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Three's A Magic Number: The Wii Turns 3!

E3 2009

by Pedro Hernandez - November 18, 2009, 7:47 pm EST

We look back at some of the most significant events in the Wii's third year.


E3 2009

By: Pedro Hernandez, Staff Writer


E3 2006 is remembered as the E3 that Nintendo ruled with an iron fist, the moment when Sony created an internet fad of epic proportions, and the last of the "spectacle" E3s. Long story short, some companies felt that too much money was being spent on creating huge booths and amazing shows, and very little effort was going towards the business side. The next year, E3 was scaled down significantly, to the point where surprise game announcements were limited. But the E3 that truly annoyed people with its new format was E3 2008. Nintendo fans remember it as a day of infamy. Even with the promise of Wii MotionPlus providing true 1:1 controls, the conference was extremely weak in terms of game announcements. Nintendo devoted a great chunk of its time to Wii Music, a game that was destined to be reviled by the gaming media.

But Nintendo wasn't the only one that under-delivered. Event attendance on the whole was poor, companies were holding back a lot of announcements, and the excitement was nearly non-existent. This forced the event creators to re-think their strategy and bring back the E3 of yesteryear.

When this was confirmed, fans were excited, and so were the game companies. Millions were spent on securing booth space despite the poor economy, but all eyes were on Nintendo. Everyone from Reggie to Iwata confessed that their E3 2008 press conference was a disappointment. Would they focus on their blue ocean games again, or would they announce games that catered to their core fanbase? This was answered at E3 2009.

Right off the bat, Nintendo held a press conference that was serious and professional. No more on-stage shenanigans or silly game presentations. Everyone who spoke during the presentation, from Cammie Dunaway to Reggie Fils-Aime, was focused on selling games, not creating a show. Thanks to this, a lot of games were covered.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009:

The first big announcement of the show was New Super Mario Bros. Wii, a follow-up to the phenomenal DS title. This time around, the biggest innovation was the opportunity of playing with four other players at once. Long rumored before E3, Nintendo announced Wii Fit Plus, an expansion of the original Wii Fit featuring new Balance Board games and custom routine modes.

Game Developers Conference 2009:

Announced the previous year, Nintendo put a strong emphasis on MotionPlus and its maiden game, Wii Sports Resort. The first footage of the game was that of a Mii jumping off an airplane, participating in a sky ballet with other Miis. When the character opened his parachute, the words "Wii Sports Resort" came on –screen. From that moment on, gamers knew they were in for a real treat. Some of the new events confirmed at the conference were Basketball and Crossbow.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009: Finger meet trap

Nintendo's president, Satoru Iwata, then took the stage to talk about Nintendo's blue ocean strategy. After a long speech, he unveiled the next Wii peripheral: the Wii Vitality Sensor. The unit would connect to the Wii Remote and the player would insert his or her index finger. No games supporting the device were shown at the show, making the unveiling one of the strangest announcements from Nintendo in recent times.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009:

Another game that was heavily rumored to be at the show was the sequel to Nintendo's critical darling, Super Mario Galaxy. The rumors became real when Nintendo announced Super Mario Galaxy 2. While no playable demos were shown, a trailer showcased that the game would once again be in 3D and feature gravity-based gameplay. Yoshi was also confirmed to make an appearance as Mario's mode of transportation. Details were limited, but the potential was there.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009:

Third-party games also had a presence at the conference. Labeled as "core games", Reggie spoke proudly of High Voltage Software's The Conduit, EA's Dead Space: Extraction, and Capcom's Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009:

The presentation concluded with the biggest announcement of them all: Metroid: Other M. What was even more surprising than a new Metroid title was that it was being developed by Team Ninja, known for their work on the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive games for Tecmo. Other M aims to dive deep into Samus' backstory and deliver gameplay that pays tribute to the classic games, while creating a following of its own.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009:

After the show, even more games were revealed and, to an extent, confirmed to be releasing in North America. Endless Ocean 2, the sequel to last year's scuba diving simulator, will send players once again to the deep blue sea. But this time, the waters will be filled with dangers. The dangerous marine life will attack players if they are not careful. The Nintendo-published Span Smasher has players controlling a bouncing character and guiding him through dangerous obstacles. Line Attack Heroes was another Nintendo-published title that made its first debut in North America.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009:

But the title that truly made gamers happy was Sin and Punishment 2, developed by Treasure. First confirmed at the 2008 Nintendo Fall Summit, Sin and Punishment 2 made its first playable appearance at the show.

Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009:

After E3, Shigeru Miyamoto held a roundtable discussion with the press. While most of the discussion was aimed towards New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Super Mario Galaxy 2, the next Zelda game was briefly talked about. A lone piece of art was shown, displaying Link with a blue spirit. The only other detail offered by the game designer was that the game might use MotionPlus for accurate sword movement and aiming. Sure enough, it was recently confirmed that Zelda Wii will require the unit. It was a brief confirmation but one that pleased gamers everywhere.

While the conference wasn't filled with many Earth-shattering announcements, and some felt that Nintendo had played it too safe, it was a major step up from 2008. Third-party games also played a considerable role in Nintendo's presentation, assuring gamers that there were more surprises to come on the Wii. At E3 2009 Nintendo was all about the games.

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