Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have all shown off their latest wares. Xbox, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advanced, and GameCube where all there, along with the PSP and DS! Did we learn anything new though?

What follows is a quick run down of the major points convered in each of the "big 3's" pre-E3 press conferance (thanks in part go to Cloudchaser, GameDaily, GamerFeed, and GameSpot).

Microsoft's Xbox

  • Xbox Live - currently 150 games, 1 million users worldwide
  • New dashboard shown
  • Videophone for Live (now hear and SEE others)
  • EA goes Live (sports and other games now online on Xbox: Fight Night, Need for Speed Underground 2, Battlefield Modern Combat, Timesplitters 3, Goldeneye 2...)
  • Doom 3 Xbox exclusive
  • DOA Ultimate (new game for Live)
  • Halo 2 shown (release date: Nov 9)
  • Other games: Unreal Championship 2, Full Spectrum Warrior, MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf, Conker: Live and Reloaded (remake of BFD), Star Wars: Republic Commando (Squad based shooter)
  • Xbox Live Arcade: Download poker, card, trivia, and classic arcade games for play via Live. (Examples: Namco classics like Dig Dug and Galaxian, Big Fish Games' Alien Sky and Feeding Frenzy, PopCap Games' Bejeweled) About $10 each.

Sony's PlayStation 2

  • More million sellers than Xbox and GC combined
  • PS2 will drop to $150 and include the online adapter and ATV: Offroad Furry 2
  • Year of the platformer: Jak 3, Ratchet & Clank 3, Sly 2
  • Other big PS2 games: God of War, Gran Turismo 4, Metal Gear Solid 3, Getaway Black Monday, Killzone, GTA San Andreas
  • EyeToy will see more games like Harry Potter, Sega Superstars, DDR
  • MGS3 now playable
  • Big push for online PS2 games: Mortal Kombat: Deception, Gran Turismo 4, Ghost Recon 2, MLB SlugFest: Loaded, Hot Shots Golf
  • Ratchet & Clank will be online: "8 simultaneous players online and 6 online battlefields will be in R&C: Up Your Arsenal. There will be full community support...clans, tourneys, etc. Online modes will include capture-the-flag, deathmatch, etc. There will be co-op vehicles and destructible environments." (GameDaily)
  • Expect to pay for downloadable content (like new cars for GT4) as a way to make online profitable for themselves.
  • PSP shown! (see below)
  • Talked about the "Cell" processor (guts of PS3) and how various hardware using it will connect. (Cell workstations available later this year.)

PSP (PlayStation Portable)

  • Target audience is 18-34 (coughnotcheapcough)
  • Wireless connectivity (psp to psp, psp to ps2, and psp to pc)
  • Can play high-quality movies, music, and video
  • 3D gaming similar to PS2 quality graphics
  • Display is a 16x9, 4.3 inch widescreen LCD
  • PSP has stereo speakers
  • 32MB ram and 4MB VRam
  • USB 2.0 slot and and infrared dataport
  • Lithium-ion battery with 10 hours of play (just for audio playback, less for video/games?)
  • Analog stick only?
  • No price or date given yet (next spring in US? $250-300?)
  • Games come on UMDs (3x the size of CDs)
  • OpenGL
  • Initial games include: Gran Turismo 4 Mobile, Ridge Racer, Dynasty Warriors, DarkStalkers, ATV Off-Road Fury, Tony Hawk, Need for Speed Underground, Metal Gear Solid Acid 
  • Other games inlcude: Death Jr., Ape Escape, Spiderman, FIFA, Twisted Metal, Tiger Woods, NFL Street and NBA Street, Vampire Chronicles, Viewtiful Joe, Devil May Cry, Tokyo Xtreme Racing, Ys The Ark of Napishtim, Winning Eleven, Puyo Puyo Fever, Bomberman, Mobile Suit Gundam, Armored Core Formula Front
  • Final Fantasy Advent Children and Spiderman 2 trailor shown on PSP

Nintendo (GameCube and Game Boy Advanced)

  • I hate their emcee! I can't stand his nasily voice.... (EDIT: I'm surprised at how many love Reggie. I guess compared to others... I do like his attitude, but that voice!)
  • Shown: Metroid Prime 2 Echoes (3rd person aspecs), Star Fox 2 (heavy on ground combat?), Resident Evil 4 (wow)
  • Games still deternmine the winner. While others talk, we act.
  • Gamers want "familiarity and value".
  • Nintendo starting to gain momentum, seeing growth over previous years. (Sold more games than MS.)
  • GBA Video playback (no new hardware needed): Such as episodes of Pokemon
  • Wireless GBA connections for Pokemon Fire Red & Green Leaf
  • Classic NES line coming in June to GBA (aimed at gamers 25+?)
  • Touting GB's ownage of handheld market. (Can PSP catch? Bah! Can PS2 catch.) Really critical of the PSP, heh. What a surprise.
  • GBA games: Donkey Kong Country 2, DK King of Swing, Mario Party, F-Zero 2, Mario Advanced, Mario Golf Advanced Tour, Mario Pinball, Zelda: Minish Cap...
  • Advance Wars: Under Fire coming to GC (not turn-based)
  • Clips of GC games: Paper Mario 2, Pikmin 2, Zelda Four Swords, DK Jungle Beat, Donkey Konga, Geist, Tales of Symphonia, Killer 7, Baiten Kaitos, Viewtiful Joe 2...
  • Nintendo DS (see below)!
  • For "Revolution" ("N5"/GC2) better technology not enough... (ie better graphics not enough). When you see it you will experience a "Gaming Revolution". Specs don't matter? Hmm... I can't understand him very well.
  • Whoa... Zelda! Grown-up Link! "Acts and looks different." This is the rumored "Wind Waker 2", but it's nothing like TWW. (pics from nintendo.com: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
  • Shiggy! ...Well, that was a short appearance.
  • Hmm, no new Mario. (Moved to N5?)
  • Nintendo going forward with 3 ways to play: GBA, GC, DS

Nintendo DS

  • DS: Developer's System? (really "Dual-Screen")
  • Trying to tout fact DS will "revolutionize" gaming (not a gimick, or so they claim...)
  • PSP after raw numbers and power, DS tries to take gaming new places. Creativity is the focus.
  • Each screen 2D or 3D (showed Mario in 3D: Mario 64)
  • Can use 2 screens together as 1, or separate.
  • Metroid DS shown! Wow... Prime-esque.
  • 2 media bays: 1 for DS (120megs), 1 for GBA
  • Screen sensitive: Tap screen where want to fire (for example). Use stylist or finger.
  • Touch & Voice: Built in mic (voice recognition)
  • Dual Wireless: Propriety 16-player, 100 feet connection
  • Exits sleeps mode when in range of another DS
  • WiFi (internet connection)!
  • Launch in Japan and US later this year (Europe/Australia Q1 2005)
  • Will get a new name, and an "affordable" price ($150-200?)
  • Touting all past advances now industry standards (ex: rumble), DS will be soon.
  • 3rd party games include: Spiderman 2, One Piece, Dragon Ball Z, Megaman Battle Network, Viewtiful Joe DS, Gyakuten Saiban, Need for Speed, Bomberman, Dynasty Warriors, Frogger 2005, Yu-Gi-Oh: Nightmare Troubadour, Mr. Driller, Project Rub, Monster Rancher, Rayman, Spongebob Squarepants, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Egg Monster Hero, Dragon Quest Monsters
  • 1st Part games include: Animal Crossing DS, Mario Kart DS, Metroid Prime: Hunters (Multiplayer Prime-esque game), NEW Super Mario Bros., PictoChat (instant message/chat feature), Super Mario 64X4 (Mario 64 remake w/ 4 players), WarioWare Inc. DS

Stay tuned! More is sure to come. Don't expect any surprises, but gameplay impressions, pics, movies, ect. are sure to still follow. Be sure to cheek our brand spakin' new message boards for the latest information, and to find more pics and pictures I didn't list here...

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