Like yesterday, today saw its fair share of trailers, teasers, and gameplay footage of upcoming games for us to ogle at. Unlike yesterday however, today saw the release of way more videos. I may have bitten off more than I could chew. Anyways, I’ve gone through and collected a few which I feel are worth mentioning, some of which will be on the Wii-U, today’s theme. For those of you playing at home, this year’s E3 has been all diversity and usability; Microsoft unveiled SmartGlass for the Xbox which will allow users to interact with their 360 via existing handheld devices, and now Nintendo has shown that the Wii-U, like the last Wii, will focus on the use of a new type of peripheral, the tablet. I was skeptical at first, but so far the technology looks pretty cool, on the surface at least. We’ll have to wait until people actually start playing with them to tell if it’s more user friendly or just plain clunky. The videos below showcase how some of this technology is being used on the Wii-U.
New Super Mario Bros. Gameplay Trailer
What would be a Nintendo announcement without everyone’s favorite mustached plumber and mushroom addict, Mario? Actually, I don’t remember if Nintendo has ever released a console without Mario at the helm. I’m pretty sure that every release has seen him in some form; the first Mario Bros. which is a classic, Super Mario World which offered better gameplay and graphics, Mario 64 which brought him into 3D, and now New Super Mario Bros. in which, uh, you can do speedruns faster with your friends, I guess? I sure do hope that this was just a bad pitch, and that aren’t simply trying to recreate another success with nothing but a peripheral.
This was supposed to be the release of a brand new gaming console, from Nintendo no less, but it sure doesn’t feel like a big deal. This newest installment of Mario Bros. doesn’t really have the same impact that some others in the franchise had.
Dead Space 3 “Official” Announcement Trailer
Unlike last week’s graphic novel-like trailer, this week’s trailer is more like what we’re accustomed to; multiple fades to black, explosions, screaming, and, of course, Isaac. There isn’t much gameplay shown in the trailer, my pet peeve, but there are some of those in-game cut scenes, which look a bit more crisp than the previous two games. It also looks like we won’t be cooped-up anywhere, as it looks like Isaac will be spending some more time outdoors. Although I’m excited about the game I really wish these trailers would feature more gameplay instead just being boring old hype machines. Don’t tease me Dead Space 3.
Star Wars 1313 Combat Walkthrough
We finally get to see what the newest Star Wars game is all about, and it’s about bounty hunters. It really looks Gears of War meets Star Wars, or more accurately someone gave the guys in Gears of War some Star Wars weapons and told them to get behind some cover. I will say that I appreciate the Star Wars franchise attempting to move into new territory, even if it’s because it’s been everywhere else. But this looks like it could be a fun and simple run-and-gun experience for those who are willing to pick-up a blaster in lieu of a lightsaber. I will say that it is nice to see the bounty hunter get some love for once, instead of just hanging out somewhere in the background.
Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition
This was by far my favorite video of the day, at least as far Wii-U is concerned. While I gave Nintendo and poor old Mario a hard time for not utilizing their own peripheral properly, I will say that it looks like Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition has got it right. It looks like most of the menu, and all of the weapon selections are done directly on the Wii-U tablet which could be good or bad depending on how easy it is to use. If it’s intuitive, then it should feel as if you’ve got your own real-life Batman utility belt, if not it will probably feel like you’ve brought an I-Pad to a gun fight.
Madden NFL 13 Trailer
Ok I had to single this one out. I know I like to see gameplay, but when it’s just a mash-up of random tackles I’d rather you didn’t bother. This is your trailer? Epic music and stock tackling footage? I don’t like to be negative for negatives sake, but come on; this is the best you’ve got? Do we have to put up with this? I know it’s a small part but I think we do better than this.
