Super Smash Bros. E3 reveal + roster and stage predictions

Nintendo revealed the new Smash Bros. at E3, and while I felt the expo as a whole was rather lackluster in comparison to previous years, the Smash Bros. reveal was certainly one of the highlights for me. I’ve never been real big on the Megaman games, but after Brawl opened the doors to non-Nintendo characters, I had a feeling the blue bomber might be a good fit for the series. Apparently, Nintendo, Capcom, and Namco all felt the same way.

As for the other two new fighters to be revealed, the Animal Crossing Villager looks a solid addition, if not a pretty basic fighter (perhaps the whole idea behind his inclusion is to present another balanced, easy-to use character like Mario). I was by no means surprised that many of his attacks saw him making use of tools like the axe and bug net, but I did get a chuckle out of his moves. As for the other big reveal, the Wii Fit Trainer, I found it downright hilarious, and in the best way possible. Her reveal trailer was just plain goofy, and based on her crazy moves that were shown off, I think ‘over-the-top and silly’ is the whole theme of her character.

When Nintendo first announced the partnership with Namco to bring players a new Smash Bros. title, they stated that the number of fighters on the roster was not likely to increase, but that some of the fighters at players’ disposal certainly would. From the E3 reveal, we know of twelve confirmed fighters, which are as follows:

- Mario
- Link
- Donkey Kong
- Samus
- Fox
- Kirby
- Pikachu
- Pit
- Bowser
- Animal Crossing Villager
- Wii Fit Trainer
- Megaman

The Brawl roster contained thirty-five fighters, which (assuming this number is to remain the same) leaves twenty-three spots open. Personally, I expect most (if not all) of the clone characters to be dropped, while I expect them to keep all of the fighters from the original Smash Bros. – Captain Falcon, Ness, Jigglypuff, Luigi, and Yoshi. Luigi, while technically a clone character of Mario, is such a huge part of Nintendo’s brand image, and I can’t imagine them dropping him for any reason. Plus, his new moves in Brawl set him and Mario a little further apart from one another. While I didn’t expect Mr. Game & Watch's debut in Melee to be more than a cute bit of nostalgia from Nintendo, he made a return to Brawl, and I expect he will be back for this next installment, along with Zelda, Olimar (representing the soon-to-be-released Pikmin 3), Ice Climbers, and at least one of the Fire Emblem characters. Considering SEGA’s good relationship with Nintendo and their upcoming Wii U exclusive Sonic Lost World, I’d say their blue hedgehog mascot will almost undoubtedly return to the fight too.

Assuming all of those predictions prove true, that would leave us with twelve free spots. So then the question is, who is left to fill them? Going solely off what was shown in the reveal trailer, there were two stages that really caught my attention. The first was a boxing ring, which had the Smash Bros. logo displayed in the center. It’s entirely possible that this is a brand new original Smash Bros. stage (much like Battlefield and Final Destination), but I wonder if it isn’t the home stage of Punch-Out protagonist Little Mac. The second was the Skyloft stage from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Link’s appearance still seems to be based largely off his Twilight Princess counterpart, but he has a slightly different look than he did in Brawl. His tunic and the belts that run across his chest bear a striking resemblance to his Skyward Sword design (even though he does not bear any cel-shading), while his face is more angular and his nose slightly more pointed (again, much like Skyward Sword’s Link, or even Ocarina of Time’s). If this new look is in fact a nod to Skyward Sword, I think there is a decent chance that Ghirahim could replace Ganondorf on the roster. He’d certainly offer up a significantly different play style and would remove one of the clone characters in the process.

As for the stages shown between both the 3DS and Wii U versions, we can confirm the following:

- Battlefield (Smash Bros. series)
- Spirit Train (The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks)
- Skyloft (The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword)
- Smashville (Animal Crossing)
- Dr. Wily's Castle (Mega Man series)
- Nintendogs
- A new Mario Bros. stage (that highlighted spiked pillars in the water)

We also saw snippets of a few other stages, but not enough to be certain as to what series they are representing. Here are my ideas on the four:

- Valley with a waterfall (possibly Gerudo Valley from Ocarina of Time)
- Indoor colosseum of sorts (possibly from Fire Emblem or a new original Smash Bros. stage)
- Boxing/wrestling arena (possibly from Punch-Out or a new original Smash Bros. stage)
- Spinning stone wheel in a forest/jungle (possibly from Donkey Kong Country Returns)

I expect we’ll gradually learn more in the months leading up to this new Smash Bros. release. Maybe these exclusivity deals between Nintendo and Platinum Games will see the inclusion of someone from the Wonderful 101 as well? It seems like and appropriate fit for the franchise. As for me, I’m still hoping and praying that they put in Travis Touchdown.

Watch Dogs E3 gameplay trailer

One of the sleeper hits from E3 that many people have been talking about is Watch Dogs, a new game from Ubisoft. It's a sort of man vs. computers scenario, but with a contemporary setting and implications that ring close to our own real present-day world. Graphically, the game looks gorgeous, and the gameplay seems both stealth-based and tactical. I'm a big fan of this whole idea of hiding in plain sight and using the environment to your advantage. I'll be keeping my eye on Watch Dogs as more information is revealed.

Story trailer:



Gameplay trailer:

Batman: Arkham City E3 WiiU interview and gameplay

I have not yet played Arkham City, but I've heard only positive things about it. Arkham Asylum was a lot of fun, and while I've been meaning to play the sequel, I might just hold out until the WiiU version releases. The use of the touch screen controller as Batman's gadgets looks really cool, and it seems quite convenient to have all of the menu items accessible on the controller screen instead of requiring the game be paused to get at these.

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition - E3 2012: Wii U Developer Profile HD, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Pikmin 3 E3 gameplay

This is the game I was most looking forward to at this year's E3. I absolutely loved the first two games and the evolution of the gameplay that came along with Pikmin 2. While I hope Nintendo reveals some more enemy designs in the coming months, the ones highlighted here do look pretty cool. The overall look of the game is beautiful, and I can't wait to see how the details of other environments pop on the screen thanks to the WiiU's hardware. The strategy element of Pikmin 3 seems perfectly suited to the WiiU, and will hopefully prove one of the best early titles on the console.



Also, Pikmin 3 is the main reason I plan to purchase a WiiU sometime after it hits store shelves, though knowing Arkham City and Assassin's Creed III will be in the lineup certainly doesn't hurt.

Star Wars 1313 E3 interview and gameplay

This new Star Wars game follows a bounty hunter on Courascant, and (as the developers put it) seeks to deliver a dark and gritty Star Wars experience. It seems like an interesting concept, and the game certainly looks grqaphically impressive. I just wish they had gone out of their way to show more gameplay. The action and shooting sequences highlighted here are both brief and sort of generic. However, Star Wars 1313 still has plenty of time to show off. Perhaps it has a few more cards up its sleeve.

DmC: Devil May Cry E3 trailer

The new Devil May Cry is looking so much cooler with each new trailer. I get the sense that a lot of people have warmed up to this new game over time. Granted, it's still not the same Dante from the older games, but I never felt that was necessarily a bad thing. I think this new direction for the series will prove quite entertaining. And thank goodness, we finally have a release date confirmed - January 15, 2013. Smokin'.

ZombiU E3 trailer

Looks like Ubisoft has been cooking up a new game for the Wii U. It is titled ZombiU, and is set in London where (you guessed it) a zombie breakout has occurred. While no actual gameplay has been shown yet, this trailer does a great job of showing just how impressive the graphics will look on Nintendo's new system. Despite the overall vibe of the trailer ringing very close to that of Dead Island's teaser, I think the fact that every scene is presented as a still shot is the best choice possible, since it allows us to better view the ridiculous amount of detail worked into everything.

Assassin's Creed III E3 gameplay

Believe it or not, I've actually never played much of the Assassin's Creed games before. I got a taste of the first game, which wasn't really my style, though the second looked interesting enough. I guess I just always found other titles that looked more appealing. But Assassin's Creed III is the first game in the series that really stands out to me, largely because of the setting. The Revolutionary War era is a time period rarely explored in video games, and while Assassin's Creed III is certain to add plenty of elements that are entirely fictionalized, the idea in and of itself just seems cool to me. I don't know if I'm actually going to buy this game or not, but I am pretty impressed with how seamlessly the gameplay transitions from stealth to action.

Halo 4 E3 gameplay

Finally, we get some footage of Master Chief in action. And holy crap, does Halo 4 look gorgeous. I'm still very curious as to where the story will go, but the fact that Chief and Cortana make contact with the UNSC ship Infinity gives me hope that the story will draw out more of who John-117 is at his core. I imagine we will see more of these new enemies as the November release date draws closer. I was a little uncertain as to how well 343 Industries would handle the Halo story following the events of Halo 3, but I'm sold now. Time to go pre-order my copy.

Jet Set Radio E3 gameplay trailer

More gameplay footage, with a few of the game's stellar tunes highlighted. I must say, from a graphical standpoint, this game has aged very well, which is probably due in large part to the cel-shading. Still no release date announced, but at present it looks as though Jet Set Radio might be part of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade lineup for 2012.

Resident Evil 6 E3 gameplay trailer

The female antagonist has now been confirmed to be Ada Wong, which makes sense in the grand scheme of the Resident Evil story. The environments highlighted here look even cooler than the ones we've seen in previous trailers, due in part to the fact that they provide dynamic gameplay. The plane tilts back and forth as Leon shoots down infected passengers, while the bodies littering the underwater area look delightfully creepy. Prior to this trailer, we had a general idea of where the story was headed and who the heroes were, but this one focuses more on the villains and different enemy types.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Metroplex E3 trailer

Metroplex finally gets his reveal, and Jazz and Shockwave both make brief appearances. I can't wait to see the giant city-of-an-Autobot in the actual gameplay.

Dishonored E3 gameplay trailer

I saw the teaser trailer for Dishonored earlier this year and was rather indifferent toward it, but now it has my full attention. If I'm being completely honest, the gameplay does look like it borrows heavily from Bioshock, and there even seem to be some elements inspired by Assassin's Creed. Heck, the semi-cel-shaded graphical style looks almost exactly like that of Bioshock Infinite. But this trailer is so full of atmosphere that I can't help but be excited to find out more between now and the October 9th release date. The fact that Bethesda is tied to the game is a plus.



Also, is it just me, or do those walker things look vaguely similar to the Striders from Half-Life 2?

Pre-E3 trailer for Zone of the Enders: HD Collection

Last year, Konami announced plans to release the first two Zone of the Enders games in an HD collection, much like they did with the Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill games. Now they have revealed the trailer for the collection as well as the new anime-style intro sequence, made by Sunrise. Zone of the Enders is a series that I missed out on during its original release, due in large part to limited releases of the games and the fact that the game did not gain the reputation it has today until quite some time after it came out. I'm a huge fan of Hideo Kojima's work with the Metal Gear Solid series, and I happen to enjoy mecha anime, so you can bet I will be purchasing this HD collection when it hits store shelves before the end of the year.



Here is the newly-animated intro.



Also, in case you didn't hear, Kojima is releasing the HD collection as part of the build-up to a brand new entry into the Zone of the Enders series. Freaking awesome.

Pre-E3 trailer for Tomb Raider

Last year Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics showed off their vision for a new Tomb Raider. It featured a younger Lara Croft instead of the seasoned adventurer from the older games. This new trailer continues that theme with a look into the fear and anxiety Lara experiences as she and her party and trapped on an island and are kidnapped by some unknown group of people. While last year's reveal trailer made it seem as though this new Tomb Raider would be heavy on the action and adventure elements, this new gameplay trailer seems to imply that some survival-horror elements may also be at play. I love the environment designs shown thus far. I never played many of the older Tomb Raider games, but the atmosphere in this one really appeals to me. That said, I could do without the amount of screaming and crying that Lara exhibits here. I'll have to keep my eye on Tomb Raider it as more information is released.

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Tomb Raider - E3 2012: Exclusive Crossroads Trailer HD, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Pre-E3 trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Konami has released their pre-E3 2012 trailer for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. We get to see some more of the actual gameplay, and an idea of the direction the story will take since it is set post-MGS4. I really like the design of some of the envionments highlighted in this trailer. Here's to hoping Konami gives us more details on the game at E3 (like a release date, maybe?).

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance - E3 2012: Exclusive Trailer HD, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

DMC E3 gameplay trailer

Though we got some early glimpses at the newest entry into the Devil May Cry series earlier this year, the trailer shown at E3 was the first substantial footage of DMC's gameplay. It appears Capcom will be sticking with the formula of the previous entire, though throwing in some Parkour style elements to place a heavier emphasis on agility and quick reactions. Dante's iconic silvery-white hair will seemingly be part of a transformation he undergoes at certain points in the game. Overall, the footage thus far seems to be less demon-slaying in a gothic setting, but more of a dystopian society which Dante aims to take down, grotesque puppet monsters and all. I know a lot of Devil May Cry fans are upset with this new direction for the franchise, but to be honest I haven't yet made up my mind one way or the other. As someone who has only recently discovered the Devil May Cry series, I feel this could be an interesting direction to take the series in, so long as they don't deviate too much from the core of what makes Devil May Cry work as well as it already does. And this trailer may point towards Capcom doing just that - balancing the old with the new.

New Kirby Wii title announced at E3

Nintendo and Hal Laboratories will be bringing the pink puffball back to the Wii for another adventure. This new Kirby title looks to be more in the vein of Kirby 64, allowing Kirby to use many familiar abilities, as well as a few new ones. It will feature four player cooperative play, with players two through four controlling Meta Knight, Kind Dedede, and Waddle Dee. This announcement is a bit of a surprise, considering how recent the release of Kirby's Epic Yarn was. But perhaps Nintendo felt it beneficial to release a more traditional Kirby, even with the overall positive reception Epic Yarn recieved.

The Legend of Zelda 25th anniversary E3 announcements

On top of the highly-promoted Ocarina of Time 3D for the 3DS, Nintendo has also announced that Link's Awakening will released for download on the 3DS shop this week. There will also be a Four Swords title released in September for the DSi, free of charge for anyone to download. This Four Swords, much like its predecessors, will focus on four player cooperative play. Finally, Skyward Sword will be released by the Holiday season, with a gold Wiimote available as a promotional item.

As for Skyward Sword's gameplay trailer, a fair amount of new material was revealed. We were given a look into Link's home, a land that floats in the clouds above Hyrule, as well as some brief footage of the various dungeons. It seems Link's blond-haired friend (who bears a striking resemblance to one Hylian princess) is taken by a gale of some sort, and it would also seem that one of Link's primary foes will be the white haired individual shown in much of the previous footage. The trailer highlighted a number of new enemies, which all seem to be designed with the Wiimote combat in mind. I can personally say that I am very excited to play through this Wii prequel to Ocarina of Time when it releases.

Nintendo announces new console, the Wii U

Nintendo announced the Wii U, their new console release for 2012. The Wii U will use a more standard style controller over the Wiimote and Nunchuck combo, and will allow players to play without the need for a TV, as the controller has a 6.2 inch touch screen built in. This touch screen can also be used in tandem with the TV for some games. The controller also features a camera, gyroscope, microphone, and speakers. The Wii U will be HD-capable and will be host to a number of titles including Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge, Assassin's Creed, Darksiders II, Ghost Recon Online, Batman: Arkham City, DIRT, Tekken Wii Succession, Metro: Last Light, and Aliens: Colonial Marines. A number of small demo games created by Nintendo for E3 were shown off as a means of exploring a few of the ways in which developers can utilize the console and controller. I'll admit, the Wii U was different from what I had expected, but I'm curious to see where things go from here and will keep my ears and eyes open for new information.