Fingers crossed Nintendo follow up last year's successful event with an equally enjoyable one today.
2:00: We're off! Not. Scheduled to start right now, Nintendo once again run late. Five minutes, apparently.
2:04: New 3DS titles to be shown, celebrating Zelda's 25th Anniversary, etc. Still hasn't started.
2:05: Opening with a live orchestra playing tracks from various Zelda titles, old and new.
2:07: Classic themes, like Zelda's Lulliby playing. Lots of footage from Zelda titles. The live orchestra is sounding pretty great.
2:09: New footage of Skyward Sword being shown during the orchestra stream. Looks like flying!
2:10: Shigeru Miyamot taking the stage. Nice and dressed up.
2:11: Last year was the 25th anniversary of the Mario Bros series. This year is Zelda. Talking about how the series has evolved graphically over the years.
2:12: Music an important part of Zelda. Link often plays an instrument. Orchestra now playing snippets of sounds from Zelda. Item get! Treasure chest!
2:13: Fairy's Fountain played, sounds gorgeous with an orchestra. Miyamoto REALLY wants them to play the chest open / item get sound.
2:14: To celebreate the anniversary they're releasing Zelda titles on all platforms. Links Awakening for 3DS store will be available world wide by the end of the day.
2:15: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords coming to DSi in September as a free download.
2:16: Skyward Sword to be out at the end of the year for the Wii. "It's finally done". Golden Wii Remote promotional item to be released.
2:17: Miyamoto says he plays the game every day. Jokes about getting stronger.
2:18: Lastly, Zelda 25th Anniversary Symphony Orchestra concerts to be played around the world. Japan, US and Europe confirmed. Australia...?
2:19: Ocarina of Time soundtrack to be a free gift to those who register the 3DS first. 25th Anniversary OST to be released as well. Many other events planned too. Looks like they're going all out.
2:20: Various Nintendo devs on stage, standing around, being all devvy.
2:21: Iwata time.
2:22: Talking about how the DS and Wii aimed to expand the gaming population. Breaking down boundaries of gender, age, etc.
2:23: Believes there are mental barries in what defines a console. Says the industry hasnt achieved a platform that is equally satisfying for all players.
2:24: Says their new console will target both groups. Deeper games for core gamers, wider market than the Wii too. Waiting until a little later before they talk more about it. Cruel!
2:25: 3DS time. Looks like a bit of a teaser video. Mario Kart, Star Fox, Super Mario Bros. Cool dynamic of them moving behind the main stage.
2:26: Looks like a new Luigi's Mansion will be coming to the 3DS, if this teaser is to go by.
2:27: Reggie time.
2:28: As usual, want to deliver something for everyone, both on the new home console and the 3DS.
2:29: Proper game trailers now. Mario Kart 3DS up first. Looks like it mixes gliding with karting. Under water stuff too. Can modify carts. Spiritual successor to Diddy Kong Racing?
2:30: Mario Kart 3DS will be out for this holiday.
2:31: Star Fox 65 3DS is up. Similar to what we already know; buttons and gyro controls. Group play records your face via the camera as you play, popping up like Slippy and co would normally. Out this year.
2:33: Super Mario 3DS now. Looks very much like Super Mario Galaxy. Tanoki suit! Lots of shifting camera perspectives.
2:34: Super Mario 3DS is targetting the end of the year for release.
2:35: Kid Icarus 3DS. New footage looks quite similar to last year, perhaps with some extra graphical polish. Typical wild mania you'd expect from Sakurai.
2:36: Kid Icarus looks to include some kind of multiplayer component where players battle one another in teams. Some kind of card game looks to be part of the package too, using AR card to summon characters.
2:37: Luigi's Mansion 2 properly announced. Looks very similar to the GameCube build. Luigi crapping hmself in a haunted mansion, hunting around for ghosts with his trusty vacuum.
2:38: The game has quite impressive lighting effects. A good amount of shadows, lense flairs, etc. Reggie confirms it is an entirely new game, and not a revision. Has several new mansions.
2:39: Sizzle reel for third party games. RE: Mercenaries, Ace Combat, Sonic Olympics, Tetris, Cave Story 3D, RE: Revelations, Driver Renegade, Pac Man & Galaga, Tekken 3D, and MGS: Snake Eater 3D.
2:40: Looks like Tekken 3D is the only new one of the bunch.
2:41: Reggie chatting about the 3DS eShop. Demos and more trailers to be available by the end of the year. Promising more content for the various eShop stores.
2:42: Free Excite Bike 3D remastered. Talking about the Pokedex software. Is Reggie aware we already know this?
2:43: Pokedex 3D allows folk to trade and discover new Pokemon via street pass. Can snap photos of your Pokemon via the AR cards.
2:44: End of 3DS stuff. Now onto the new console.
2:45: Console is confirmed to be called....Wii U. Yep. Wii U.
2:46: Controller show, and has a big touch screen in the middle like people specualted.
2:47: Controller allows game data to be streamed directly to the screen even when the TV is in use.
2:48: Gyro control. Looks like it can be combined with the Wii Remote and other Wii accessories.
2:49: Camera in the controller allows for video calls and integration into games.
2:50: Zelda for Wii U briefly shown. Probably CG. Link faught a giant spider, and it looked amazing.
2:51: Iwata back to explain the system in better detail. Says that consoles have been known to occupy the TV screen, but the Wii U allows gaming to be continued even while the TV is in use. 6.2 inch screen. All Wii controllers and acessors, as well as games, are backwards compatable with the system.
2:52: No analogue sticks, only two circle pads. Two triggers, and two shoulder pads. D-pad, and four face buttons. Gyro as per confirmed, microphone, speakers, rumble and an inward facing camera.
2:53: Iwata says it was not designed to be a portable game machine, despite its home portability. The system does not generate its own images, but has them transmitted to the system.
2:54: Goal of the controller is to connect you with your friends and family, and the system with internet, TV and the controller.
2:55: Miyamoto is talking about the controller. Feels the controller allows a very wide variety of gameplay types.
2:56: New Smash Bros 'announced' for both Wii U and the 3DS. Wants the game to work between both system. Wont go into anything else. No!
2:58: Only eight prototypes to be on the show floor, and none of them early games.
2:59: Looks like a tech demo of the new system's hardware. A bird flying around with a flower. Impressive graphics.
3:02: Reggie talking about ideas that could go into games, such as a Mario game where your Mii can be part of the experience. A couple of other games. Looks like these will be the demos to be shown on the show floor. Most appear to be just tech demos.
3:03: Lego City Stories for Wii U to be announced. Its an open world game. Exclusive to the Wii U and 3DS.
3:04: Sizzle reel of developers talking about the system now, much like last year and 3DS. All the names from publisehrs; EA, UbiSoft, Namco Bandai, etc.
3:05: Tekken, Darksiders 2, Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon Online and Arkham City confirmed. No footage shown.
3:08: Scratch that, footage. Darksiders II, Dirt, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Ghost Recon Online, Metro Last Light, Tekken (can draw on characters?), and Ninja Gaiden 3.
3:09: John Ricatello, CEO of EA on stage.
3:10: Talking about the various EA sports games that could take advantage of the controller. Battlefield 3 looks to be confirmed.
3:11: A lot of a hoo baa about parternships and what not. No idea what it will amount to.
3:12: Reggie back, and wrapping things up by the looks of things.
3:14: Says more announcements to come today, or something like that. Stay tuned to their live feed.
3:15: And that's a wrap!
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