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The Highs and Lows of Nintendo's E3 2016
Nintendo focused on one game at this year's E3. Did that plan work in its favor?
Nintendo had a few games to talk about at E3 this year, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the unequivocal star of the show. Sure enough, Nintendo gave it the red carpet treatment, dedicating nearly all of its energy to what staff have described as the biggest Nintendo game ever made. But with NX on the horizon, was Zelda special enough to make up for the upcoming console’s absence?
Highlights: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Blows Everyone Away
It turns out the answer is: yes, one game can carry an entire show. At least when its as good as the new Zelda. Breath of the Wild takes the open-ended nature of the original NES Zelda game and spices it up with survival mechanics like hunting, cooking, and equipment durability. There's a web of interconnected systems, most notably physics and AI, that make for a game that's flexible and yields different results depending on who's holding the controller.
Every person we spoke with at E3 had wildly different experiences to share, and nary a bad word to say. Breath of the Wild is far and away the most interesting and exciting game Nintendo has made in years, and if there's one way to get people to buy NX, it's by showing them a game that may forever redefine one of the most important video game series of all time.
Highlights: You Won't be Forced to Play Zelda With the GamePad
When Nintendo debuted Star Fox Zero last year, fans were at first thrilled that a beloved series was returning to the scene, but then Nintendo dropped the bomb: the game was designed around the GamePad and thus could only be played with the cumbersome hybrid tablet-controller. Star Fox Zero wasn't a bad game, and the GamePad controls worked OK in most situations, but people want options, not rules. For The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, players will be able to play with the GamePad or with the more traditional Wii U Pro Controller; either Nintendo listened to its fans or there's something about the NX that makes it unreasonable for Nintendo to design BotW around a soon to be outdated controller.
Highlights: Nintendo Creates the most Amazing Booth at E3
To give players the true Zelda experience, Nintendo created a massive and elaborate booth for its Legend of Zelda demo stations. Inside, full-scale replicas of enemies, props, and even real grass, created a theme-park experience for visitors unlike anything else at the show.
Highlights: Great Amiibo Announcements
Nintendo can't pass-up an opportunity to announce new Amiibo! In addition to revealing a slew of Super Mario figures--Daisy, Waluigi, and Boo--Nintendo also announced three new Zelda Amiibo. When The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is released next year, it will be sold alongside the Archer Link, Rider Link, and Guardian Amiibo figures, which Nintendo claims are its most detailed toys to date. The Guardian Amiibo is interesting on its own due to its size and the fact that each of its legs are posable--a first for an Amiibo. It has also been confirmed that anyone who owns the the Wolf Link Amiibo that came packaged with physical copies of the HD remaster of Twilight Princess can use it to summon Wolf Link into the Breath of the Wild as a traveling companion.
Needs improvement: NX Announcements
We know Nintendo is making NX, its upcoming video game platform, but beyond that, the only official details are: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will release for the system, the NX is an "all-new concept," and the current plan is to release it in March 2017. Granted, Zelda may be a system seller, but if Nintendo wanted to truly dominate E3, there would have been no better way than by revealing its new console.
Needs improvement: Mother 3 (Earthbound 2) Announcement
OK, Nintendo. You've granted us access to Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings, but where's the third chapter? Mother 3--aka Earthbound 2--arrived on the Wii U virtual console in Japan late last year, and everyone was hoping for an announcement for the west during E3. But alas, you keep playing hard to get, Nintendo. Why must you taunt us!?
Biggest game: Breath...
Biggest game:...of...
Biggest game:...the...
Biggest game:...WILD
More...
Nintendo had a few games to talk about at E3 this year, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the unequivocal star of the show. Sure enough, Nintendo gave it the red carpet treatment, dedicating nearly all of its energy to what staff have described as the biggest Nintendo game ever made. But with NX on the horizon, was Zelda special enough to make up for the upcoming console’s absence?
Highlights: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Blows Everyone Away
It turns out the answer is: yes, one game can carry an entire show. At least when its as good as the new Zelda. Breath of the Wild takes the open-ended nature of the original NES Zelda game and spices it up with survival mechanics like hunting, cooking, and equipment durability. There's a web of interconnected systems, most notably physics and AI, that make for a game that's flexible and yields different results depending on who's holding the controller.
Every person we spoke with at E3 had wildly different experiences to share, and nary a bad word to say. Breath of the Wild is far and away the most interesting and exciting game Nintendo has made in years, and if there's one way to get people to buy NX, it's by showing them a game that may forever redefine one of the most important video game series of all time.
Highlights: You Won't be Forced to Play Zelda With the GamePad
When Nintendo debuted Star Fox Zero last year, fans were at first thrilled that a beloved series was returning to the scene, but then Nintendo dropped the bomb: the game was designed around the GamePad and thus could only be played with the cumbersome hybrid tablet-controller. Star Fox Zero wasn't a bad game, and the GamePad controls worked OK in most situations, but people want options, not rules. For The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, players will be able to play with the GamePad or with the more traditional Wii U Pro Controller; either Nintendo listened to its fans or there's something about the NX that makes it unreasonable for Nintendo to design BotW around a soon to be outdated controller.
Highlights: Nintendo Creates the most Amazing Booth at E3
To give players the true Zelda experience, Nintendo created a massive and elaborate booth for its Legend of Zelda demo stations. Inside, full-scale replicas of enemies, props, and even real grass, created a theme-park experience for visitors unlike anything else at the show.
Highlights: Great Amiibo Announcements
Nintendo can't pass-up an opportunity to announce new Amiibo! In addition to revealing a slew of Super Mario figures--Daisy, Waluigi, and Boo--Nintendo also announced three new Zelda Amiibo. When The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is released next year, it will be sold alongside the Archer Link, Rider Link, and Guardian Amiibo figures, which Nintendo claims are its most detailed toys to date. The Guardian Amiibo is interesting on its own due to its size and the fact that each of its legs are posable--a first for an Amiibo. It has also been confirmed that anyone who owns the the Wolf Link Amiibo that came packaged with physical copies of the HD remaster of Twilight Princess can use it to summon Wolf Link into the Breath of the Wild as a traveling companion.
Needs improvement: NX Announcements
We know Nintendo is making NX, its upcoming video game platform, but beyond that, the only official details are: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will release for the system, the NX is an "all-new concept," and the current plan is to release it in March 2017. Granted, Zelda may be a system seller, but if Nintendo wanted to truly dominate E3, there would have been no better way than by revealing its new console.
Needs improvement: Mother 3 (Earthbound 2) Announcement
OK, Nintendo. You've granted us access to Earthbound and Earthbound Beginnings, but where's the third chapter? Mother 3--aka Earthbound 2--arrived on the Wii U virtual console in Japan late last year, and everyone was hoping for an announcement for the west during E3. But alas, you keep playing hard to get, Nintendo. Why must you taunt us!?
Biggest game: Breath...
Biggest game:...of...
Biggest game:...the...
Biggest game:...WILD
More...