{"id":9935,"date":"2013-06-17T00:01:53","date_gmt":"2013-06-17T00:01:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/?p=9935"},"modified":"2013-06-15T17:48:01","modified_gmt":"2013-06-15T17:48:01","slug":"carys-favorite-e3-news-stories-and-a-rant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/17\/carys-favorite-e3-news-stories-and-a-rant\/","title":{"rendered":"Cary’s Favorite E3 News Stories (And a Rant)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"E3LOGO\"<\/a>Well E3 has come and gone, and even though I didn\u2019t get to go this year, I thought I\u2019d still write a blog about the E3 news stories that interested me most. But first, you\u2019ll have to put up with a little rant from me on WHY I didn\u2019t get to go to E3 this year. Sorry.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been writing game reviews semi-professionally for a little over 15 years now. And whether it was for The Dallas Morning News or the GamerDad.com site, I\u2019ve been able to get a press pass to E3 every year I\u2019ve gone with little to no problems. But not this past year. I was denied a press pass because they said the numbers on the GamerDad.com site were too low. Now, I know that GamerDad is a small site, and I like it that way, but I\u2019m sure we have more readers now than what we did last year when I COULD go to E3! Why the change?<\/p>\n

In a way, I\u2019m glad that E3 is very selective about who gets into the convention. Pretty much anyone can make a gaming Web site nowadays, so the E3 folks need to be picky so the show doesn\u2019t get overcrowded (I don\u2019t think it was too crowded last year however). But I think they should look at other factors, too. Like experience. E3 press staff KNOWS I\u2019ve been going to E3 for a long time, and I know they have me on file. I didn\u2019t just poop out a game review on the Internet yesterday and expect to be let into E3.<\/p>\n

I even sent in a second appeal to be approved for a press pass this year and was denied again. But after talking with a few PR professionals that I know, it seems that a LOT of other sites and writers got the same treatment as I did. So I\u2019m not the only one. While I understand why the E3 staff needs to be this way, I think they are shooting themselves in the foot. Not only does it hurt me as a game reviewer to be denied a pass into E3, but I also think it hurts the publishers and developers, too. I think the gaming industry NEEDS smaller, enthusiast game sites as well as the big ones.<\/p>\n

When I go to E3 I cover the show a little bit differently. I mostly look at family friendly games instead of just all the titles like most sites do. Of course, that has a lot to do with the site I write for, but those are the games I like best anyway so it\u2019s OK. Last year, when most gaming site writers went to 2K\u2019s booth, they probably looked at Borderlands 2. But not me! I checked out 2K Play\u2019s Nick Jr. games. I don\u2019t think that IGN even covered those, and if they did, they probably just slapped a press release up there and that\u2019s it. So I bet a lot of games won\u2019t be covered this year since less site writers will be allowed into E3.<\/p>\n

Some may argue that E3 isn\u2019t necessary anymore because of all the technology we have now. And some of that is true. Nintendo didn\u2019t need a press conference this year because they have Nintendo Direct, which is probably cheaper for them to do. They were still at the show. But I don\u2019t think anything can replace being able to talk to the PR reps in person and getting hands-on time with the games. Speaking of PR professionals, a lot of them automatically sent me E3 meeting invites even though I wasn\u2019t going this year. I think they just assumed I would be since I\u2019ve gone so much in the past. When I told them why I wouldn\u2019t be going this year, many of them were equally surprised and appalled. I really appreciate all the help and support that the PR people have given me through this and in the past, too. I think one of my favorite things about going to E3 is getting to meet and talk with those folks up close and personal.<\/p>\n

Of course, the worst part of not going to E3 is that all those pretty booth ladies are going to miss seeing me this year. JUST JOKING! JUST JOKING! Sorry, I had to be a little bit silly there. Just trying to lighten the mood.<\/p>\n

But seriously, you know what the worst part of not being able to go to E3 is? You see, I\u2019ve been blind in my left eye since birth and can\u2019t drive a car. So when I go to E3, I bring my dad along to help me get around LA. So E3 has always been a great way for us to spend some time together. So I\u2019m a bit sad we didn\u2019t get that opportunity this year. I\u2019m glad we took the opportunity to go a day earlier last year so we could see Universal Studios. Although in a way it may have been a blessing in disguise that I wasn\u2019t able to go to E3 this year. Because instead, I went to Alabama a couple of weeks ago to visit relatives<\/strong> <\/a>because my grandmother isn\u2019t doing as well. Family is more important.<\/p>\n

Some folks have told me things like, \u201cOh you\u2019re lucky you won\u2019t have to go to E3 this year and deal with all the crowds and work.\u201d To that I say, NO! I actually LIKE going to E3. Sure it\u2019s a lot of work, but it\u2019s also a lot of fun. People who get to write game reviews for a living have no right to complain. If I ever catch a game journalist complaining about having to go to E3, I swear I will rip them a new one. With that said, I apologize for ranting so much about not being able to go to E3. I don\u2019t have a right to complain either, so I guess this might make me sound like a bit of a hypocrite. I hope my rant didn\u2019t make me sound like I was some kind of God\u2019s gift to gaming journalism. I just had to get some things off my chest. I\u2019ll try to get a press pass to E3 next year, though, because I\u2019m stubborn and bullheaded and maybe just a little stupid. OK enough of that, onto the E3 gaming news!<\/p>\n

Xbox One vs. PS4<\/strong><\/p>\n

A lot of gamers have been expressing their grief over the Xbox One ever since it was announced, and for good reason. I\u2019ve kept mostly quiet about it, but even I\u2019m a bit concerned. Having it be connected online every 24 hours doesn\u2019t sound like a problem for me at first, because I\u2019m lucky enough to have a really good Internet connection. But sure as the world as soon as I plop down 500 bucks on an Xbox One, we would have a big storm that would cause a 24 hour power outage. Can you not use the Xbox One after that? And what if I wanted to go on vacation and unplug all my electronics when I\u2019m gone to save electricity? And Kinect didn\u2019t work very well on the 360, so I don\u2019t like the fact that it\u2019s included with this new console. Lots of other problems, too. I wonder why Microsoft is doing all this stuff. Is it to make sure the publishers get the most of their money? That\u2019s a good thing, but NOT if it\u2019s at the expense of the consumer.<\/p>\n

But look at it this way. How different is the 360 now as compared to when it first came out? At first it just had a paltry dashboard and a promise of Xbox LIVE games in the future. And now we have avatars and Netflix and Xbox LIVE Arcade is huge! Maybe over the years and through dashboard updates and such, maybe the Xbox One could change for the better, too? Also, the Xbox One will need some more good games before I\u2019m interested in one anyway. I was hoping that Rare\u2019s new game would be Banjo Kazooie 3, but I\u2019m glad that it\u2019s Killer Instinct so that I don\u2019t have this dilemma of wanting to play B-K 3 but not wanting to get an Xbox One. As a Twisted Pixel fan, I\u2019m kinda sad that LocoCycle\u2019s on Xbox One, though.<\/p>\n

The PS4 looks to tackle the problems that the Xbox One has, plus the announcement of Kingdom Hearts 3 has me leaning towards getting a PS4 first. But I\u2019ll probably still wait a bit before getting any of them. Which I kind of hate, because as a game reviewer, it\u2019s important for me to stay on top of the new systems as to not miss out on any game reviewing opportunities. So hopefully I\u2019ll still be OK to wait a little while.<\/p>\n

Nintendo Direct<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nintendo tends to have games that mirror my tastes, so I was happy to see their E3 lineup. I liked Super Mario 3D Land quite a bit, so I was happy to see Super Mario 3D World on Wii U. The fact that you can play as Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach hearkens back to the Mario 2 days. Since I like Mario 2 better than Mario 3 (bold statement I know), the four players\u2019 return made me happy. And the new cat power-up looks like fun. Mario Kart 8 looks like a mix of the Wii and 3DS games. I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be fun and I\u2019ll enjoy it, but I think it would also be neat to have arcade to home ports of Mario Kart Arcade GP 1 & 2. Or maybe I\u2019m just weird.<\/p>\n

Speaking of me being weird, I thought the new Nintendogs-like mode in the upcoming Pokemon X & Y games was adorable. Just hope you don\u2019t have to pet a cactus Pokemon! Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze looks to be a fun 2-D romp (just hope it\u2019s not too hard), but the 2-D platformer I\u2019m really looking forward to is Yoshi\u2019s New Island, as the original was a very special game to me. The new Zelda games, Wind Waker HD and A Link Between Worlds will be must-haves for me, too. And I hope I can make time for Mario & Luigi: Dream Team as well. And am I the only one excited about Art Academy for Wii U?<\/p>\n

Of course the most talked about Nintendo news was probably the new Super Smash Bros. games for Wii U and 3DS. As an Animal Crossing fan, I was happy to see the kid Villager in it, and the Wii Fit Trainer lady looks like she\u2019d be silly fun, too. And like most everybody else, I\u2019m super stoked to see classic Mega Man in the lineup now! If they would put Pac-Man in the new Smash Bros. game, it would have pretty much all my major favorite video game characters in it! I can\u2019t help but wonder, though, if Mega Man and Kirby fought each other, would either one acquire the ability to\u2026steal other people\u2019s powers?!?<\/p>\n

Capcom<\/strong><\/p>\n

I also hated missing out on Capcom\u2019s E3 booth because it sounded really cool. A section was made to look like a courtroom for Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies. I would\u2019ve loved to have seen that. The Phoenix Wright series is my favorite on the DS, so I\u2019m looking forward to this new installment. Too bad it\u2019s download only, but I\u2019ll still play it anyway! I also wish I could\u2019ve played DuckTales Remastered. And surprisingly, I\u2019m kind of sad that Dead Rising 3 is only going to be on Xbox One, because my brother Jeff loves those games. And I have fun watching him play them. They\u2019re really more silly than scary anyway. Oh well.<\/p>\n

Namco<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coming this fall is a new Pac-Man cartoon called Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures. It looks REALLY HORRIBLE, but you know I\u2019ll watch it anyway since I\u2019m such a huge Pac-Man fan. They\u2019re making a 3-D platformer game based on the cartoon. I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be just as bad, but I\u2019ll play it anyway because I\u2019m a freak. But it is nice to have some colorful and whimsical 3-D platformers coming out, we don\u2019t see as many of those nowadays.<\/p>\n

Even better Pac-Man news is that Namco is bringing out a collection called Pac-Man Museum. It\u2019ll have Pac-Man games from the very first one to the newest: Pac-Man Battle Royale! Ah, I wish I could\u2019ve seen Namco\u2019s booth at E3. I wonder if it was all decked out with Pac-Man stuff. Namco also showed upcoming RPGs like Project X-Zone and Tales of Xillia. Plus a free-to-play Tekken fighter.<\/p>\n

Sega<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not a big Sonic fan, but I\u2019d be willing to give Sonic Lost World a try, because every now and then a Sonic game comes out that I actually like. Also looking forward to the remake of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.<\/p>\n

Activision<\/strong><\/p>\n

For a couple of years now, I\u2019ve been writing articles and reviewing the Skylanders games at GamerDad.com. I think they\u2019re great games for kids, so I hate it that I missed out on seeing Skylanders SWAP Force at E3. I hear this time you can switch out parts of figures to make new ones that you can play in the game. It\u2019s not made by Activision, but I\u2019d also like to check out Disney Infinity as well, which looks very similar to Skylanders except with fun Disney characters!<\/p>\n

Natsume<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is another booth I hated missing out on because Natsume releases some very good games every year. I hear they showed off a new IP called Hometown Story, which sounds like Harvest Moon except you run a shop instead of a farm. I bet it\u2019s pretty cool, though. Another thing I think was kind of neat is that Natsume is making new mobile games based on the Gabrielle\u2019s Ghostly Groove characters! I thought the original game was very charming, and goes right along with the popularity of girl\u2019s toys like Monster High. Although I think the Monster High dolls are ugly and I\u2019d much rather kids play with the Gabrielle gang instead.<\/p>\n

Misc. Games<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ubisoft showed a ton of stuff, but one thing that caught my eye was some kind of Rayman TV cartoon they\u2019re going to show on Xbox One or something. Reminds me of years ago when I went to E3 and they showed off Rayman 2, and they had a pilot for a CG animated Rayman show. I wonder if that\u2019s related. Also, even though I\u2019m not big into comic book super heroes, it looks like a couple of games of that ilk are coming out that look right up my alley: LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and Scribblenauts Unmasked. The Scribblenauts game uses DC characters. I hope I get to review both of them! And finally, some action RPGs I\u2019ll be sure to get are Dragon\u2019s Crown (guess who I\u2019ll pick to play as), and a new Ys game that might make me buy a Vita. Although I thought I read it\u2019s coming to PS3, too. Anyone know?<\/p>\n

Conclusions<\/strong><\/p>\n

And that\u2019s all for now! Sorry for my big rant. I was just kind of bummed because whenever I do go to E3 and I\u2019m running around like a chicken with its head cut off, I feel like I\u2019m doing what I was MEANT to do, strange as that sounds. But there is some good news I got at the end of this bummer of a week. I\u2019ve been approved for a press pass to get into PAX Prime 2013! So I\u2019ll be busy planning that trip in the coming months! Yay!<\/p>\n

Now I need YOUR help! Since I didn\u2019t go to E3, I\u2019m afraid I might\u2019ve missed some of the cool news announcements and stories out there. So if you read something about E3 that you think I would like, please let me know in the comments section. Also, let me know YOUR favorite E3 news stories and games as well! Thanks! –Cary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Well E3 has come and gone, and even though I didn\u2019t get to go this year, I thought I\u2019d still write a blog about the E3 news stories that interested me most. But first, you\u2019ll have to put up with a little rant from me on WHY I didn\u2019t get to go to E3 this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":9924,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9935","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9935","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=9935"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9935\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9938,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9935\/revisions\/9938"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.gamerdad.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}