Assuredly, anyone reading this blog has already gotten most of their big E3 news from one of the main gaming sites, or from G4 or Spike. So, no need to rehash that news here. Instead, I’ll give you a little insight to the con from the point of view of a lowly attendee.

Power Gig (con’t)

One of the most interesting approaches Power Gig makes to the music game genre is the drums… instead of four pads, you have a base with four light sensors that you place on the ground, and to drum, you wave the stick over the correct sensor. It’s an odd sensation, and isn’t quite as accurate as one would hope, though there still may be some tweaks before release. These drums would be great for someone who is trying to play quietly, and the small size is great for someone whose game area is already cluttered with various plastic instruments. However, if air drumming isn’t your style, and you need the tactile sensation of a drum head, this kit just won’t do.

Rock Band 3 (Cross-platform)

Rock Band 3 expands our rocking experience with a new instrument, the keyboard. No longer will we have to play Freezepop’s kickin’ synth riffs on our guitar, we can rock them out as the Pop Gods intended, on a standalone keyboard or the upcoming keytar peripheral. I was afraid the keyboard peripheral would have some kind of giant Simon buttons, but luckily it has normal sized keys, and feels like a keyboard should. RB3 also follows the lead of Beatles Rock Band, and includes support for multiple microphones and 3-part harmonies. Rocking out Bohemian Rhapsody with a full band and 3 talented vocalists is pure digital joy.

Now, there is one area where RB3 really hits it out of the park. The greatest slight against music games of this type tends to come from elitist musicians, smirking and suggesting you ‘learn to play a real guitar’. Well, while the standard Rock Band guitar is included with the game, you have the option to pick up a 100+ button Pro Controller. When using said controller, the typical colored button scheme on your screen is replaced by numbers. The number refers to which fret’s button you need to press, and the number appears on the string that needs to be played. So when you are playing a solo on Expert, you are playing in the same places it would be played on a real guitar.

But, yes, you are still playing it on a fake plastic guitar with buttons. Well, that is until next year, when they release the Fender-made pro controller, which is a legitimate (Midi controller) guitar, strings and all.  You can use it in the game, or you can plug it into an amp and rock out the sweet solo the game taught you how to play. Or both, at the same time.

Music Game Haters:  Why don’t you play a real guitar?

Rock Band : Hey, here’s a real guitar. So fuck you.

Joy Ride (Xbox Kinect)

The Xbox Natal was the big announcement at last year’s E3, and this year it got a name, as well as a few launch games, one of which being Joy Ride.  Joy Ride originally started as a XBLA game, but was adapted to take advantage of the Kinect. To steer, you stick your arms out in front of you and steer an imaginary wheel. To drift, you stick your ass out to the side, and to boost, you slam your arms forward. Not much to it. The game even takes care of acceleration and braking for you.  And you know what? It’s fun as hell. The steering is very precise, considering you aren’t actually holding any hardware, so even though the game auto-handles your speed, you have a lot of control over what happens with your car. When you launch off of ramps, you can do stunts, triggered by spinning around, or leaning back, or just generally doing goofy shit with your body. If only I can figure how to steer with one leg as I eat a Taco Supreme.

It’s easy to tell Kinect is still in its toddler phase, which is why all the launch games are so simple. But the thing simply drips with potential. I’m sure you know all of the bullet points, like the vocal commands, the face and size recognition, and so forth. But to see the thing in action…damn.

This could be very big, ladies and gentlemen.

Various Games (Nintendo 3DS)

 We also got a chance to take another piece of new hardware for a spin, the Nintendo 3DS. It’s roughly the same size as a DSlite, though a bit thicker. While it has an almost identical touchscreen, the 3DS sports  a widescreen top display that shows 3D images that you don’t need glasses to see.  It is a bit jarring at first…you almost need to look through the screen to get the hang of it, not unlike Ethan Suplee looking for that elusive sailboat. Luckily, there is a slider on the side of the screen to determine the depth of the 3D effect, ranging from ‘None’ to ‘Massive Hangover’. As the lovely young woman from Nintendo explained, everyone sees 3D a little differently, as well as different games using the engine differently, so you’ll have to use the slider to find your 3D sleep number. So to speak.

For some games, the 3D seemed like a half-assed gimmick, like Xbox games clumsily ported to the Wii. But for other games, like Kingdom Hearts, and Resident Evil, and even the silly little submarine game, it was truly incredible.

I didn’t get the same sense of awesomeness as I did from the Kinect, however. This one seems like it could go either way. It could be a revelation in handheld gaming, or it might end up like the Virtual Boy. We’ll see when it hits the street next year.

Legend of Zelda : Skyward Sword (Nintendo Wii)

It’s been a couple of years, but Nintendo knows what pays their bills. They return us to the world of Hyrule, to stab some shit, and save some ladies.

Skyward Sword has a similar gameplay style to Twilight Princess, but returns us to a lighter, more colorful world. Gone are the emo grays and blacks of TP, and back are the bright palettes we’re used to. Link also has some new tricks up his sleeve, like a Castlevania-esque whip, and a little flying beetle you can control for a short amount of time. Skyward Sword supports the Motion Plus, which adds much more control to the movements you’re performing. This is important, as now you need to focus on the timing and direction of your slashes to get around an enemy’s defenses, instead of just flailing wildly at the screen until things die. The game is still a year or so out from launch, so we were only able to play a small portion of the game, but it definitely has that lovely Zelda feel.

More Day 3 notes as well as a full recap soon.  And pictures, for those of you that can’t read. Although, if you can’t read, you don’t know I just promised you pictures. So, enjoy your surprise, you illiterate fuck.