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Here’s a roundup of the announcements from Nintendo’s main E3 press conference and the flurry of events that have followed.

Gamers pining for Nintendo to adopt a more orthodox name for its latest creation have had their wishes cruelly swept aside. The successor to Nintendo’s most successful home console will be known as the Wii U. A day after Sony upped the ante in the control scheme arms race with the PSVita, Nintendo has followed suit. As rumoured, the Wii U will utilise a tablet style controller with a 6.2 inch touch screen designed to accommodate finger or stylus. It will also feature internal motion sensors, an inwards facing camera and rumble functionality. Web browsing and video calls will be supported. With its twin thumb sticks, dual triggers, d-pad and face buttons, the controller also appears to be suitable for more traditional games. As expected, the new unit features high definition graphics and is backwards compatible with the Wii and its controllers.

While Nintendo has verbally confirmed that a new iteration of Super Smash Bros. is in the works for the Wii U, there have been precious few first party announcements. The platform holder has instead relied on tech demos to sell the concept to gamers. Conference goers have witnessed a more realistic rendition of The Legend of Zelda. Link clashed with a gargantuan spider as the player selected weapons from a menu on the controller’s touch screen. Nintendo also showcased an experience dubbed New Super Mario Bros. Mii, a colourful side-scrolling platformer that allows players to import their Mii avatars into the Mushroom Kingdom. Certain releases will permit players to seamlessly continue with the same game on their touch screens even after their televisions have been switched to other channel.

The potential benefits of the system and its controller have been further illustrated in a series of mini-game demonstrations. Chase Mii challenged one player to evade capture by darting through a maze displayed on the touch screen. Meanwhile, up to four others equipped with Wii Remotes, pursued via a split screen interface on the television. Battle Mii followed similar principles, but allowed players to shoot one another. Both were somewhat reminiscent of Pac-Man Vs., a 2003 release that required multiple players with GameCube controllers to take on one player with a Game Boy Advance. The final game, Shield Pose, tasked players with deflecting arrows launched from pirate ships. One of the enemy ships was displayed on the television, but in order to spot the other two, the player had to scan the horizon to the left and right by using the controller and its screen as if were a telescope. Though no announcements to this effect were made at the conference, it seems possible that these bite-sized gaming experiences will end up in a Wii Play style collection.

While Nintendo was arguably playing its cards a little too close to its chest, it has released a ‘sizzle reel’ of third party titles expected to arrive on the Wii U. While Nintendo has spent much of the past five years courting the casual market, all of these titles appear aimed squarely at the dedicated gamer. Highlighted titles included fantasy action epic Darksiders II and moody first person shooter Metro: Last Light, both from THQ. Codemasters is bringing rally franchise Dirt to the console, while Tecmo Koei is readying bloody action game Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge. Namco Bandai is set to support the console with a Tekken release. With regard to the latter, it appears that players will be able to customise the appearance of their characters using the Wii U’s drawing functionality.

While the third party vision was impressive, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has since confirmed to GameTrailers that that it wasn’t produced using the Wii U. Fils-Aime attributed the decision to employ 360 and PS3 footage to the fact that final Wii U hardware is still “a year away”.

Tactical shooter Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Online was the solitary Ubisoft title featured in the Wii U reel. However, as reported by 1UP, the French publisher has since teamed with Nintendo to announce four more games for the system. The deliriously titled Killer Freaks From Outer Space is a first person shooter with a b-movie aesthetic. Other Ubisoft games in the pipeline include versions of Assassin’s Creed and Raving Rabbids, though it isn’t yet clear if these will be new games or ports. The publisher is also working on an untitled sports game.

While the announcement of new hardware will always gobble up the lion’s share of press attention, Nintendo was also keen to support its existing systems with new software. The long wait for the gorgeous looking The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will end this holiday season. Mini game collection Mario Party 9 will be coming to the Wii, as will Kirby Wii, a new 2D platformer starring everyone’s favourite pink… thing.  Also on the way to the almost superseded console is Fortune Street, a bizarre stock market themed board game from Square Enix that brings the Mario and Dragon Quest franchises together. Look for this one to receive a holiday 2011 release. Spring will see the arrival of Namco Bandai’s sports themed mini game collection Go Vacation, while Ubisoft’s Just Dance 3 is expected in October. Though a release date is yet to be announced, Nintendo confirmed that diabolically challenging music franchise Rhythm Heaven will also be making its first appearance on the console. The platform holder also took the time to promote SEGA’s Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Anyone interested in seeing a hedgehog ride a horse should probably check this out.

After four relatively barren months in terms of software, the Nintendo 3DS has also received some much needed love from its publisher. One of the more exciting moments of the presentation, at least for GameCube tragic like the staff of The Black Panel, was the announcement that work has commenced on a sequel to decade old ghost hunting adventure Luigi’s Mansion. Anyone hoping for Nintendo to furnish the 3DS with some original IP would be sorely disappointed, unless, that is, they happened to check the list of forthcoming eShop titles. The Rolling Western is a frenetic looking action platformer with tower defence elements and a cowboy hat wearing armadillo as protagonist. Meanwhile, Picture Lives allows players to illustrate their own characters and environments and may appeal to fans of Drawn to Life or Dood’s Big Adventure.

A number of long mooted titles were confirmed to be in the works for the 3DS, including Animal Crossing and Paper Mario. Furthermore, previously announced games like Super Mario, Kid Icarus Uprising and Mario Kart have been assigned holiday 2011 release dates, while Tetris and Star Fox 64 3D are expected in September and October of this year respectively.

Even the humble DS hasn’t been left out in the cold, with Nintendo announcing Kirby Mass Attack, an intriguing hybrid of platforming and real time strategy. Other titles on the way for the six year old handheld include Professor Layton and the Last Specter from Nintendo, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2 from Square Enix and Super Fossil Fighters from Red Entertainment.

So there you have it! Fascinated by the Wii U? Troubled by the dearth of software announced to support it? Let us know what you think of Nintendo’s offerings at this year’s show.

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Microsoft @ E3 l Sony @ E3 l Nintendo @E3 l 3^rd Parties @ E3 l Podcast

Sony kicked of its 2011 presentation with yet another apology to PSN members and third parties for the recent down time. However, it wasn’t long before Sony Computer Entertainment of America President Jack Tretton got down to the business of spruiking new hardware and software.

Six months after unveiling its ambitious PSP successor, Sony has settled on a final name for the product. Provisionally known as the Next Generation Portable (NGP), the new unit will launch as the PlayStation Vita (PSVita). Though there has been no word as yet on an Australian release date, Sony has indicated that it will be released in some territories towards the end of the year. Aside from the change in branding, the device looks identical to its earlier incarnation. With its powerful graphics processor, twin thumb sticks, front and rear touch pads and multiple motion sensors and cameras, the PSVita appears to offer something for everyone.

Sony’s San Diego Studios is collaborating with Idol Minds on arguably the most intriguing project announced to date for the handheld. Ruin (working title) is a colourful fantasy dungeon crawler in the Diablo mould and, at first glance, it doesn’t appear to offer much in the way of innovation. However, the game does boast one rather interesting feature. Players will be able to save their progress to the cloud and transfer the action to their home consoles. Ruin will apparently look, feel and play identically on both the PSVita and PS3. If this title is a success, we’ll no doubt see this form of seamless cross platform connectivity become commonplace in the years to come.

Throughout the PSP era, Sony has been criticised for bringing games best suited to a traditional controller to the handheld space. Now that it has a portable with even more control options than the Dual Shock 3, it certainly isn’t about to back away from this strategy. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the announcement of a new Irrational Games developed BioShock title for the PSVita. If it is anything like its FPS predecessors, the new game will benefit enormously from the presence of two thumbsticks and high resolution graphics. While few details were offered about the game (none actually), its pedigree marks it as one to watch.

Sony has revealed that Capcom’s previously announced fighting mash-up Street Fighter X Tekken will also be coming to the device. Furthermore, fan favourite inFAMOUS protagonist Cole MacGrath will be an exclusive addition to the PSVita version. Convention goers have also been afforded a brief glimpse of an Uncharted: Golden Abyss demo. The first handheld version of the popular action adventure franchise will incorporate touch pad and motion control options. Resistance: Retribution developer Sony Bend has been entrusted with this visually impressive project.

While few would bet on any of the above titles being available on day one, Sony has told players to expect a healthy range of software for the debut of the console. Sequels and spinoffs dominate the list of confirmed offerings, with new editions of Hot Shots Golf, Hustle Kings, ModNation Racers, Super Stardust and Wipeout all expected at launch. While the final line-up is yet to be confirmed, AR Reality Fighter will join music based platformer Sound Shapes in flying the flag for original IP.

Though the official unveiling of the PSVita was largely successful, the announcement that Sony would be partnering exclusively with AT&T for the 3G version of the system in the United States drew groans from the audience.

One of the more interesting announcements of the press conference involved a game that has already been in development for the best part of two years. Hilmar Pétursson, of Icelandic developer CCP, appeared on stage to confirm that first person shooter Dust 514 will be a PS3 exclusive. The sci-fi game will offer an impressive degree of connectivity with CCP’s cult hit MMO Eve Online. Dust 514 players will embark on ground missions that may have serious repercussions for players in the space faring PC game. Pétursson has also suggested that CCP will look at “extending the experience” to the PSVita, however the form that this will take remains unclear.

At last year’s event, Sony focused heavily on the emerging phenomenon of 3D gaming and this year has been no different. The platform holder has unveiled a PlayStation branded television and associated active glasses. Interestingly, two players facing the same screen will be able to perceive two separate and unique images, an innovation that could well have positive implications for cooperative and adversarial multiplayer.

The next twelve months looks reasonably promising for 3D enthusiasts, with a range of high profile software set to hit the market. After drawing rave reviews on the PSP, Ready at Dawn’s God of War titles Chains of Olympus and Ghost of Sparta are being polished and bundled in a single package for the PS3. God of War: Origins will be the first game in the franchise to boast 3D support. Team ICO’s acclaimed PS2 adventures Ico and Shadow of the Colossus will receive the same treatment. Both collections will arrive on store shelves in September. In terms of original 3D content, gamers can look forward to cheeky platformer Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time arriving in 2012, while Naughty Dog’s much hyped action adventure Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception will hit stores this November. The latter, was the subject of a demo set on a stricken ocean liner and it looks to be shaping up nicely.

PlayStation Move also received its share of attention, with games such as DanceStar Party and Carnival Island in the works and compatibility patches on the way for existing titles inFAMOUS 2 and LittleBigPlanet 2.

Sony has confirmed that several games will simultaneously support both 3D and Move, including alien invasion sequel Resistance 3 (due in September) and steampunk drama BioShock Infinite (2012). Sports Champions developer Zindagi Games is working on another. Notwithstanding its title, Medieval Moves: Dedmund’s Quest is an original IP. With its lively mix of archery, swordplay and puzzle solving, this fantasy romp promises to offer greater freedom of movement than players have come to expect from motion titles. Look for it in October.

The platform holder also took the opportunity to remind players about forthcoming PS3 exclusives Twisted Metal and Starhawk. The former is due in October, the latter in 2012. Players would be forgiven for wondering whether these will be the last games to emerge from Sony with neither 3D nor Move logos featured prominently on the box.

Can’t wait to get your hands on a PSVita? Annoyed that you’ll be receiving repackaged PSP titles instead of God of War 4? Let us know what you think of Sony’s announcements at this year’s show.

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Microsoft @ E3 l Sony @ E3 l Nintendo @E3 l 3^rd Parties @ E3 l Podcast

Microsoft has concluded its annual E3 media briefing, with the focus again squarely on its motion sensing Kinect peripheral. Here are the highlights from the presentation and the handful of press releases that followed.

In a move certain to please its most dedicated followers, Microsoft has unveiled not one, but two Halo themed titles. The first is a remake of Bungie’s decade old launch title Halo: Combat Evolved. Considered an important milestone in the evolution of console shooters, the game will now offer updated graphics and online cooperative play. In terms of adversarial multiplayer, the new game will include only seven of the 13 maps from the 2001 original. Playable directly from the disc, these cross-compatible maps will also be incorporated into Halo: Reach playlists. Look for Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary in November 2011.

Microsoft also revealed that 343 Industries is working on Halo 4. While recent instalments in the series such as Halo: ODST and Halo: Reach have introduced fresh protagonists, this 2012 release will restore the enigmatic Master Chief to centre stage. Promoted as the first chapter in a new trilogy, the game will also see the return of fan favourite holographic handler Cortana. It remains to be seen whether established alien species such as the Covenant and the Flood will be replaced by a new threat. With series creator Bungie no longer at the helm, Halo 4 represents a big test for the franchise.

New properties were hard to come by during Microsoft’s presentation, so much so that they were forced to pluck a game from last year’s show in order satiate those looking for something vaguely original. The game formerly known as Project: Kingdoms has re-emerged as Ryse, a Kinect controlled combat game set during the dying days of the Roman Empire. Microsoft’s gesture based peripheral has proven divisive, particularly amongst the hardcore, so it will be interesting to see how many people sign up to pierce, slice and bludgeon their opponents to death. Ryse is in development at Crytek. A release date is yet to be announced.

While the most recent chapter in the Fable series endured a frosty reception from critics, Lionhead Studios appears determined to press ahead with its offbeat fantasy franchise. Judging from the brief teaser shown at the press conference, Fable: The Journey appears to be an on rails experience in which players use Kinect to unleash a variety of gesture based spells. The action takes place five years after the events of Fable III. A release window is yet to be announced for what shapes as an experimental spin-off rather than a true fourth instalment in the series.

Microsoft also confirmed that a handful of blockbuster sequels will allow users to take advantage of Kinect features while continuing to use a traditional controller. Due in spring 2011, high speed racing sim Forza Motorsport 4 will incorporate head tracking. Series creator Turn 10 will again be entrusted with development duties and the game will be support Microsoft’s newly announced wireless racing wheel. Meanwhile, rabidly anticipated RPG Mass Effect 3 will enable players to issue commands and participate in conversations with NPCs using their own voices. If the impressive onstage demonstration is any guide, this could well be a transformative feature. The concluding chapter in the epic sci-fi saga is scheduled for release in March 2012. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will include a gun creation mode that supports the tech. Ubisoft’s military shooter is due for release in 2012.

While the aforementioned titles treat motion control as an optional extra, Microsoft also rolled out a series of titles that employ the device exclusively. Heading up the list are Dance Central 2 and Kinect Sports: Season 2, both follow ups to Kinect launch titles. The former will boast tracks from the likes of Usher, Rihanna and (horror of horrors) Montell Jordan, while the latter will offer up new sports like that most athletic of pursuits, darts. The game, in development at Big Park, also features gridiron and golf. The golf demo is worth watching if only to witness producer Nicole Makila reacting with unrestrained glee upon sinking a 10 foot putt.

The revelation that PC hit Minecraft will be coming to Xbox 360 represented perhaps the biggest surprise of Microsoft’s presentation. Mojang’s indie phenomenon, the original version of which is still technically in beta, will feature Kinect controls and some form of compatibility with the PC version of the game. It will be interesting to see if the Xbox Live user base take to the user generated phenomenon to the degree that the PC community has over the past two years.

A range of previously announced titles were also showcased throughout the event, including Gears of War 3, Tomb Raider and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, with the latter game looking particularly sharp despite a controller malfunction seconds into the demonstration. The latest title from Infinity Ward will see players infiltrate New York Harbour in scuba diving gear, before boarding an enemy sub, taking out its crew and fleeing in a speedboat.

Finally, Microsoft has announced the XBLA titles to be featured in this year’s Summer of Arcade promotion (Winter of Arcade for the antipodeans amongst us). The line-up will include visually arresting indie shoot ‘em up Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, along with promising god game From Dust, strategy sequel Toy Soldiers: Cold War, colourful old school RPG Bastion and Australian made iPhone spinoff Kinect Fruit Ninja. Though the order of release remains unclear, the first of the games will be issued on Wednesday 20 July, with the remaining four to follow at weekly intervals.

Happy to see another Halo? Frustrated by the focus on Kinect? Let us know what you think of Microsoft’s offerings at this year’s show.

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“Keep it coming boys. There’s almost enough here to buy an NGP.”

Are you struggling to make ends meet? Do you find it difficult to meet new people? Why not kill two birds (and a bunch of innocent bystanders) with one stone by holding up a bank? If you’re not entirely sold on the idea, you can take your new lifestyle for a test drive in forthcoming first person shooter Payday: The Heist.

This downloadable title will see you taking hostages, mowing down cops, stuffing duffle bags with unmarked bills and fleeing in helicopters. You and up to three of your buddies can team up to blast your way through six different scenarios (you’re not limited to banks). As the game progresses, you’ll be able to improve your character by unlocking new weapons and equipment.

Payday: The Heist is being developed by Sweden’s Overkill Software. With luck, it will fair a little better than the last game to include the word ‘Heist’ in its title. Look for this one on PSN and PC later this year.