How Nintendo is Moving Forward

This is a continuation of the ideas brought up in the post “The New Generation of Gaming“.

Nintendo has always been a user-friendly company, grasping the attention spans of countless 7-year olds.  The systems provided by them are quaint, little, contraptions that inspire use and the wasting of time.  As these attributes have been the company’s main selling points over the years, it is only natural that they should move forward without leaving them behind.

The current line of consoles, the DS, is making remarkable progress in the advancement of Nintendo’s product line.  Its flagship product, that is speculated for release in spring of 2011, will be the 3DS, the first product, that I know of, to allow the viewing and creation of 3D media without glasses.  Also included, is a slider that allows you to toggle 3D views, so you can play games in standard 2D if you wished.  As you can see, the 3DS is a continuation of Nintendo’s time-tested product design which prioritizes user-friendliness over the coolest widgets and doodads, although not many are overlooked by their new system.

The New Generation of Gaming

E3 2010 was a long time ago.  Well, maybe not that long ago, but the expo is old news.  How about its impact on the gaming industry itself?  Most people like to talk about which console is better than another and which games implement the newest technology.  Rarely, however, do people sit down and think about the big picture, what the new technologies will mean for us in the future.  Seeing as not much was being said on the topic, more specifically, from this viewpoint, I decided to put together a quick summary to use as brain food.

I’ll start off with the PlayStation 3′s Move.  Many of you will say “Wait a minute, this technology isn’t new.  The Wii came out with it ages ago.” and you would be right, mostly right anyway.  I mean, sure, the Wii did have motion controls, but I wouldn’t say they were accurate, nor reliable for that matter.  That didn’t stop the Wii from heading the sales charts, but the controls just weren’t up to snuff.  Now, finally, we get wind of a more accurate, and more reliable, counterpart that could, potentially, unseat the Wii from its casual throne making way for a new motion-control master appealing to the core.  At least, this is what was promised by Sony executives.  I could see it happening, couldn’t you?  Hopefully this update to motion-controls will push the gaming industry towards a philosophy of “quality over great marketing”.  That is how the Wii became so popular, wasn’t it?

Kinect is another one of those motion-control technologies, the only difference being you don’t have to hold a controller.  Although an Xbox junkie at heart, I will admit I was unimpressed with the Kinect lineup revealed at E3.  Still, I think the device could lead to welcome changes in the way people play, and interact, with gaming consoles and other media.  Hopefully, Microsoft’s focus on user experience will inspire other companies/developers to follow suit by making gaming more fun, streamlined, and immersing.

The last of my musings is about the new 3D technology “coming to TVs everywhere” (wasn’t a real quote, that I know of, but it sounds cool).  Sony is integrating the PS3 with 3D technologies that just so happen to be present in their own TVs.  Nintendo also announced the 3DS, a system that allows you to experience games in 3D without the need for goofy glasses.  What do I think of these improvements?  It was only a matter of time before it came to the console, so no big surprise there.  On the other hand, anything that makes games feel more “real” is a winner in my book, as long as I don’t throw up in the process.  It’s a step forward and there is nothing wrong with that.

These new technologies will make gaming more immersing, enriching the experience, and raising the “fun factor”, whatever that is.  I can’t wait to see what developers will use the new technology to create, and I’m sure I won’t be able to wait to get my hands on it once I do.  I love creative developers, and when technology improves, so too does the creative minds of game creators.

Further Reading

• How Nintendo is Moving Forward
• Microsoft and the Next Generation of Gaming

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E3 2010 Highlights: What You May Have Missed

E3 2010 took place last week leaving us drooling over the surprising, and long-awaited, reveals. The unveiling of new motion controls as well as 3d game play has set this years expo above the rest. In case you missed any of this year’s industry-changing announcements, check them out below.

1. Microsoft’s Keynote – At this year’s press conference, Microsoft unveiled their motion-controller Kinect.  Several games will be available for the device at its release this holiday season such as Kinectimals and Your Shape: Evolved.  Other games that were showcased were Fable 3, Gears of War 3, and Halo: Reach.
2. Nintendo Keynote – Nintendo wowed the crowd with a ground-breaking technology, a 3d platform without the need for glasses.  Their 3DS will be able to play games in both 2d and 3d which is creating a buzz in video game developers.  Popular characters return with new Donkey Kong, Kirby, and Zelda titles.
3. Sony Keynote – Sony did what they do best, releasing great games and improving on current technology.  Sony’s staggering game line-up features installments in the PlayStation’s most popular series such as Killzone, Little Big Planet, and Twisted Metal.
4. Ubisoft Press Conference – Ubisoft showed off Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Driver, and Project Dust, what looks like a really cool game (hopefully it will be playable on the Xbox 360).
5. EA Press Conference – At EA’s media briefing, the much-anticipated MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic, was featured as well as Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, and Medal of Honor.

Don’t forget to check out my Rage preview, an upcoming shooter with unbelievable visuals.

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E3 2010 Nintendo Keynote

The Nintendo Keynote took place today at 12, was aired on G4 and streamed live online.

After a brief introduction explaining how Nintendo is focusing on game experience, for everyone, rather than technology, a trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword was played.  The game will will utilize the Wii-mote and nun-chuck to control the character’s shield and sword.  The game play, presented by one of the game’s developers, although good looking, was flawed.  The presenter had a hard time getting the character to swing his sword in the correct direction, the same direction that he swung the Wii-mote.  Unfortunately, none of the other weapons, sling shot, bow, bombs, beetle, whip, were any more impressive.  Those on stage blamed it on wireless interference, which it very well may be, although I have had the same poor experience with Wii games I have tried.  Due to the poor on-stage performance, they invited attendees to test the game on the E3 game floor or confirmation that the game does indeed work.

The new Mario sports game for the Wii, Mario: Sports Mix, will include new athletic events such as hockey, volleyball, dodge ball, and basketball.  The title is scheduled for a 2011 release.

Wii Party will allow you to experience over 13 game modes and 70 minigames with your Wii Avatar.

Just Dance 2, the sequel to Ubisoft’s Just Dance, will feature new dance modes, 8 player multiplayer, and new tracks/songs.  The game will be released this Fall.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn, a Zelda/Final Fantasy mix RPG, will arrive this holiday season.

This November, a new Golden Eye title will hit the Wii system.  It will feature split screen, online multiplayer, and 8 “classic” characters.  The game is a Wii exclusive.

Another Wii exclusive, Disney: Epic Mickey, was presented by the game’s general manager and producer.  The game is said to be filled with old Disney characters and attractions.  Mickey, Smee, and the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse are all examples of in-game objects/characters.  The major game mechanic in the game is paint/paint thinner.  With the paint system, you will be able to create or remove color, obstacles, and characters.  The use of this power will not only change the game world, but also character’s disposition toward you and the game story.

Upcoming Kirby adventure, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, a platform game, uses cloth-like properties to allow the player to progress through levels.  The game features background, creatures, and player forms in a sewing-material art style.

Metroid: Other M, another Wii exclusive, will continue with the game experience that player loved so much, exploration and mystery.  The game will be released on August 31st.

Donkey Kong Country Returns will be available this holiday season.

Nintendo’s 3DS will feature 3 dimensional game play.  Nintendo’s new system will allow you to experience 3d games without the need for special glasses.  The 3DS has a 3d slider which will allow you to adjust from 3d to 2d, or turn it off altogether.  The touch screen will remain in place, but is not 3d compatible.  The console has an analog stick, improved graphics, a motion sensor, a front mounted camera and two back-mounted cameras which will allow you to take and view pictures in 3d.  Platforms will automatically communicate with other systems regardless of the software running on that system, i.e. it doesn’t matter if it is playing a different game.

Kid Icarus: Uprising, what was codenamed Project Sora at last year’s E3, was specially designed for the 3DS, which means it will boast three dimensional graphics.  No release date was provided.

More games that will be created for the 3DS, in 3d, include Nintendogs + cats, Kingdom Hearts, Saints Row, Madden, Resident Evil, Batman, Assassin’s Creed, and Metal Gear Solid.

The briefing concluded with a series of interviews of leading developers in the game industry about their experience with the 3DS’s 3 dimensional rendering capabilities.  Of course, all of the interviews were positive and highlighted the awe instilled by the new technology.

Keynote attendees were given a chance to test drive the 3DS and the new The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

The Sony Keynote is later today so comeback for updates from their press conference.  Don’t forget to email me any questions or comments you may have about E3 or any piece of technology (you can find my email in the About page).