E3 2001: Nintendo @ E3 In Review Special @ Gaming Target

Written by Daniel Ekman on May 21, 2001

Special: Touch the Future and witness a super cube

Before I start I'd like to say that I had close to extreme expectations on Nintendo's showing this E3. With all the tension building up since last year's Space World in Japan I couldn't wait for Nintendo to reveal its offerings to the public. Hugely anticipated was a new Mario, but sadly the little plumber never showed up. ?Wait for Space World,? are the words that keep coming back to haunt us.

Anyhow, even if we once again have some waiting ahead of us, I'd like to take this opportunity to talk about what did turn up at the show floor. I'll only mention games that were presented in playable form, and I'll grade the games with Mario-esque stars for good measure. Now, behold the listed games beneath in all their glory, along with short explanations about their given rating.

Five Stars
Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron 2 - Because it looks too good to be true. I have also craved a really great game of this kind ever since I played the flying missions in Shadows of Empire on N64. If you wonder, the N64 Rogue Squadron didn't really do it for me for some reason. In any case, this game looks set to remedy my disappointment. With all the famous battles from the three episodes that so many people cherish and love, this one will be a sure hit come Christmas.

Super Smash Bros. Melee - What can I say, I'm a sucker for 4-player games. The fact that this title looks pretty damn good doesn't hurt either. With all the new characters and an improved single-player mode I don't think that this will disappoint anyone who liked the original.

Kameo: Elements of Power - As one of my favourite games presented at the show, this one deserves all the attention it can get. While still very early, it shows off a refreshing new path for Rare to tread upon. With animals to catch, monsters to beat, and hopefully a nice storyline to go hand in hand with that, Kameo could be one of the best titles to make it out in 2002 on GameCube.

Four Stars
Eternal Darkness - Would be worth five stars if I even remotely liked horror games a la Resident Evil. That it still gets four is because it seems to have so much more to offer, like a great storyline and incredible depth. Not to mention the attention to detail and the replay value (separate paths through the game etc.).

Wave Race: Blue Storm - After an initially bad impression of the game, mainly because of bad-quality movies, it is now one of my most anticipated launch games. Great graphics and the unique feeling of racing on water is what turns me on in this case ;)

Luigi's Mansion - Peculiar and beautiful as hell. The setting, lighting, and the Ghostbuster-like gameplay all seem to blend into one to create an original and fun experience. To some it might seem a bit repetitive, but I think that there's much more to this game then meets the eye. Let's see what's revealed at Space World *sigh*.

Star Fox: Dinosaur Planet - Would probably get five stars if it hadn't been for the change to the whole Star Fox premise. I know that it still, in essence, is the old Dinosaur Planet, but it just isn't the same. I loved the N64 incarnation when I tried it last year, and I can just pray that the game hasn't lost its charm in the transition.

Pikmin - I couldn't really get a feel for this game, neither through videos nor impressions. As much as I feel sure about it being fun as hell--much because of my faith in Miyamoto--I'm just not especially hyped up over this game. That could most certainly change with time, though.

Three Stars
Super Monkey Ball - Sure, puzzlers, or whatever Monkey Ball is, can be a whole lot of fun, but I can't say that it's one of the genres that I think about when I hear "GameCube." It seems like a good game, though, and I might just pick it up somewhere along the way.

NBA Courtside 2002 - Sports wonderful arenas, animations, and that original C-stick passing feature. So, what's wrong with this game? Nothing in particular, I just don't like basketball games so much. If you're a fan of the old Kobe Bryant games and excellent graphics, though, I don't think that you could go very wrong with this game when it's released.

Two Stars and Less
Huh? This is GameCube we're talking about here ;)

Conclusion
One might say that E3 this year both delighted and slightly disappointed. Personally I would have liked to see a new "real" Mario game, as that is what I looked forward to the most. However, I must say that what Nintendo did show was pleasing in almost every imaginable way. Both original surprises as well as some good old franchises that never wear out. Nintendo all the way, people!