The following selection includes some of the most promising looking games and devices that were introduced in this year’s E3.

It is a subjective selection that might not please any gamer out there. Keep in mind that we have all the gaming systems out there and enjoy playing games on all of them.

Hardware

Two hardware announcements stick out. Microsoft’s Project Natal was introduced as Kinect for Xbox 360 which looks like a Nintendo Wii with better graphics and without controllers. Some games and applications for it look very interesting while others plain silly. It remains to be seen if the price and the available games will convince Xbox 360 users to buy the add-on device though. Most promising looking game so far was Ubisoft’s Your Shape: Fitness Evolve followed by Dance Central. The Star Wars game looked very rough and repetitive.

microsoft kinect

Second hardware device and in our opinion the hardware of this E3 the new Nintendo 3Ds, a 3D version of Nintendo’s popular handheld system. The 3D does not need glasses which is probably the coolest thing about it.

Lots of old school games have been introduced including Donkey Kong Country Returns and Kid Icarus: Uprising. These old school games have a bigger appeal than many of the new game series with their colorful graphics.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine will be released for Xbox 360 and PS3. Could be a Gears of War type of game, but it hopefully will bring more to the table.

Star Wars The Old Republic, the only MMORPG that I personally will take a closer look at. Bioware never disappointed yet, don’t think they will with this game.

Mafia II will be released for PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

Nintendo had a very strong showing with titles like Zelda: Skyward Sword, Goldeneye Wii or Metroid: Other M.

Microsoft and Sony showed more or less the usual games that they show on every E3 from Gears of War 3 and Killzone 3 to Metal Gear Solid: Rising and Madden NFL 11.

Lots of games to play if you like these type of games. We keep an eye on any surprise announcements in the coming days. If you have spotted a game that you think should be in our small listing let us know in the comments.

The file that you have to download is called OOT GB Demo. Please note that this game is currently a demonstration only, I’m not sure how far you can play at the moment, the author however is still developing the game which means that we can except a complete game to be released in the near future.

The story follows Link, a young boy living with a race called the Kokiri, who is called by the Great Deku Tree and discovers he must go on a quest to amazingly stop a “dark stranger” who lays a curse on the tree, and eventually travels back and forth through time to help save Hyrule from destruction by the forces of evil. (wikipedia)

Enjoy this classic game, please note that you will have to create a save game first before you can start playing the game. Make sure you read the readme file that is included in the download to know about the keys that are used to play the game.

Wikipedia lists 26 games that will be available on launch day in Northern America, some are the usual multi-platform titles but many make good use of the new controlling scheme. Still, only a few rely on the scheme exclusively. A big advantage of Nintendo’s Wii is the price – the basic system including the Wii Sports game costs only $249.99, this is less than half the price of a premium playstation 3 system which does not ship with a game.

Games for the Wii seem to have a lower price as well, most stay close to $50 while PS3 titles are closer to mid-end $50. The Wii still features all those popular games, like Mario, Zelda and Metroid that made Nintendo the biggest player in the video game market which is great for Nintendo fans. It also offers the unique opportunity for different kind of games that have not been possible with normal controllers.

Let us start with the games, I included at least one link to reviews or previews to give you the ability to read more about a specific title that could be of interest to you.

Avatar: The Last Airbender (ign preview)
Barnyard (ign preview)
Call of Duty 3 (ign review: 7.7)
Cars (gamespot review)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (ign preview)
Excite Truck (ign preview)
GT Pro Series (ign preview)
Happy Feet (gamespot review)
Madden NFL 07 (ign preview)
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (ign preview)
Metal Slug Anthology (gamespot preview)
Monster 4×4 World Circuit (gamespot review)
Need for Speed: Carbon (ign preview)
Open Season (gamespot preview)
Rapala Tournament Fishing (gamespot preview)
Rayman Raving Rabbids (ign preview)
Red Steel (ign preview)
SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab (ign preview)
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (ign review: 8.4)
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (gamespot preview)
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (lawrence: 9.9)
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Double Agent (gamespot preview)
Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam (ign preview)
Trauma Center: Second Opinion (ign review: 8.0)
Wii Sports (ign review: 7.5, lawrence: 8.9)
World Series of Poker (gamespot preview)

Everyone has of course his own game types that he likes to play, some like Sport games, some racing, some roleplaying games. It is a matter of taste and the Wii should deliver something for everyone. Let us take a look at the most interesting games of some of the most popular categories:

Wii Party Games: Wii Sports included, Rayman Raving Rabbids, probably Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz. Watch out for Wii Play which is a launch title in Europe.
Wii Games you can’t do anything wrong with: Zelda
Unique to the Wii and worth a look: Trauma Center: Second Opinion, Red Steel

Everything else is up to you. If you have not played all those typical games that come out for all systems (Splinter Cell, all EA games, Call of Duty 3 aso you might want to check them out as well.)

I will buy a Wii and use it for games that you can play with friends plus games that use the unique controller for the Wii in a great way. I will not buy conversions, I will not buy all those games that you can buy for every system that comes out. Wii is unique and that is what I want as well, unique games.