E3 2012 is officially over. A lot of noise, a lot of girls, sweaty nerds and some electronic entertainment. After some investigative journalism (a.k.a. talking to people), I have discovered why this year seems a bit off—it’s a transitional year. It’s that strange year between the current gen consoles and the next gen consoles. Which means, there are games being developed for the “PS4” and the “Xbox720,” but those systems aren’t announced, so the companies are squeezing the last bit of life out of the current systems and secretly working on the good stuff. Oddly enough, a good year for crazy floor displays. This thing is huge!

I spent most of the last day at the Nintendo booth, checking out their Wii U wares. For the most part, they're games we’ve already seen for the Wii, but with a bit of a twist. The twist being, one of the Wii-remotes is now a Wii U controller, which is more or less a tablet with analog sticks and buttons. I didn’t really feel that there were many games on the floor that utilized this new concept in an interesting way, but the system is still in its infancy.  

But, before I get on the Nintendo bashing bandwagon, I will say this—at least they’re trying something new! I don’t think either Sony or Microsoft would be willing to try an interface so unique. And there were a few games that really stood out. Zombie Wii-U sounds insanely generic, but consistently had a long line all day. And the Wii-U game of the show for me was Platinum Game’s P-100 (working title). A crazy crowd control game, where you herd a group of civilians turned heroes through isometric landscapes and fight crazy robot aliens with giant guns, swords, and whatnot. Really fun, really spirited, and more impressive—a new IP!

And for the many people who have never attended E3, but have wondered what it's like going there as a "high-profile" journalist, let me tell you what you’re missing. First off, imagine standing in line for 3 hours to get a 20-minute preview of a highly anticipated game and maybe even getting a T-shirt for your troubles. Fun! And if you’re really cool, you get to go into the luxurious E3 Media Lounge--a place with free sandwiches and unbelievably slow Internet. But you can't beat this carpet! So geometric! So brown and green!

I finally got to play the Dragon Ball Z Kinect game! If you’re a fan of DBZ, this game will be a lot of fun. It’s pretty much the closest thing to a Saiyan simulator that’s been created. I got a chance to interview the producer and should have that up soon.

I actually managed to sneak back into the Rockstar booth and get a sneak peek at their new Grand Theft Auto console! It looks so fun!

Actually, that wacky contraption was from a Video Game History Museum, which had a wonderful display, with many strange obscure games and consoles.

Welp, that’s pretty much it. Nothing super amazing this year, but there were a few cool things here or there. And the show seems to be heading back to the super crazy level it was back in its heyday before it blew apart. Very little to report in terms of new games or ideas, but we will be having our E3 SJ Awards ceremony online next week, which isn’t a ceremony, but is online and will have awards. Virtual awards. Pretty cool stuff. And that's E3 2012, folks!

Look for the interviews and awards sometime next week! Thanks for reading!

Related Links:
Events
SJ Fan Meet-Ups
E3
Games We Love
Video Games

by Urian Brown