NBrid

E3 is upon us! Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo each laid out what was ahead. Not many surprises, unless you count Sony's PSP?! Here are the highlights for those too lazy to look elsewhere.

A special thanks to GamerFeed for providing such up to the minute information from these events.

•• Microsoft Xbox ••

• DOOM III officially announced for Xbox.
• LucasArts creating a Star Wars game for Live, a FPS called Star Wars Republic Commando (2004).
• First Rare game for Xbox: Grabbed by the Ghoulies. A cel shaded game exploring a haunted house (Q4 2003).
• Conker: Live & Uncut (Rare, 2004) announced. Will contain a completly remade version of the N64's Bad Fur Day, and entirely new multiplayer modes for play via Live.
• Ninja Gaiden will be Live enabled (Q4 2003).
• 'Music Mixer' turns your Xbox into a Karaoke machine.
• Xbox Live greatly expanding. Will include tournaments and other enhancements. (Cost still $50/year, can pay for just smaller time frames too).
• MS announced 'XSN' (Xbox Sports Network). Complete with stats and tournaments.
• Live will link with MSN to provide alerts to any MSN capable device (for example).
• Other games shown include Kameo (2004), Fable (formally Project Ego, 2003), Counter Strike (2003), Project Gothem Racing 2 (2003), Crimson Skies (2003), Sonic Heroes, StarCraft Ghost, TMNT
• Last to show itself was Halo 2. "Wowed" everyone, but isn't set for release until 'early 2004'.
• Not at this show but later revealed Xbox is dropping in price to $179.

•• Sony PlayStation 2 ••

"The console war was over in 2002," -Kaz Harai, COO of Sony Computer Entertainment America

• Over 50million PS2's and 250million software shipped worldwide as of April.
• Expect 250 more games for PS2 over the coming year.
• MGS3 is exclusive to PS2.
• The next GTA is PS2 exclusive.
• They seem to be really hyping their new franchise Rise to Honor staring Jet Li which plays like a Hong Kong action movie.
• Gran Turismo 4 'The Real Racing Sim' will be online. Completly revamped the game engine and AI. Will have the most cars yet (Sony trying to sell it as a history of cars game).
• New PS2: comes with network adapter builtin. Also plays DVD-rs, progressive scan ability, built in DVD remote censor. Price: $199 (available staring in June). Now known price of 'old' PS2 dropped to $179.
• EyeToy: digital camera (can be used as a normal dig cam for like video conferencing and such). Can even use it to interact with games (your movements trasnlated into gameplay). Demoed with Rise to Honor and Window Washer where you use your actual hands to wash windows via the EyeToy. Can use it to save minute long messages on your memory card. Ships in October with 12 games using it, $39.
• In a jab at Xbox Live, says not trying to be like an online PC. PS2 online is its own more console-esque experience. 600k adapters sold in NA so far. 30% to play SOCOM (13K people on at peek).
• Syphon Filter (Feb 04) and SOCOM 2 (October) are both online.
• FF XI: you can play via PC or PS2 (ie PS2 players play right along with PC players).
• All EA sports are online exclsuively on PS2. Will have stats and touneys and voice chat (which they demoed with a live game between Cedric the Entertainer and Tiger Woods in Tiger Wood's PGA, duh). EA Online starts in July.
• Announced PSP: PlayStation Portable. Not set for release until Q4 2004. Will use mini-CD 'minidiscs' (UMD with 1.8 gigs storage), backlit, widescreen (480x232), 4.5" unit, USB port to hook-up with PS2 and other devices, Memory Stick compatible, recharable battery, wireless communication. Not actually shown yet though.

•• Nintendo GameCube ••

"Mario will never start shooting hookers."

• Showed a number of games (new footage) that include: Mario Kart: Double Dash, Pikmin 2, Billy Hatchet, Wario World, StarFox (showed 1st and 3rd person perspectives), F-Zero (that hooks up with arcade version), Rogue Squadron 3, Soul Calibur 2, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicals, 1080 Avalanche, Pokemon Pinball Ruby and Sapphire (GBA), DK Country (GBA), SMA4: Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA).
• Mentions really original Capcom games coming like Viweful Joe.
• RE4 is a GC exclusive and is so scary will make you 'wet your pants' (2004).
• They seem to admit they screwed up and didn't sell Sunshine and Prime like they thought. Now many challenges lie ahead.
• N-Space is announced as a new developer, and is working on a FPS 'where your character can jump from character to character' named Geist.
• Restates GBA-GC hookups will be very important.
• 20 games at Nintendo's E3 booth will use the GC-GBA hook-up.
• Sims creater Will Wright at their show to show off a new Sims for GC and GBA that will hook-up.
• Medal of Honor, Madden, Lord of the Rings, SSX 3, NBA Live all announced for GC.
• Legend of Zelda: Four Swords for GC. NEED GBA to play. Basically the GBA game on GC with new features (don't need the GBA game to play though).
• Announce a Pac-Man game that also uses GBA-GC hook-up. Made by Nintendo so had the creator of Pac-Man from Namco at the show to 'ask permission' to make it. Use GC to control ghosts in 3D maze. One player uses GBA to play as Pac-Man.
• Zelda: Tetra's Trackers also will be shown at E3. Uses GC-GBA hook-up. Players explore islands using clues on their GBA to look for Tetra's pirates to collect stamps.
• Soul Calibur 2 this year, Pacman maybe this year, StarFox next year.
• Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snake shown, developed by Nintendo's own Silicon Knights. Seems to be a mix of MGS and MGS2.
• Small clip of Metroid Prime 2 shown.
• Mentioned GameCube 2 indeed in the works. 'No one will get a head start on us this time.'