Finally! I can show off my love of classic gaming with an athletic-inspired piece of clothing!
In all seriousness, I think this is pretty sweet. And I would totally wear it, except I feel it would be a bit awkward on the ladies. Right? I mean, you’d just be asking for people to press your buttons…
Nintendo Track Jacket: $39.99-43.99 at ThinkGeek.com.
Dear Nintendo,
Please. Please please please please please bring this to the US. Pretty please.
Love,
Tara
(View the video on YouTube and click “show annotations” to see English subtitles.)
I couldn’t control my anxious fidgeting as I waited for the Nintendo’s E3 2011 Press Conference to begin. Like so many others, Nintendo has been a staple in my life, and never in a million years could I have imagined that I’d be witnessing, first hand, the unveiling of a Nintendo console. As I sat on the edge of my seat, flashbacks of my five-year-old self fumbling with a SNES controller were erratically surging through my head, and 18 years later, there I was. It’s hard to explain—but let me tell you, it was a surreal feeling.
And then the conference began with a beautiful tribute to Zelda, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the franchise. Guys, I got goose bumps. Maybe it was the combination of raw emotions, the live orchestra, the retro images of Zelda titles I grew up with …hell I admit, my eyes even swelled a bit. Either way, I was a bundle of emotions. I’m such a nerd.
I’m not going to recap the entire conference and every unveiling, but I’ll touch on the more important announcements.
I was disappointed there wasn’t an announcement of a 25th anniversary 3DS bundle. In fact, there wasn’t much of anything announced for it. Yes, a few Zelda games will be making their way to the DS handhelds, and yes a symphony dedicated to the Zelda franchise will be coming to nearby cities and playing shows around the world, but honestly? I’d rather walk away knowing a Zelda branded 3DS, DS, game, bundle, etc would be hitting shelves. Miyamoto said there will be more to announce in the upcoming days, so I’ll bite my lip for now and hope some sort of awesomeness will be revealed.
Oh boy.
I’ll start with the name. I see where Nintendo is going with this, and I’m not at all surprised the label “Wii” was brought back. It’s smart. Casual gamers will hear of the Wii U and blammo: “Oh, it’s an upgraded version of the Wii? OHHOWCOOLIMUSTBUY.” Personally? I think it’s stupid. Wii U? It almost sounds like a martial arts move or something. JUST SAYING.
Now, the concept of the controller is neat, I’ll give it that. Being able to play games on the touch screen is fun, and I like the idea of having certain interface elements displayed on the 6” screen. During the press conference we saw a woman holding a Wiimote as a golf club and a WiiU controller beneath her on the ground displaying the golf ball. And let’s say you’re playing Madden locally against a friend. Discreetly calling plays has never been so easy. Freakin’ cool.
On the flipside, if I’m playing an RPG of sorts, does this mean I’ll have to look away from my television screen and onto my controller every time I need access an item/equipment sub screen? I can’t help but wonder if that would become annoying, especially if the selection occurs during real time. What do you think?
I left the press conference feeling a little underwhelmed, probably due to my own expectations; I assumed we would be witnessing a full console unveil, not just that of a name and controller. But now that I’ve had a few hours to digest everything, I’m not surprised we were cock-teased. After all, the controller is going to be the Wii U’s greatest asset. And because this concept IS new, it only makes sense Nintendo would spend a bulk of time pimping it and its abilities. I have a feeling the console itself isn’t anything to write home about, after all, they never really are, are they? It’s the features of a console (as a whole) that makes it stand out amongst the others.
So, what do I think? Truthfully, I don’t know. We weren’t shown any footage (in case you haven’t heard, all of the “hardcore” trailers shown were nabbed from other platforms) and there isn’t much to go off on. Like I said before, cool concept, but until I see more I’m tentative. Of course, tentative means I’ll purchase Wii U day one, regardless of what I think.
Yes, that is how I roll.
Now please, give me Zelda; Skyward Sword. Right now would be nice. I don’t want to wait for the holidays.
Also:
Yeah, this guy came onstage. I didn’t snap a photo of it, and maybe, just MAYBE I’m reading too much into this, but his backdrop eventually changed to EA’s top franchises. Okay. One of them was….
DRAGON AGE II!!!
So, yeah. Is the day coming where I could play Dragon Age on a Nintendo console?!?!?! Probably, but even so, all it means I’ll have to buy a copy for Nintendo’s platform. A copy I won’t play. Because my loyalty to the Dragon Age franchise is with the PC.
But, still. Eeee. You know how I am with Dragon Age.
This guy is adorbz, and the rap is making me want to find my old consoles and plug ‘em back in.
On that note, I’ve been rocking my DS on my trip to/from DC this weekend. I got to put some hours towards Pokemon, and I’m loving it! (For those who don’t know, Pokemon Black is my first experience with the pocket monsters.)
What game/company/console would you write a rap about? Let’s see some of your best verses in the comments!
If you’re STILL holding on out purchasing a Wii…hahahha. Sorry. I can’t help myself. Let’s try this again.
If the current price tag of $169.99 for a Wii console is a little high for your liking, don’t fret! Starting on May 15th, you’ll be able to snag a Wii console for $149.99. There will also be a slight changeup in regards to the included accessories and games. Currently, a standard Wii console comes with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort. Starting on May 15th, Wii consoles will come packaged with Super Mario Kart as well as a steering wheel.
But that’s not all!
Nintendo will also launch a new line of budget games called Nintendo Selects. Think of it as the Nintendo version of PlayStation’s Greatest Hits. The first four titles that will be inducted are The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk, Wii sports and Mario Super Sluggers, all of which will be available for $19.99.
Sounds like Nintendo is cleaning up shop. I WONDER WHY. ::GRIN::
Following several rumors, Nintendo has finally confirmed that it’s next console does exist, it will release in 2012, and that we should expect a reveal at E3.
“We will show a playable model of the new system and announce more specifications at the E3 Expo, which will be held June 7-9, 2011, in Los Angeles.” Nintendo said in a statement.
Let’s run down the rumor mill, shall we? According to several very reliable sources:
Oh, and check out the controller mock up IGN created:
BOOM!
Isn’t it funny that in a matter of weeks, this thing has gone from being non-existent to freakin’ revealed? In any case, I’m excited for this. This is Nintendo’s chance to rope in those that went astray due to their disappointment in the Wii (like me), and I have a feeling that this time next year I’ll be drooling over this thing.
DON’T EFF THIS ONE UP, NINTENDO.
I’m sure Nintendo is aware that the 3DS only just launched last month, but news about their brand new console is already spreading across the internet like wildfire.
The console is essentially “Nintendo HD”, and there are rumors it will be announced at this summer’s E3 convention. As a Nintendo fangirl through and through, this excites me.
Shigeru Miyamoto (the creator of games such as Legend of Zelda and the Super Mario series) confirmed that the console does in fact exist. I’d say he’s a pretty credible source, wouldn’t you?
Up until now the project had been nicknamed “Project Cafe”, though other names that have been kicked around include “Stream”, since it has the option of streaming images to the player on what will hopefully be a built-in touchscreen right on the controller.
That name is just an idea though, as it’s very similar to not only “Steam”, an already popular gaming distribution system, but Nintendo’s own “Wii”.
I can already see the looks on the kids faces when they ask for a new Stream for Christmas and their hard-of-hearing grandparents present them with a Wii they found half price at a garage sale – old school! Thanks a lot, Grandpa!
For more technical information about the new Nintendo console, check out this article here.
Japan has it, Europe has it, and this Sunday North America will have it too.
Are YOU getting one?
Personally, I’m on the fence. I’ve been saving Best Buy gift cards specifically for the 3DS, but now I’m contemplating whether or not to drag my ass out of bed come Sunday morning. Honestly it’s not matter of if, but a matter of when. I’ll eventually need a 3DS for 3D Ocarina of Time (yes, I will spend $249 on a system for one game) but who knows when that’s going to release.
I’ve played the 3DS, and it’s awesome. But 3DS’s launch titles…well…I’ll just say they do nothing for me.
Here’s a list of the US launch titles:
So, what’s your verdict?
Our friend Freddie made this awesome video showcasing Mario if the game was in first person:
Man, I get WAY more anxious with Mario in first person. (What happens if he falls off one of the sides?!? How does he know how far he has to jump in front of him?)
What do you think: do you prefer Mario as a side-scroller or first person game?
This flowchart may save you a few hundred dollars. Click to expand!
(Thanks, Dorkly!)
