

    Did Nintendo win?

    The E3 displays and demo booths have all been packed up and tired exhibitors have gone home, so now we can reflect on what happened in Los Angeles and contemplate how Nintendo performed. A few members of the team provided a short review of Nintendo's E3 press conference hours after it finished, with a general consensus that while...

  • Reaction What Happened to EA and Nintendo's Unprecedented Partnership?

    The silent treatment

    At last year's E3, EA CEO John Riccitiello shared a stage with Nintendo global president Satoru Iwata and Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime to announce that the two companies would join together in an "unprecedented partnership" for the launch of Wii U. Neither party gave any real indication what this would involve;...

  • E3 2012 Probably The Best E3 Video Of All Time

    Prepare yourself

    Nintendo's E3 showing this year gave plenty of stage time to some less familiar faces: Katsuya Eguchi and Scott Moffitt both spoke at length about Wii U and 3DS respectively, while president Satoru Iwata — traditionally the conference mainstay — mostly stayed behind the scenes to tweet. This video is probably his finest ever...

  • E3 2012 Iwata and Friends Enjoy a Job Well Done

    Who was the star performer?

    As the booths at E3 are packed up and taken away, Nintendo's teams and key figures will be going back home for a well-earned rest. For Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto and Reggie Fils-Aime, it'll also be a time to reflect on their respective performances and whether the company as a whole succeeded at the event. Nintendo's...

  • E3 2012 Miyamoto Talks Zelda Wii U Experiments

    Several in the works

    Last year's Zelda HD experience was certainly graphically impressive, but as always Nintendo was keen to stress it was just an example of what's possible; we know from past experience Zelda tech demos often vastly differ from the finished product. Nintendo's main man Shigeru Miyamoto told Entertainment Weekly there are various...

  • Poll Which 3DS Game at E3 Got You Most Excited?

    Only one can triumph

    After we asked which Wii U game got you excited? we want to know how you felt about the line-up for 3DS. Unsurprisingly Nintendo first-party games dominated the poll, but there were good showings from Konami and Square Enix. Paper Mario: Sticker Star — 75 Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon — 62

  • E3 2012 3DS Software Showcase Trailer Round-Up

    Luigi, Mario and more

    If you missed last night's 3DS software showcase you didn't miss a whole lot, to be honest, but we've collated the trailers and bundled them all up into this very post all the same. Each game page has also been updated with new screenshots, artwork and official details, so click through to see what's new. Luigi's Mansion:...

  • E3 2012 Corbie's Photos From the Show - Day Two

    Deeper into the rabbit hole

    Yesterday we brought you the first set of Corbie's photos from E3, and now we've got another batch of shots to shoot your way. The E3 showfloor closes today so Corbie will be running around trying to get his hands on as many games as possible. It's a hard life. We'll have hands-on previews of all the playable E3 games...

  • E3 2012 Rabbids Land is a Wii U Party Board Game

    Baaaaaw-rd

    Ubisoft is making a mischievous play for Mario Party's market in Rabbids Land, a board game infused with mini games that'll be ready for Wii U's launch. The distractions are amusement park-inspired — is this going to become a theme on Wii U? — and mix up competitive and co-operative asymmetric multiplayer. Up to three players will...

  • E3 2012 Project Happiness Trailer is Adorably Wistful

    Pokémon artist on board

    Harvest Moon creator Yasuhiro Wada has a new studio and a new game in the works, currently codenamed Project Happiness. TOYBOX, Rising Star Games and Natsume have just released the first teaser trailer for the game and it looks very much like Wada's signature style. The voiceover will sound familiar to Little King's Story...

  • E3 2012 Get to the NA eShop for Some New 3DS Demos

    Try 'em out

    If you're hankering for some new 3DS demos, you're in luck. Last night Nintendo announced that there'll be several new third party demos coming to the North American eShop in the near future. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes should be available right now, but you'll soon also be able to get your paws on trials of The Amazing Spider-Man,...

  • E3 2012 New Super Mario Bros. 2 Gets Co-operative

    Double your money

    Here's a feature everybody's been wanting for New Super Mario Bros. 2 — it has a two player co-operative mode. You can run through the entire 3DS platformer alongside a friend, taking control of a Mario Bro. each. There are a couple of stumbling blocks though: both players need to own a copy of the game, and it's also only...

  • E3 2012 Reggie Confirms Fire Emblem Awakening for America

    Everybody gets a turn

    Although there was no mention of it during last night's 3DS software showcase, Fire Emblem: Awakening is coming to North America. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed to IGN the turns-based strategy RPG will make it across the Atlantic, but at the moment we don't know any more. Nintendo Europe recently...

  • E3 2012 Sports Connection Steps Up to the Plate

    Filling in for Wii Sports

    Wii U's E3 2011 concept video hinted at a new version of Wii Sports. That hasn't been confirmed as a title actually in development so far, but luckily for sports fans Ubisoft is ready to pitch in with Sports Connection. The compilation gives you the chance to win kart races from the comfort of your bathroom, live the...

  • E3 2012 Epic Mickey 3DS Daubs Shelves 18th November

    Pretty in paint

    Last night's 3DS Software Showcase wasn't the frenzy of new games that was anticipated, but some good came of it: a US release date for Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion. DreamRift's portable take on the series will arrive on North American shores on 18th November 2012. Co-founder / creative director at DreamRift Peter Ong...

  • E3 2012 Nintendo's 3DS Software Showcase Live

    What will we see?

    Nintendo's hosting a 3DS software showcase to spend more time talking about its range of upcoming 3DS games. And you know what? We're going to be covering it live right on this very page. It all kicks off at 6pm Pacific — that's 9pm Eastern and 2am UK time. Don't forget the comments will automatically refresh so kick back,...

  • News Reggie: Retro's Hard at Work, Won't Say More

    Could be a long wait

    We all wanted Nintendo to show what Retro Studios is working on, but we saw nothing of its mysterious project during yesterday's E3 conference. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has assured fans the developer is hard at work, but we probably won't get to see it for quite a while. Speaking to IGN, Fils-Aime said:...

  • E3 2012 Corbie's Photos From the Show - Day One

    Take a journey through LA

    Our man Corbie Dillard has been pounding the LA showfloors this week to go hands-on with some of the most exciting upcoming games you'll be playing later this year. But when his hands haven't been wrapped around a control pad they've been snapping photos left, right and centre. Here's some of Corbie's shots from LA so far.

  • E3 2012 Your Shape Gets U Bending

    Witness the fitness

    Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013 is set to go toe-to-toe with Nintendo's own Wii Fit U in Wii U's launch window. Only the strongest will survive: does Ubisoft's exercise-a-thon have a chance of winning the battle with Nintendo's considerable bulge? There's certainly going to be plenty of peer pressure to lose those pounds with a...

  • News Reggie: Wii U Launch Window is Four Months Long

    Talks up first-party

    How long is a piece of string? And how long is a console launch window? Nintendo says it'll publish several games in the Wii U launch window, but how big a span of time is that? Leave it to Reggie Fils-Aime to explain. Fils-Aime told IGN Nintendo sees the launch window as spanning a fairly lengthy period: It's launch plus the...

  • E3 2012 Rayman Legends Trailer Looks Glorious in HD

    Wii U's best looking title?

    Ubisoft's got eight games on the way to Wii U, but few look as beautiful as Rayman Legends. Don't believe us? Here's a five minute gameplay video running in 720p. Rayman Legends is exclusive to Wii U and supports five players: four using Wii Remotes and one using the Wii U GamePad to play as Murphy, a helpful little chap...

  • E3 2012 The Most Gorgeous Wii U Screenshots Yet

    See what Wii U can do

    We might not know exactly what's inside Wii U, but we can show you what comes out of the machine in these HD screenshots. We've pored over Nintendo's screenshots and picked out some of the most impressive shots just for you. Click any of the stills for a bigger view. Pikmin 3 Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge Scribblenauts...

  • E3 2012 Skylanders Giants Stomping onto Wii U

    Ground shaking

    Polish up those Skylanders figures; Skylanders Giants is coming to Wii U, and all your old models are compatible. During an interview with GameTrailers, Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg confirmed that the sequel will be making its way over to Nintendo's new home console. Having taken toy technology under its wing in the original,...

  • E3 2012 Miyamoto's Small Game is Under Wraps For Now

    Maybe next year

    Shigeru Miyamoto's talked in the past about working on smaller projects, but the only project of his we saw at E3 2012 was Pikmin 3. He's assured Joystiq he is still working on something but we probably won't see it until next year. People like to ask me if I want to do a small project with a small team. I do like working with a...

  • E3 2012 New Super Mario Bros. Wii U Screenshot Comparison

    Then and now

    Last year's reveal of New Super Mario Bros. Mii underwhelmed some last year, but this year's screenshots of New Super Mario Bros. U look a lot better. We've put together a gallery comparing screenshots from last year's technical demonstration to this year's game. The overriding impression we get is that the backgrounds have been most...

  • Reaction Your Opinions on Nintendo's E3 Conference

    A mixed bag

    Nintendo E3 conferences are a funny business, with just 70 minutes to try and please as many people as possible: not an easy task. This year Nintendo went big with Wii U and showed off a variety of first and third party titles, covering a lot of bases. Of course, it's easy to focus on what wasn't revealed, but ultimately we do have big...

  • E3 2012 Animal Crossing Wii U Gets More Friendly with Miiverse

    Friend finder

    It's no surprise that Katsuya Eguchi, the creator of Animal Crossing and hardware producer on Wii U, is already thinking about how to combine the two. Speaking at last night's developer roundtable, Eguchi mused on how Wii U's Miiverse social network could enhance Animal Crossing's community. Eguchi said in the past people have had a...

  • E3 2012 Nintendo Land is More Expansive Than You Thought

    Not another Wii Play

    Nintendo Land is intended as a Wii U equivalent of Wii Sports, but so far it looks more like a new Wii Play. Not so, says Nintendo. Each of the attractions will be deeper than the games found in Wii Play, with multiple stages, modes and adjusting difficulty levels. Wii U hardware producer Katsuya Eguchi took to the stage at...

  • E3 2012 Wii U to Launch in White, Black Available "Later"

    All white on the night

    We saw a whole lot of the black Wii U console during yesterday's E3 conference, but according to a Nintendo representative the dark shade might not be available at launch. Destructoid reports a booth representative as saying the system will launch in white, with the black option available "someday". It took years for the...

  • E3 2012 F-Zero is Coming to Wii U

    ...As part of Nintendo Land

    Nintendo has heard all the pleas for a new F-Zero game and finally done something about it. Well, sort of. It's going to be one of the attractions in Nintendo Land. It was announced at last night's developer discussion that the futuristic racer will make an appearance as one of the 12 mini games in Nintendo's virtual...

  • E3 2012 Transfer Wii Save Data and Shop Purchases to Wii U

    Keep it flowing

    Nintendo's confirmed it's working on a system to transfer Wii save data, WiiWare and Virtual Console purchases from your Wii console to the new Wii U. The good news came during last night's developer roundtable in a Q&A section, a Nintendo producer saying: We are readying the system to be able to transfer saves and everything...

  • News You Can Transfer Wii VC Games to Wii U

    Rejoice!

    Nintendo of America has confirmed you can transfer your Wii Virtual Console purchases to the Wii U. Executive Scott Moffitt told ABC News you'll be able to move across past VC purchases and play them on the Wii U. Moffitt said there'll be a lot of restructuring necessary — Wii U will support multiple online user accounts for instance —...

  • Talking Point Reviewing Nintendo's E3 Press Conference

    7/10?

    The dust has settled on Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference. Here in the Nintendo Life offices the pizza boxes have been pushed to one side and we've taken a few minutes to collect our thoughts and summarise how we think it went. James Newton, editor: I wouldn't say this was a classic show for Nintendo — a lot of the right components were...

  • E3 2012 Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Stands Alone on Wii U

    Waiting for a new challenger

    When 3DS was announced, it seemed like publishers rushed to announce their fighting games for the system, but Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is something of a lone wolf on Wii U. While Warner Bros.' Injustice: Gods Among Us takes a serious look at DC Comics characters, TTT2 went a bit tongue-in-cheek with its trailer, showing...

  • E3 2012 LEGO City Undercover Exposed

    Mystery solved

    Last year's LEGO City Stories is now LEGO City Undercover, and judging from the first gameplay trailer below it could be quite special. The open world genre might be the preserve of the more adult titles these days, but LEGO City Undercover keeps things distinctly family-friendly by having you solve crimes instead of committing them...

  • Reaction On First Glance, Nintendo Land is No Wii Sports

    System seller?

    Nintendo made claims that it had a Wii U title that matches Wii Sports in appeal; a title that sells their new console, both conceptually and literally, just as well as the motion sports game did for Wii. At E3 it presented the proposed title: Nintendo Land, a virtual theme park which incorporates Miis, Miiverse and mini games...

  • E3 2012 SiNG is Nintendo's All-Singing, All-Dancing Wii U Game

    So it might be good

    Wii was heaven for people who like singing and dancing games, and it looks like Nintendo wants to keep that trend rolling with SiNG (temporary title) on Wii U. Developed by FreeStyleGames (the DJ Hero people) it's a cross between karaoke and dancing. The Wii U GamePad displays lyrics during karaoke, and can be used as an audio...

  • E3 2012 Every 3DS Game Announced So Far

    Plus three Pokémon DS games

    We're yet to have a genuine 3DS fix at this year's E3, with the handheld only having the briefest of mentions in the main press conference. It does have its own showcase lined up, but until that arrives we have full list of confirmed titles for you. Check them out below. 3DS: