With the final day of E3 2013 coming to a close and still with a litany of tasks yet to accomplish, I had almost forgotten to swing by the 3DS section in the middle of the massive Nintendo booth to check out one of the biggest releases Nintendo had to offer this year: the much-anticipated direct sequel to one of the most important games in the history of the company, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Finally brandished with a spiffy new name (and a recently published preview article to boot), I was very excited to end my E3 experience with a grand finale on top of what was already a solid showing from the Big N.

[E3 Impressions] Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in 3DS, Features | 0 comments

The Ace Attorney makes his return to court.

System: Nintendo 3DS
Release Date: Fall, 2013
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom

Author: Laura

Our beloved Phoenix Wright is back in whopping 3D, along with Apollo Justice and a new sidekick named Athena Cykes, out to find justice for the wrongly accused. I am very excited to talk about “Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies”, mostly because it was the most fun I had playing a game at E3.

[E3 Impressions] Super Mario 3D World

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Wii U | 0 comments

“It’s just probably not going to be a great game. Not if the demo is any indication anyhow.”

System: Nintendo Wii U
Release Date: December, 2013
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo

Author: Austin

It has been an exceptionally long time since a Mario title generated as much debate as has been seen following the announcement of Super Mario 3D World at E3 this past week. Truly, the skeptics are out in droves this time around and the Nintendo die-hards are ready and waiting to defend their beloved company to the bitter end, creating an atmosphere of discontent about the game that no one can seem to shake with ease.

Beyond all of that noise, however, there remains one question: If you can ignore the expectations– the past heights the series has seen– how does this game stack up?

Unfortunately, at its best, the answer to that question is a lackluster “fine”.

Here’s a Podcast – E3 Spectacular Day Three

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Podcast | 0 comments

Probably the best photo from the day.

This final E3 2013 episode has impressions of Killer is Dead, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, some final thoughts on Super Mario 3D World, and much more. As always we get your listener mail and go over some categorized favorites at the end of the show, like our favorite booth attendants!

This Week’s Podcast Crew: Jack, Laura, and Austin

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[E3 Impressions] Sonic: Lost World

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Wii U | 0 comments

“I see it as a spiritual sequel, a continuation, refinement, and extrapolation of what was established in Sonic Colors.”

System: Nintendo Wii U
Release Date: October 13th, 2013
Developer: Sonic Team
Publisher: SEGA/Nintendo

Author: Jack

I must say, I don’t think I’ve felt this much buzz surrounding the (we’re far past much-)maligned Sonic franchise since the release of Sonic Unleashed back in 2008. While that iteration ended up as all of the others have in the post-Adventure scrap heap, something feels different about this. It felt like in the trailer as though an emphasis was placed on technical gameplay as opposed to a return to something: speed, the 90’s, etc. The last title in the 3D Sonic series, 2011’s Sonic Colors, was surprisingly solid, and although it fundamentally lacked enough to be considered a triple-A title, it showed finally that Sega team, behind director Morio Kishimoto, was willing to look behind the confines the original trilogy on Genesis imposed upon the series.

Sir Kishimoto is back at it this time, and golly was I interested in giving Sonic yet another last go at this year’s E3.

[E3 Feature] Pac is back

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features | 0 comments

As the second day of E3 2013 came to a close, Austin showed me an interesting bit of swag he acquired from his booth tour of Namco-Bandai, and I’d like to share it with you all, as this could be pretty big. As the story goes, as he was leaving, he noticed a box marked “Do Not Open– Day 3” next to the exitway of the tour. Curiosity proved too much, and after sneaking under a barricade and opening the box, he found it filled with these:

[E3 Impressions] Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Wii U | 0 comments

The blue blur and his plump plumbing rival return to The Olympics, but it’s not as exciting as Nintendo and SEGA might want you to believe.

System: Nintendo Wii U
Release Date: November, 2013
Developer: Unknown
Publisher: Nintendo

Author: Laura

Alright, alright so I know you all have been DYING to know more about Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (phew), so here’s the scoop: Unless the frame rate and controls are improved– or the other mini games available in the full version are more fun than what I played– it will not be worth $60.

[E3 Impressions] A Surprise Hiding in Plain Sight: Pikmin 3

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Wii U | 0 comments

The latest entry in the Pikmin series has been in the works for nearly 9 years, and it shows.

System: Nintendo Wii U
Release Date: August 4th, 2013
Developer: Nintendo EAD Group No. 4
Publisher: Nintendo

Author: Jack

Were you to ask me what I’d be excited for the most coming into Nintendo’s first E3 with the Wii U on the-stocking-shelves a few days ago, I’d probably have a fully mindful answer for each finger-on-the-hand. Given the somewhat sparse industry-wide response to Nintendo’s follow-up to the successful Wii, and with two competitor consoles set to drop in five months, I was fully expecting Nintendo to arrive at the Los Angeles Convention Center guns a-blazing, ready to duke it out with Sony and Microsoft the way they do best: releasing can’t miss first-party Nintendo gaming experiences that no other platform really has an equal for.

Here’s a Podcast – E3 2013 Day Two Spectacular

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Podcast | 0 comments

I took this picture. It was glorious.

The second of our E3 2013 podcast specials is slightly more focused… but still a little odd. We give our impressions of Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies, Killer is Dead, Bayonetta 2, and Batman: Arkham Origins (which we liked), as well as some thoughts on Mario 3D World, LEGO: Friends, and Deus Ex: Human Revolution , (which we were more tepid towards). Your listener mail rounds out this one.

This Week’s Podcast Crew: Jack, Austin, and Laura

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Here’s a Podcast – E3 2013 Day One Spectacular

Posted on 11 years ago by Austin(@NE_Austin) in Features, Podcast | 0 comments

sigh…

The gang craps all over Super Mario 3D World, loves Pikmin 3, praises Platinum Games, and gets into the most intense laughing fit the world has ever known. We’d like to apologize in advance for the length, the content, and the potentially loud snores from Laura as she fell asleep halfway through.