Die here in New Super Mario Bros. U and message pop-up from other MiiVerse players.
Achievements in New Super Mario Bros. U and Wii U will come by way of MiiVerse revealed Nintendo at E3 2012 during their Developer Discussion.
How the Achievements work will be specific to that individual game, at least in the case of New Super Mario Bros. U for Wii U. However Nintendo has confirmed that MiiVerse features are innate to the Wii U itself, and thus every game will feature MiiVerse features. That means its very plausible that this Achievement system I will detail here will be THE Achievement system built into all Wii U games.
The Wii U Achievement system works like this. While playing New Super Mario Bros. U, you can gain Achievements by completing certain conditions as you make your way through a level. Conditions explained include collecting all the Star Coins hidden on a level in one go, completing the level without being hit by a single enemy. If you manage one of these conditions, called a “Super Play” by the developers (tentative term I imagine), then you will be prompted to leave a message regarding your awesome performance, that will then be shared with other players online via the MiiVerse, as well as with your own friends who own the game. Nintendo was adamant that there are “A LOT” of different conditions, or Achievements, that players can strive for.
You can hear Nintendo discuss this in the E3 2012 Wii U Developer Discussion Video. Skip to around 6:30.
Messages from other players on the MiiVerse will then be spread throughout the actual game as you are playing, and revealed when you meet or fail to meet these Achievements; alerting you to the fact that these Achievements exist, or dropping hints as to what it may take to fulfill a Super Play.
It is easy to imagine this same Achievements system being applied to other games, in the same manner that it is applied to New Super Mario Bros. U. Will this be the bonafide Achievements system for the Wii U? Seems to me like it will be, but we’ll have to wait and see what else Nintendo reveals regarding an Achievements system for Wii U, and whether or not these games will have Badges or Emblems or Points or Trophies associated with earning these Super Play or Achievement conditions and how they are shared with your online friends and the world at large via MiiVerse.
You can get an idea of how this works in the screenshots above and below.
Fail to earn a Super Play in New Super Mario Bros. U and you’ll see comments from other players.
The Joker and Harley Quinn land on Wii U with Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition.
Batman: Arkham City – Armored Edition for Wii U was one of the biggest games Nintendo was touting for the next-generation console at the E3 2012 Nintendo Press Conference.
The game takes the best game of 2011 and expands on it by making extensive use of the Wii U GamePad’s tablet controller and its touchscreen, allowing the player increased functionality, new moves, and streamlined accessibility to Batman’s weapons and gadgets, all at the touch of a button. This also frees the main screen from clutter and menus, as all menus now take place on the Wii U GamePad controller, meaning you do not need to ever pause the game! This is the same type of streamlining that developers are bringing to other games like ZombieU and Rayman Legends.
Here is the E3 2012 announcement trailer and video for Batman: Arkahm City Armored Edition.
SYNOPSIS
Developed by WB Games Montreal, Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition is the enhanced version of the award-winning blockbuster videogame created by Rocksteady Studios. The Wii U version delivers the same impactful story and gameplay as the original title, this time with enhanced gameplay mechanics and features made possible with the Wii U and the new controller.
Batman: Arkham City is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and is set in Arkham City, the new maximum security “home” for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds. Featuring an incredible Rogues Gallery of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals including Catwoman, The Joker, The Riddler, Two-Face, Harley Quinn, The Penguin, Mr. Freeze and many others, the game allows players to genuinely experience what it feels like to be The Dark Knight delivering justice on the streets of Gotham City.
Here is the E3 2012 Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition Official Trailer.
Key Features of Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition For Wii U Include:
Battle Armored Tech Mode (B.A.T. Mode)
A new upgraded battle suit for both Batman and Catwoman gives players an additional power-up by allowing them to build up kinetic energy during combat. When activated, Batman enters B.A.T. mode, whereby he doles out more damage and has a heightened sense of enemy locations.
Wii U New Controller Functionality
The new controller’s touch screen allows players to truly be The World’s Greatest Detective with the newly designed, wrist-mounted Batcomputer. Players can select their gadget, track evidence, upgrade their gear, set and detonate bombs, and more, all without ever leaving the game.
Reimagined Gadgets
All gadgets have been reimagined to utilize the power of the new controller. For example, players can now use the new Sonar mode that enables Batman to quickly probe his surroundings to develop the tactics needed for success. Players can then select, customize and equip their preferred gadget loadout, as well as access a real-time map of Gotham without ever leaving the action of the game. The new controller also allows for an unprecedented level of accuracy when using the Batarang and scanning for clues.
Batman: Arkham City Game of the Year Edition Content
Included on disc are all previously released downloadable content: Harley Quinn’s Revenge Pack, Catwoman Pack, Nightwing Bundle Pack, Robin Bundle Pack, Challenge Map Pack and Arkham City Skins Pack.
Here is an interview with the developer about Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition.
Fly a freakin’ helicopter through Lego City! AWESOME!
Lego City: UnderCover Screenshots of the Wii U Lego City Stories Grand Theft Lego open-world sandbox game excluively for Wii U from Traveller’s Tales, the beloved Lego videogame company!
This game looks absolutely amazing, and surprised many people at E3 2012 by how awesome and fun the game looks. Exploration in Lego City: Undercover has been taken up a notch as players have access to all manner of acrobatic moves with which to explore the environment. From swinging from poles to Wall Jumps to a Grappling Hook that allows them to swing across gaps.
All in all, this game looks amazing! As you will see in the following awesome screenshots!
Chase McCain here, the cop, is the main character of Lego City Stories. Er. Lego City: UnderCover
Exploring Lego City in Lego City Stories for Wii U. Love the Lego Block look!
Jack cars and drive them around Lego City. Over 100 cars and vehicles in total!
An open-world, sandbox Lego City expanses before your eyes! Explore it!
It’s like a Grand Theft Lego game in Lego City: UnderCover exclusively For Wii U!
Lego City Stories for Wii U is now Lego City: UnderCover! This is an absolutely awesome looking open-world GTA-style Lego game made by Traveller’s Tales! The same team behind the other Lego games you know and love like Lego Star Wars, Lego Batman, Lego Indiana Jones, Lego Harry Potter and the upcoming Lego Lord of the Rings!
Lego City: UnderCover takes the Lego videogame series in a completely open-world, sandbox direction for the first time ever! Explore a gigantic, living, breathing Lego-ized city (called… “Lego City”) made up of the popular real-world Lego toy sets fans know and love! Additionally, our hero (named Detective Chase McCain) has a full range of acrobatic moves he can perform, from running along walls to swinging on poles, performing Wall Jumps and swinging from a grappling hook! He can even perform wrestling-style moves in hand-to-hand combat! He also can hijack vehicles and drive them around the city, including flying vehicles like helicopters and airplanes! :O
No word on whether or not the game supports Co-Op play of any kind, or how the MiiVerse will be integrated into the game. Although the official website lists the game as for 1 or 2 players, so it is very likely to have local cooperative play just like the rest of the Lego videogames. We’ll have to wait and see to find out if it supports online play however.
Lego City: Undercover is a Wii U-exclusive however, and because of that Nintendo elements will be integrated into the game in some form… for example at the end of the trailer we see Chase McCain enter a green warp pipe from Super Mario Bros.! :D
Here is the Lego City: UnderCover Wii U E3 2012 Debut Gameplay Trailer.
The trailer shows off a number of cool gadgets and items that McCain uses to unearth Lego pieces including a Jackhammer, a Crowbar tool that he uses to pry a door open, and he even punches the crap out of a ATM machine! By switching to different disguises, McCain will gain all-new abilities. Lego City: UnderCover is the first fully-voiced Lego videogame with unique voice work for each of the game’s characters! This will help tell the story in the cinematic cutscenes.
Additionally, players can use the Wii U GamePad tablet controller and it’s touchscreen to scan for hidden criminals, and make use of other gadgets (just like in Batman: Arkham City Wii U and ZombieU). All in all, this game looks mighty impressive and might fun! Lego City: UnderCover will most likely be a Wii U launch game when the system hits store shelves this Fall 2012.
Synopsis
The Chase is On!
For the first time, the fan-favorite LEGO City vehicles and play sets come to life in LEGO City: Undercover, exclusively for the new Wii U console. Players assume the identity of Chase McCain, an undercover detective armed with clever disguises. The mission is to put a stop to the fiendish Rex Fury and end his crime wave in LEGO City. As players run, drive and even fly through the city, they’ll use the Wii U GamePad controller as a new police gadget.
Here is a Lego City: UnderCover stage demo showing ten minutes of new gameplay footage!
Key Features of Leco City: UnderCover include:
* The Wii U GamePad is woven seamlessly into the game-play experience. Players use it to scan for hidden clues and criminals, receive mission updates and place waypoints on an overhead city map that displays their position in real time.
* Experience LEGO City like never before. Players will encounter familiar play sets come to life as they explore the vast city, looking for clues to bring Rex Fury to justice.
* Players can go undercover with a variety of disguises, including a firefighter, a construction worker and even a robber, and use their unique abilities to solve puzzles and access new areas of the city.
* There are more than 100 vehicles for players to collect and use to explore the city, including sports cars, motorcycles and even aircraft.
* LEGO video games are known for their humor and parody, and LEGO City: Undercover delivers this and more with fully voiced characters and ambient crowds, bringing LEGO City to life.
Here’s some GameSpot guys discussing Lego City: Undercover from the E3 2012 Show Floor.
Medal of Honor: Warfighter impressed many and made a big splash at EA’s E3 2012 Conference.
The full, entire E3 2012 EA Press Conference video is here for your viewing pleasure! If you missed anything from Electronic Arts at E3 2012, check out the video and you’ll be all caught up on the biggest new titles for the upcoming year and beyond, from FPS to Sports.
New announcements and highlights include:Crysis 3, Dead Space 3 (co-op!), Medal of Honor: Warfighter, Need for Speed: Most Wanted (by Criterion, the makers of Burnout), SimCity and SimCity for Facebook (called SimCity Social), Madden NFL 13, a ton of new Battlefield 3 Expansion DLC, new Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO stuff, Madden NFL Social (a free-to-play Facebook game), a big focus on FIFA 13, and the ability for fans to connect their profiles and stats and share them between annual releases and all of EA’s sports games, EA Sports’ UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) announced (by UFC President Dana White) and more.
You can immediately see the amazing graphical fidelity on display in Beyond: Two Souls.
Beyond: Two Souls is the extremely intriguing all-new title from Quantic Dream, the developers who brought us Heavy Rain, and was announced at Sony’s Pre-E3 2012 Press Conference.
Here is the Beyond: Two Souls E3 2012 debut trailer video from E3 2012.
Like Heavy Rain, “Beyond” is a PS3-exclusive heavily narrative-focused Adventure game (or so it seems) with absolutely spellbinding graphics that take realism to new heights. The game stars Ellen Page as main character Jody Holmes, a girl who is seemingly possessed by an “entity” of some sort… an entity that comes from “the world beyond…”. The trailer definitely gives you the sense that this game is a horror or thriller title, although it wasn’t strictly stated whether it is or not.
Here’s the full, official Beyond: Two Souls E3 2012 Trailer.
Like Heavy Rain, Beyond has a dark, gritty graphical style that focuses on mature themes. In this case, the theme revolves around life-after-death, and what happens when a person dies. The afterlife and the Supernatural will be explored, as players assume the role of Jody and live through the first 15 years of her life… Playing as her from early childhood all the way through to her early teen years. The player will thus grow attached to this character, and grow with her, piecing together what has made her into the woman she becomes. Hints have been dropped that there are more playable characters, and that you will play as the aforementioned “entity” at some point in the game according to producer David Cage.
Here is an indepth live demo of Beyond: Two Souls with IGN!
Beyond will also be more action-focused than Heavy Rain was, pushing that side more than the slower-paced adventure-side, although it will use the same kind of heavy narrative structure, with lots of movie-scene and cutscenes (many playable, surely) that make up the brunt of the game in typical Quantic Dream style. The game also makes use of the PlayStation Move motion controller.
Beyond: Two Souls is scheduled for release in early 2013.
Here is 23 minutes of Beyond: Two Souls Gameplay Footage! We even get to see the combat mechanic in action!
The Last of Us from Naughty Dog impressed everyone and dropped jaws at the Sony E3 2012 Conference.
The full, entire E3 2012 Sony Press Conference video is here for your viewing pleasure! If you missed anything, check it out and you’ll be all caught up on Sony’s biggest new titles for both PlayStation 3 and PS Vita.
New announcements and highlights include: Beyond: Two Souls (newest title from Quantic Dream, makers of Heavy Rain turned heads with phenomenal graphics and an intriguing serious story revolving around what happens when we die!), The Last of Us (newest game from Naughty Dog, makers of Uncharted), God of War 4: Ascension (first single-player gameplay footage), Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation for PS Vita (the first game in the series to star a female protagonist!), Assassin’s Creed 3, WonderBook (a peripheral that brings storybooks to life!) alongside the first announced book, J.K. Rowling’s “Book of Spells” Harry Potter exposition, Far Cry 3, PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale and the announcement of PlayStation Mobile (previously PlayStation Suite) and new and broader interconnectivity between PS Vita and PS3.
Full Sony E3 2012 Press Conference Video
How would you rate Sony’s E3 2012 Press Conference?
Is Agni’s Philosophy Final Fantasy XV? The next-gen FF game?!
Final Fantasy XV: Agnis’ Philosophy MAY become the next core-Final Fantasy game. Whether FF15 (Final Fantasy 15) ends up being the full actual game is anybody’s guess. This impressive realtime technical demo shows off Square Enix’ next-generation engine that will, one presumes, power the next Final Fantasy title. What isn’t known is whether the characters, setting, situations, etc. seen in this tech demo will be incorporated into the next-core Final Fantasy game for Xbox 720, PS4, Wii U, PC, etc. or not… This demo showcases Square Enix’s new “Luminous Engine”, that will power next-gen RPGs and other games from Square Enix.
Check out the Final Fantasy XV Agni’s Philosophy Realtime E3 2012 Tech Demo!
No matter what you think about the themes and the movie-like (rather than game-like) nature of this Final Fantasy XV Agni’s Philosophy trailer, you can’t help but be blown away by what you see on the screen. Jaw-dropping graphics huh?
Taking a huge departure from Final Fantasy games past, the trailer introduces all kinds of new, action elements that you wouldn’t expect to see in a Final Fantasy game… Including guns! The whole demo drips with a realism and real-world feel that is alien to the Final Fantasy series. With a setting that feels like we are in the Middle East and lots of “rebels” causing trouble. But don’t worry, Magic also plays a big role and we see some Thunder/Lightning spells cast by hooded Mage-like characters, including the main character. Presumably the “Agni” of the title.
Is this the female protagonist of Final Fantasy 15? Is FFXV a reality? Or is this just a demo? So many questions.
Apparently, all of this graphical fidelity is realtime… no computer-generated cutscene graphics here! :O However, despite all the departures from what you know-and-love, you still get to see a Summon! At the end Agni mounts a crazy-looking dragon, who recalls some of the Summons of Final Fantasy past. Some people even think the city architecture, music and camera remind them of the slum-city of Midgar from Final Fantasy VII. Although I didn’t get that vibe from Agni’s Philosophy myself.
Of course, whether REAL next-gen games actually look this good in-game or not is anyone’s guess… We’ll have to wait and see. It’s interesting to note that Square Enix was essentially absent from E3 2012 and did NOT show off their most highly anticipated title… Final Fantasy Versus XIII, a game that has been in development hell forever (originally announced at E3 2006… SIX YEARS AGO!). Hopefully that game will STILL see the light of day and Square Enix can still find the time to finish it up as a swan-song to the current-gen before diving headlong into next-gen Final Fantasy XV development.
The Halo 4 live-action trailer started off Microsoft’s E3 2012 Press Conference with a BANG!
The full, entire E3 2012 Microsoft Press Conference video is here for your viewing pleasure! If you missed anything, check it out and you’ll be all caught up for how the Xbox 360 will evolve in the coming years!
New announcements and highlights include:Xbox SmartGlass, Halo 4, Gears of War: Judgment (only briefly shown in video CG cutscene form), Assassin’s Creed 3 (even man your own ship in Assassin’s Creed 3 Sea Battles!), Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Madden NFL 13, Fable: The Journey, Forza: Horizon, fitness game Nike Plus: Kinect Training (which promises to revolutionize fitness), South Park: The Stick of Truth (a South Park RPG! Demonstrated by creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone!), Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Resident Evil 6 (which looks AMAZING), Tomb Raider 2013, Wreckateer (Xbox Live game), Matter (ditto), and Dance Central 3, wherein Usher came out for a musical performance as well as demoing the game.
Other new game mentions included: LocoCycle, Ascend: New Gods, the reveal of Internet Explorer for Xbox (finally bringing web-browsing to Xbox 360!), the newly revealed Xbox Music service (which will also extedn to PC, mobile and tablet devices) and new Xbox Live video partnerships with the NBA, NHL, ESPN, Nickelodeon, Paramount movies, Michinima, and Spanish-speaking Univision.
ZombieU! Finally a AAA, killer-looking, graphically impressive Wii U FPS action game!
ZombieU from Ubisoft exclusively for Wii U is a zombie first-person shooter survival horror game that arguably makes the best use of the Wii U GamePad tablet controller, via the Touchscreen, than anything else shown for the Wii U yet.
ZombieU was mentioned and some of it was shown at the Nintendo E3 2012 Press Conference, but for reason’s unbeknownst to anyone, Nintendo decided to focus more on Batman: Arkham City Wii U than the much more original and unique ZombieU; a game that is more of a system seller and AAA title than probably anything else in the Wii U lineup, including any of Nintendo’s own first-party titles. And a game that finally does survival horror RIGHT.
Here is the extremely gory and gripping ZombieU Debut E3 2012 Story CG Trailer.
At first blush ZombieU doesn’t look like it will be an entirely unique title. It’s once-again another tired zombie apocalypse first-person shooter right? Sure it is that, but it is the premise of the game beyond its themes that REALLY set it apart, and this is something that is only hinted at by the tagline, “How long will you survive?”; and not demonstrated in any of the trailers (but see the video below with the developers to fully understand).
First the obvious, ZombieU makes excellent use of the Wii Gamepad tablet controller to further immerse you in a zombie survivalhorror FPS, where you must work your way around city environments, picking up items and weapons and fighting off the zombie horde, in order to survive. With weapons and ammunition being in short supply, and a dangerous world where a few bits of damage from the zombie scum literally mean death. However the Wii U GamePad tablet controller with its touchscreen brings a lot of unique features to the table while making normal features more interesting. Access to everything in a game that is normally menu driven or UI (user-interface) HUD (heads-up display) driven is now done on the Wii U GamePad tablet controller while the action continues on the TV (no more bringing up a menu!).
Here is the Wii U debut ZombieU Gameplay Trailer from E3 2012.
So for example, Sonar allows you to detect the location of zombies, which you see right on the Wii U GamePad’s touchscreen. Your inventory to equip items and weapons is also on the touchscreen, allowing you to easily and quickly equip new items and weapons. You can Scan suspicious objects in the environment by bringing up the scanner and holding it up to the TV to scan an object. You can also Snipe by using the Wii U GamePad’s screen as your scope. Other features like breaking free of zombies and performing Finishing Moves with blunt weapons (like an ax) are given more ooompth by using the Wii U GamePad tablet controller. With the built-in motion controls of the Wii U GamePad, you must shake it to break free of a zombie who has grabbed you, or can swing the GamePad to kill a zombie with an axe!
None of these features is “new” per se however and all the developers have really done is regulate them to the Wii U GamePad controller’s touchscreen instead of having you enter a menu on the TV. Which in and of itself is quite unique and feels much more natural, as well as removing any annoying clutter and UI displays from the gamescreen. But one area where the Wii U GamePad REALLY adds to the experience is with the Door Hacking feature. Here you reach a door that is locked with a keypad, the keypad comes up on your controller screen, and you must then quickly type in the correct code, while being able to see the zombies coming at you from behind on the TV screen. This dual-view is something that isn’t easily done without having access to two different screens that each show something different. A feature the Wii U brings to the table and only the Wii U can pull off in such a smooth and natural fashion.
….. Use the Wii U GamePad tablet controller in unique ways, type the door passcode while seeing behind you at the same time using both screens!
The best feature of ZombieU is in the premise though, as previously stated, and how the game is structured. In ZombieU, if you die, you are forever dead. And death comes quickly, with your character only able to survive a small amount of punishment. You will then respawn as a different person within a huge environment, with all of your stats and weapons wiped out! You’ll have to start from scratch from a new location, with a new character! As you kill zombies, you level up your equipment and weapons and get stronger and stronger, however if you die, all of this disappears and you must start anew! Thus, ZombieU offers survival in the truest sense of the word! Instead of a game where you play a linear or non-linear story until you reach an ending, you are playing to see if you can break your record for surviving the longest. While none of your stats transfer over to a new character if you are killed, you can actually navigate through the environment to find your dead body, which is now a zombie enemy to fight, and reclaim your old equipment! Suffice it to say, this is an AWESOME new take on the zombie genre that is definitely welcome and refreshing!
Additionally, ZombieU makes use of the MiiVerse and Nintendo Network for online play! If you are killed, an alert goes out to all your friends telling them the vicinity of your dead body, so they can reclaim your loot! Can you find your body before they do? Additionally, a badass multiplayer mode allows one player to use the Wii U GamePad to drop zombies in an overhead view using the tablet controller, whereas a second player must survive using first-person viewpoint!
Here is an indepth look at ZombieU for Wii U from a female developer on the game named Gabrielle Shrager who is the Story Design Director for ZombieU.
Synopsis
London is falling! Are YOU prepared? It is 2012 and the Last Blight is upon us… It was foretold.
For the second time in history, a great plague has enveloped London in a fog of death. Big Ben tolls as hundreds upon thousands of the unprepared die or are infected by a sickness worse than death… You are still breathing, for now. But how long will you survive in the labyrinth of London streets and underground – abandoned by the outside world, surrounded by the Infected. The horrifying remains of humanity ravaged by the foul disease shuffle through the streets, waiting to prey on your living flesh at every turn!
ZombiU is built from the ground up to take full advantage of the Wii U and its revolutionary controller and will test your will to survive in a fear-fueled zombie Survival Horror First Person Shooter. So grab hold of the Swiss knife of survival kits – your Wii U new controller – and stock up your Bug-Out Bag with supplies! Make every second count; you only get one chance.
The devastated and destroyed streets of London in ZombieU!
Key Features of ZombieU include:
TWO SCREENS, TWICE THE FEAR
Feel the tension mount as you try to keep an eye on your TV and controller screen.
SURVIVAL-HORROR AT ITS BEST
Resources are in short supply while your enemies are legion; you never know when you will find more weapons, ammunition, first aid and food. Use them wisely!
DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT YOUR BOB
The Wii U new controller becomes your Bug-Out Bag; the ultimate all-in-one survival kit for your tools, inventory, med kits, maps and more.
UNIQUE DEATH MECHANIC
If you die, you wake up to play an entirely new character who is another survivor in the same terrifying position. You will want to recover your old BOB, now worn by the last character you played… who is now a zombie!
HORDE AT YOUR DOOR
Prepare yourself for the inevitable onslaught. Stock up on guns, ammo and supplies, and lock down your Safe House! It’s time to defend your home against the ravenous, infected horde!
SURVIVORS VS. ZOMBIES
An adversarial multiplayer mode where one player takes over the role of Zombie Master (top-down view) spawns enemies and springs traps with a simple touch on the Wii U new controller; while a second player (first-person view) fights for survival with the Classic Controller/Wii U Pro Controller!
MERCY KILLER
When your character gets infected, your online friends are alerted of your death and can come and hunt down your zombified character to loot the gear in your BOB and put you out of your misery!
BASED IN LONDON
A city steeped in grisly history, royal secrets and bloody tales, where the medieval fortress of the Tower of London and the stately Buckingham Palace contrast with the modernity of the world’s most cosmopolitan city!
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