May 16, 2003 - The Electronics Entertainment Expo 2003 is over. Lots of games were shown, some unveiled for the first time, but for Nintendo fans there were few surprises. That said, the event did bring the unveiling of some hotly anticipated GameCube efforts, from Mario Kart: Double Dash to Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes and everything in between. Many of the best GCN titles, though, came not from Nintendo, but from third-parties like Capcom Entertainment.
Below, IGN's Nintendo-loving editors take a look back on the show, consider how it faired for Nintendo and detail some of their favorite games.
Matt Casamassina
I always think I know about everything Nintendo is going to show at E3. Last year, I believed I did, anyway. But I really didn't. The company unveiled a number of hits - some of them true surprises. It always seems to have something big up its sleeves. This year was definitely different. I thought I knew about everything going into the show and it turns out I really did. There were only a few surprises and they weren't whoppers.
Did Nintendo have a disappointing show? To me, relatively speaking, yes. I don't agree with the company's decision to stress GameCube/Game Boy Advance connectivity games like Pac-Man and The Four Swords overly purely next-generation product. Nintendo may not want to admit it, but gamers crave technology driven software. There's a reason everybody is still buzzing about Halo 2, Metal Gear Solid 3 and Half-Life 2 and not Pac-Man for GameCube. Nor do I share the opinion that the GBA is the perfect companion to the GCN. This, as I see it, contradicts the entire point of buying a handheld, which is, of course, to play it on the go. Do I really want to step backward half a decade and give up my analog control and extra buttons in favor of a GBA? The fact that Nintendo hopes gamers will own and play with several GBAs on their GameCube for some of these titles niches the products all the more.
Nintendo had a solid lineup. It also detailed how some of its key partnerships with third-parties. Overall, I've come away hyped about a few key products, but sadly none of them are from Miyamoto and EAD, which has to be a first in my career of covering both Nintendo 64 and GameCube. Here's what rocked me:
Viewtiful Joe
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Several months ago I attended a Capcom USA event and played Viewtiful Joe for the first time. I absolutely loved it. But when I returned and tried to tell my fellow editors about it I was met with some serious skepticism. I suppose that's understandable; Joe is, after all, one of the weirder looking games for Nintendo's next-generation system. But it's also one of those titles that is amazingly fun to play. Nothing I write can really convey it - you'll just have to play it for yourself, and I recommend that you do. You know, you can buy the Nintendo Demo disc as of tonight and Viewtiful Joe is playable on it. Call your local retailer and get it.
Viewtiful Joe, stylish and extremely fun, rocked our worlds
Joe, though, took all of the Nintendo editors hostage one by one. The game's unparalleled control polish and fantastic slow and fast-paced and zoom mechanics left us all salivating for more. Okay, we were frothing. There, it's done. I've worked it in. By the end of the final day at the show, we would all tour the other booths and then turn to each other and say, "Let's go play one more quick game of Viewtiful Joe." We even nominated it for IGN's Best of E3 awards, and deservedly so.
F-Zero GX
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Amusement Vision
F-Zero GX turned out to be everything I expected and more, and that's always a good thing. I knew it was going to be fast. But damn, I just didn't know how fast. The problem anyone downloading movies of the game faces is that all they can ever see is 30 frames because that's what movies are compressed at. But once you see this game running at 60 frames, which it does even in multiplayer mode, you'll be floored.
The amazing F-Zero GX for GCN
It's funny that it took Sega and Amusement Vision to remake Nintendo's futuristic racer and kept it both fast and beautiful. The game is gorgeous - filled with details like lightning flashes, illuminations, blur effects, particles, and all brought together with slick texture work and thrilling track design. It's F-Zero on steroids for sure.
Prince of Persia
Publisher: Ubi Soft
Developer: Ubi Soft Montreal
Game of the Show? For me, yes. I played through a bunch of levels on the GameCube version of Prince of Persia and, put simply, it pretty much demolishes every competing GameCube product as far as I'm concerned. This is coming from a huge Prince of Persia fan, mind you. I played and loved the original games, but the last remake didn't tickle my fancy. However, Ubi Soft has done it right with this latest game. The title plays exactly like classics except in full 3D. Same brilliant puzzles. Same awesome level traps and obstacles. Same enjoyable battle mechanics. And just as the original game set a new bar for animation, so does this new Prince of Persia. The main character alone moves so flawlessly that you won't believe your eyes.
But the way he can link together moves - jump from a ledge, swing on a pole, flip into the air and ricochet himself onto a wall, then wall run across it, jump again, and pull himself up a ledge - you have to see it to believe it. Add in the new "Sands of Time" slow-motion features, the ability to actually rewind the clock when and if you mess up, and you have a very compelling action-platform game. This game plays every bit as good as it looks, if not better.
Resident Evil 4
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
If you thought Metal Gear Solid 3 or Half-Life 2 was the unchallenged technical leader at E3 2003, you probably didn't see Capcom's teaser trailer for Resident Evil 4. The latest entry in the survival horror series looks to be the darkest, most atmospheric and all around prettiest one yet. But beyond that, it's one of the most technically amazing titles created to date. For the first time on GameCube, you'll have to fight against zombies in full real-time 3D, which opens up a lot of cinematic possibilities, and in turn heightens the scare factor greatly.
Ubi Soft's gorgeous Prince of Persia is Matt's pick for Game of the Show
From the overly detailed character models to the heart-stopping animation, lighting and shadow effects, and the new camera system, Capcom has one sexy horror fest on its hands. I think director Shinji Mikami is right: I'm going to pee my pants again and again when I finally get to play this one.
Honorable mentions go the following games:
Killer 7 for having one of the best art styles and coolest themes in a videogame, and for piquing my interest again even though I still have absolutely no idea how it really plays. Capcom only showed a tiny video clip of the game, but it was enough. I can't wait for more. Oh, a side note: I talked with Capcom USA and this game is not coming to America this year, despite what it says at the end of the video; the 'Winter 2003' tag is for Japan only
Sphinx from Eurocom and publisher THQ for delivering what looks to be a really fun GCN action-adventure in the vein of Zelda. The Eurocom guys have also really created a beautiful 3D engine for this one, too. It's easily the developer's most ambitious title to date
Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike for two reasons: because the guys at Factor 5 know their technology and because it's Star Wars. The flight missions in the game kick ass - they are more intense than ever. But the third-person ground missions need polish and I'm waiting to see how they turn out
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes because it's a great step for Nintendo, Silicon Knights and Konami; the game looks good, but it's not on the same level as Metal Gear 3
Rogue Ops from Kemco and developer Bits Studios for being a surprisingly interesting, polished alternative to Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell
Geist for being a cool idea; some of the play mechanics are still clunky, but there's a lot of promise and I'm eager to see what N-Space does with it
Metroid Prime 2 for being in development and teased in video form, and because I already can't wait for it
Biggest Disappointments go to the following games:
Mario Kart: Double Dash for being extremely slow; the cars in the game seem to move along at a snail's pace compared to just about everything else on the market, including Mario Kart 64
Pac-Man for being about 20 years too late
Kirby Air Ride for being an uninteresting Mario Kart rip-off with off-the-wall control
Pikmin 2 for being a near carbon-copy me-too sequel that Nintendo said it wouldn't do
Star Fox 2 for being shown as a multi-player only demo that played little like Star Fox and a lot like Doom
Peer Schneider
Pardon me for starting off on a negative note, but this simply wasn't a good show for Nintendo. As you may know, I haven't worked on a Nintendo site at IGN since the days of IGN64 -- but I'm still a huge fan of all things Nintendo. I'm sure there are plenty of great titles coming from EAD, HAL, Silicon Knights, Retro, and co. in the next few years, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that my excitement over the stuff I saw at E3 this year is rather muted. And it's not because there weren't any surprises, it's because what's been shown is so, well, "safe". It seems like yesterday that Satoru Iwata got up on the podium and told the industry that simply releasing sequel after sequel isn't the way to go -- but here's what I saw in Nintendo's booth at this year's show:
1080: Avalanche: Though much improved over its Cube Club showing, Avalanche remains "another" snowboarding game that doesn't have enough distinguishing features to stand out from the crowd.
Custom Robo: The two N64 installments sadly never made it out here. The GameCube version is more of the same with better graphics.
F-Zero GX: The most impressive game at Nintendo's booth, in my opinion. The gameplay is still vintage F-Zero stuff and the graphics are awesome.
Kirby Air Ride: It didn't look hot back when it was supposed to come out for N64 and it still has the air of a filler title about it.
Mario Golf: Still a little rough around the edges, but the same fun gameplay of the original.
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!: Looks great in motion -- the screens don't do it justice. But the game feels oddly slow and it lacks the technical depth of the 64 version (left, right, left, right, boost!). And I played it before I tried out F-Zero, so my impression isn't tainted by AV's super-fast sci-fi racer.
Mario Party 5: I actually liked 4 a lot, even if the board game portion was still as slow as in the first game (let me bypass the computer's move animations, please!) -- Mario 5 looks like more of the same.
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes: A remake of the PSX hit. Looking still a bit early.
Nintendo Puzzle Collection: Ports of three classic Nintendo puzzle games. They were great back in the days and they're still as addictive as ever.
Pikmin 2: I had to do a double take. Only when I looked closer did I notice the added new character and saw the subtle differences.
Pokemon Box: It's basically the organization and emulation portion of Pokemon Stadium.
Pokemon Channel: Hey, You Pikachu without the voice headset.
Pokemon Colosseum: The battle portion of Pokemon Stadium.
Star Fox 2: A promising, but technically lackluster multiplayer game with a puzzling control setup for the on-foot battles. The single-player wasn't shown yet.
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Great graphics, mixed in with some disappointing on-foot gameplay. The inclusion of all the original levels in form of a co-op mode is a nice touch.
Now, don't get me wrong. Many of these titles are fun to play -- and more of something good is definitely not a bad thing. But where are the games that have me counting the days till their release? Where are the titles that explore new gameplay territory? Where's the original stuff? Where are the games that redefine existing Nintendo franchises, like, say, 3D versions of Pokemon or EarthBound? Am I the only one who is puzzled by the fact that the standout title in this lineup is developed by Amusement Vision, a Sega development team? I can't help but be disappointed that EAD didn't deliver at least one standout title that made me want to tell someone: "go get a GameCube".
At the same time, it's great to see support from third parties in the form of some truly beautiful games. Though Nintendo is kidding itself if it truly believes that it's got strong third-party backing this year -- you wouldn't believe the number of third-party GameCube games that got cancelled this year so far -- there are definitely some standout titles. Soul Calibur II looks great on GameCube, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is pretty (although I haven't warmed up to the whole GBA controller thing), Billy Hatcher looks neat, EA's got the usual smattering of impressive franchise titles, and Viewtiful Joe is surprisingly cool. And let's not forget the best GameCube of the show: Prince of Persia. Ubi Soft is going from strength to strength. Beyond Good & Evil and XIII look fantastic, but Prince of Persia is truly something else. Put it on your wishlists, folks. This game will be a big.
But back to Nintendo's stuff. I hope the negative tone of my initial list didn't put you off and you've stopped reading -- but I sincerely believe that Nintendo's making some key mistakes. If there is little that sets the gameplay in a sequel apart from the predecessor, then the technology has to do the talking. F-Zero GX succeeds because it's a huge step up from the original in both the graphics and sound departments. The other games either looked close to the originals or received only minor upgrades. Then there are the original titles. Though hardly surprises, Skip's Giftpia is refreshingly wacky and Wario World has a little bit of that old Treasure Gunstar Heroes charm, although a two-player mode is sorely missed. Geist could be considered a surprise -- if we hadn't seen this title before when it was shopped around a number of third party publishers under the title Fear. It's got a really original premise and I'm looking forward to seeing how it pans out.
I'm generally not too hot on most of Nintendo's GBA link-up experiments, but it has to be said that Four Swords for GameCube kicks ass. I'm serious. Yes, it looks like a 16-bit game and is probably best off as the multiplayer mode in an upcoming Zelda game or a $20 standalone release, but it's got clever puzzles and very addictive gameplay. But I'm again scratching my head here. I'm a hardcore gamer, no doubt about that. But even I don't have three friends that live close and own a GBA SP. Yeah, the four-player Pac-Man looks amusing, but it better be just an add-on mode in an upcoming game.
Which leads me to my favorite games of the show. Even though they weren't shown in playable form, Half-Life 2, Halo 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 all looked amazing. Prince of Persia Gran Turismo 4, Resident Evil: Outbreak, Final Fantasy X-2, Viewtiful Joe, Crimson Skies, and of course F-Zero GX take the cup for best playable games at E3 in my book. I'm sure there are plenty of other games that deserve to be mentioned, but there simply wasn't time to play every game on the floor. Now excuse me while I go and look at that Half-Life 2 video one more time. "STRIIIIIIDER!!!"
Fran Mirabella III
I returned to E3 this year with high expectations for a solid GameCube showing. I was well aware of a good lot of games that were planned to be shown, and was seriously excited to get my hands on them. To name a few, Mario Kart: Double Dash, F-Zero, Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes, and Star Fox were must-plays for yours truly.
After attending Nintendo's press conference and seeing its E3 2003 booth, my perspective was slightly shattered. I would use a few words to describe my perception of Nintendo at E3 2003. Predictable perfectly illustrates Nintendo's first-party showing. Alarming is the remark I'd use to express the third-party state of affairs.
It's a peculiar E3. Nintendo's booth was stagnating. Not because it didn't have a great selection of upcoming titles, but because there seemed to be a lack of any sort of aggressiveness. Nintendo explained itself as being more aggressive than ever, but this show was no demonstration of that.
I consider the showing optimistically, though. Nintendo is in a very intense position; it currently leads Xbox by about 1.5 million GameCubes sold worldwide, but third-party publishers are dropping support left and right. I think it is currently focusing on supporting GameCube with some good exclusives and basic first-party support. In the background I think a large core of EAD, Nintendo's internal team, is busy working on products for the next system. If this is why we see now major internal support from EAD, then I'm all for it.
Anyhow, I will spare you the negative tone for the rest of the write-up. I was very pleased with more than a few GameCube titles. I'd like to discuss some of my favorites, a few that surprised, and a few that disappointed.
Viewtiful Joe
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
I have to list Joe here first. Seriously, this game deserves to be recognized. Nintendo better make sure that it's throwing some marketing money behind this highly addictive title to make sure GameCube fans know about it. I had heard about Viewtiful Joe from Matt, but I hadn't played it until the show opened. As it turns out, all his ravings and frenetic praise sessions were dead on -- Viewtiful Joe is really, really fun. From the moment you pick it up and begin to slow time, speed up time, you just fall in love. There's a demo of it in stores now, so be sure to go check it out.
Viewtiful Joe is on track to become one of the best GameCube titles of the year.
Metroid Prime 2
Developer: Retro Studios
Publisher: Nintendo
I knew that Samus was to make an appearance during Nintendo's press conference, but I was still taken back with excitement when I saw it for the first time. Only available on video, I didn't exactly have a chance to learn much of the storyline or new gameplay elements, but obviously I can't wait to play it.
But, I must make the following note: is it just me, or doesn't it seem like a much better idea to prepare a next-generation Metroid for the launch of the home console that follows GameCube? And, no, it's definitely not too early to consider such a thing, as Nintendo should be ready with such a popular product as soon as 2005.
I could bear the wait.
F-Zero GX
Developer: Amusement Vision
Publisher: Nintendo
From the creator's of Super Monkey Ball and Super Monkey Ball 2 comes a super-slick futuristic racer. I had seen direct-feed footage before, on big screen TVs, but finally laying my hands on this technical wonder has generated even more excitement. The incredibly fast speed, sweet art style, and edgy soundtrack deliver so much more than I ever imagined.
F-Zero GX, sitting next to its arcade counterpart F-Zero AX, were the absolute stars of Nintendo's booth.
Pikmin 2
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
We in the game industry refer to a project like Pikmin 2 as a rehash. It comes with the whole new dynamic of controlling two characters, cooperative play, and more challenges, but it's almost indiscernible from the original. The tweaking comes in the form of much faster Pikmin -- they really haul now -- and marginally improved visual touches.
I'm anxious to see how intelligent the level and puzzle design goes. It's still one of my most anticipated games of the year.
Resident Evil 4
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
The trailer that aired at Nintendo's conference was truly the only one, aside from Metroid Prime 2 that sent waves of excitement through my body. I got that tingling sensation, and a few goose bumps for sure. The real-time graphics are drool-worthy; a gritty art style, smooth character models, and innumerable effects including icy breath, cloth physics, and intense lighting set the stage for one of the most beautiful GCN games yet. It also looks like it could be the answer Resident Evil fans have been waiting for. If Capcom nails the control, it should reenergize the series from the current plateau it has hit with releases like Resident Evil 0.
Undoubtedly, Resident Evil 4 is one of Nintendo's best upcoming exclusives.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Developer: Ubi Soft Montreal
Publisher: Ubi Soft
Out of nowhere Prince of Persia arrived in jaw-dropping next-generation form. Seeing the product running on GameCube pleased me a great deal. It's composed of gameplay styles that perfectly match my tastes. From the platforming to the fighting to the puzzle-solving, it's got AAA potential written all over it.
Don't make the mistake of shrugging this one off as a third-party title. It's a superstar in the making.
Biggest Disappointments are as follows:
Mario Kart: Double Dash
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
We managed to cut through the lines thanks to our good friends at Nintendo; the line was always long. Peer, Matt, and I played amongst five other gamers over LAN. I got Daisy and Yoshi for characters (I didn't have the option to choose). My initial impression was something like, "Has Nintendo replaced the motor with rodents on wheels?" It was sluggish. Very sluggish. Nintendo mentioned it was probably because I just played F-Zero, and that's partly to blame, but it's certainly not a good excuse. Mario Kart: Double Dash, although it is still entertaining, full of all that charm I love, needs work.
It simply has to be faster and more frantic. And, what's happened to the control scheme that Nintendo thought a more simple control scheme -- one lacking the depth of controlled power slides and subsequent boosts -- is better? Gamers are getting more intelligent and versed with every day that goes by. Hopefully there's still time for Nintendo to improve on these issues.
Considering it was one of Nintendo's only internally developed titles to show, I can't say I was blown away. Don't mark me as a Benedict Arnold or anything. It really needs a little work.
Kirby Air Ride
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Namely for its ridiculous title. It's not Kirby's to own? Well, you know, in retrospect is basically just a Kirby air ride; control is odd and overly simplistic. Could be fun with four players, but I'm not expecting much depth.
Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour
Developer: Camelot Software Planning
Publisher: Nintendo
Looks like a great arcade golf game, but, frankly, I'm more in love with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004. This is not the uber-sequel I was hoping it would be. But, I barely had any time with it. Maybe I'll change my mind in the future.
Honorable mentions go to the following:
Star Wars Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike for being as beautiful as I knew it would be. Needs more polish for third-person gameplay.
Metal Gear Solid for being a tight remake of the original and finally giving GCN owners a Metal Gear. I'm confident Silicon Knights will iron out the graphical bumps.
Sphinx from Eurocom, for its Zelda-inspired gameplay, beautiful graphics engine and a unique new adventure. And, for letting me flatten a mummy for gameplay purposes.
Geist for its clever gameplay concept and GCN exclusivity.
Rogue Ops for being more than Riqa ever was on the N64.
Beyond Good & Evil because it has a slick engine and pretty art. It's just another standout part of Ubi Soft's lineup.
Overall, E3 2003 GameCube definitely proved that GameCube has more than a few great titles headed to it, but it also became crystal clear that Nintendo is either crazy for having so little first-party support, or brilliant because it's focusing on finally being truly aggressive, and making the next console right.
Cory D. Lewis
This is my third year covering the Nintendo side of E3, and for the first time, I had no clue what to expect. Last year, we knew that Mario, Zelda, Samus, and gang were going to blow us away, and the year before was the big U.S. unveiling of GameCube. Those two shows were some of Nintendo's best ever. But in the weeks leading up to this year's conference, our expectations were a murky shade of gray because Nintendo itself had been so idle before the show. We knew that Mario Kart and F-Zero would be shown in playable form for the first time, but overall, E3 2003 seemed to lack a certain Nintendo weight present in the past two years. But the glass is always half full, and I was truly betting that Nintendo had a sweet secret up its sleeve that would make 2003 another memorable E3 trip.
Pre-E3 Show
Sadly, I was wrong. I didn't realize that my faith was so misplaced until 1 PM PST on Wednesday afternoon as Nintendo's pre-E3 conference wrapped. After having sat in the front of the crowd for the hour-plus presentation of video clips and guest speakers, the IGNcube gang wandered out scratching our heads. What was Nintendo's "big game" this year? Was it Miyamoto's prized Pac-Man project? Surely not. Mario Kart and Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes were the biggest titles announced to be playable at the show floor, but nothing carried the impact of a solid, fully blown first-party title. Our stomachs felt slightly empty, and for the first time, I was worried that Nintendo wouldn't be a big E3 contender.
After washing the sour aftertaste from my mind and diving headfirst into the past three days of playable E3 goodness, my Nintendo perception has improved. This year's booth is a vast improvement from the cramped chaos of years past. The soothing white canvas, projected videos, and soothing blue glow made for a very pleasant place to hang out, and the playable software lineup was much better than Nintendo's own conference made it out to be. Playing GBA-centric titles such as Pac-Man and Four Swords was a blast thanks to Nintendo's gigantic plasma monitors for both the GCN and individual GBA displays, and there were always plenty of fans around to fill the slots. The eight-player Mario Kart LAN setup was always lined-up around the block, and the only way that we were ever able to play was to pull rank with our friends from NOA and slip into the front of the line for a quick race. And the rest of the floor was lined with plenty of great third-party titles to fill in the gaps. Despite the buzz of a franchise mega-hit, Nintendo's booth turned out to be a fun place to hang at E3 2003 -- just not quite as fun as years past.
With that in mind, below I've listed the big games across all platforms that kept me hooked to the kiosks here at E3 2003 and will soon be finding a serious spot on my wishlist (just as soon as I find the free time to update the sucker). Keep reading for what I consider to be the "hit" and "miss" titles of this year's show:
Viewtiful Joe (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Release: September 2003
Oh hell yes. You better believe that Capcom has a sweet game on its hands with our boy Joe. This action beat 'em-up isn't a simple button masher. You'll be strategically dodging blows and dishing out kick-ass combos with enough slow motion flair to make Neo himself jealous. The art style is both ridiculously hilarious and brilliantly animated. Fans of Saturday morning pajama heroes and kung fu combat are going to eat this game up. I personally can't stop thinking about it. Nintendo's official demo disc is hitting retailers as we speak, so drop the 10 bucks and hit that Joe.
Most memorable VJ moment: doing a slow-motion double back flip with a twist and power punching a missile straight back into the Apache helicopter from which it came. Sah-weeeeet!
1080° Avalanche (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: NST
Release: September 29, 2003
Back last year when I played GameCube's 1080° sequel, I didn't care for it so much. The game was extremely unrefined both visually and in terms of gameplay controls, and it made me very sad. I love snowboarding, and I loved missed the awesome simulation sweetness in the N64 version. Thank goodness that developer NST has been putting in the weekend overtime to bring Avalanche up to speed and make it one of my most anticipated GameCube titles for 2003. The game now has a great sense of speed, much better and more realistic controls, a comfortable trick system, and a polish presentation in every way. Anytime I had a free half-hour in Nintendo's booth, I found myself drawn back to the 1080° zone to get in one last run down the mountain. I absolutely can't wait for September to arrive so I can get my own GCN lift ticket and hit the slopes.
Most memorable 1080° moment: tucking, catching some serious speed, blasting past a log cabin and through a patch of trees, and jetting off a cliff while spinning and grabbing my board in six different ways before splashing in the powder and crossing the finish line for a first-place victory.
F-Zero GX (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Amusement Vision
Release: August 25, 2003
We all knew that F-Zero was going to be pretty and fast, but never this pretty and fast at the exact same time. Sega's development studio Amusement Vision is streaming the 3D futuristic landscapes at insane velocities and with stomach-churning vertigo. The game is everything that you'd expect and want from your GameCube F-Zero experience, and it arguably the best first-party title at Nintendo's booth this year. Screenshots don't do this game justice -- you must play it, and you will. Oh yes, you will.
Most memorable F-Zero moment: getting bashed from both sides by CPU opponent racers, having my energy level drained to nothing, hitting the last yellow boost pad on the track to speed through the energy zone and blast past the pack for a first-place ranking. Intense.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Konami
Developer: Konami
Release: October 2003
All children of the '80s are hardcore TMNT fans by nature, and that goes for myself. I can't get enough Leonardo loving, and Konami's cel-shaded brawler is a straightforward action title with great animations and cool combos. The four-player co-op title feels very similar to the gameplay of Konami's classic arcade cabinet, and it's a blast for both single and multiplayer fun. It's about time that we've had a solid Turtles videogame on our hands, and leave it to Konami to deliver the goods. I can't wait to add this one to my GCN library.
Most memorable TMNT moment: taking on a pack of street thugs from all sides with awesome front to back combos and then tossing a ninja star into a nearby gas can to detonate the rest of the punks. Oh, and the pizza health pickups are radical, dude!
Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of World War II (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Digital Illusions CE (DICE)
Release: September 2003
Most GameCube fans may not realize that one of the best game videogames of the past year is EA's Battlefield 1942 for PC. The team-based FPS action set in historic World War II battles is one of the most addicting multiplayer titles I've ever played. Thankfully, EA is treating the product respectfully and giving developer DICE the freedom to create a second expansion pack that delivers an entirely new way to get your late-night BF1942 thrills. Loaded with awesome new weapons, vehicles, and maps, I may never sleep again once EA gets us our office copies.
Most memorable Secret Weapons moment: strapping on a jet back and boosting high onto a village rooftop for some primetime Axis pig-dog sniping while calling in artilery fire from the rear.
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Vivendi Universal
Developer: TBA
Release: November 2003
A wholly unique concept, Metal Arms plays just as good as it looks in our direct-feed movies. Being able to blast specific limbs from enemy robots or choose to tap into and remotely control the suckers is a very creative idea that should make this game a must-own GCN title later this holiday season. If the name Metal Arms doesn't ring a bell, be sure to study up on it before then.
Most memorable Metal Arms moment: hitting a gigantic robot century in the chest with an EMP grenade, sprinting around behind it, tapping into his neural network with our remote commander device, and the wreaking carnage on his own poor, helpless, unsuspecting robotic comrades.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Ubi Soft
Developer: Ubi Soft Montreal
Release: Q4 2003
As Matt has said, the Prince rocks. Ubi Soft Montreal is doing amazing things up there in the wacky land of Canada, and I'm totally impressed with the realistic animations and tight combat controls developed for this game. The "sands of time" powers are also very Matrix-esque, but even cooler than any such effects that we've seen in a videogame to date. If the story pulls together as expected, this could very well be the best multi-console title of the year and a massive holiday crowd pleaser.
Most memorable Prince of Persia moment: watching the Prince sprint laterally across a wall and jump to a nearby pole, flip around a few times, and leap to a nearby ledge filled with spinning blade traps and deadly spikey pits.
StarCraft: Ghost (GCN) (Hit!)
Publisher: Blizard
Developer: Nihilistic, Blizard
Release: November 18, 2003
The hype around this one has subdued a bit now that the game is no longer hot news, but I'm still in love with Blizard's sneaking tactical shooter. The control just feels totally awesome, and the arsenal of StarCraft weaponry and characters is quite impressive. Don't let the dying hype convince you that this game is no longer "the bomb," because it surely is many nuclear blasts.
Most memorable StarCraft: Ghost moment: hanging from a pipe upside-down and sniping a guard in the head just before calling in a nuclear blast from above.
But in addition to all of the great E3 2003 games that I loved, here's a short list of titles that failed to meet my expectations:
Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (GCN) (Miss!)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release: Q4 2003
It's so hard not to love Mario Kart on any system, but this GameCube version just plays much too slowly in its current build. The eight-player LAN support is definitely nice, but unless Nintendo bumps up the speed and adds a healthy dose of zip to our racers, then there's just no way I could find myself addicted to this latest Nintendo kart racer -- and that makes me want to cry. Please Nintendo, don't let this happen.
Pac-Man (GCN) (Miss!)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release: TBD
Please Nintendo, stop promoting gimmicky GBA-connectivity features like they're the next best gaming innovation. The concept is novel and creative, but there's no way I'm going to own three separate GBA systems and play a simple game of cat and mouse in my living room at any point in the future -- Pac-Man license or not.
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (GCN) (Miss!)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Release: TBD
Again, enough with the GBA-connectivity already! Four Swords is actually a totally awesome game for those who own four GBA systems, four GBA-to-GameCube link cables, and have three other friends around who want to play a SNES remake for extended periods of time. Sadly, despite working in an office of videogame freaks fully equipped for such occasions, I don't think that even I could put together the logistical hurdles to bring this gaming fantasy to life. As a result, even I won't be buying this next GameCube Zelda title.
