E3 2010: Reader Questions - Day Two

Well two days of E3 down and one more to go, so here is yet another round of your questions answered. There's still one more afternoon of booth visits to take in and then the individual game impressions will start flowing more regularly. Until then, sit back and enjoy the Q&A and hopefully this will shed some more light on some of the games and how they looked and played on the show floor.

Will the 3DS camera record videos too? And has Nintendo given any details on the 3DS's "store"? I'm hoping for an account system similar to the PlayStation Network… (cnm_nintendo) I don't believe it will record video, just photographs. And no details were given on the 3DS store at all, including any mention of a 3DSWare or Handheld Virtual Console.

Were the Zelda controls glitchy in the booth like they were on stage at the press conference or did they work well? (Token Girl) Trust me, Zelda: Skyward Sword was as smooth as silk. The controls worked perfectly. The 1:1 sword swinging gives the game a very intuitive feel and having the items so easy to get to and change on the run is a welcome addition. Very fun game and probably the most playable Zelda game to date.

What's your favorite game you've demoed at E3? (Token Girl) I think Kirby Epic Yarn has been my favorite. It's such a unique and beautiful game and the level designs are amazing. It's definitely moved near the top of my most-wanted list of games and I'm very excited about getting a chance to play the finished product this holiday season.

What's up with the accelerometer that was rumored to be in the 3DS - did Nintendo say anything about it?(GonzoMontana) Nintendo didn't say much about it other than confirming it's indeed a part of the 3DS system. No demos of it were shown and none of the games I played on the 3DS made use of it.

Also, did you see the 3DS Menu? If so, is it similar to the DSi's? (topnick12) They never showed the 3DS menu at all. They had most of these demos already running on the systems and it wouldn't allow you to quit them. (I tried)

How does Ocarina look and play? (Aviator) Ocarina of Time looked amazing and the 3D on it makes it really pop off of the screen. Sadly, it wasn't playable, just a demo running on the system. It was mostly the horseback scene leading up to the title screen.

Were there no words on The Last Story or Xenoblade coming to the West? (GonzoMontana) I haven't heard a single mention of either game the entire show.

Considering that they are most likely in early stages of development, what would you say is the graphical power of the 3DS? Feel free to use any system as a comparison. (jangonov) Although you could tell the demos were a bit early in development, at least some of them, they were still very impressive from a visual standpoint. If I had to compare them to a system, I think the Wii would be a good comparison. Some moments looked incredible and others looked a bit bland, but it's a tough call to make considering these are not finished products and I have no way of knowing how far along they are.

Is there still built in rumble in the 3DS? (jangonov) I don't remember a rumble feature mentioned and given the battery life toll this 3D effect will take, not to mention the constant Wi-Fi they're pushing, I doubt we'll see a rumble feature on the unit.

Is there any news that wasn't mentioned at the conference about a new handheld Metroid game for 3DS? (Metroid_Fan) There was a beautiful Samus graphical demo running on the 3DS systems the booth girls showed off at the Press Conference, but as far as an actual game, nothing was mentioned or shown on the E3 show floor.

Did you see any DSiWare/WiiWare there besides Sonic 4? (Koops3) I was basically told about two months ago in confidence that Nintendo had informed developers that no WiiWare or DSiWare would be shown on the show floor due to space limitations with all of the games they had to show. So no, even Sonic 4 and Super Meat Boy were Xbox Live Arcade versions.

What are your impressions about Epic Mickey? Did you like Sonic Colours? (RayTheSkyPirate) Epic Mickey is gorgeous and it has some really cool and innovative gameplay mechanics using the paint and thinner brush. The control is spot-on and there's absolutely tons of things to do, not to mention various ways to play the game's quests. As for Sonic Colors, the DS version was extremely impressive and played wonderfully, but the Wii version seemed a bit streaky in the visual department and the play control felt a little too loose and confusing at times. I think it's clear that the DS version is the one to get.

Has Kirby completely lost the ability to inhale enemies in Kirby's Epic Yarn? (Belgicario) It would seem he has, based on the playable demos. Don't worry, he can still do a lot of cool stuff, including turning into a parachute and a little honking car. The two-player co-op is a blast to play as well and you can grab and throw each other around. It really was one of the best games I played at the show.

is the gameplay in Kid Icarus anything like the original gameplay of the old games? (slapshot82) Not really. It feels like a combination of Sin & Punishment and a standard platformer. There's tons of flying around and shooting on rails, but still plenty of running, jumping, and shooting to give it a nice rounded platformer feel. Definitely a game to keep an eye on come launch day for 3DS.

Can you play the new Zelda using a Gamecube remote? I do not like the thought of playing it with motion controls especially the shield using the unreliable nunchuck motion. (Luigi78) Nope. You'll have to use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk. They're really pushing the Wii MotionPlus on this one and there's just no way you'd be able to play this game with a Classic or Gamecube controller - no way at all.

Were those 3DS's actually strapped to the Girls? If so, you didn't have to play the 3DS while it was attached to them did you? (longtimegamer) Yes they had these things bolted down to everything, including a large group of very cute girls. They would even talk to you while you were playing, at least when a camera guy from Nintendo wasn't sticking a camera and microphone in your face.

How'd you deal with all the excitement when you got back to your room? (longtimegamer) Booze.

Was DKCR playable? Was it good? (turtlelink) Yes it was playable and it was great. Looks, sounds and feels very much like the original Donkey Kong Country game. It also features some really cool new gameplay functions like shaking the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to pound things on the ground. If you liked Donkey Kong Country, you're going to go ape over this game! (Couldn't resist!)

Did they mention price or release date for the 3DS? (MERG) No price or release date, which has me and many others here a bit concerned. Speculation has already hit from analysts that it will likely be in the $249-$299 range, but nothing is official.

What kind of game would you most like to see on the 3DS? (Destroyer360) I have to be honest with you, the Paper Mario 3DS game has me the most excited. I think that kind of visual style inside of a 3D world will be incredible. And in truth, I don't care if it's a port of the Nintendo 64 original or a brand new game, although I guess a brand new game would be the better choice.

What do you think of Nintendo's Wii line-up overall (I know that Nintendo Life as a whole seems to be disappointed with it)? (Odnetnin) How can you be disappointed in the Wii lineup? Kirby's Epic Yarn, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Metroid: Other M, Zelda: Skyward Sword, and Sin & Punishment 2 all looked and played amazingly. I personally think that this was one of Nintendo's best E3 showings ever. And many of these games are coming within the next few months. How can you not love that?

Do you think the DS is going to go out with a bang, or are you just planning on Golden Sun and a few other RPGs and forgetting about the handheld completely? (Odnetnin) I think we'll see a massive tapering off of Nintendo DS titles in the coming months, but there's still some great titles coming up like Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, Lufia: Curse of the Sinistrals, and Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light.

I hear that the 3DS is one of the most mind-blowing portable systems ever; do you feel like it's the future? (Odnetnin) When you see it in action, you'll have no doubt about what kind of potential this unit has. This is the kind of system that when you see it, you'll want it on the spot. Even with the vaulted expectations, it still absolutely blew me away when I saw it with my eyes. Incredible, absolutely incredible.

Based on where the analog stick is on the 3DS, is it easy to use? (MetalMario) Yes, the analog stick is in the perfect spot and worked very well. It's the D-Pad's much lower situation that has me concerned given how tiring it might end up being on the hands holding the system that low on one side.

How smooth were the controls for Kirby's Epic Yarn? (SonicMaster) This game was like butter. It was smooth, responsive and I loved being able to play it using just the Wii Remote on its side. Simple, but very playable controls and a nice well-rounded climb in difficulty make it probably the most playable and enjoyable game I've played at the show. Not to mention the fact that it's probably the best looking Wii game to date.

With one day to go keep your questions coming in and we'll get Corbie to answer as many of them as possible.