Grazza

Totally agree, @Retro_Link. Michael's in it too (Simon Greenall, also in some of the Dragon Quest games), so that's a relief!

I don't think I can embed this, but here's the trailer for the new Alan Partridge film, Alpha Papa: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2013/jun/13/alan-partridge-alpha-papa-new-trailer?INTCMP=SRCH The bit at approx 1:40... have they played Majora's Mask?

Shantae (Game Boy Color) delayed to July... http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/06/shantae_virtual_console_release_pushed_back_to_july

It was. The free one on 3DS was just a piece of DSi Ware taken from a bonus game on the GBA's "A Link to the Past" cartridge. It's basically multiplayer-only unless you want to keep stopping and switching between Links (which I didn't - I gave up on it). Four Swords Adventures, on the other hand, was still meant as a multiplayer game, but you could easily play it on your own, with the other three Links trailing behind you (and ordered into formations when necessary). It's still not a proper Zelda, but in terms of graphics and sound, it's the best the LttP style has ever been.

When you see all those logos, it really is a great line-up of games. I somehow can't imagine many more 3DS games from Nintendo, but perhaps I'm just being pessimistic. Hope they do a 3D Zelda eventually. Fantastic news about StreetPass. Maybe I'll finally be able to complete all the puzzles. If the Free-to-Play game is Dragon Quest X, that does actually sound like a decent way of bringing it over here. Bet they charge for Metal King Armour though... (For those who don't know, you had about a 1% chance of getting a specific piece of "Metal Slime" equipment in Dragon Quest IX - I remember being envious of @RedShell who collected it much faster than me!) Yes, and it sounds like Zelda is ready to show too. I'm hoping to see it in November, but that's just a guess.

I loved Four Swords Adventure. It's not a proper Zelda, but it definitely wasn't developed as one, and I'm sure it didn't take resources away from others (hey, that console had Wind Waker and Twilight Princess!) It was simply a good 2D game, and a multiplayer one if you had all the equipment. This is one of the biggest issues, in my opinion - games having the right budget and being focused on what they are. Would I like a cheap, 2D Four Swords game on the eShop? Sure. Do I want Zelda Wii U to be like that? No.

I honestly think it looks incredible. I'll be perfectly happy if the proper Wii U Zelda looks the same as Wind Waker HD (I think it'll be 720p though).

I can't speak for new players, but it was the only thing that genuinely excited me. Not out of nostalgia, but because it was the only thing shown built with as much care as games used to be. I keep hoping the process of remaking Ocarina of Time (for the 3DS) and Wind Waker is reminding them of what made these games so great, but that's another matter. And yes, I'm buying a Wii U for Wind Waker HD, so it's a system seller to me! Going to tell all my pals about it too (I know quite a few fans of the GC original).

I hope I'm wrong, but I heard there's a pretty strong filter on it.

Watching E3 is an emotional roller coaster. We're excited, tired... I was way too harsh on the Nintendo Direct yesterday, as I actually thought it was very good. They only showed one unknown game but, if we give them a break (which I think we should) for having to show/mention four of the others in January, there were actually five big new games: Super Mario 3D World - I think this being different to my expectations really threw me. It was one of the first games shown and (having been distracted for a moment), I genuinely didn't know what I was looking at. Now I've seen the developer video, I think the idea behind the actual game may be a touch of genius. Mario Kart 8 - Looked perfect. Wind Waker HD - Was grinning from ear to ear and genuinely excited at this. X - A real asset to the console, and shaping up as expected. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - I'm not a huge fan of this series, but it looks like a good game. So, overall, I think it was actually very good, with all the games being either "bridge" or "core". There was something for core gamers in every single one, put it that way. Business-wise, it was great and I think it'll make the Wii U sell, although on a personal level I still have reservations that we may never see another Mario, Metroid or Zelda like we used to anticipate. Oh, to give you an idea of how tired I was, here's an example: When Iwata said "One more thing..." I thought "What's this? Animal Crossing? No... Mario? ...Zelda? Is this some sort of RPG where all the Nintendo characters come together?" It wasn't until it said "Metroid" that I realised what it was. Doh!

Yes, I see what you mean. Sonic Blast is isometric and, coincidentally, I've just read an article describing Super Mario 3D World as "largely isometric": http://metro.co.uk/2013/06/11/nintendo-at-e3-super-mario-3d-worlds-mario-kart-8-and-retros-donkey-kong-country-3837157/

The boat goes ridiculously fast now! But honestly, this looks perfect. If it weren't for this, I might think I was in a bad mood or something, but this is what I want in a game.

Whoah, that dinosaur looks good. Now I've watched the developer interview, I am looking forward to this a lot. When I saw it in the Nintendo Direct, I didn't really feel disappointment, more disbelief. It's hard to explain, but there's no way I thought the next 3D Mario would be like this - it looked so zoomed-out, like you're controlling Mario through little playsets. Now I've taken a closer look, there are moments that could be out of a more traditional 3D Mario, and it looks like it'll be a great game. I hope you can control the camera with the right-hand analogue stick though. Much easier than changing the angle of the GamePad. I think he just meant that if you touch it on the GamePad, the other players will see your "glove" on the TV, and be able to discover the block themselves.

No, because the reviews pretended the 3rd one was the best, and that motion controls were an improvement.

Definitely two separate issues here: 1) This does look good, simple as that really. We can argue Mario vs Donkey Kong, but it doesn't really matter (personally, I think New Super Mario Bros is a tad underrated, and Donkey Kong Country is a tad overrated due to the impact the SNES game's pre-rendered graphics had at the time). 2) Retro Studios. When this was announced I didn't know it was by Retro Studios and just enjoyed the trailer, but I can see people's point of view here. It's not that the Wii U needs a "mature" game, not at all. It's more that a Retro Studios game used to mean something else. Remember Metroid Prime, when you landed on Tallon IV, how there was a whole world to explore. How there was an amazing atmosphere and you could inspect things in tiny detail. How it used a game engine that was at the cutting edge of 3D graphics. Well, since we knew how good Retro Studios were at creating explorable, 3D worlds, people's minds drifted towards other things - Zelda, Kid Icarus, more Metroid or even their own franchise, Raven Blade. It's not that people want them to revive every Nintendo franchise, just that there were some that seemed to suit them more than others. Personally, I didn't think Star Fox fitted that bill, but at least it could have had spectacular 3D space battles. So personally, I will never get bored of a 2D (or 2.5D) platformer done well, but it's hard to deny the Wii U needs more in-depth, immersive games as well.

I agree with the vast majority of that, except for the better games coming later on. In the past, that sort of thing has been part of the plan from the beginning. Eg. Mario 64 at launch, sets the template for Ocarina of Time, which in turn has a same-engine sequel, Majora's Mask. Wind Waker and Mario Sunshine out early, another Zelda game (Twilight Princess) built on the same engine a bit later. My biggest concern about the Wii U is that it doesn't feel like they've set it up for this type of game.

I hope you're right, and I do remember them saying they thought the Wind Waker style was the best to translate into HD (with it presumably being a template for the Wii U Zelda). So far so good. It's just that mention of going "back to basics" and it possibly being multiplayer makes me shudder somewhat, like they might be worried about people not being able to play it. Now I've seen Mario 3D World, my fears have taken greater clarity! As for Metroid, I just don't think Nintendo will be happy to release another Metroid Prime, I'm afraid. You need too much skill in a 3D environment. I lost my stream, came back in and thought "Oh, a new Mario Party game? No, looks more like a new 3DS platformer. Actually, the resolutions and textures look a bit too good for 3DS... Oh no, please tell me this isn't what I think it is!!!"

The problem for me (and I might be completely wrong) is that this Nintendo Direct made me think those games might never exist, at least in the way we once thought they would.

Nintendo hasn't been at its best since the GameCube. I say this because Super Mario 3D World and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze will probably be great games, but there's a difference. When Nintendo made Wind Waker, Mario Sunshine and Metroid Prime, they were making 3D spectaculars that controlled with their most sophisticated controller so far. They assumed the player had a fair bit of experience, or at least would be willing to learn. Now they don't.

My take on it: I enjoyed the show, and most of what was shown looked good, apart from the most important game... Super Mario 3D World - couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. "3D Mario" has come to mean something other than "putting Mario in 3D". It's like they thought we literally just wanted another Mario game, but with the Z-axis as well! Don't get me wrong, I'm sure this will be an excellent game, it's just that 3D Mario is meant to mean something more than this. (Got an awful feeling Zelda will be like this too.) Mario Kart 8 - looked good if you like the series. Wind Waker HD - excellent, no complaints at all. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze - looked good, and probably does fix a few issues with the dynamic camera angles. I won't be waiting for a handheld version! So, an entertaining show, but a rather worrying one in some ways.

Yes, Iwata said it.

I thought this looked absolutely brilliant. What impressed me most is that they've made the lighting so much more sophisticated, and yet it retains the charm of the original. Now I've seen it running, it's clear the cel-shading is just as good (and the whole game is much sharper, obviously). I for one am looking forward to playing Wind Waker in 1080p.

Best thing about it was that Wind Waker is in 1080p and retains the appeal of the original. Enjoy it, because somehow I don't think Nintendo's ever going to make another game as good as that...

* Multiplayer * Similar to 3D Land * Cat outfit

* Retro Studios * 2.5D platformer * Viking enemies * Dynamic camera * Diddy and Dixie Kong playable