The Video Game Critic

Holy smokes that balance board accessory for Wii Fit looks incredible. It's like a scale, but is also a balance board. Measures body mass index and all sorts of data, including balance, what foot you favor, and so forth.

Activities in Wii Fit include shifting left and right to avoid objects, shifting right and left to execute body checks, and of course lots of fitness activities.

The board is wireless and can obviously be used for other games.

I think it's a great move. Mainly because this is the sort of thing that will get lots of mainstream press coverage.

Otherwise, I liked the gesture based visor control in Metroid, and the gun peripheral that will ship with Umbrella Chronicles looked pretty sweet (it kinds of looks like a shotgun).

Overall, though, great move introducing a cool new peripheral that I'm sure the Wii install base will gobble up. I sure know I will.

-Rob

Well, Nintendo certainly faired a bit better than Microsoft.  They seem to be in love with these new controllers and devices.  I am personally really excited about that board...it looks like it could be alot of fun.  Also I'm glad that Nintendo is going to have a Wii Zapper.  Lets pray that Sega and Namco port over some classic and new light gun shooters.  Also Umbrella Chronicles is looking like a purchase for me.

I'm glad to hear Mario Kart is making the jump to the Wii so soon.  It took them forever to get all these big franchises out on the Gamecube.  Luckily the Wii will have most of the big Nintendo IPs out within the first year and a half.  I'm curious to see whats so special about the steering wheel that is coming packed in with Mario Kart. 

One thing I know for sure is that I'm gonna need to invest in a storage bin or two for all the official Nintendo accessories that are coming out.

Going in, I knew of the Wii fitness game, but had no interset. I thought it would be doing excersies/minigames with the wimote with wrist weights.
I don't really want or need an excericse game, but this thing could be big. Surprised by how substantial and quality that pad appears. Obviously it will be a package deal,  think they can keep it at $50?

Also interested in the Zapper $20 combo, can't wait to hear more about the game they pack with it. This one really has my attention, and this is from a guy who whines about how many periphials you need for the wimote!

I wonder how sophisticated the wimote wheel or whaterever for MK is, I'm not sure I like a wheel that aint mounted to anything.

Hope they show off some games for Wii Ware, seems like every non trad game we get for the Wii is a bundle!

I think MP3, SSBB and SMG are all going to be very very very good. Nintendo has the golden touch right now.

[QUOTE=JustLikeHeaven]Well, Nintendo certainly faired a bit better than Microsoft. 
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I think as far as new announcements Nintendo did awsome in there press conference but as far as killer games this holiday season I think Microsoft will do incredible.

[QUOTE=Superjay][QUOTE=JustLikeHeaven]Well, Nintendo certainly faired a bit better than Microsoft. 
[/QUOTE]
I think as far as new announcements Nintendo did awsome in there press conference but as far as killer games this holiday season I think Microsoft will do incredible.
[/QUOTE]

I think Smash Bros. + Metroid + Mario Galaxy will send the Nintendo hardcore into a frenzy.  Those three games coming out within a 5 month span is a pretty devastating combination for the big N.  Plus there are bound to be sleepers that make a decent splash as well...

However, I agree with you that Microsoft also has a sizable payload to unleash upon the masses.  Halo 3, Mass Effect, Blue Dragon and maybe Too Human (I hope it comes out this year) should help more people scoop up 360s.  Plus they have a bunch of 3rd party stuff they share with Sony.  However I would have liked some ground breaking announcement from Microsoft instead of a bunch of numbers and some release dates.

[QUOTE=JustLikeHeaven]
I think Smash Bros. + Metroid + Mario Galaxy will send the Nintendo hardcore into a frenzy.  Those three games coming out within a 5 month span is a pretty devastating combination for the big N.  Plus there are bound to be sleepers that make a decent splash as well...

However, I agree with you that Microsoft also has a sizable payload to unleash upon the masses.  Halo 3, Mass Effect, Blue Dragon and maybe Too Human (I hope it comes out this year) should help more people scoop up 360s.  Plus they have a bunch of 3rd party stuff they share with Sony.  However I would have liked some ground breaking announcement from Microsoft instead of a bunch of numbers and some release dates.
[/QUOTE]
I totally agree with you about the hardcore getting the Nintendo games but I don't think you can discount the multi platform games from making a bucketload of money especially for the 360. Games like Madden, Call of Duty 4, Rock Band, Devil may Cry, and last but not least GTA. Maybe you don't like some of these games but I think we can both agree that people will be buying most of these games in droves. The reason why I say they will sell more on 360 is because they are not coming out for Wii(except Madden) and the PS3 has a smaller installation base.

My biggest problem with Nintendo's presentation were those Youtube-esque videos they stuck in between their announcements.  Seriously, Sony pulled that same kind of thing last year and it was one of the things that made them look contrived.  Sony seemed to have learned their lesson from that backlash and greatly improved on their conference from last year, while Nintendo seems to have regressed a little into that sort of viral marketing vids.

I have to admit though, I did laugh out loud when during one of those videos, a clip showed two Japanese guys playing with their Miis and then bursting in song towards the camera.  I almost plastered my lunch on my office wall.  If only that clip ran a little longer.

Another thing I hated -- having that couple who supposedly run a "hardcore gaming" website come up to demo the DS Zelda and the Wii Metroid Prime -- and then talking the whole time while they played, with the actual playtime being VERY short.  I wanted to see more in-game play -- not hear more hype and see "cultural phenomena" videos plastered everywhere.

LOL. I would like to travel back in time to 1996, and read the Saturn people complain about PS1's success, and come up with all kinds of excuses as to why it would fail. Of course, I wouldn't be using a message board system.. probably something like alt.news.videogames or something on USEnet.... ahhh... good ol' USEnet.... (-:

I was just back from the Gamestop, picking up Resident I for the Cube. I chatted with the guy about E3, and he said something to the affect of, "I am dissapointed by Nintendo, they ignore teh hardc0re." Ok, well, he didn't quite put it that way, but it was close (-:

It is odd how some people can't look at the balance board and think, wow, that's terrific, look at all the cool stuff that thing can do. And to Mephisto's comment, if Nintendo wants to put the arcade at home, terrific. I'm all for that. Though I think there is more to it than that.

Anyway, I'm very excited for the future. Good on Nintendo for providing another big surprise at E3.

-Rob