{"id":4640,"date":"2010-06-20T09:06:29","date_gmt":"2010-06-20T15:06:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gamingwithchildren.com\/?p=4640"},"modified":"2010-06-20T09:06:29","modified_gmt":"2010-06-20T15:06:29","slug":"carys-e3-yarn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/2010\/06\/20\/carys-e3-yarn\/","title":{"rendered":"Cary’s E3 Yarn"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Well I\u2019m going to do the totally unoriginal thing and write a blog about my impressions on the news and previews at this year\u2019s E3. I didn\u2019t go this year, but it amazes me how far technology has gone since I first went to E3 back in \u201996 (or was it \u201897?). With video technology on the Internet now, you can watch the previews and conferences at the show, and it\u2019s like you\u2019re there! That kind of technology just wasn\u2019t available when I first went! I remember when our press kits were paper in folders, then CD\u2019s, and now you just download assets on Web sites! Wow! Anyway, here\u2019s a little overview on news I read about E3 2010 that caught my attention.<\/p>\n

New Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n

Looks like the new technology shown this year was the PS3 and 360\u2019s motion controls, and the Nintendo 3DS. I can\u2019t really get excited about either of them though. With the motion controlled devices, for me it\u2019s really the lack of any interesting games announced at the show. Most everything looked like something we\u2019ve already seen on the Wii. One of the things that I like about the 360 and PS3 is they\u2019re NOT like the Wii, they\u2019re different and that\u2019s what makes them special. But now they\u2019re trying to imitate the Wii? Don\u2019t get me wrong, I like the Wii, but more often than not, I\u2019d rather just use a regular controller.<\/p>\n

Apparently Sony is making a Move game with characters from Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, and others, which only sounds interesting because I like some of those characters (it would be really neat if they would put Ape Escape and Loco Rocos in there). And Little Big Planet 2 might be fun. Other than that, the only other games that interests me are the ones starring that Burger King guy that they\u2019re supposedly working on. Remember when they did Burger King 360 games before? They were horrible, but they were also hilarious! As far as 360\u2019s motion controls go, I certainly like the name \u201cKinect\u201d better than \u201cNatal.\u201d But again, not really any games on it I really want to try just yet!<\/p>\n

3DS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 3DS from Nintendo was the other big tech announcement. It\u2019s similar to the DSi, but the top screen uses 3-D stereoscopic technology and no glasses needed. But the reason why I can\u2019t get excited about it too much is because I\u2019ve been blind in my left eye since birth, and I can\u2019t see those kinds of effects in games and movies.<\/p>\n

Luckily, you can turn the 3D effects off on the 3DS. And I\u2019ll probably still get a 3DS because the games announced for it look pretty fun! Nintendo announced an Animal Crossing game for it, so I\u2019m already sold. Other interesting 3DS games announced included Nintendogs & Cats, Mario Kart, Paper Mario, and Pilotwings Resort. And Namco has a few 3DS games planned such as Pac-Man & Galaga, and Ridge Racer, too! Really the only 3DS game Nintendo announced that I wasn\u2019t as excited about like others were is Kid Icarus: Uprising. I never really liked the NES Kid Icarus game, and from the videos, I really can\u2019t tell what KIND of game Uprising is supposed to be, so I need to learn a little more about it before I get interested in it.<\/p>\n

What worries me is that with more and more movies being in 3-D, and video games starting to be that way, too, there may become a time when ALL video games are in 3-D. I know that might not happen for a while, but what do I do when it does? I won\u2019t be able to review games to their fullest extent because of my disability, and I may have to hang up my game reviewing hat when that does happen. And since I\u2019ve been working hard to make that dream become a reality since college, it kind of bums me out that there may come a day soon where I can\u2019t do it anymore. I\u2019m lucky I\u2019m able to review games for GamingWithChildren now. I think what I\u2019d better do and try and review as many games as I can, and go to as many trade shows as I can and enjoy what little time I have left playing games before everything goes all 3-D!<\/p>\n

Best E3 Game of the Show!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, enough depressing stuff. Care to take a guess as to what my favorite game of E3 was? Kirby\u2019s Epic Yarn for the Wii! I\u2019m a huge Kirby fan, and I even think Kirby games are better than Mario ones. Anyway, in this one, Kirby is made out of string and the enemies and worlds look like they are made out of fabric and stitches. Kirby can use a section of his yarn body to grab enemies and wrap them in yarn. He can also use his string like a grappling hook, and can even pull sections of the stage closer to him, crinkling up the fabric background in the process! Two player co-op is there, too! Kirby can\u2019t suck in enemies in this game, but he can turn into stuff like a tank, a car, and a parachute. It may not be a typical Kirby game, but sometimes Kirby is at his best when he\u2019s doing something new and original.<\/p>\n

Other Nintendo Gems<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, there were lots of other Nintendo games announced at the show I took an interest to. I\u2019m not really biased toward Nintendo, but they do tend to make more of the cheerful, whimsical games I enjoy.<\/p>\n

First off is The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. I really like the compromise they made in the graphics. It has the adult Link that many fans love, and the cel-shaded graphics from Wind Waker that I liked! I also hear it\u2019ll have orchestrated music like what Mario Galaxy had, so I\u2019m all over that. Only problem is that Skyward Sword won\u2019t come out until 2011. Although that really doesn\u2019t surprise me, and delayed games don\u2019t bother me anymore\u2014more time to play the games I\u2019ve already got! But what will Nintendo have for their big holiday release? Maybe it\u2019ll be Kirby\u2019s Epic Yarn? Yeah!<\/p>\n

Austin based Retro Studios is working on a 2-D platformer called Donkey Kong Country Returns. I hope it\u2019s more like Jungle Beat, because that was a brilliant game. But the DKC games weren\u2019t shabby either. I have fond memories of playing DKC with my little brothers. Brother Jeff was so young when the first DKC came out that he could barely talk. One of his first words ended up being \u201cDonkey Kong\u201d so he could communicate to me that he wanted to play that game!<\/p>\n

Other Nintendo gems were Mario Sports Mix, which looks to be more Mario fun with activities like Volleyball, Basketball, Hockey, and I can\u2019t wait to try Dodgeball! And Pokepark Wii: Pikachu\u2019s Adventures looks to be a cute game for young Pokemon fans. Hey, I LIKED Pokemon Channel! It was cute!<\/p>\n

Pac-Man\u2019s 30th Anniversary<\/strong><\/p>\n

The other thing I kept my eye on at this year\u2019s E3 was to see if Namco was going to do ANYTHING for Pac-Man\u2019s 30th Anniversary. Well, for better or worse, looks like they are. The good news is they announced Pac-Man: Championship Edition DX, a follow-up to the Xbox LIVE favorite. This time it\u2019ll be on PSN, too. Looks like it\u2019ll have more fun game modes and mazes than before. Only bad thing is I\u2019m afraid when I play it, I\u2019ll end up saying it\u2019s what the first game should\u2019ve been in the first place. As good as the first one was, anyway.<\/p>\n

The other Pac-Game announced I\u2019m not so pleased about. It\u2019s Pac-Man Party for Wii, a motion-based mini-game board party excursion. Yeah, like the Wii needs another one of those. And Pac-Man\u2019s already BEEN in a Mario Party game. Anyone remember Pac-Man Fever on the GameCube? No? Well that\u2019s because it wasn\u2019t very good.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t really like how they changed Pac-Man\u2019s look. He now has pupils and whites in his eyes. I know that Pac-Man has gone through lots of redesigns in the past, but I thought the last design they\u2019ve used since Pac-Man World was the best. I do like the redesigned Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde ghosts however. They look more distinct, and I actually like the ghost monsters just as much, if not more than, Pac-Man himself. But what irritates me is the new playable characters they added. A black cat, a yeti, and a one-eyed robot? What the hell? At least Pac-Man Fever had the decency to put other Namco characters in theirs, like Asteroth and the Ridge Racer lady. Putting these new guys in there doesn\u2019t make any sense!<\/p>\n

I hate to sound pretentious and snooty, but I\u2019m such a big Pac-Man fan that I think I could probably make a better Pac-Man 30th Anniversary celebration game myself. I probably wouldn\u2019t make another mini-game collection, but if I HAD to, I would take out all those new characters and put in Namco classic favorites in their place, like Mr. Driller, Mappy, The Prince, or Klonoa. And I would make sure the mini-games were Namco related, too. Space games would be Galaga themed, medieval ones maybe Druaga, etc. I wish Namco workers actually read my blogs!<\/p>\n

Third Party Treats<\/strong><\/p>\n

And here are tidbits on the rest of the E3 games that caught my eye:<\/p>\n

Capcom had a lot of fun games. I\u2019m looking forward to Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I hope characters like Phoenix Wright, Okami, and Zack & Wiki make it in the roster, as well as my old favorites Mega Man, Cammy, and Tron Bonne. Speaking of Okami, the DS sequel Okamiden looks amazing. Okami was my Best Game of the Year for 2006, and the sequel looks great even though it\u2019s on the DS. And it stars a puppy version of the Okami dog. Who wouldn\u2019t love that? And finally, Ghost Trick on the DS is made by the same folks who created Phoenix Wright, and it stars ghosts. And I like ghosts!<\/p>\n

Square-Enix had a lot of stuff shown, but only the classic stuff interested me, like Final Fantasy: Four Warriors of Light and Dragon Quest 9 on DS. Too bad I don\u2019t hardly have time for RPGs anymore. One Square-Enix game I will make time for is from their Taito branch: Space Invaders: Infinity Gene. Looks like another great follow up to their Space Invaders Extreme series.<\/p>\n

Also looking forward to Portal 2. I heard it\u2019s going to be for PS3, but I also hope it\u2019ll end up on Xbox LIVE as well. Not that it matters now that I have both consoles. But I do have more controllers on the 360, which would make the new co-op levels easier. The evil computer GlaDOS is one of my favorite video game villains ever and hearing her again in the E3 trailer made me all tingly. \u201cI think we can put our differences aside, in the name of science. You monster.\u201d EEEE!<\/p>\n

Konami had a lot of stuff shown, but the only game that interested me was Otomedius Excellent. It\u2019s kind of a combination of the Gradius and Parodius shooters. Only \u2018problem\u2019 is it has a lot of sexy anime women in it, so it won\u2019t be very family-friendly. But I love those shooters so I think I\u2019m going to play it anyway!<\/p>\n

I have absolutely no interest in the Scott Pilgrim vs. The World movie, as it looks a little TOO silly and is filled with teenagers. And I hated being a teenager and don\u2019t want to have to sit through a movie that relives that crap. But while a plot about a guy who has to defeat seven ex-boyfriends to win the heart of a pink-haired girl sounds stupid for a movie, I\u2019d definitely play a video game about that. Especially when said video game is download only and is a 2-D side scrolling beat \u2018em up in the style of TMNT. And has 8-bit and 16-bit graphics and chiptune music by Anamanaguchi (hope I spelled that right).<\/p>\n

E3 goers said Epic Mickey is looking to be more like a typical 3-D platformer, but that\u2019s OK to me since you don\u2019t see as many good 3-D platformers like we used to. Plus, I think it\u2019s probably what Kingdom Hearts should\u2019ve been anyway. Who cares about all those dumb anime characters anyway? All I really wanted to do was tromp through Disney themed worlds and characters, and Epic Mickey looks to do that. I know a lot of people are surprised by the darker tones of Epic Monkey, but have you ever read any of the old Mickey Mouse comic books? They\u2019re actually pretty dark, too, and it\u2019s cool they\u2019re bringing back a little known Mickey arch-nemesis: The Phantom Blot!<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll probably also check out Super Scribblenauts. Looks like they fixed the controls and added adjectives to the words you can make! Natsume\u2019s Lufia DS remake doesn\u2019t look a thing like the old games, but I think I\u2019ll still give it a try anyway because I like action-RPGs and the character designs look cool. And I loved Lufia 2 on the SNES. In fact, I\u2019d rather just see Lufia 2 on the Wii Virtual Console. And finally, I\u2019m glad XSEED is bringing a trio of Ys titles to the PSP (Ys 1 and 2, Ys 3, and Ys Seven). I really got into the DS Ys game, and XSEED is pretty awesome.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s all I have to say about E3! In the comments section, feel free to tell me I\u2019m off my rocker for my game picks of the show, and let me know what got you excited about this year\u2019s E3!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well I\u2019m going to do the totally unoriginal thing and write a blog about my impressions on the news and previews at this year\u2019s E3. I didn\u2019t go this year, but it amazes me how far technology has gone since I first went to E3 back in \u201996 (or was it \u201897?). With video technology […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-miscellaneous"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4640","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4640"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4640\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4640"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4640"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4640"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}