BACK TO THE INDEX.
-By Don Komarechka-
-Posted July 06, 2005-
-Noble treading..-
E3 2005 Impressions 1
May of every year from now on, will forever be filled with the latest and greatest to hit the shelves over the next year – as well as the worst that my eyes felt shame looking at. 2005 held many interesting moments, as I traveled the show floor and witnessed demos and previews which I bring to you. Here begins my handheld coverage. Be afraid.
Nintendo of course was one of the first places I headed when I walked through the doors of the convention center. Immediately you are hit with the DS stations, demonstrating handheld goodness that made my eyes wide.
One of my favourite things, Nintendo is backing this year, is wireless internet play on the DS. The fact that they turned their back of the broadband and modem adapters for the Gamecube with not even a handful of titles released that use them was a disappointment. Long-distance multiplayer gameplay has been on the drawing boards since the NES (ever wonder what that expansion port was for on the bottom of the Nintendo Entertainment System? a modem.) though Nintendo never sold it out of the box. The DS has a huge list of upcoming titles to utilize the wifi capabilities built into the DS. We will see games such as Mario Kart DS and Animal Crossing DS take full advantage of this feature towards the Christmas season.
Now you are playing with power, Micro Power! Ok, I know Philip has already done an extensive article on Nintendo’s new Gameboy Micro, but here are my thoughts. I used to be able to fit my Gameboy circa 1989 in my pants, but I’d always get the oddest stares from people. Since then Nintendo has been shrinking the size of the little handheld that could. We’re now seeing screen sizes very small and battery life through the roof. Being smaller than my cell phone, my only worry is it putting through a wash cycle. I am eager to see whether this new addition to the handheld market will be backwards compatible to play GB/GBC titles, but there seems to be some confusion around that feature. I’ll let you know when I find out for myself. All things considered, we have here a Gameboy that is just up a few steps from where the GBA SP was taking us. It boils down to personal preference, and how good your eyesight is.
For the DS this year we have many huge titles in the works at Nintendo. Heavy-hitters would include Mario Kart DS, Metroid Prime Hunters, Mario and Luigi 2, New Super Mario Bros., Animal Crossing DS, , Nintendogs, Kirby: Canvas Curse, and Advance Wars: Dual Strike. Honourable mentions go to Electroplankton, Meteos, Metriod Prime Pinball, Touch Golf and Trace Memory.
The first thing I ran to play was New Super Mario Bros. I had been wanting this exact game for years. The gameplay is as close to the original Super Mario Bros. as you can get and the visuals were nice eye candy. The flagpole has been replaced at the end of the level, but it is something I can live with. This game is a must-have.
If you have ever played Catz or Dogz for the PC then you know the premise behind Nintendogs. Nintendogs is a virtual pet game of sorts, allowing you to raise a pup from a breed of your choice using the touch pad and microphone. Play games and take care of your digital pooch and allow it to interact with other animals via the DS wireless link. Myamoto’s latest project should sell well in the North American market, though I’m not sure how much I would enjoy it.
Mario Kart DS made me pee a little. Ok, maybe not, but it came close. You do not need a warp pipe to play this Mario Kart game with the world, it will do that out of the box. Play locally with up to 8 people (even if not everyone has the cartridge), solo, or online. The courses will be familiar to you as a lot of them are from all previous games in the Mario Kart franchise, as well as some new ones created for this gem. Graphics are N64-style and gameplay is surprisingly smooth and intuitive. This will become one of my favourite DS titles, mark my words.
Unlike some, I really was not too impressed with Animal Crossing DS. Then again I am not a fan of The Sims so that is a problem with me, not you. Graphically inferior (though not by much) to its Gamecube partner, it rids the game from the most cumbersome aspect of its predecessor – swapping memory cards. Hopefully with some luck I will not be persuaded into picking this one up… unless it uses the Animal Crossing e-reader cards. I do not think that is going to happen.
The demo of Electroplankton at Nintendo’s press conference was impressive, though I never actually got to play it. The same goes for a few of the other titles Nintendo was displaying but I assure you I was excited about it. Using the touch screen to poke and prod little aquatic creatures to create music is a very interesting idea. I would really like to get some hands-on experience to tell you more, but the foundation is a very intriguing one.
Nintendo had an amazing handheld showing this year. Content is everything, and Nintendo did not disappoint. Nintendo of Canada wouldn’t give me a bag though. Boo to you.
Majesco this year is dishing out a huge plate of games based on old licenses. We’ll be seeing the standard Bust-a-Move that seems to make an appearance on every console as well as Age of Empires and Black and White Creatures all coming to the DS.
Another interesting obscure license that has been around since 1989 was A Boy and His Blob. Its six years later and with Blobert by your side once again, you head out to defeat the evil emperor of Blobolia who for some reason has been exiled to Earth. I never thought much of the original NES and gameboy versions of this game, but the production quality seems much higher this time around. The touch screen will handle your maps and ‘jellybeans’, used to transform Blobert into useful objects to overcome obstacles. It’ll be here this fall, but don’t hold your breath.
Black and White is back with its dual-screen sequel, ‘Creatures’. Taking full advantage of the touch screen to for various gameplay aspects such as punishing/rewarding your creature, as well as designing custom tattoos. Creature control is also brought to a new level by incorporating the use of the DS’s built-in microphone to help train your creature. 10 different creatures, 8 different islands, wireless multiplayer and deeper AI and oodles of items and awards to unlock. Hopefully its as addictive as the Lionhead Studios PC classic is was based on, and will be in your hand second quarter of 2006. Oh, your creature can dance. Yay!
Age of Empires is also coming to the handheld that makes touching good. This time incorporating Hero units a la Warcraft 3. being based on Age of Empires II: the Age of Kings they came up with a radically new title by dropping the II. The new version of Age of Kings will feature the control of five different civilizations (Brits, Franks, Mongols, Saracens, and Japs) and 4-player wireless multiplayer. 45 different units, 50 different technologies to research - your standard RTS fare. Gameplay takes place on the touch screen while battles appear above. Hopefully the port survives, the original was a very well done strategy title. I never understood how you could, for instance, tell someone to invent gun powder and a short time later there is would be, but that is like asking a giant spider where he got his 154 gold coins and amulet from. Spiders do not have pockets. Coming this fall.
Majesco also has a lot of other titles in the works, such as ATV Quad Frenzy, Guilty Gear Dust Strikers, Golden Nugget Casino DS, and Texas hold ‘em Poker DS for the touchable handheld. You’ll also see Advent Shadow, Black and White Creatures, Guilty Gear Judgement, and Infected appearing for the battery vampire.
Konami brought up my heart-rate with Castlevania DS. I have been a huge fan of the Castlevania side-scrolling titles for almost as long as I have been playing videogames and this fulfilled my dreams. Continuing the story put forth in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, you control Soma Cruz in the year 2036 in an effort to foil plans to resurrect – you guessed it – Dracula. Anyone reading this that is a fan of Castlevania and does not own a Nintendo DS, then this is your reason to buy one.
Namco has somehow breathed new life into Pacman without giving him arms, legs, and a family. Though you can pick up Pac-Pix now I thought I would just comment on it quickly. You get to draw Pacman using the stylus and touch screen to destroy the ghosts who were fiendishly created out of Ghost Ink by a mischievous wizard. Always with the mischievous wizards. Anyways! Fun game, new twist to Pacman, pick it up if you like the classics. Oh! Originally they were monsters, not ghosts. But they looked like ghosts.
Like blowing stuff up? I know I do. Bomberman DS by Ubisoft brings all the fun of the little bomber buddy to the DS. You can touch him now. Classic Bomberman arcade-style gameplay with 7 other people, use of the microphone, two screens. What more could you ask for. Ok, so there is only so much you can do to Bomberman, and it looks like that’s been accomplished with this title.
Natsume’s big push this year was versions of their Harvest Moon titles for GBA and Gamecube starring a female head character. Not much has changed, just a reversal of roles. Just thought I’d mention that. I like
Harvest Moon but… they seem to be grasping at straws.
Buena Vista Games had quite a lineup of licensed titles being shown at E3 for the Nintendo handhelds. For the GBA we’ll see Cinderella: Magical dreams, Herbie Fully Loaded, Kim Possible 3: Team Possible, Lizzie 3: Homecoming Havoc, Proud Family and Raven 2: Supernatural Style. All of these games are aimed specifically at the younger players and offer what parents would consider more wholesome content. Coming to the DS is Kim Possible: Kimmunicator and a Lizzie/Raven Combo. Don’t expect to be blown away by any of these titles, as licensed titles such as these are notoriously bargain-bin… but for the audience they are aimed towards they will certainly be enjoyed. They were also pushing Chicken Little for the consoles and GBA, which wasn’t half bad for what I was expecting.
Do not think that what you just read was all I saw. Spending three days at the LA convention center was sensory overload - so much to see and play - there is more to come.
Article by Don Komarechka
Property of DMG Ice, dmgice.com, and the original author as expressed in the by-line.