At another E3 where the big three try to persuade us we need to use new methods of interaction to get on with our gaming, I’m more than a bit fed up with being told that I need to waggle my hands, arms, legs or controller around just to play a game. If I wanted to move anything more than my thumbs I’d be outside… and I really don’t want to be outside.
Yes, Microsoft was showing off its modified EyeToy games, Sony was showing off its updated Wiimote games and Nintendo was trying to pretend they were innovating rather than resurrecting their GBA-GCN link idea with an improved smidgeon of Sony’s Remote Play plastered on top. If this level of inbreeding keeps up I worry what the next generation of videogames are going to look like.
I’m usually of the frame of mind that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’m waiting for Capcom to go back to the traditional style of Resident Evil and quite happy seeing Gears of War, Mass Effect, Far Cry, Uncharted, Resistance, Modern Warfare and Battlefield, all hitting their third versions together and largely sticking to the same formulas we know and love. I’m not suggesting that all innovation is bad, it’s just that playing Zelda shouldn’t require you to shake your hand from left to right to slash enemies and Mario doesn’t have to have a water backpack or spherical stage design to warrant a new game. Change for change’s sake is aggravating more often than not.
My favourite two games of the show brought my mind back to the early 90s — my formative years for gaming and undoubtedly the best years 2D platforming can put its name to.
Sonic Generations
Seems like Sonic Team finally gave in to pressure and have given fans what they want. No gimmicks, no silly side-characters and no transforming into werehogs.
Instead we’ve been given a choice of two versions of Sonic. The classic, cute, silent, slightly tubbier Sonic we all know and love from the Mega Drive Sonic games and the modern green-eyed, homing-attacking, mouthy, lanky and (some might say) janky Sonic of Sonic Adventure onwards.
It’s not just two versions of Sonic though — each Sonic has his own version of a level. Most importantly, this means that we will be getting complete 2D Sonic stages rather than the partial ones we saw in Sonic Colours. The physics and mechanics are different for each Sonic too. You won’t see classic Sonic performing any homing attacks, and he reportedly feels a lot heavier to control than modern Sonic.
A roster of levels from the past 20 years of Sonic games will be playable with new 2D and 3D versions. City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2 was playable at E3, and gives me hope that the stages from later games will be a lot of fun. The only way Sonic Team can mess this up is if they force players to control both modern and classic Sonic on alternate stages. Let’s hope not.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oweDMaH5TY[/youtube]
Sonic Generations will be out in time for Christmas. Keep an eye out for the demo on Xbox LIVE and PSN!
Kirby Wii
Quite a relief to see this up on the screen at the end of Nintendo’s press conference. After having heard nothing for months, it’s good to see it’ll be receiving a Western release rather than another plot in the graveyard for cancelled Kirby games.
After the pretty but perhaps overly simplified Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Kirby Wii seems to have gone back to the more traditional formula, only with four-player co-op and new Super Ability flourishes. It seems as if other players might be at a bit of a disadvantage compared to Kirby, as none of the characters who were shown (Meta Knight, Dedede, and Bandana Dee) have Kirby’s Copy Ability. Still, it beats coloured Kirbys!
The only Super Ability shown during the E3 trailer was a powered-up version of Kirby’s Sword Ability, which Kirby can use to slice every character on the screen in one fell swoop. Kirby will also be able to take advantage of his entourage by inhaling them and spitting them out for a decent bit of damage.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ6So_WKlu8[/youtube]
Kirby Wii will be out this autumn.
Keep the classics coming!
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