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E3 2007: Nintendo Press Conference 
By Louis Bedigian
 
As we embark on a new setup and style for E3, one thing remains unchanged: the press conferences. That was proven this morning when Nintendo kicked off their E3 showing with a conference dedicated to the games we've been dying to play for months -- like Super Mario Galaxy and Smash Bros. Brawl -- and games we never knew existed but have begun to drool for. Though Nintendo saved the best for last, it is only fitting that we give gamers what they want most right now and discuss their newest Nintendo Wii innovation: Wii Fit. Using a special Wii Balance Board (which will be packaged with the game), Wii Fit is another game that's geared every kind of possible game player -- that is, every person on the planet.


  


The legendary Shigeru Miyamoto shows off Nintendo's newest innovation.


In the tradition of past Nintendo conferences, Reggie Fils-Aime began by showing a video of the potential for the game, which included a woman spinning and leaning to catch hoops around her body; a young girl leaning in a game of balance; a man doing push-ups on the balance board; and a kid who leaned his body to hit a soccer ball. The potential was amazing.


  
Aerobics, balancing, yoga, and more will be a part of the Wii Fit experience.
 

Mario Kart Wii
 
Nintendo made an announcement we've all been waiting to hear: Mario Kart Wii is in development. In other shocking news, the sun will rise tomorrow. And in news that really is shocking, the publisher confirmed that the game will be playable online and use a new wheel attachment that grips onto the Wii remote. That, and a brief trailer showing slightly-above-GameCube-quality visuals, are all that was unveiled. The action contained all the familiar faces, Mario-themed worlds, and other elements you've come to expect from the series, plus a noticeably faster speed limit. Reggie finished the Mario Kart Wii announcement by saying that it would feature more simultaneously playable racers than the previous console titles. How many more? All he would say is, "Stay tuned."


 
Zapper Time!
 
What do Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, the next Medal of Honor game, and the newly announced Ghost Squadron (one of Sega's more recent arcade releases) have in common? They're all coming to Wii and will support the use of a new lightgun peripheral called the Wii Zapper. This clever attachment combines the Wii remote and nunchuck with a handy firearm grip for arcade-heavy action.


  


Release Date Central
 
Press conferences are not usually a time for major release date announcements. You might get a general "fall" confirmation. In some cases a publisher may not go beyond saying "by the end of the year." But at Nintendo's conference, they announced specific dates for two of their most anticipated games: Super Mario Galaxy will arrive on November 12 and Smash Bros. Brawl will arrive on December 3.


 
No other announcements were made regarding either title, but Nintendo did show a phenomenal trailer that revealed new world areas and gameplay styles in Galaxy. Every stage has this enormous, never-ending feel with dozens of platforms placed all over the spacey atmosphere. That was to be expected given the name of the title, the location of its worlds (in outer space), and the no-gravity style of gameplay that's being developed for the title. What was not expected was a potential new suit for Mario -- a bee suit. Could my eyes have deceived me!? Reggie, in a statement that could've been directed personally at myself, even went as far as to say it is the true successor to Super Mario 64.
 
Check Mii Out
 
Expanding on the "Mii" concept, Nintendo announced Check Mii Out, a new Wii feature that will allow users to upload their Miis and vote on which ones are the best.
 
The Nintendo (Sales) Difference
 
Sales figures don't usually bring much excitement other than to say, "My favorite game is huge!" But Reggie presented an interesting statistic: for the game industry excluding Nintendo, a mere 20% of game consoles were purchased by female players. However, when you look only at Nintendo's console figures, that number jumps to 33%. This is an incredible leap for our industry. By getting women to play, video game sales could double. At least, they could for Nintendo, as the company insists these figures do not apply to its competitors. If the time comes when women buy more Nintendo games than men, we will have seen a massive shift like nothing before.
 
Reggie also noted that the Wii has been a worldwide sellout since its November debut, bringing the total of successful weeks at retail to 33. There are already 60 Wii games on the market and 300 for the DS; by Christmas another 100 will be added to Wii and an additional 140 titles will hit the console maker's leading handheld.