X360 Magazine: Nintendo wins E3 (just…)

360 magazine in ‘voting for the enemy’ shock…

It’s true though, isn’t it? Now the three major platform holders have exposed their wares, we find ourselves in the unusual position of Microsoft selling casual games to an enthusiast crowd, Nintendo selling hardcore games to yo’ mama, and Sony occupying the centre ground with a conference so interesting a colleague actually cornered me to ask “so, did they annouce any PS3 games, then?”

In time honoured fashion then, we present our review of E3, scoring each manufacturer so trolls can argue about it.

Microsoft

Positive – Minecraft’s finally making its (officially sanctioned) way to our console, Modern Warfare is James Bond but looks spectacular. Though we’ll probably be driving a helicopter into a helicopter, next. Halo 4 has a few folks waving their hands in the air, while everyone else droops uncontrollably.

Negative – Phil Spencer attempting to tell us what YouTube is. The desperation of Microsoft foisting separate yet entirely disposable Kinect experiences upon titles that just don’t need them. The realisation that many ‘dedicated’ Kinect titles will continue to be the on-rails shooters and racers they’ve so far been, pleasing only fake fathers that really should be on some sort of register. 5/10

Sony

Positive – The Playstation Vita looks like a complicated, yet attractive, option, as does the company’s ‘split screen on one screen’ monitor, which certainly beats sticking a big piece of cardboard down the centre of the display.

Negative – Not a whole lot announced for the current generation, besides more three-dimensional guff for those with a bank balance beyond your average gamer. Of course, the lack of extensive self-flagellation due to the PSN hack also galled. 6/10

Nintendo

Positive – Forgive us, for we are weak – the prospect of further Mario Kart excites, as does the pure degree of gameplay variation possible thanks to the Wii U. Nintendo’s hardware library could hardly be called limited right now, baffling the mind with talk of virtual golf clubs, bows and crosshairs. Whether our arms will stand up to all that gyration is another matter.

Negative – Well, firstly that the Wii is now basically this:

Secondly, a presentation of such confusion there were genuine questions as to the existence of a new console at all pretty much until its conclusion. Many questions still remain – why the inability to buy a screened controller separately? Won’t every multiplayer title basically be Pac-Man Vs? How on earth do you market that to grandma? And, most importantly, how will the development community cope with three separate, bespoke motion control mechanisms to program for? Still, 7/10

So, a victory for Nintendo then – though on points, and with Mario as a judge.