Most of the technical demos were pretty dry, as you might expect. I have spared you the video footage of me failing to draw a 70° angle, so consider yourself lucky. We did see a couple of stands showing beautiful high-definition footage of a zen garden and of Zelda’s Link, presumably from an upcoming game. It’s not the most original but I do quite like the idea of using a hand-held touch screen to manage an RPG’s map and inventory.

The Controller

Nintendo Wii U Controller And Console

The thing about the Wii U controller is this: we’ve been shown nice concepts like the shuriken demo shown at the 2-minute mark of Nintendo’s reveal video but we’ve already seen this type of human-computer interface across several of the many Nintendo DS iterations. The touch and dual screens have been out since 2004 and I’m still waiting for that mind-blowing implementation to capture me the way Kinect did on day one.

As you could see in the video, the gyroscopic/directional sensor can be a fun way to give you a window into another world. This year’s 3DS does the same thing. I’ll admit, as someone who exclusively plays handheld consoles on the Tube or when sick in bed, I’m far more likely to use any gyroscopic controls in the safety of my living room than on a train. Scaling these up to a big HD screen is no bad thing. However, I have yet to see or hear a killer idea that would make me want to fork out for yet another console, especially if only one gamer will be able to use the tablet controller. Buying a games console to magnify a web page? Please…

Why Buy?

Nintendo tried to sell Wii U in their reveal trailer with the point that if someone wants to use the television, you can carry on playing your game on the small screen. No. Just… no. When I’m playing a game from a HD console on a 40-inch television I want the full, immersive, big screen, surround-sound experience. If I wanted to play arcade-style games on a small screen I’d borrow Nick’s iPad. Transferring to a portable machine would have been a huge advantage 10 years ago when we were all reliant on save points to preserve our progress. Expectations are different these days.

Let me be clear – I think that having a powerful machine capable of HD graphics will be a great advantage in that more companies will be willing to develop for it. More minds, more ideas, more creativity. I am excited to see what concepts better minds than my own will come up with for this, but wary given the similarities to the (3)DS.

Even though prancing around to the jaunty demo music was fun, I just can’t see a reason to start saving the pennies yet. Can you?

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

This is coming to the Wii later on this year, around autumn time, as Nintendo have now finally finished it. Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening will be available to buy via 3DS eShop from the 7th June 2011. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords will be coming to the DSi and 3DS for free later on in the year.

To celebrate The Legend of Zelda’s 25th anniversary there will be a series of symphony concerts playing the classic Zelda tunes that we’ve come to love over the years. As soon as I find out the times and dates for these concerts I’ll post the details.

Mario Kart 3DS

In the 3DS version of Mario Kart, the karts have undergone some fairly radical upgrades to cope with the new track locations. For instance the karts have propellers for the underwater tracks. For other tracks the karts come with a James Bond like hand glider attachment.

Mario 3DS:

This is a brand new Mario game built from the ground up specifically for the 3DS. After watching a demo on a 3DS in the Nintendo stand, sadly in video form, I was impressed with the 3D. You could really feel the depth to the levels, especially when you come across the giant flame towers belching hot plasma straight into your screen. The rest of the game was classic Mario.

Starfox 3DS

In Fox McCloud’s latest adventure you can either use the standard d-pad controller or tilt the console to control his ship. Starfox 3DS also makes use of the 3DS camera to show you other players at key points during the game. You can get to see everyone’s happy, sad or angry faces. Hmmm, I’m not keen on this little bit of functionality. No doubt it will be funny for the first couple of times then quickly get boring. Starfox 3DS will be coming out in Sep 2011.

Luigi’s Mansion 2

Luigi is back and still armed with his ghostbusting vacuum. With similar looking gameplay to the original game on the Gamecube, Luigi’s Mansion features some very nice looking 3D visuals. The lighting effects in particular were quite stunning. Luigi also gets to explore multiple mansions this time.

Pokedex 3D:

The global phenomenon comes to the 3DS via a 3D Pokedex. This will be downloaded only through the Nintendo eShop. It will also be free.

3DS System Update:

Nintendo also mentioned that with the June 2011 3DS system update you get a free version of Excitebike 3DS for a limited time. Don’t forget this game is now 27 years old, so don’t expect something ground breaking. The Virtual Console and 3DS demos will be appearing later on in the year on the eShop.

Wii U:

This is the name for Nintendo’s new console. It main feature is its big, new controller, which hogged all the limelight during the press conference. I actually don’t remember seeing the small, Wii-shaped console that accompanies the controller such was the focus on the controller.

The controller features a 6.2 inch touch screen at its centre. It also includes a microphone, camera, accelerometer, speaker, control pad, two circle pads, a rumble feature, A/B/X/Y buttons, L/R buttons and ZL/ZR buttons. Accompanying the controller is the base unit which looks very much like the Wii and varies in power according to which website you read. Nintendo have announced that it will support HD visuals, which would be a substantial improvement over the shockingly poor graphics that you get from the Wii.

Wii U allows you to switch from playing a game on the TV to the controller. This is useful if someone wants to watch something else on the TV. Other functionality includes the ability to draw on the controller’s screen (if you have any talent) to create beautiful masterpieces. You can use the screen to play board games too. The screen allows you access your inventory or a map without you having to interrupt your game.

Nintendo Wii U Controller And Console

Wii accessories can be used with Wii U. So all those controllers you’ve bought for your Wii will still be useful.

In terms of games, Lego City Stories is coming to Wii U and the 3DS. This will be an open world game packed full of Lego vehicles. Darksiders 2 will be available for Wii U at launch. Other notable games that caught my attention were Batman: Arkham City, Assassin’s Creed, Ghost Recon Online and Aliens: Colonial Marines. Alas, there were no firm details about how the controller will be used in each of them. Nintendo also teased that Smash Brothers will be developed 3DS and Wii U and will work together in some fashion.

And that’s it for the Nintendo media briefing. There were units to play with during the E3 Expo running 8 different tech/gameplay demos, but no actual games. We did get to play with the Wii U so look out for our hands-on impressions post. Randy Pitchford did mention during his talk during the Aliens: Colonial Marines live demo that they have got the game running on Wii U hardware, and that they’ve had the units for some time. But that was all we got out of him.

So this leaves us with a lot of unanswered questions about the Wii U. How much is it going to cost? When will we see it in the UK? What’s the backward compatibility like with Wii games? Are developers going to retro fit Wii games to take advantage of the new controller and what do they think of it? And what are the games going to look like on the new hardware. Tech demos and just that, demos. Rarely have they been representative of what it’s like to play games on the console that you get to buy and plonk in your living/bedroom.

Listed below are 11 WiiWare games that really stand out from the crowd. Some are console exclusives, some can also be found on other gaming platforms, but all, in my opinion, are worth investing some Wii Points in.

Fluidity

Hydroventure (Fluidity)
Wii Points: 1200

A brilliantly inventive side scrolling game, that has you moving an increasingly large puddle of water around, in search of rainbow water drops. Reminiscent of LocoRoco, in that you control the environment, rather than the water. Full of clever puzzles, and beautifully presented in the form of a book. One of the best games released on any format in 2010.

NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits
Wii Points: 1000

This is an excellent side scrolling platform game, set within the world of Greek mythology. NyxQuest has a unique visual style, a great soundtrack and an excellent control scheme. The combination of platforming and puzzle solving makes for a diverting adventure, that whilst over in a few hours, is captivating throughout.

Swords & Soldiers

Swords & Soldiers
Wii Points: 1000

A very different take on the RTS genre, Swords & Soldiers is a fast, frantic and fun side scrolling game. It has a very colourful cartoon style, a good sense of humour, and plenty of content, including a two player spilt screen versus mode. It acts as a great advert for the inclusion of more Vikings in video games as well. Swords and Soldiers is now also available of the PS3, through the PSN store.

Tomena Sanner
Wii Points: 500

If Canabalt and Space Channel 5 had a baby, this one button action game from Japan would be it. Help get Mr. Susumu to the dance party, past a relentless assault of surreal distractions and obstacles. Completely insane, and great fun. Sadly, sales don’t look to have been huge, given that only around 1400 scores are currently registered on the EU scoreboard for Level 1-1. Tomena Sanner is now also available on iPhone/iPad.

Excitebike World Challenge

Excitebike World Challenge
Wii Points: 1000

Anyone who remembers playing the original Excitebike on the NES should snap up this updated version. It retains many of the core gameplay features of the original, and adds updated visuals, loads of levels and even online multiplayer. There is no local multiplayer option, unfortunately, but even so, lane switching and jumping ramps has never been more fun.

And Yet It Moves
Wii Points: 1000

Originally released on PC in 2009, this great indie title came to WiiWare in 2010, bringing with it an improved control mechanism, and oodles of charm. With no bad guys to defeat, your aim is simply to get to the end of each level, controlling the lead character, and rotating the environment through 360 at will. The whole world appears to be crafted from crushed up paper, giving this clever platform puzzler a strikingly different art style.

World of Goo
Wii Points: 1200

World of Goo is quite simply brilliant. Based on a very simple premise – get the target number of goo balls to the goo pipe – it is implemented perfectly, with smart physics, clever puzzles, and a great art style. Sure, you can also get it on PC, but the Wii version is still great, four player drop-in co-op and using the Wiimote to build structures and fling Goo balls around feels great. I hear that the recent iPad version is just as brilliant.

Lost Winds: Winter of the Melodias

Lost Winds
Lost Winds: Winter of the Melodias
Wii Points: 1000 each

Two great little games, which are among the best looking titles on WiiWare. Thankfully, the gameplay holds up to the visuals, with each game providing a few blissful hours of platforming goodness. The second game offers a significantly longer experience than the first, and it is also slightly trickier, so if you have to choose one to play, that should be your pick.

Art Style: Penta Tentacles (Rotozoa)
Wii Points: 600

The Art Style games on DSi and Wii are always worth a look. This one involves moving a small organism around the screen, attempting to absorb enough smaller lifeforms to complete the level. The game is simple to begin with, but extremely tricky towards the end, and had me screaming at the screen at times. As you would expect from the Art Style series, the game features simple but beautiful visuals, along with a great electronic soundtrack.

Bit.Trip Beat
Wii Points: 600

One of six titles in the Bit.Trip series, this is probably the toughest game I have played on the Wii. With a very simple control scheme – just tilt the controller to move the Pong style paddle – the game throws waves of beats at you, which you must repel. Do it right, and the beats synch with the in-game music perfectly. Do it wrong, and you lose. The game has a really neat 1980’s 8-bit art style which complements the soundtrack well. I still haven’t beaten this game, despite it only being three levels long, but I have had fun trying.

If you need to get hold of some Wii points, they can be bought at an exchange rate of £7 for 1000 directly from the Wii Shop dashboard. This price is actually below the RRP of pre-paid cards, but there are some decent offers on these cards around, if you look carefully.

At the time of writing, the current best deal is at The Hut, where you can snap up a 2000 Wii Points card for £12.85. I’m not sure how long that deal will last though, so best be quick.

So for one day only, Elephant and Castle will be decked out with a colourful array of kitting from the talented people at Knit the City. The event starts at 10am and will run for the whole day. Nintendo will also be giving away 20 copies of the game during the day, so get your butts down there to win them!

I can’t wait to see what the E&C shopping centre is going to look like with knitting everywhere! I had the pleasure of living in the area for 5 years back in the 1990s. My local pub The Hampton Court Palace was a cracking place to have a pint and watch sport back then.

Elephant and Castle featured image taken by laszlo-photo.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn is released on the 24th Feb on Nintendo Wii

TIKIPODltd also gave me a brilliant Black Tiger mug as a birthday present a few years ago which I use to hold my daily cuppa. It’s a lovely looking mug :-)

Time to go and immerse yourself in a bit of gaming history and check out Black Tiger.

For those of you that are interested, you can keep track of the Black Tiger for M.A.M.E. world record highscore.

Black Tiger is available now for 800 Wii points on the Nintendo Wii.

Flynn’s review:

It’s good because there are all types of games you can play on it, like the one where you can wash the car and the one where you can paint things. I liked the painting one because you can choose what colours to paint the car and Peppa’s family. The snowball game is hard though, it’s a bit difficult to keep hold of the snowballs, it’s really tricky. The car wash one is good, I like cleaning all the mud off the car with the hosepipe and it’s funny when you squirt George because he oinks and does a little jump. It makes me laugh.

The pancake game can be a bit hard too, it’s difficult to tip the mixture into the pan and it’s really hard to flip the pancakes, even my Mummy can’t do it very well. I like playing all the normal sports games better than this Peppa Pig game though and Grandpa liked the pancake flipping game more than me.

Flynn’s parent’s review:

Flynn got really frustrated with it and found it hard to control the cursor on a lot of the games which made him lose interest. They didn’t hold his attention for very long and he soon started to play with his Mega Blocks instead. It was really noticable when we put Wii Sports back on how much more those games engaged him in comparison to the Peppa Pigs ones. A voiceover giving you tips might help quite a bit but we really don’t think a 3 year would be able to play many of the games if Flynn, who is nearly 6, was finding them difficult.

Summary:

Don’t buy this game, save your money and visit PeppaPig.com – it’s free and the games are just as good.

Peppa Pig: The Game is out now. Peppa Pig 2: Fun & Games is also available now for the Nintendo Wii.

My new resolve is to work out from the comfort of my living room. I’ve tried this a couple of times before with Wii Fit and EA Sports Fitness. Ubisoft’s upcoming Kinect title Your Shape: Fitness Evolved promises a much more streamlined experience.

Not a bad likeness, right? Maybe a little wide around the hips ;)

Using Kinect to navigate the interface eliminates the hassle of finding a controller every two minutes, though the preview menu was a little slow and temperamental. Hopefully that will be cleared up in the final build.

For me, the most important thing about a workout game is that I don’t get bored. Gameplay should so much fun that the exercise is incidental. I’m really looking forward to the new breed of dance games (Dance Central and Just Dance 2) and they’ll give me a great cardio workout but not much else. Fitness Evolved has a good range of game modes to work cardio and strength – personal training, mini games and classes.

The Class

Swirling the Snake

The Mini-Games

These are where I have high hopes for Fitness Evolved. I played a couple of games; one that involves falling blocks on a virtual board and another on cross-body-punching virtual targets while ducking a giant pendulum. Moving around to catch the falling blocks is a great distraction from the fact that you’re basically waving your arms above your head until your deltoids give out.

Cross-punching was less obviously a workout and great for your reaction times. On the harder levels it did suffer from the lag we’ve been seeing on other Kinect titles, and we all got clobbered by the pendulum despite being in full crouch. Hopefully that will be fixed by release.

Cross-body punches. No pendulum on easy mode

Personal Training

As with so many fitness titles, you’ll start out with an assessment and asked to choose your goals. Fitness Evolved will then take you though a routine tailored to your needs with workouts designed by celebrity fitness trainers Michael George and Michelle Bridges.

With no controllers, a good variety of workout modes and personalised routines, there really is no excuse left for lying on the sofa all evening. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved will be a Kinect launch title available on November 10th.

Image Gallery

Having seen quite a few videos of this “new” GoldenEye, it is looking pretty good. My only regret is that it will only be available on the Wii. Now that the PlayStation Move is available, I would just love to play GoldenEye on the PlayStation 3. How about it Activision?

GoldenEye 007 is released on the 5th Nov 2010 only on the Nintendo Wii.

However, this sequel is looking pretty tasty after watching the trailers and seeing the screenshots. I have high hopes for this game and will be pre-ordering it so I can play it on the 11th June 2010. It will be interesting to see what adding Yoshi brings to the game and Mario’s new skills.

And also check out these nice looking screenshots featuring Yoshi!

Super Mario Galaxy is out now and Super Mario Galaxy 2 is released on the 11th June 2010 only on Wii.