Gaming News - G4TV: E3 2010: Nintendo Press Conference Pre-Game Report

The Nintendo press conference is always the highlight of my E3, going back to the very first time I went in 1997. I was some no-name writer for some no-name fansite that got "press" credentials back in the day when all you needed was your own homemade business cards. It was such a fun event for a Nintendo fan to attend, and over the years as I developed into the well-respected professional that I currently am (cue laughter), the Nintendo conference is always the thing I look forward to most. Even when it's been bad (which it truly has at times), it's still fun talking about.

I'm at the LA Live theater in the Nokia complex in downtown LA. Jake is with me with the camera, Patrick's on TV, and we're about to see Nintendo's plans for 2010 and beyond.

Pfister's Pfive Pforecasts:

1. The 3DS will have a proper name, a rough release window, but no price. We'll probably get that through some random Japanese newspaper sometime in September, because that's how these things usually play out. Pokemon Black & White won't be 3D-enabled, but I think we'll see a familiar franchise as a marquee game. I hope it's Star Fox. I also would accept New Super Mario Bros. 2. Also, and this might be a stretch, but I have a funny feeling that what was once called "Metroid Dread" could come back.



2. The 3DS hardware itself will be not too far from the various mock-ups floating around, only with a much better (read: professional) design aesthetic. Power-wise, it's a bit unrealistic to expect it to be around Xbox 360 parity, but I wouldn't be surprised -- or disappointed -- if we got GameCube/Wii-level visuals.

3. IGN ran a rumor/report over the weekend that Retro Studios (of Metroid Prime fame) have been working on a Donkey Kong revival. For some reason, I believe this to be true. It'll be the surprise equivalent of Metroid: Other M being developed by Team Ninja at last year's conference.

4. Along with games made for the Vitality Sensor, Wii MotionPlus will get refreshed support now that it's an official Wii hardware pack-in. Including...

5. The New Legend of Zelda. What I don't want: motion control for every sword swing. What I do want: A structural overhaul so that it doesn't feel like I'm playing another interpretation of Ocarina of Time (and that's with me loving Wind Waker and Twilight Princess). When it comes to all the details in between, I trust Miyamoto and Aonuma.

Watch the conference live on G4 or live via our web streams, and be sure to tune in to our first live edition of Feedback on G4 television, 6:30PM PDT / 9:30PM PDT. Adam, Abbie, Patrick, and Morgan will be talking about the Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony press conferences, and you won't want to miss it. And like yesterday's conferences, I'll be writing a post-show report to see how right (or wrong) I was.







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