E3 2009 Nintendo Overview

This morning at E3 was the Nintendo Conference. Their hall was much more understated than Microsoft’s, but they still had some good anouncements. New games were announced for both their platforms – the Wii and the DS. Nintendo is still maintaining their “everyday gamer” market and not producing much hardcore software for the more intense gamers among us. Previously I joked that they would only need to mention a new Mario game to create any kind of excitement. And they did that. And then some!

Two Mario games! 4-player 2-dimensional Super Mario Bros. 4 and Super Mario Galaxy 2! Both should be just what the Wii-fans want. Desginers Team Ninja also said they will have a new Metroid gamng coming out soon-ish.

Also the much rumoured Wii Fit Plus was confirmed, as well as more progress on the Wii MotionPlus add-on for the Wii-mote, but still more on what we already had shown to us last year. Some news was given about Wii Biometrics and the Wii Vitality Sensor, more focus on health and casual use of the Wii as more than a games platform. And some footage of the new Wii Sports was also shown with new “sports” available.

The DS a sequal to the very popular Golden Sun, Womens Murder Club as well as Bowsers Inside Story.

All in all it was less of a spectacle than Microsofts presentation, but it also shows the different tactics the two companies take to gaming, and nobody needs to be reminded how insanely well Nintendo is doing all around the world, practically doubling the sales of the other platforms for the last 2 years.

Sony’s conference is later today and should be a little more exciting than Nintendo’s, but will need to show off a lot of new, Sony-only IPs and to compete directly they’ll need have much closer relesase dates to one-up the other organizations. The new PSP Go is already getting backlash, but inFamous is doing well in worldwide sales.