New Super Mario Bros. U E3 2012 Gameplay Stage Demo and Trailer. New Name For New Super Mario Bros. Mii. Launch Game Release For Wii U This Holiday 2012. Iwata Asks Takashi Tezuka Video Interview

Look how beautiful that HD background is in this New Super Mario Bros. U gameplay screenshot!

New Super Mario Bros. U for Wii U is the new name for the previously revealed “New Super Mario Bros. Mii”, a title shown at last year’s E3, and now with an official name change and launch date; It will be a launch game for the Wii U “this holiday 2012”, as revealed at Nintendo’s E3 2012 Press Conference. Where the game was one of the biggest highlights of the show.

It is also the first Mario game ever that is now produced directly by Shigeru Miyamoto, instead being produced by longtime Nintendo EAD General Manager Takashi Tezuka, who has directed along with Miyamoto on virtually every Nintendo game for the past 25 years, including The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and even New Super Mario Bros.

Giant Koopa and Giant Goomba! AWESOME!

New Super Mario Bros. U introduces new elements, expands on the elements introduced in New Super Mario Bros. Wii released in 2009 for the original Wii, and introduces all new features and elements that take advantage of the new Wii U GamePad tablet controller.

The biggest addition to the game is the ability to play as your Mii in place of Mario, Luigi and Toads, as seen NSMB Wii. Now you can play four-player with each player taking controller of their Mii character. The thought behind this is that it is easier to not lose track of your character when their big head is YOUR head… the head of your Mii. Whether this actually works in practice remains to be seen. When Miis are small they look exactly like you’d expect, however collect a Mushroom and they will grow in size and wear a “Mario character” suit, dressed in red like Mario, Green like Luigi, Yellow like Wario or Purple Like Waluigi!

Here is the New Super Mario Bros. U E3 2012 Nintendo Press Conference Stage Demo for the Wii U launch game.

Also returning are Small Yoshis! Who you can use to eat enemies and turn them into… presumably, big Yoshis. (at least, I think those were Yoshis… *checks* Okay it is confirmed they ARE Small Yoshi!). One of the biggest new features is the ability to play the game using “Boost Mode”. In this mode, one player uses the Wii U GamePad tablet controller, and can place “Boost Blocks” anywhere on the screen using the Wii U GamePad’s touchscreen.

Touch the GamePad controller touchscreen to place Boost Blocks to help or hinder other players!

By doing this, he can help up to four-players who are playing the game with the Wii Remote. He can even change these blocks into smaller Coin Blocks. Of course, while the co-op player can help, they can also hinder by placing blocks to make life more difficult for the players playing the game. Nintendo even specifically mentioned that these Boost Blocks can be strategically placed in order to create better and improved Speedrun scores. It’s always great to see Nintendo discuss the speedrunning phenomenon! A phenomenon they started with Metroid, wherein players try to beat the game in the fastest time possible.

A very cool new Power-Up has been introduced for the first time in New Super Mario Bros. U, and it is the “Flying Squirrel Mario Suit”. By turning in Flying Squirrel Mario, Mario dons squirrel-like wings under his arms that allow him to gently glide and gain a boost of momentum and air by flicking the Wii U GamePad or Wii Remote!

Here is an indepth Takashi Tezuka New Super Mario Bros. U text interview, as well as the Nintendo Iwata Asks New Super Mario Bros. U interview with Takashi Tezuka.

Additionally, the different colored Small Yoshis offer all kinds of new abilities based on their color. Pink ones stretch out vertically and allow you to float through the air by fattening up, Blue Small Yoshi spit out bubbles and Yellow Small Yoshi give off light.

The other biggest feature for the game is the introduction of MiiVerse, Nintendo’s new online social feature built-in to the Wii U and inherently supported by every game. Using MiiVerse in New Super Mario Bros. U allows your friends to leave messages, like hints, tips, tricks, boasts, etc. on the actual World Map itself! These show up as speech balloons! And just like on the Wii U Main Menu, the MiiVerse screen itself, players can even take a screenshot, leave emoticons, or draw pictures in their messages! Very, VERY cool when you see this in action.

As for as the actual gameplay itself, it is typical sidescrolling Mario action. Goomba stomping, Koopa kicking, block busting, coin collecting, Power-Up nabbing, pit leaping, obstacle navigating, pipe-entering, run and jump action, as you head from the left to the right of the screen and navigate through the level from beginning to end. Nothing to see here, but now it comes in HD! The high-definition next-gen graphics deifnitely give the game a nice sheen to the graphics, but otherwise it looks exactly the same as New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

Which is to say, it looks like a whole barrel of fun! In single-player or multiplayer!

Here is the New Super Mario Bros. U official E3 2012 trailer.

 

E3 2012 Opinion: Xbox SmartGlass vs Wii U… Ingenius? Flattery of Highest Form? Or Outright Forgery? Will People Care About PlayStation Mobile and SmartGlass Enough To Actually Use It?

Will Xbox 360 SmartGlass be able to compete with the Wii U tablet or better it?

Xbox 360 SmartGlass has everyone’s head abuzz with opinions. Is SmartGlass a Wii U killer? Has Microsoft significantly jumped the gun on Nintendo enough to actually gain an upper hand?

Will this development send Nintendo back to the drawing board as far as what new features the Wii U will be compelled to support simply to compete with this new development?

Should Microsoft be punished for blatantly ripping the Wii U off? Should Nintendo be praised for once-again setting an industry standard that everyone else copies and then improves on? Is Xbox 360 Smart Glass just a natural development in the direction videogames and videogame developers were already headed in? That is, would Microsoft have developed Xbox 360 Smart Glass or something like it, even without the Wii U?

So many questions… so little answers.

It’s really anyone’s guess. One thing that IS certain though, and you can glean this from both Microsoft AND Sony’s press conferences… as well as from third-party developers… mobile gaming has literally changed the landscape of gaming as a whole. Similar to social network games and popular, household words like Facebook, the gaming landscape has shifted and is now taking these huge new changes into account. Better yet, the gaming industry is taking advantage of these new technologies to offer gamers new and ever-more-interactive and interconnected experiences. Experiences that are beginning to spread out… outside of a single game console.

While the BIG THREE won’t be getting together to make woopie anytime soon, the fact is these manufacterers have recognized that it is to their advantage to bring mobile devices and other machines into their fold. While allowing your mobile device to LITERALLY become a videogame controller and control your system using your smartphones touchscreen is a HUGE new development (who’s worth cannot be understated. This is BIG), if you think back even a couple years ago to Sony and their “PlayStation Suite”, or to Microsoft and their Windows Phone platforms… this kind of connectivity with mobile devices is something that has been bubbling under the service for years and years now.

However, I think it took the Wii U and its tablet controller and Nintendo’s fancy eye for innovate innovation, to violently shove Microsoft and Sony to put all they have into persuing their mobile ideas that they were already half-heartedly working on, thinking about, and considering. But now they’ve gone beyond thinking and considering and into action. And I can’t see how anyone could say this is a bad thing.

When the Windows Phone 7 was first announced, it was revealed that, if you bought one, you could instal your Xbox Live Avatar and Gaming Card onto the device by linking with your Xbox 360 account (which could also be done on Windows) and keep track of all your Xbox 360 Achievements, your GamersScore, etc. while you were on-the-go. Cool right? Sure. Who wouldn’t say that is pretty sweet. But is it cool enough to make you buy a Windows Phone over another platform? No. When Sony a few years ago announced the “PlayStation Suite” service, the goal was to expand the PlayStation brand into the mobile space. AWESOME!!! We all said. Then it was revealed that “bringing PlayStation to mobile”, in reality, meant being able to play 15-year-old PlayStation One games on your phone… and old crappy ones that everyone already owns at that. Yawn.

Do you see where I’m going with this? This development was already under way, but the way in which these publishers went about it was all wrong. Then in steps Nintendo. Out of absolutely NO WHERE, the company introduces the Wii U, a videogame system whose controller IS a touchscreen tablet, with traditional gaming controls built-in on the sides. Nintendo proceeds to show the Wii U Remote and Nunchuk and other devices interacting with the Wii Controller tablet (no officially called the Wii U GamePad) in ways that expand on what is being seen and percieved on the TV. They turn heads by showing a guy golfing, where the ball sits in a hole in the sand displayed on the Wii U tablet’s screen, and the guy then hits the Golfball by swinging the Wii Remote and the ball flies FROM the Wii U tablet and onto the TV screen…. Ingenius.

This causes Microsoft and Sony to kick themselves and say “Why didn’t we think of that?” Oh wait, we kinda did! We just didn’t really follow through with it! And that brings us to today. Yesterday Microsoft announced Xbox 360 SmartGlass, and that they are now putting their FULL WEIGHT behind mobile devices in order to move the Xbox 360 and all that it offers onto devices NOT CALLED the Xbox 360. While this may not include playing Xbox 360 games on other devices like PC, cellphones and tablets, it WILL mean more interconnectivity with Windows PCs, your Xbox 360, and your mobile devices than ever before. And it will mean new ways of interacting with your Xbox 360 using other devices.

The big draw was the ability to use your tablet or cellphones touchscreen to control your Xbox 360. Now there will be no need to fiddle around with the Xbox 360 controller when watching a TV show, as you can just sit back and use the cellphone in your pocket as a remote with which to select the show or entertainment you want to watch on your Xbox 360 and to pause, rewind, fast forward, skip scenes, etc. Beyond that, Xbox SmartGlass brings new functionality to your entertainment by allowing the additional screen to know what it is that you are doing on another device. Be it a Windows PC or your Xbox 360, your device will display relevant information or interactive features, greatly enhancing your experience.

All of this begs the question… will you be able to use the new screen in ways like the Wii U? For example, in an Aliens: Colonial Marines game, can you use your Xbox SmartGlass connected cellphone as a radar screen? The answer is YES. This was shown in multiple examples… however they were just examples… we’ll need to wait and see to find out how it will actually compare to what the final form of the Wii U brings to the table.

I would believe the Wii U has the edge, because unlike the tablet or cellphone which was not originally built with the Xbox 360 in mind, the Wii U tablet WAS built with your TV in mind, and can instantly with 100% NO LAG, display what is on the TV on your controller, and vice versa, as well as enhancing it.

As for Sony, they went as far as to rename their “PlayStation Suite” service and simply call it “PlayStation Mobile”, and they, just like Microsoft, are renewing their focus on hooking the PS3 and PS Vita to mobile devices. They are also pushing hard the ability to hook your PS3 up to your PS Vita, and to use the two vices together. Connectivity between the two will mean the ability to play the same game on both machines, and then stop playing on one machine, and pick up from where you left off on the other. The ability to share save files between both your PS3 and PS Vita, and surely much more.

Of course, Nintendo also messed around with portable connectivity between their GameCube and the Game Boy Advance back in 2004-2006, but that didn’t go anywhere important and very few people used it. Will people use it now with Sony?

I think the more likely answer is “probably not”. Few people have both a PS Vita AND a PS3, and for the most part they probably cannot be bothered or won’t care enough to link the two together and use them constantly. And the same goes for Microsoft. And THIS is where the other two run into problems that Nintendo avoids. Unlike Nintendo, these devices must already be owned, and must then be hooked up and synced in with the home system. Beyond that, the person has to give a sh*t about what you are doing with the connectivity. While people think that being able to see information about a TV show or movie on their cellphone as the movie or TV show is playing is cool, how many will actually care? When was the last time YOU watched a DVD/Bluray information pop-up special feature where you watch the whole movie as it pops up tidbits of info while you are watching it?

Most people do not care and find it distracting, and would rather just watch the movie. i.e., how often will you actually look down at your Xbox 360 SmartGlass-connected tablet or cellphone while you are watching The Matrix 4? It is more likely that you will NOT do this. Nintendo’s advantage is that everyone who buys a Wii U is buying it SOLELY for the Wii U tablet. This is the big selling point of the Wii U, and everyone who buys one will immediately be interested in using said tablet, and will not have to hassle with connecting the devices together and then remembering to use them.

Having additionally connectivity and functionality is one thing. Remembering to use it and caring enough to do so is a whole other ballgame. Case-in-point, I often have bought calenders, and hung them on my wall. But how often do I REMEMBER to check it every single morning? Hardly ever. I always forget even when I MEAN TO check it. This is Sony and Microsoft’s challenge. And it’ll be extremely interesting to see where we go from here. :)

Enjoy E3 2012!

 

Rise and Shine E3 2012ers! Nintendo Press Conference Wii U Megatons Is One Hour Away!

Hello sunshine! Rise and wakey wakey! Get ready for E3 2012 and Nintendo’s E3 Wii U Conference!

RISE & SHINE GET! Hello sunshine, did your sleepyhead get enough rest?

Well it better have, because Nintendo’s E3 2012 Press Conference is only one hour and 30 minutes away! Get prepared for E3 2012 Day 1 and for major Nintendo megaton announcements for the Wii U and 3DS as the company gets prepared to officially enter the next generation and retire the original Wii!

Of course, that doesn’t mean we might not get a Wii or DSi game or two slipped in, but the vast majority of game announcements will revolve around Nintendo’s upcoming next-generation console the Wii U; and whatever new games Nintendo and third-parties have up there sleeves to show off the upcoming console.

Might we also get a new name for the system, or will Wii U remain the final name? We’ll find out soon! Wakey wakey! :D

 

Question of the Day Poll – Who Won the Pre-E3 2012 Press Conference War? Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft or EA? (June 4 2012)

Microsoft versus Sony versus EA versus Ubisoft. Who won E3 2012 so far Press Conference wise in your opinion?

The poll question for June 4th 2012 is this, which company won the battle of the Pre-E3 2012 Press Conferences?

Your choices are:

* Microsoft
* Electronic Arts
* Ubisoft
* Sony

Nintendo doesn’t hold their conference until tomorrow, so they aren’t in this running. So who won?

Previous Poll Questions of the Day

* Question of the Day Poll – Coke or Pepsi? (June 3 2012)
* Question of the Day Poll – What Next-Gen System Most Excites You? Wii U, PS4, or Xbox 720? (May 31, 2012)
* Question of the Day Poll – Who Will Win the 2012 Election, President Obama or Mitt Romney? (May 30, 2012)
* Quote of the Day (Poll) – To Send A Letter Is A Good Way To Go Somewhere Without Moving Anything But Your Heart (May 29, 2012)
* Memorial Day Poll – Do You Know A Loved One That Has Died Serving America in the Military? (Question of the Day) (May 28 2012)
* Question of the Day Poll – Will the Supreme Court Overturn ObamaCare? Yes or No (May 27 2012)
* Question of the Day Poll – What E3 2012 Games Are You Most Excited About? (May 26, 2012)
* Question of the Day Poll – Who Will Win the NBA Playoffs 2012? (May 24 2012)

 

Big Daddy and Nathan Drake Screenshots PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale (E3 2012)

The Big Daddy is a default playable character in PlayStation All-Stars, complete with Little Sis Super Moves!

PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royal gets Nathan Drake from Uncharted and Big Daddy from Bioshock, which is definitely a HUGE shock, announced Sony at their E3 2012 Pre-E3 Press Conference.

Big Daddy is the Bowser of the group of PlayStation favorites, a hulking brute of brute strength and force. Additionally a Little Sister does appear alongside him at certain times and will come in during Supers and the like.

Less gameplay footage of Nathan Drake was shown, but you can see him wielding a minigun in the screenshots here. Enjoy!

A big and up-close look at the Big Daddy playable character in PlayStation All-Stars.

Watch out for Nathan Drake, he’s wielding a minigun!

Nathan Drake and Big Daddy TOGETHER FOREVER IN A TREE K.I.S.S.I.N.G.

Big Daddy is attacking or being attacked? I report, you decide!

Is Big Daddy getting ready to perform a devastating super attack?!

 

WonderBook and J.K. Rowlings Book of Spells for PS Move On PS3 Reinvents the Storybook. Announced At Sony E3 2012 Press Conference

Wonderbook announced as all-new physical PS Move book device that reinvents the storybook in new and interactive ways like nothing ever seen before exclusively for the PS3.

Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling and her Potermore label are directly involved in the creation of the first book for the new platform in a promise “library” of new books. Its unclear if these books will be available digitally or not, once you buy the physical book.

Using Wonderbook, books come to life, pop out of the screen, can turn 3D and can be interacted with in amazing ways.

Book of Spells allows you to explore the history of Harry Potter with all-new writing from J.K. Rowling, including unlockable poems of students at Hogwarts who didn’t live up to their potential. This biggest draw though outside of the history and exposition you will learn about Harry Potter, is the way the book teaches you to learn actual Harry Potter spells, and cast them with your “wand” represented by the PlayStation Move Controller. Ones spells are learned you can play minigames that allow you to test them out (such as lighting paper bugs on fire with the fire spell) and then use them to solve puzzles allowing you to delve deeper into the books story. You’ll even literally turn the pages to see all-new areas of the book and further explore it’s pages (which in reality are blank, but appear real on the PS3).

Sony promises the PS Move PS3 Wonderbook will not only offer Harry Potter fans a sorcery-filled experience, but will offer all manner of new books by legit authors and explore educational and scientific subjects among other topics.

The Wonderbook definitely seems aimed at children, but if taken further than that it could be a really, REALLY cool idea. Could you imagine if books were literally given a new, physical, interactive dimension and were fully embraced on the Wonderbook? Why not bring all kinds of books to the PlayStation Network and compete with the Kindle and such in ways they never dreamed off directly on your TV?

My Notes:
Wonderbook. Physical book brings stories to life using Augmented Reality using PS Eye. Explore and interact like never before. Walk with dinosaurs, explore the stars. Traditional reading takes on whole new meaning. Diverse library of content, educational, scientific with great talent and authors. Moonbot Studios (oscar-winning short videos and interactive books). New IP, Diggs Nightcrawler, detective story film noir.
Wonderbook: Book of Spells… Pottermore, unique website builds exciting online experience. Exclusive new and original writing from J.K. Rawling herself. Cast spells with PlayStation Move as Magic Wand. Art of spellcasting and Wizardry just like students at Hogwarts…
Miranda Gawshak from J.K. Rawling. Re-invention of the storybook.Words, pictures, stories come to life. Learn history of spell, learn to cast them, try them with puzzles and challenges. Books come to life like never before. Explore Harry Potter spells. Dragon lights book on fire and you have to put it out with your hands. Places hands on book and ashes disipate. 3D picture is created in book. Rotate book to see all around it. Poems are unlocked regarding Hogwarts student who didn’t live up to expectations. First of many books released for Wonderbook library.

 

Far Cry 3 Four-Player Co-Op And Map Editor Confirmed (Sony E3 2012 Press Conference)

Far Cry 3 is shaping up to be an absolutely massive game. And they just took it to the next level at the Sony Pre-E3 2012 Press Conference.

Four-Player co-op has been confirmed for the game! In fact a true and full co-op campaign the developers went as far as calling a completely second game. True cooperation is required to make it through.

Players will also be able to build their own levels with a full-on Map Editor! More soon.

 

Man Your Own Ship In Assassin’s Creed III Sea Battles!

Man, control, drive and fire cannons from your own ship in Assassin’s Creed 3! :O

Assassin’s Creed 3 will not only be fought on land, but at sea! Man your own wooden ship, take the controls and fight roaring ocean battles with other vessels!

You, as Connor at the wheel, will control where the ship goes and when the cannons fire! Not only is the action intense and insane, but dynamic weather has been added to make the visuals absolutely spellbinding!

You have to see it in action to believe it! I’ll post screenshots and video as soon as its available, once the Sony Pre-E3 2012 Press Conference ends!

 

E3 2012 Ubisoft Full Entire Press Conference Video Beginning To End (Pre-E3)

She just got to TOUCH THE MAGIC… Watch and you’ll understand.

The full, entire E3 2012 Ubisoft Press Conference video is here for your viewing pleasure. If you missed anything, check it out and you’ll be all caught up for what Ubisoft had to show and announced for E3 2012!

New announcements and highlights include: Assassin’s Creed 3, Watch Dogs (INCREDIBLE!), Far Cry 3, Rayman Legends, Splinter Cell: Blacklist, ZombiU, Just Dance 4 (the show opens with Flo Rida performing a concert in promotion) and ShootMania. Other titles were also mentioned.

Full Ubisoft E3 2012 Press Conference Video

Many people thought that Ubisoft had the strongest and best E3 2012 Press Conference by far, out of the E3 2012 Press Conferences for Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony and EA. What do you think? Did Ubisoft wow you between Assassin’s Creed 3, Splinter Cell Blacklist, Rayman Legends, ZombieU and Watch Dogs? Do you think they stole the show? Do they win by default by the simple fact that they managed to slip Assassin’s Creed 3 and other Ubisoft games into each and every major press conference? VOTE NOW!

How would you rate Ubisoft’s E3 2012 Press Conference?

Don’t forget to check out the other E3 2012 Press Conferences:
* E3 2012 Sony Full Entire Press Conference Video Beginning To End
* E3 2012 Microsoft Full Entire Press Conference Video Beginning To End
* E3 2012 Nintendo Full Entire Press Conference Video Beginning to End
* E3 2012 Electronic Arts Full Entire Press Conference Video Beginning To End

 

Assassin’s Creed 3 E3 2012 Gameplay Stage Demo Drops Jaws With Pure Unadulterated Bad-Assery

You play as a Native American Indian named Connor in one of the most kickass games ever conceived.

Assassin’s Creed 3. E3 2012. Gameplay. Movie scenes. I’ll let that sink in….

Done weeping with joy? Epic bliss isn’t it? Already easily one of the most epic games Ubisoft has ever conceived, Assassin’s Creed 3 rips the door off the hinges of the series by placing players in the shoes of a Native American set to the backdrop of the American Revolutionary War against the British.

Take the amazing building hopping, parkour of past games and replace those buildings with trees, nature, snow, and rock formations… add in ancient weaponry, axes, bow-and-arrows and horses galore… As well as wild beasts, amazing graphics and an absolutely incredible premise, and you have Assassin’s Creed 3.

Known to make grown men cry; here is the Assassin’s Creed 3 debut campaign gameplay trailer from Ubisoft’s E3 2012 Pre-E3 Press Conference.

The above video is actually DIRECT FEED footage of the highest quality. It is exactly what was shown during the stage demo, but without the audience reaction and camera zooming out to show the person playing it and whatnot. Which is fine by me! But I’ll post the actual stage demo that was seen live when its up.