The year of Luigi continues as his Wii U game gets a full retail release.

Today during its Nintendo Direct show, the company revealed that the New Super Luigi U expansion for New Super Mario Bros. U will get its own standalone retail release for $29.99 on Aug. 25. This is in addition to the downloadable eShop version, which goes on sale for $19.99 on June 20.

If you don’t own #NSMBU, a standalone retail version of New Super Luigi U will be at stores 8/25. #NintendoDirectNA http://t.co/5UIU7rEzR6—
Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 17, 2013

This is good news for gamers who like owning a physical product. It also gives players a chance to get a cool green box to add to their Wii U game collection.

New Super Luigi U is a remix of the original Wii U platformer that is completely devoid of Mario. This is Luigi’s gig and he won’t have to worry about his older brother overshadowing him.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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Welcome to another edition of Extra Hearts, GamesBeat’s dating site made especially for video game characters. We’re celebrating the Year of Luigi by looking at the green-clad plumber’s profile. Will the famous brother find a special someone, or is he doomed to stay second best in all things, including love? Let’s find out.

Likes: My bottom bunk (where I’m repeatedly told is where I belong). Silver medals. Clay Aiken.

Dislikes: Ghosts, darkness, and those third-party controllers I’m always stuck with when playing Mario Party.

Our first date: Whatever you’d like to do. I’d rather not make any decisions.

My best feature: I can jump slightly higher than Mario.

Most interesting thing about me: I went through a bizarre growth spurt in 1986.

You should message me if: You aren’t already in love with my brother.

Comments:

More Profiles:

• Peach
• Chell
• Kratos
• Samus
• Master Chief
• Aerith
• Mega Man
• Kerrigan
• Nathan Drake

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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In China, it’s the year of the snake. Everywhere else, it’s the year of Luigi, according to Nintendo.

To celebrate Mario’s frightened little brother, Nintendo will release “large-scale” downloadable content for the Wii U launch game New Super Mario Bros. U that turns the game into New Super Luigi U. This expansion will transform the game’s 80-plus levels into an entirely new adventure for Luigi.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, during a streaming-video presentation, said the scale of the development is equivalent to that of a full game release.

“It will take some time,” said Iwata. “This is coming to the Wii U eShop in this year of Luigi.”

It’s about time that Luigi got some respect. He’s taller, skinnier, and — in my opinion — much more handsome.

Click here for our full coverage of today’s Nintendo Direct.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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When the Wii U was officially announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2011, Nintendo shared its hopes of winning back the hardcore gaming community by taking its up-and-coming console back to basics, compensating for the alienation caused by the Wii’s motion controls. While the Wii holds the record for the most sales of seventh-generation consoles as of Q1 2012, there was still a large number of gamers who had lost almost all interest in the console. It was painful for many longtime video game enthusiasts to witness the once dominant Nintendo promptly dethroned.

Eventually, details about Nintendo’s successor to the Wii began to surface. The Wii U would come equipped with a new and revolutionary “GamePad” in place of a traditional controller. It would use an additional touch screen similar to the Nintendo’s DS handhelds and could be put to use in ways that would allow the player to feel more immersed within the game. This seemed to be the main marketing point for the console as Nintendo showcased its ability to innovate and bring more interaction to games. The GamePad generated quite a bit of excitement among the gaming media and community, who were looking forward to experiencing what the Wii U and its new tablet-like controller had to offer.

There was, of course, a rather tight niche of critics and gamers who looked to the GamePad with a sense of anxiety rather than optimism. From this point of view, it seemed as though the expectation was for the controller to unintentionally facilitate the Wii U’s downfall. If gamers felt alienated by the Wii’s motion controls, which prompted Nintendo to revert back to a more traditional setup, would the GamePad really do the job? Or would it have been more beneficial to trust in the tried and true style of controllers similar to those used by Nintendo’s competitors? It was difficult to predict at the time, and the majority of spectators sat in waiting.

The Wii U finally released in November of last year, kicking off to an immediate success in sales. The new console also went over well with critics, who praised its audio and visual specs as well as its GamePad, debunking any doubt in the controller’s potential.

So where is the Wii U now? For the first month or so after the console’s release, it thrived on success and positive publicity. Now, early into 2013, the buzz of launch has worn off for most, and it appears as though the console has almost gone dormant at such an early stage in its life span. Why is this?

First of all, aside from the handful of successful launch titles — including New Super Mario Bros. U and Scribblenauts Unlimited — the console’s catalog has largely fallen flat. Since the initial release wave, various other titles have come out for the Wii U, but most of them are already available on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (Darksiders II, Tekken Tag Tournament 2, and a handful of others). Apart from these few, there seems to be almost no sign of any major releases in the near future, much to the dismay of those who spent their hard-earned cash on the console. This is similar to what happened with the Wii.

A display of the optimism targeted toward the Wii U upon release.

That brings us to the upcoming Bayonetta 2. The highly anticipated title has been announced as a Wii U exclusive, sparking outrage among gamers: those who are without a Wii U will be unable to play the game on their PlayStation 3s and Xbox 360s, like they did the original.

This may point to the number of gamers who passed on the Wii U and are still without ownership of one. Even with all of the publicity and praise, it’s possible that many people felt little need to spend their money on a new system when their existing ones were viable for another year or so until the next round of console launches. The fact that the Wii U’s release was early in comparison to what Microsoft and Sony may have planned also works against the Wii U to a certain extent. To some, a year may not seem like a long enough time to be salvaging every last bit of life out of seventh-generation consoles, but in this day and age, a single year of saving money makes all the difference.

I’d like to point out that I personally have no hatred toward the Wii U and was in fact anxious to see what became of it upon release. Unfortunately, since then, the gaming community hasn’t heard much of anything from Nintendo’s new console. It’s almost as though it has fallen off the face of the Earth.

Many may be disappointed by the lack of attention shown to the Wii U, and it really seems as though many developers are unwilling to take their chances and release games for it. Others may have already seen this coming. For one reason or another, the Wii U might have failed to capture our attention beyond its first few steps out the door, much like with the Wii.

For those who were uninterested to begin with, this situation may likely fly past their radars undetected. But for those who feel let down, we can only hope that the Wii U will make its deserved comeback in the near future. After all, it’s still early, and it’s never too late.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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Once again, we turn to our expert group of video game characters to bring peace to the land!

Guns! Guns! Guns! If you aren’t clinging to them and your religion, you’re beating them into plowshares. But the recent spate of mass shootings has everyone looking for a simple, understandable root cause. Spoiler: It’s video games. Duh! Regardless, Vice President “Joltin’” Joe Biden told Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello that the game industry has “not been singled out” for blame … because they’re nailing everybody to the wall! Just days later, President Obama asked Congress for $10 million to fund research into the long-term effects of violent television, movies, and games on young, impressionable minds.

Well, we’re here to help. And because Mr. TV gave us short attention spans, we’re going to skip the research and go straight to the answers. What say you, panel of experts? What can we do about violence in video games?

Launch the gallery and be enlightened!

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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Once again, we tap our team of video game characters for lessons in good taste and proper etiquette!

We established long ago that video game special-edition packages are only any good if they include a mutilated corpse statue. So naturally, publisher Deep Silver planned to include one (see below) for the UK/Australia Zombie Bait Edition of Dead Island: Riptide, the upcoming sequel to its surprise zombies-in-paradise hit. Shockingly, some people objected to a headless woman in a D-cup Union Jack bikini. Deep Silver tweeted out a heartfelt apology mere hours after announcing the product, citing its complete shock that anyone would find it even slightly offensive despite a badge on the box that reads “WARNING: Includes content that may cause offense.”

It’s unclear as of yet whether Deep Silver plans to keep Chesty McHeadless in the package. Should it? And what could the publisher possibly replace it with? What say you, panel of experts?

Launch the gallery for wisdom!

Dead Island: Riptide is due out in the US on April 23 for the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best video game stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.

This week, GamesBeat celebrates the biggest games and news of 2012 with several retrospective features. Even though the year is almost over, that doesn’t mean we’re completely out of news yet, however. You’ll also find stories on Nintendo patenting a specific use for the Wii U’s dual-screen functionality, Microsoft releasing an iPhone and iPad game with Xbox Live Achievements, and where to buy the documentary Minecraft: The Story of Mojang without digital rights management.

Best of 2012:

The DeanBeat: Game industry predictions for 2013
Here’s the scorecard on our 2012 predictions for the game industry
The biggest gaming trends of 2012
The news that shook the game world in 2012
Kickstarter game projects raised $79M in 2012
GamesBeat’s 2012 Game of the Year: The Walking Dead
The best games of 2012 (GamesBeat staff picks)
The worst gaming trends of 2012
The best MMOs of 2012
12 of the best games for your new mobile device
The best video game trailers of 2012
The biggest gaming disappointments of 2012
The best video game soundtracks of 2012
The biggest gaming surprises of 2012
Top 15 mobile games of 2012
2012′s most innovative game ideas
Top gaming technologies of 2012
5 of the best original games of 2012
The best indie games of 2012
The video game industry’s 2012 holiday cards

News:
Blizzard: ‘We are going back to the drawing board’ for team deathmatch in Diablo III
International Game Developers Association appoints new executive director
This week in The Nintendo Download: Wii U discounts, Lost Levels, and Mega Man
Nintendo uploads tip videos for New Super Mario Bros. U to YouTube
Nintendo secures the patent for a specific use of the Wii U’s dual-screen functionality
How to gain early access to the Dead Space 3 demo
Microsoft launches first game for iPhone, iPad with Xbox Achievements
Where to buy Minecraft: The Story of Mojang documentary without DRM

Previews:
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is an ambitious shooter that’s faithful to the show (preview)

Pieces of flair:
How Canada has become America’s mobile app guinea pig
A tale of two zombie games: The Walking Dead vs. The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
5 worse BioShock Infinite covers
How major MMOs are celebrating Christmas in-game (gallery)
The many major missteps of Far Cry 3
Outlandish factoids from Street Fighter’s expanded universe (gallery)

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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If you were struggling with a game back in the day, you didn’t have very many places to go for help. Nintendo maintained a toll-free call-in service where players could talk to an expert who would help with the game — but that is no more.

In 2010, the publisher shuttered the Nintendo Power Line, as it was called, for good, but the company is finding other ways to share tips and tricks for its biggest titles. Like its YouTube account for New Super Mario Bros. U, which it is populating with short videos that show how to get certain star coins and 1UPs and how to perform difficult in-game feats.

Nintendo sent a Wii U message to New Super Mario Bros. U owners, alerting them of the channel’s existence. Thanks to the Wii U’s built-in browser, gamers can even navigate to the YouTube videos on the GamePad without closing the title.

The best part is that some of these videos reveal the platformer’s amazing level design. For example, you can see in this video how to beat the Acorn Plains “Way” stage without ever touching the ground:

So while the Power Line won’t ever return from obsolescence, at least you don’t have to ask your parents for permission before getting help with you games anymore.

Via: Polygon

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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Oh, Nintendo — at least it heart is in the right place on this one.

Nintendo of America tweeted that people who are giving a Wii U for the holidays should open the box to perform the console’s very long update before wrapping it back up. That way the gamer can get right to hopping around the worlds of New Super Mario Bros. U.

Giving #WiiU as a gift? Pro-tip: Perform system updates before wrapping so it’s good to go as soon as it’s opened!

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) Dec. 21, 2012

Currently, the initial update for a Wii U can take up to 2.5 hours. It’s been a source of significant frustration for gamers who just want to start playing.

Of course, Nintendo could have helped fans out by updating the consoles itself at the manufacturing plant, but that didn’t happen. Since the system launched, the Japanese publisher has pushed out three major updates, including the last one with added the TVii television-surfing functionality.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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You may be sleeping off a tryptophan-induced coma later, but Nintendo isn’t taking a break from updating its various digital download services. This week, it’s even getting into the Thanksgiving spirit by offering something new for everyone. Well, everyone who owns a 3DS, DSi, Wii, or Wii U at least.

First off is the Wii U, since literally everything on its eShop is new this week. Most of the system’s launch games are available digitally, like ZombiU, New Super Mario Bros. U, and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, but you could also download the Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, or ESPN Sports Connection apps if you need to entertain any family members that haven’t left yet. Here’s the full list of Wii U eShop items:

• Amazon Instant Video
• Chasing Aurora
• Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
• ESPN Sports Connection
• Hulu Plus
• Little Inferno
• Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition
• NBA 2K13
• New Super Mario Bros. U
• Nintendo Land
• Scribblenauts Unlimited
• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
• Trine 2: Director’s Cut
• Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013
• Assassin’s Creed III
• Darksiders II
• FIFA Soccer 2013
• Game Party Champions
• Just Dance 4
• Madden NFL 2013
• Nano Assault NEO
• Netflix
• Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
• Rabbids Land
• Sing Party
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition
• Warriors Orochi 3
• ZombiU

The 3DS is hosting a few new titles as well. The big names this week are Crashmo and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. The former is the sequel to Pushmo, which our own Jeff Grubb referred to as “the secret best 3DS eShop game,” while the latter is best remembered as one of the few times Nintendo did anything radically different with the Zelda franchise. Both are available now, Crashmo for $8.99 and Zelda II for $4.99. Also new today is 3D Mahjongg, which is pretty self-descriptive, and a new episode of the Meat or Die video series.

The DSi brings a pair of new titles this week as well, though they’re technically just different versions of the same one: Spirit Hunters Inc., which comes in Light and Shadow variants, is a Pokémon-style augmented-reality game in which you capture and battle hidden spirits. Both types have a few exclusive monsters that you can’t find in the other, so you could buy both if you’re a completionist, but keep in mind that they are $7.99 each.

Finally, the Wii refuses to die, as yet another old SNK game comes to the Virtual Console. This week, it’s a Neo Geo fighter called Ninja Master’s, which includes an oddly placed apostrophe and a special move called the “Super Death Blow,” which sounds awesome.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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Maybe you’ve heard about the Nintendo Wii U.

After a major marketing push and a torrential amount of Internet buzz, the successor to Nintendo’s wildly successful Wii video game console finally arrived in stores last Sunday. The gaming industry and the consumer base that feeds it have largely passed judgment already. But if you bought one of the 97 million Wii units solid in the last six years, and you consider yourself a casual user, you might wonder whether it’s worth your time and money to upgrade to the latest model.

Naturally, the answer depends on what you want it for.

Which model to get

This marks Nintendo’s attempt to catch up to its competitors on multiple fronts. We’ve covered the basics before, but the Wii U comes in two different packages — a white Basic Set retailing at $299.99 featuring an 8GB hard drive, and a black, 32GB Deluxe Set for $349.99 that includes a copy of Nintendo Land, a party-game compilation (read our full review here). That’s a significant increase from the Wii’s original $249.99 price back in 2006. Unlike its predecessor, the Wii U comes HD-ready, albeit at the lower end of the high-definition scale: 720p rather than 1080p.

Here’s a rundown of everything that comes in the box:

If you don’t plan to download a lot of games or apps, you might not need the bigger 32GB system. That said, the Deluxe set does include Nintendo Land, one of its best — and one of the few — casual gameplay titles at $10 off MSRP.

The big difference

The centerpiece of the Wii U is the GamePad, a handheld controller with a 6.2-inch touchscreen that combines a video game feel with tablet functions.

A nonstandard button layout presents a few problems for gamers, as we’ve pointed out already, but that won’t bother anyone coming off the Wii’s two-controller approach. In fact, I’ve already seen many clever applications for the GamePad’s capabilities — holding it up for “augmented reality” simulations, for example. But the Wii U’s not-so-secret weapon, asymmetrical gameplay, offers amazing possibilities by letting two or more players (one on the GamePad screen, the rest using the ubiquitous Wii Remotes or the Wii U Pro controller) experience the same game in very different ways, frequently with very different goals.

More often than not, you can also transfer what you’re doing to the GamePad’s screen entirely, freeing up the television for someone else to use while you continue your game or movie in peace. It’s a very liberating option, though at only 480p, the picture likely won’t be as sharp, and I frequently had to crank the Pad’s volume to maximum to hear Netflix films from its tinny little speakers. Plugging in a pair of earbuds only helps slightly.

Games, however, come through clear and strong. And the it’s games you play on the Game Pad that really show you the imagination and potential of the Wii U.

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Normal people associate the holidays with tacky decorations, dinners with annoying family, and an endless barrage of irritating toy commercials. Gamers, however, know that those last few months of the year really bring in a bounty of major game releases. That’s why this week’s edition of our Bring Your Own Topic podcast focuses on the holiday season of gaming, including a new system that you may have heard of.

This episode, GamesBeat editor-in-chief Dan “Shoe” Hsu sits down with our own Sebastian Haley, Rus McLaughlin, and 1up’s Jose Otero to talk about the biggest releases of the holiday season, including the Wii U, Assassin’s Creed III, Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Halo 4. Also, despite our best intentions, we do delve into a few minor spoilers. That was the warning. We just spoiler-warned you. No complaining now!

This episode’s topics:

• Our favorite holiday games so far
• Why or why not we’re getting a Wii U
• What makes a triple-A game
• Disappointing game endings

Listen:

Download (right-click and “Save As”): [.mp3]

Subscribe: [iTunes] [RSS]

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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It sounds crazy that a high-profile electronic device with price tag starting at $300 would ask consumers to take its features on trust. Nintendo’s new console, the Wii U, did just that.

In an era in which online gaming and downloadable content almost became mandatory for every major release, Nintendo’s smash-success Wii (with 97 million units sold in the last six years) fell dangerously behind the curve. The Wii U, promised Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata, would fix that. He didn’t actually say how. Indeed, right up to the product launch, the game-publishing giant barely gave its customers any details on what the Wii U’s online experience might be like. It wasn’t until late afternoon the day before the console’s North American release that Nintendo even turned the feature on.

Iwata and his company leveraged 30 years of nostalgia and customer loyalty against one big question mark. Now, finally, we’ve seen what’s behind the curtain.

Jump to to Page 2 for a detailed overview on the major features, like the Miiverse, Friend List, TVii, and Internet Browser. Click here for all of GamesBeat’s Wii U launch coverage.

Can the Wii U go online right out of the box?
Well, no. You need to download a day-one update to activate the online functions, and you might want to plan well in advance when you do. When the update finally went live Saturday (Nov. 17), the download progressed at the speed of continental drift … likely due to hundreds, possibly thousands, of prerelease Wii U consoles flooding Nintendo’s servers at once. All told, it took about 90 minutes to download and install the update. We shudder to think what might happen when several million people show up on launch day.

Is it worth the wait?
That depends on your expectations. And we’re still waiting … not everything’s active yet.

Does it support voice chat?
Not yet … just video chat through the GamePad controller’s camera. That will have to do for now, I’m afraid. The Miiverse community (explained in depth on Page 2) centers on game-centric message boards, too, which allow for typewritten or stylus-doodled posts.

We’re not still trading Friend Codes, are we?
No! You create your own Nintendo Network ID and link it to a Mii. You can friend people in the Miiverse by entering their ID or by sending them a friend request from their profile page, just like FaceBook. First, though, you’ve got to set up your Friend List, which can’t actually be done from the Miiverse. Your Friend List has its own top-menu icon.

What about game matchmaking?
This remains to be determined. Yes, games with online multiplayer have some sort of matchmaking, but many of these servers weren’t switched on until late in the evening on 11/17. We’ll update once we get a bit more time online and get a better feel for how well it works.

Does the Wii U have Achievements?
Sadly, no. Individual titles will have in-game, achievement-like milestones,  just as a few did back on the Wii, but Nintendo did not include an over-arching Achievement/Trophy system in the Wii U’s design. As far as we know, they don’t plan to, either.

Go to Page 2 for a run-down on all the major features!

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For years now, I’ve had a monthly tradition where I’ll type “apple.com/trailers” in my browser on a lazy Sunday and spend a couple of hours watching the new movie trailers in glorious Quick Time. I’ve never had that same go-to resource for gaming trailers.

That’s what Hulu wants to be with its new video game hub at hulu.com/videogames.

The Fox/CBS/Disney-ABC co-owned Internet video-streaming service is looking to lure in more viewers with a dedicated home for game trailers, reviews, and essential information (like release dates). It also looks pretty with large high-definition image headers for featured titles.

Hulu’s gaming page is live now on its website. Hulu Plus subscribers (the site’s premium monthly fee service) should start to see the hub rolling out to connected devices (like Roku and gaming consoles) over the new few months.

Gaming is a big part of Internet video. Website Twitch.tv has thousands of viewers watching dozens of people streaming their games live at any one time. Big events like Major League Gaming’s Championship Weekends generate viewer counts in the millions.

YouTube’s gaming channel sees millions of views each day. The latest Grand Theft Auto V trailer, released only two days ago, already has 7 million views on Google’s video site.

If Hulu can get in on that action, it’ll start producing respectable ad revenue at a relatively small cost, since publishers are the ones paying to produce the content.

Hulu.com/videogames also hosts episodes of gaming culture and review show Electric Playground. Additionally, it has a section dedicated to other shows and movies that relate to games in some way.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best video game stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.

This week, GamesBeat prepares for the Wii U launch Sunday with all the guides and reviews you’ll ever need, Call of Duty: Black Ops II goes on sale and gets reviewed, and Xbox Live turns 10.

You’ll also find reviews for When Vikings Attack, Angry Birds Star Wars, and a Threeview of Halo 4.

News:

• Sony’s PlayStation 3 hits 70M sold, good enough for third place
• YouTube rolls out new Wii app just in time for the Wii U launch
• Second Quest raises $70K to reimagine Zelda and games through art
• Gogamingo’s startup idea: Compete in tournaments, win real stuff
• Console-quality gaming without the console: OnLive is live in some LG TVs
• Valve cofounder Gabe Newell going to be a hall of famer
• This week in the Nintendo Download: Epic Mickey, Myst, and Hotel Transylvania
• Over 1 million players completed Halo 4′s campaign in the first five days
• Badgeville simplifies gamification for developers
• Rumble Entertainment seeks triple-A quality with Nightmare Guardians tablet game
• After a decade of service, Xbox Live usage hits an all-time high
• ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Bane signs on as Sam Fisher in Splinter Cell film
• Major League Gaming: Serving 11.7 million viewers in 2012
• ChangYou new free-to-play portal targets midcore and hardcore gamers
• New Grand Theft Auto V trailer balances comedy, drama, and skydiving out of jeeps (video)
• THQ says it is in talks about extending its credit line with bank
• Zynga juggles leadership team as CFO departs for Facebook
• Star Citizen Kickstarter reveals early piloting gameplay
• Sony launches ‘augmented reality’ title Wonderbook: Book of Spells from Harry Potter author
• No second chances: Treyarch will ban anyone caught hacking Call of Duty: Black Ops II
• Here’s what a $99.99 box of Tomb Raider stuff looks like
• PlayStation Plus launches on PS Vita next week
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II’s unlikely cameo: Former CIA chief David Petraeus
• Halo 4 sold a record-breaking $220M in its first 24 hours
• BioWare Montreal using the Battlefield 3 engine for the next Mass Effect
• Notch: Minecraft PC sales just passed 8 million

Mobile news:

• Glu Mobile lays off employees at two offices, closes a third
• Zynga brings its match-three gem game to mobile
• Mobile developer Intellijoy partners with YogiPlay to improve its educational apps (exclusive)
• Mobile game startup Pocket Gems appoints No. 2 exec as CEO
• After 400 million downloads, Storm8 releases new puzzle game to continue customer engagement
• Kixeye: Zynga is ‘desperate’ to get hands on its secrets
• New Kiip expands beyond mobile game rewards to other apps and platforms
• PlayHaven rounds up $8 million to finance international expansion
• Tapjoy runs into new drama over its app download incentives
• Time to get a bit fit: Fitbit One activity tracker now shipping
• Mobile-and-social app analytics firm Swrve raises $6.25M (exclusive)

Wii U:

• 10 things you don’t know about the Nintendo Wii U
• Wii U players could get an unfair advantage in Call of Duty: Black Ops II multiplayer
• Wii U shortage will be severe during holidays, but new console may not outsell Wii in long run
• GamesBeat’s Wii U roundup: Everything you ever wanted to know
• Here is the Wii U menu music (and more)
• Nintendo’s Scott Moffitt gives us the latest on the Wii U launch (interview)

Reviews:

• Donuts and penguins are weapons of war When Vikings Attack (review)
• Nintendo Land: Where the amusement sometimes ends (review)
• New Super Mario Bros. U is far from new (review)
• What’s in the Box?! Call of Duty: Black Ops II Care Package edition (review)
• Breaking down the four different games in Call of Duty: Black Ops II (review)
• Threeview: Halo 4 reviewed by a critic, an analyst, and an academic
• Angry Birds Star Wars plays off of both franchise’s strengths (review)

Pieces of flair:

• New Skyrim: Dragonborn screens reveal expansion’s inner Morrowind (gallery)
• If Halo’s Master Chief had a dating site profile
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II debuts at midnight openings around the world (photo gallery)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II multiplayer unlock guide
• All-new screenshots for Call of Duty: Black Ops II
• 2D game characters break into the real world

Click here for all of GamesBeat’s Wii U launch coverage. 

Part of Mario’s charm lies in how you can describe nearly 30 years’ worth of plots in one simple sentence. New Super Mario Bros. U, though, features the only royal abduction that actually cracked me up. Just as Mario, Luigi, and two Toads sit down to cake, Bowser’s gigantic mechanical hand crashes through the roof, daintily moves Peach’s chair out of the way, and then pounds the boys into the floor and hurls them halfway across the Mushroom Kingdom.

It’s enough to make you root for the turtle-dragon this time.

It’s also one of the few surprises. Nintendo’s new Wii U console got its Mario game at launch, but “new”? Really? Because More Super Mario Bros. hits far closer to the mark.

What You’ll Like

It’s a-Mario!
For sheer, unbridled joy, it’s tough to beat a Mario game. They revel in the simple act of play — right down to the springy buzz of jumps and dance interludes. Mario U doesn’t deviate from that formula … or any other.

Core to that equation: sterling level design. Mario U does have a few family-friendly leanings, but make no mistake, this thumb destroyer won’t take it easy on you. Nothing falls under the statutes of torture, but right around World 3, the challenges start pushing hard, and it feels good (the play-it-for-you Super Guide also returns if you get seriously stuck). The series’ haunted levels usually annoy me, but Mario U’s won me over with a smart mix of shrouded rooms, brilliant visuals (one particular favorite features moving Van Gogh backgrounds), pseudo-dead ends, and “not so fast!” rickrolling. Think you’re clever? Mario U already thought two steps ahead of you and planned accordingly.

Only one new power-up makes it into your arsenal, but it’s a good one. The flying squirrel suit gives you serious hang-time, and that’s invaluable in worlds with lots of wide gaps and sheer drops. Baby Yoshis make a long-delayed comeback, munching baddies and spewing bubbles on command. They’re annoying to carry (you must keep the Y button pressed down, which makes timed jumps trickier than usual) and easy to lose but very useful when you’ve got a ground game littered with edible pests.

You can also collect and store up to 10 power-ups out in the hub world (scaled way back from New Super Mario Bros. Wii) and equip one before you begin a level for a nice head start. And just like before, I got quite a laugh out of using abilities not otherwise available in a particular level, like gliding over a forest of Piranha Plants until a wall dropped me to the ground. That’s confidence; the game gave me some freedom but didn’t hand me a blank check. The design work behind Mario U is that strong.

Cool distractions
If you’re not too busy slamming Koopalings and avoiding Chain Chomps, Mario has a few other tasks on his plate both inside and outside the main game. In short, speed runners should prepare for heaven.

My favorite might be the Nabbit, a purple, rabbity thief who leads you on high-speed chase through a completed levels. Catching him nets you a special one-time-only Squirrel Suit that allows unlimited flight. Meanwhile, Boost Rush modes put you in non-stop race where tagging coins accelerates the pace. I wanted to go faster than that mode does. Time Trials better suited my Sonic the Hedgehog-like need for speed.

Money-grabbing Coin Battles return from New Super Mario Bros. Wii as part of the Challenge modes. Coin hunts and stomp-happy 1-Up Rallies will give you quite a workout, but I found myself drifting towards the Special category. This gives you a quick task to accomplish, like dodging fireballs for as long as you can or gliding to the finish line without touching the ground. They play fast, and they’re maddeningly addictive.

Challenge rooms and Toad House minigames also appear in the campaign’s hub world — you can avoid or engage either if your timing’s right — to help you stock up on power-ups. The latter, though generally lucrative, get old almost from the very first time you see them. Despite the repetition, the breaks in flow tend to feel refreshing more than anything.

Party time
Mario U doesn’t have “party” in the title, but yep … it’s a party game. The four-player modes (both co-op and versus) from New Super Mario Bros. Wii return largely unchanged and serve up just as much entertaining chaos as before. With so much happening onscreen at once, it can get a bit confusing, but rampaging through the Mushroom Kingdom as a four-man pack remains consistently entertaining.

The multiplayer game does have something of a downside. Mario U only supports co-op with the old-school Wiimote controllers, which aren’t included with any Wii U bundle. Hopefully, you didn’t trade them all in at GameStop already. The WiiPad comes in for Boost mode only, allowing a fifth player to stun enemies with a tap or conjure blocks anywhere for the others to bounce on. That’s a nice way to let people with almost zero hand-eye coordination participate, but anyone who really wants to play the game will feel like their mother just sat them down at the kids’ table.

Otherwise, Mario U’s multiplayer still nails the balance, fixing it so low-skill players get their kicks even as champion Mario gamers nail every jump and dispatch any threat. Sure, you can play solo, but this is how you should play the game.

But maybe you noticed how often I said something “returns” from before.

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Click here for all of GamesBeat’s Wii U launch coverage. 

You’ve got to give it to Nintendo: When it locks information down, it’s locked down tight. Its latest console, the Wii U, launches in five days, and we still don’t know the full picture. Hell, Nintendo won’t switch its online features on until tomorrow.

But I’ve had a week to play with the hardware itself, plus a sample platter of first- and third-party titles, and I’ve noticed a few interesting things the Wii U does — and doesn’t do.

The WiiPad has a better range than you think

For months, I’ve listened to Nintendo reps downplaying how far you can travel with the WiiPad. Players chatted excitedly about bathroom-gaming Zelda and Super Mario while on the throne only to have official statements crush their dreams. The pad won’t work through doors. Sorry.

Except it does. I own a two-story house, and my Wii U lives down in the man cave. Just for laughs, I walked away from it while playing New Super Mario Bros. U off the pad’s screen. The fidelity held together at 30 feet, so I headed upstairs … and then closed the door at the top. Still fine. Now, I couldn’t wander too much further, and indeed, putting any more walls between me and the console pretty much killed the signal. But hey, those bathroom breaks show some promise again.

The WiiPad’s touchscreen isn’t always finger-friendly

Touchscreens basically come in two flavors, capacitive and resistant. Capacitive screens, like your iPhones and iPads, register inputs when an electrical conductor (your finger, for instance) disrupts its electrostatic field. The WiiPad follows Nintendo’s tradition of using the more pressure-based resistive touchscreens, which respond better to less squishy, more pointy stimuli (a stylus, for instance).

So no, the WiiPad isn’t always as responsive as perhaps it should be when you swipe it with your finger. It works, but I frequently have to repeat inputs several times to get the desired result. That becomes an issue in several games, too. Fortunately, the pad comes with a built-in stylus — also a Nintendo tradition — that works well.

Screw SD cards

An 8GB model marks a major bump from the Wii’s storage capacity, and nobody should complain at 32GB for the Deluxe model. But if you really need more, the SD card slot does make a return to the new hardware. But screw that … this console’s got four USB ports. You can actually buy an off-the-shelf external hard drive, plug it into the Wii U, and have three terabytes of storage on that bad boy.

Go on. Do it. Just to make Microsoft and Sony cry. Until someone plugs an external drive into their consoles, anyway.

It harmonizes

While I sat typing up notes with the new Wii U menu music playing away in the background, I suddenly noticed the song playing on my television differed slightly from what came out of the pad’s speakers. The two tracks harmonized into one piece, exactly as if they were recorded in stereo (which they probably were) and tuned for a forward/back setup instead of left/right.

I won’t pretend it’s balanced audio, or that the pad’s speakers aren’t a little tinny, or that serious audiophiles will be amused in the slightest. But it’s really a rather neat effect. I can see a savvy developer using that two-channel sound feature to their advantage — say, in Silent Hill-style horror game, where people on the TV tell you one thing and voices on your WiiPad tell you something very different.

It’s the best universal remote ever

I’ve tried a number of universal remotes over the years, and not a single one could sync to my Sharp HDTV (in fairness, it’s so old that I could get three bigger LCDs today for the same price I paid for it way back when). The WiiPad did it in 10 seconds. All I had to do was press the “TV” button on its face, identify the manufacturer, and we were in business.

That said, while we’re told you can use the WiiPad as a remote without leaving the Wii U on full-time, I couldn’t get it to work. Pressing the “TV” button on the pad supposedly does the trick, but it’s not happening here. We’ve reached out to Nintendo for clarification.

Update: After checking and re-checking everything, it looks like the problem was with my older-than-dirt TV. A few solid kicks solved everything, and the feature works as advertised now.

But that’s not all. Oh, no, that is not all.

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Nintendo wants the Wii U launch on Nov. 18 to be the video game event of the holiday season. Scott Moffitt, the company’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, is the man in charge of making that happen.

The Japanese giant has a lot at stake when it comes to the Wii U, which some have criticized as a not-quite-next-generation console that is about as powerful as Sony’s six-year-old PlayStation 3. Nintendo began advertising the system in earnest last week to convince gamers otherwise. We spoke with Moffitt about Nintendo’s approach, the ad campaign, and its timing.

Here’s a transcript of our interview.

GamesBeat: Tell us about what’s in motion right now. What’s happening as you lead up to the launch?

Scott Moffitt: We’re in the final countdown stage. We’re watching the imports every day, when the boats come in, to make sure we’re getting the product we’re anticipating. We started our marketing in earnest a few days ago. We’ve been building interactive kiosks in stores. We’ve got about 5,000 of those, so people can experience the system for themselves. That’s important for a complex product like this. We went live with advertising last week in social media and really in earnest over the weekend with some cinema. There’s a lot going on.

GamesBeat: The ad campaign seemed like it came late. What’s the thinking behind the timing of the ads?

Moffitt: The timing is almost to the day the same as we used for Wii. We weren’t trying to copy that plan exactly, but it just happened that way. We put a media plan together. We wanted to build awareness quickly, so it’s multi-touchpoint. There will be messages coming at people from every direction. We thought that Wreck-It Ralph was a good place to have some cinema. That’s where our advertising premiered over the weekend.

It’s not like a hardcore game where you need to release your advertising five weeks ahead of a game launch. For us, it’s fine to be closer to the launch. I think that makes more sense. The other factor, candidly, is that with an election campaign this year. There was less media available prior to when we bought, and it was much more expensive.

GamesBeat: Being virtually sold out added complexity to everything, right? If you convince more people to buy something this week, they’re not going to get it. They can’t even order it, right?

Moffitt: Right. Frustration can build up. That wasn’t really part of the plan either, though. We buy through an up-front process like a lot of big advertisers, so we committed to these media buys long before we knew that we were going to have a sold-out situation to pre-sales. We hoped we would be sold out, that pre-sales would be brisk. But we didn’t have the luxury of waiting to see that to know what our major plans would be.

GamesBeat: Have you guys made any projections on sales? I remember some analysts saying 4.5 million sales would be likely for the holidays.

Moffitt: What we’ve said is we’re capable of shipping 5.5 million units between Nov. 18 and March 31, the end of our fiscal year. That’s a global number. We’ve not broken it out by time period, so how much of that is week one, how much is holiday, we can’t say. Similarly, we’ve not disclosed how much of that will be in each region. The U.S. will clearly have the longest selling period, because we’re the first market to launch.

GamesBeat: If I tried to place an order, supposing some retailer had pre-sales still open, how long would it take at this point before I might get one? Is it well into the new year?

Moffitt: No, not at all. We’ve been through these processes before. We want product to be available on day one in stores throughout the country. If you line up or get there early, you should be able to get product on day one. GameStop has not sold all of their day one allocation. They’ve sold what they were making available for pre-sales. Those are two different numbers. Now, a lot of what we gave them, they’ve sold to pre-sales, but, like every retailer will, they’ve held some back so they have product on day one for consumers that come in the door.

We have said that we’ll have more Wii U units on store shelves in week one than we did for Wii in 2006. We’ll also have replenishment much more frequently during the holiday than we did for Wii. Having said that, though, we’re guessing there could be shortages. It won’t be there every day. Shipments coming in each week could sell very quickly.

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The U.S. is less than two weeks away from a new console launch, and retailers are starting to get demo units that’ll help consumers decide if they need to get one on launch day.

Nintendo’s Wii U hardware, which replaces the Wii console, debuts Nov. 18 and starts at $299.99. The Japanese video game giant announced today that it is sending out 5,000 demo kiosks to retailers like Target, Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart, and Toys ‘R’ Us so that gamers can get their hands on the new Wii U and its GamePad controller. The GamePad is like a typical console joystick, only it has a 6.2-inch touchscreen embedded in its center.

To learn more about the Wii U and its capabilities, read our guide with all the important information.

The GamePad is the new marquee feature. Nintendo plans to introduce many new types of gameplay mechanics that involve using this unusual console-gaming device. The demo kiosks are part of convincing people that this works and that the Wii U is something that they should want.

Some of the retail stations will have fully playable hardware while others will have non-interactive video displays. The playable units feature games like New Super Mario Bros. U and Nintendo Land, which the publisher designed for the GamePad. Nintendo includes a copy of Nintendo Land packed in with the $349.99 deluxe version of the Wii U console.

You can find the retailer nearest you with a playable station by using this tool on Nintendo.com.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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If you’ve heard the Wii U name before but don’t quite know what it’s all about, you’re in the right place. Video game publisher Nintendo has a new home console on the way, and we’re going to run down everything you need to know about it.

As the Wii U name implicates, the new hardware is the followup to Nintendo’s popular home console, the Wii. But this name may cause some confusion, so let’s clear a few things up right away:

• This is an entirely separate device from the Wii.
• The Wii U is not an add-on for the current Wii.
• The Wii U’s GamePad tablet controller does not work with the original Wii.
• The Wii U will play original Wii games.
• The Wii Remotes for the original Wii will work on the Wii U only if they are using MotionPlus (either built-in or as an attachment).

That should clear up some common misconceptions. If you’re still a bit shaky on exactly what the Wii U is, that’s OK. We’re going to do our best to explain. Here’s the basic answers to the frequently asked questions:

• Release date: Nov. 18
• Price: $299.99 for the Basic set, $349.99 for the Deluxe
• Pack-in game: Only with the Deluxe set. The Basic set comes without a game.
• Backward compatibility: Wii U can play Wii games
• Game cost: Most retail games are $59.99.
• 23 launch games: Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros. U, ZombiU, and more (full list here)
• Wii-to-Wii U WiiWare and Virtual Console game transfer: Yes

The system

The Wii U is entirely separate from the Wii. That has its pros and cons.

This means that your Wii, if you have one, is now obsolete. You can’t just go out and buy the Wii U’s interesting GamePad controller and have all of the functionality of the new system without buying a Wii U. If you want those Wii U games, you’ll have to spend at least $299.99 for the Basic system and then the cost of some games. The good news it that all of your old Wii games will still work on this new hardware. Also, a lot of new Wii U software is compatible with the Wii Remote as long as it’s using the MotionPlus dongle (or has MotionPlus built-in).

The plus side of a new system means the visuals are a significant leap over the Wii. The Wii U is Nintendo’s first fully high-definition console. It is capable of producing visuals at least on par with the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. If you want a Mario game that takes full advantage of your 1080p HD television, the Wii U is the only way to make that possible.

The GamePad controller is the next big upgrade you’ll find in the Wii U. Nintendo’s advertising campaign is focusing on this new handheld device with a screen that connects wirelessly to a console. It’s easy to look at that and think “Why didn’t Nintendo just release that for the Wii?” Well, the Wii simply doesn’t have the juice to power what Nintendo plans to do with the GamePad.

We’ll break down the controller in detail in the next section, but the simple explanation is this: The Wii U can display one player’s in-game view on the GamePad and multiple other views on the television. That sort of video output requires a level of graphics processing that the Wii cannot reproduce.

If you have any WiiWare or Virtual Console games on your original Wii, those are transferable to the Wii U. The process requires both systems to connect to the Internet, so Nintendo can verify the content, and then you take an SD card from the Wii, pop it in your Wii U, and that’s it. It’s a similar process to moving downloadable 3DS games to a 3DS XL.

The Wii U console comes in two varieties: a white basic system with 8GBs of capacity for $299.99 or a black deluxe version with 32GBs of storage and a game for $349.99.

Here’s a list of each version with the included bits and pieces:

Wii U 8GB Basic: $299.99

• White Wii U console
• White Wii U GamePad controller
• 8GBs of storage
• Sensor bar
• AC adapters
• HDMI cable

Wii U 32GB Deluxe: $349.99

• Black Wii U console
• Black Wii U GamePad controller
• 32GBs of storage
• Nintendo Land (game)
• GamePad stand
• GamePad charging cradle
• Console stand

The controller

This is it. If motion controls were the big draw for the Wii, then Nintendo expects this controller with a touchscreen in the middle to reproduce that success. We’ll explain all the things the GamePad can do for games, but let’s run down the specifications first:

• Color: White or black
• Buttons: Six face, four shoulder, power, TV, Start (+), Select (-), Home, D-pad
• Analog sticks: Two clickable sticks (R3 and L3 buttons)
• Front-facing camera
• Microphone
• Display: 6.2-inch resistive LCD touchscreen, 16:9 aspect ratio
• Audio: Two stereo speakers
• Near-field communication
• Motion sensors: Accelerometer, gyroscopic sensor, magnetic sensor
• Stylus included
• Rechargeable battery
• Force-feedback rumble
• Headphone jack
• Infrared transceiver (for operation as universal TV remote)

If you’re confused by that list, don’t worry. We’ll explain how Nintendo and other developers plan to use all that junk.

Basically, the GamePad operates as both a controller for the game on your TV screen and as a tablet for observing and maintaining supplemental information in said game. For example, in an adventure titles, gamers can now tap on the screen to select between different weapons and tools.

But this a simple explanation of its capabilities. Nintendo built in some advanced sensing equipment that allows the tablet screen to directly interact with the television display.

In Nintendo Land, the game that comes with the Deluxe console set, a particular minigame allows players to hold their GamePad vertically and throw ninja stars by swiping on the screen. Those ninja stars then appear on the television exactly where the player aimed them.

Other games will allow players to hold the controller’s touchscreen up in front of the television to get an augmented perspective of the TV screen. Let’s say smoke fills your field of view on the set — hold up your GamePad and use it as infrared goggles to see your enemies.

Another oft-touted feature is the Wii U’s capability to play full console games directly on the GamePad LCD. If you are in a household where multiple people are vying for the television, you can quickly migrate a game like Call of Duty: Black Ops II from the television to the controller with a simultaneous press of the + and – buttons.

Since the Wii U will support the GamePad and the Wii’s old Wii MotionPlus controllers (along with new controllers like the Wii U Pro Controller), developers are designing their early Wii U games around an idea called “asymmetrical multiplayer.”

Asymmetrical multiplayer is when two or more users are playing one game and one of those players has more in-game abilities than the others. For example, Ubisoft’s Rayman Legends will have one person on the GamePad controlling a special touchscreen character who can interact with the environment that the other players are running around in.

You can see in the video above (starting around the three-minute mark) that the GamePad player was changing the world and allowing the other players to get more points as they traversed the platforms.

Nintendo wants this type of gameplay at the center of the Wii U experience, and it’s the GamePad controller that makes it possible.

This device also has a microphone and front-facing camera for video chatting and in-game communication.

It has a lot of features, but the GamePad will also work fine as a controller for standard games. It may look some chimeric monster built from leftover Kindle Fire and Xbox 360 controller parts, but our hands-on time with the device suggest it will be perfectly capable and comfortable for games like Assassin’s Creed II.

The controller as a TV remote

The GamePad has an infrared transceiver, so it can work as a universal television remote. That TV button on the bottom right will bring up television controls so that players can quickly turn down the TV’s audio if it’s too loud. The TV functions of the GamePad will expand beyond that, though. Even when the Wii U console is off, the GamePad can still control the TV.

Thanks to a service called Nintendo TVii, you may actually want to use this device as your primary remote.

Nintendo TVii allows your Wii U GamePad to hook into your Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Instant Video accounts. TVii can also interact with your Tivo or other personal digital-video recorders. If you’re looking for something in particular, searching for it on the GamePad will tell you if the show, movie, or sporting event is on one of your services or even it’s playing on television currently. If it is, the GamePad will tune your TV to that channel with the touch of a button. TVii also includes a suite of interactivity features for quickly sharing moments to social-networking sites like Twitter.

The games

Like any home console, the Wii U will have a lot of games. We’re not going to list them all here, but at the bottom of this section we’ve included a YouTube video that runs through many of the system’s biggest releases.

Instead, let’s talk about the types of games that you’ll be able to get on the Wii U, since that’ll be quite a bit different than the Wii.

On the Wii, developers couldn’t bring over the games they made for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Most developers had to rework their games for the Wii’s less powerful hardware and motion controlls. That will no longer necessarily be the case on the Wii U.

The Wii U now has the power and the controller necessary to play ports of games like Assassin’s Creed III and Darksiders II. On top of this, it’ll also support any developer who wants to build something new that takes advantage of the tablet controller.

Of course, you’ll also be able to get and play motion games like Just Dance 4 since this console still supports the Wii MotionPlus controller.

Theoretically, the Wii U should be the best of all worlds. It could have the best multiplatform games (Call of Duty: Black Ops II), fun motion-control games (Just Dance 4), and new kinds of GamePad games (Nintendo Land.)

How to buy a Wii U

OK, well, that’s going to be difficult, but not impossible.

Right now, the system is sold out on retailer GameStop‘s website. Some independent vendors on Amazon are selling the console for as much as $1,000. Between now and its launch on Nov. 18, the hardware may become available on different websites, but it’ll likely sellout as fast as it appears.

Our suggestion, and it’s only that, is to use Walmart’s layaway service to preorder the system. Walmart will allow you to reserve your Wii U for launch day if you put down 10 percent in their layaway department between now and then. You’ll probably still have to wait in line on Nov. 18, but you’ll have a better chance to get one than someone who didn’t reserve it.

Call your local Walmart first, though, because some only have one of the Wii U models (my local Walmart told me they only have the $349.99 version.)

Other retailers, like Toys R Us, Target, and Best Buy are all out of preorders as well. You might be able to get in line on the night of Nov. 17 for a chance to pick one at midnight at those locations and others (Fry’s, Kmart, Meijer’s), but by the afternoon on Nov. 18, customers will have picked over most stores.

So … should you get one?

We can’t really answer that for you. We’ll have a review of the system up around the time of its release, but everyone’s different. If the idea of Nintendo Land’s asymmetrical gameplay sounds appealing to you, it could be worth it. If you desperately want HD Nintendo games, you’ll likely get your money’s worth.

Oddly, despite the fact that we’re less than a month away from release, we still don’t know everything about this device. It’s online service remains something of a mystery. It will have some kind of service that’ll allow you to leave comments in your games that other players can read once they reach that point, but we don’t know much else.

If you’re on the fence, hold off. It’s going to be difficult to buy one anyhow. You might as well wait for the reviews.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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Twitter now lets users add a header picture at the top of their profile. We’ve made a bunch of video game-themed images so you can show your followers what titles you’re into.

We’re releasing seven days’ worth of artwork, each with a different theme:

• Monday: The modern era
• Tuesday: Popular franchises
• Wednesday: PC
• Thursday: It came from Japan
• Friday: Mobile
• Saturday: Retro arcade
• Sunday: Consoles

Today’s batch of headers features 10 entries from the current generation of games, including upcoming releases. Right-click (or Ctrl-click for Macs) the picture you want and hit “save image as” to save to your computer. To add the header to your Twitter profile, please follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your account.
2. Go to “settings” and click on the “design” tab.
3. Scroll down to the “customize your own” section.
4. Click on “change header” and select the image you want to upload.
5. Click “save.”

Hitman: Absolution

Borderlands 2

New Super Mario Bros. U

The Walking Dead

Call of Duty: Black Ops II

World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Dead or Alive 5

Halo 4

Assassin’s Creed III

For gaming-themed Timeline covers for your Facebook profile, click here.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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We’re less than two months away from the release of Nintendo’s tablet-based Wii U console. We’ve covered much of what you can expect from the system here.

If you’re planning to preorder it, or you already have, you’ve probably done some guesswork to figure out which games to pick up with your shiny new game player. Guess no more, my friends, Nintendo has just put out an official list of release-day titles that runs 23 games deep.

Check it (in alphabetical order by publisher):

Activision

• Call of Duty: Black Ops II
• Skylanders Giants
• Transformers Prime
• Wipeout 3

Disney Interactive

• Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Electronic Arts

• FIFA Soccer 13

Namco Bandai

• Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition

Nintendo

• New Super Mario Bros. U
• Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
• Nintendo Land
• Sing Party

Sega

• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed

Tecmo Koei

• Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper

THQ

• Darksiders II

Ubisoft

• Assassin’s Creed III
• ESPN Sports Connection
• Just Dance 4
• Rabbids Land
• Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013
• ZombiU

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

• Scribblenauts Unlimited
• Game Party Champions
• Batman: Arkham City — Armored Edition

Some notable games aren’t on the list. Pikmin 3, Rayman Legends, and The Wonderful 101 are part of the nebulous “launch window,” which Nintendo defines as continuing through March 31.

Bayonetta 2, the sequel to the cult-favorite beat-em-up, isn’t anywhere in this press release. So don’t expect it any time before March.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best video game stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.

This week, Zynga lost more executives but announced new games from its partners, Nintendo announced the North American price and release date for the Wii U, and Apple unveiled the iPhone 5.

You’ll also find reviews for Tekken Tag 2, Tokyo Jungle, Avengers Initiative, Joe Danger 2, Fractured Soul, and LittleBigPlanet Vita.

News:

• Obama runs presidential campaign ads in EA’s online games
• The DeanBeat: A stellar week for gamers
• Activision is finally swinging for the fences in mobile games (interview)
• Shocker! A video game trailer’s popularity foretells sales
• Startup Seeds makes a game out of microlending
• Take it to Vegas: 80M Madden 13 online games match NFL’s Week 1 results (infographic)
  
• Zynga confirms it hired real-money gambling chief
  
• Magic fingers: SoftKinetic is at the core of Intel’s ‘perceptual computing’ technology (video demo)
  
• Nvidia launches two new Kepler-based graphics chips
• 4 things gamers will appreciate in the new Wreck-It Ralph trailer
• Satirical new puzzle game brings out the fun in arguing about politics (exclusive)
• Report confirms that social casino games have hit the jackpot with $1.6B in revenue
• Clay Jam is a Michael Bay-infused explosion of color and crafts (with exclusive screens)
• Two game developers arrested in Greece under suspicion of espionage
• Half-Life remake among first batch of games cleared in Steam’s Greenlight approval program
• With Kinect-like gestures, SoftKinetic leads the way to Intel’s perceptual computing
• Coming to consoles: Dig deep and build high in the exploration game Terraria
• Everything you need to know about Planetary Annihilation, before it completes funding (Exclusive)
• Intel reinvents the PC for the age of ‘perceptual computing’
• Harvard’s ‘wise men’ tell Silicon Valley: Our country is losing its competitiveness
• Agawi to use Microsoft’s Windows Azure to bring cloud-gaming services to Windows 8
• Executive turnover continues: Zynga loses its chief marketing officer Jeff Karp
• Zynga cloud guru Allan Leinwand departs for ServiceNow
• Blast your way through Unova with the new Mythical Pokémon Genesect
• Valve launches beta for Steam’s Big Picture Mode: Now you never have to leave the couch
• Zynga launches first batch of partner games, adds nine more third-party studios

Wii U:

• Nintendo’s touchscreen TV service for the Wii U plays catch-up (hands-on video)
• Catch Mario, Bayonetta, and Sonic in these Wii U game videos
• Here are the Wii U games you’ll be playing at launch (or close to it)
• Nintendo targets the living room with Nintendo TVii
• Nintendo’s Wii U console lands in stores Nov. 18 in two flavors, base price of $300
• Nintendo announces Wii U price and launch details in Japan

Mobile news:

• BitGym brings motion gaming to mobile devices
• The iPod’s A5X vs. the iPhone 5′s A6: Does it matter for games?
• Natural Motion shows off cute Clumsy Ninja app on the iPhone 5
• iPhone 5 allows ‘ghost racing’ against another player’s best time in Real Racing 3
• In a twist, Zynga to import two mobile games from its Japan division
• From bikes to games to video games to…tablets? Toys ‘R’ Us bets on Tabeo

Interviews:

• Clumsy Ninja’s 10-year journey to make it to Apple’s iPhone 5 launch stage (video interview)
• Firefall dev discusses major gameplay changes and its Kickstarter-inspired monetization strategy (interview)

Previews:

• Guns of Icarus Online developers want to make ‘the most co-op game’ imaginable (hands-on preview)
• Contagion aims to save the zombie game genre from itself (hands-on preview)

Reviews:

• Tokyo Jungle is a comically rewarding journey through the vicious circle of life (review)
• Even with robots, dinosaurs, and tons of action, Joe Danger 2 repeats the same stunts (review)
• Touch controls make LittleBigPlanet Vita the series’s definitive entry (review)
• Fractured Soul is a clever, challenging platformer that requires all your brainpower (review)
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2 delivers entertaining yet uninspired beat downs (review)
• Avengers Initiative delivers thrilling bite-sized superhero combat but not much else (review)

Pieces of flare:

• GamesBeat’s massive 92-character Street Fighter tournament: The deadly preliminaries!
• Katamari’s Prince rises as a webcomic star
• Cool gaming demos at Intel’s developer event (gallery)

This morning, Nintendo finally announced the price and launch date for its upcoming Wii U video game console as well as its new TVii feature that lets you use it as a Netflix/Hulu/Tivo/whatever box. Of course, you can also play video games on the Wii U, and we have the complete list of the system’s launch window games, as well as screenshots of many of them.

The Wii U console is in stores Nov. 18, with the basic version costing $300 and the deluxe $350; for specifics on each package, see our story from this morning.

Now, the system’s “launch window” extends from when the Wii U comes out all the way until March of next year. That means a few of these might not actually be available in 2012, but Nintendo still includes them in the “launch window.” It makes sense if you try not to think about it too much.

Either way, check out the list and gallery below to see all of the games you’ll be playing on your hot new Wii U … at some point within the next six or seven months.

• Funky Barn
• NBA 2K13
• 007 Legends
• Call of Duty: Black Ops II
• Transformers Prime
• Wipeout 3
• Skylanders Giants
• Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2013
• Rapala Pro Bass Fishing
• Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
• Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game
• Ben 10: Omniverse
• Family Party: 30 Great Games Obstacle Arcade
• Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
• Mass Effect 3
• Madden NFL 13
• FIFA Soccer 13
• Trine 2: Director’s Cut
• Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien
• Zumba Fitness Core
• Jett Tailfin
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition
• Tank! Tank! Tank!
• Nintendo Land
• New Super Mario Bros. U
• Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
• Sing Party
• Lego City: Undercover
• Wii Fit U
• Game & Wario
• Pikmin 3
• The Wonderful 101
• Aliens: Colonial Marines
• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
• Nano Assault Neo
• Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper
• Darksiders II
• Wheel of Fortune
• Jeopardy!
• Toki Tori 2
• Assassin’s Creed III
• Just Dance 4
• Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth
• Rabbids Land
• ESPN Sports Connection
• Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2013
• ZombiU
• Rayman Legends
• Scribblenauts Unlimited
• Game Party Champions
• Batman: Arkham City — Armored Edition

The gallery is below, but if you prefer your pictures to move and have sound, take a look at these Wii U launch trailers.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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Modern technology sure makes video games look pretty — with their real-time shaders, virtual displacement mapping, and all that technical gobbledygook. But this wasn’t always the case.

Let’s take a few current generation characters (and a lethal sports car) back through time, strip them out of their sexy 3D curves, and see how they look as flat, two-dimensional sprites.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

---

I have this old friend with whom I’ve made a thousand amazing memories. We’ve known each other since we were kids, and I count my time with him as some of the best moments in my life. Whenever I’m about to see him these days, all of that nostalgia rises to the surface, and the thought of creating new adventures that’ll match our old ones excites me. Only, instead of doing something new, we spend our entire time together reminiscing about the good old days. It’s become awkward because you can only do that once. After that, you have to face the possibility that your relationship may never be the same again.

That’s the problem with New Super Mario Bros. 2, the new side-scrolling platformer for the Nintendo 3DS. Hell, that’s been Nintendo’s biggest problem as a developer for the last five years.

It’s not even fair. NSMB2 is a fine (bordering on great) game, but I’m grading on a curve. This is Nintendo and Mario. These are words that are essential to describing my happy childhood. And while this next entry in the series fixes a lot of the problems I had with New Super Mario Bros. on the DS, it’s still the same conversation. It’s still just a series of allusions to previous games wrapped in stale art assets.

WHAT YOU’LL LIKE

New ideas mixed in with timeless gameplay
Jumping over chasms and squashing slow-moving goombas is still just as fun as ever. Mario’s movement on the ground and in the air feels just right. The little plumber quickly becomes an onscreen extension of your thumbs. Bouncing on eight consecutive koopa troopers’ heads while simultaneously dodging flaming rocks is a blast. It’s always been that way, and it continues here.

Thankfully, the development team didn’t just randomly pick Super Mario Bros. tropes out of a hat and blindly throw them in. New gameplay ideas sprout up regularly. Whether it’s a new type of bonus stage that sets Mario running at a fixed speed, new underwater boss fights, or just a difficult late-game block that projects fire until Mario hits it, a world doesn’t go by without throwing a couple of wrenches into the works.

Intelligent and rewarding level design
If I had a problem with New Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo DS, it’s that it felt sloppily designed. To access certain secret paths, you needed to find a mini mushroom, which shrinks Mario down to tiny proportions. The issue is that the developers didn’t logically place powerups like that around levels or even around different stages in the world. Most of the time, you would have to track down the item you needed in one of the game’s special areas. It felt careless.

That’s fixed in NSMB2. Secret paths still often demand the mini mushroom, and special areas still offer that item, but this game delivers in-level powerups in a much more deliberate way. If you get a rare power, chances are that the level you are in (or one that is coming up very soon) will require you to use it if you wish to discover all of the secrets.

And oh man — the secrets. The over-world map in NSMB2 may be the most interesting since Super Mario World. It doesn’t quite match that game in alternate paths and hidden level exits, but it certainly captures that Super Nintendo title’s spirit. Both of the previous entries in this “New” Mario sub-series feature their own secrets, but this one just has so much more going on. World 5 has a golden ship in the background that I cannot figure out how to access. The cannon levels that fire Mario into the special worlds are now Sonic-like bonus stages. Dormant level markers lie enticingly in the foreground with no apparent way to get to them.

It makes the whole game feel more alive. It’s like the developers actually spent time thoughtfully setting up this magical quest for you rather than just filling in a formula.

Those three big gold coins are finally well hidden. We’ve been gathering these collectibles since the DS version, and it’s never been very difficult. That’s not the case anymore. I’ve spent a ton of time in a few of these levels searching for these particularly elusive coins only to come out empty-handed. Considering this is an optional part of the game, making it a challenge amplifies the reward for dedicated players.

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My mother (pictured with me above) is an absolute sweetheart and an angel. She also knows almost nothing about video games. So I thought I’d show her some trailers for the biggest games coming out this fall and record her reactions. The results…well, they were pretty special.

Below is the dialogue that I had with my mother while we watched the videos. I’ve put her words in red. And yes, these really are her words.

Assassin’s Creed III

——

Alright, what’s the first one?

This one’s called Assassin’s Creed 3.

Assassins? Oh, that’s not good. Is this the Revolutionary War?

Yeah.

Well, what’s an Assassin’s Creed?

It’s the assassins’ moral code.

Oh. It’s like the oath they took or something?

Yeah.

Like the Apostle’s Creed?

No.

So this is another shoot-them-up?

No, you don’t shoot.

But they have guns [referring to the soldiers].

Yeah, but you’re not them.

I’m not going to be the eagle, am I?

No.

[Connor, the player character, appears.]

Oh, he looks like an eagle.

Yeah.

He turns into an eagle.

No. I think that’s just editing.

Well, what side is he on? The American or the British?

They say he’s not on either side, but he seems to only fight the British.

Oh. So he’s on our side.

[Connor rides towards the entire British army as they ready their guns.]

And he’s invincible, I guess. He’s going to fight the whole Revolutionary War, and the other ones are just standing back watching.

[Connor starts fighting the British.]

Oh, he knows kung fu, too. Look, they’re just watching him!

[Sarcastically] They’re in awe. Why should they kill themselves when this guy wants to do it? Oh, here comes the Americans. They’re going to help him out now. They probably think, “Hey! If he can do, we can do it too!”

[My mom spends the rest of the trailer "oohing" at the acts of the violence.]

You know I don’t like these kinds of…is that George Washington?

Yeah.

OK.

[The trailer ends.]

So what did you think of that one?

I liked the historic value of it.

What don’t you like about it?

The killing.

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The sensory smorgasbord of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) heaved itself upon the video game industry for three straight days, and GamesBeat’s intrepid crew enthusiastically hit showfloors, conference halls, and meeting rooms to offer our readers piles of previews, interviews, and news.

What follows below is our collected coverage during the show. You’ll find everything here sorted into categories for easy navigability.

Awards

Who needs stickers? We analyzed, judged, and sorted our top picks for the show’s offerings directly for you. Take a look — the results might surprise you.

GamesBeat’s E3 2012 Game of the Show…plus staff picks – by Dan “Shoe” Hsu

The GamesBeat E3 non-award awards: The least prestigious awards in the industry – by GamesBeat staff

The coolest technologies we saw at E3 2012 – by Dean Takahashi

The best family games of E3 – by GamesBeat staff

The top 8 trends of E3, from bows to brutality – by Mike Minotti

The top 15 swag shirts of E3 2012 – by Rus McLaughlin

Previews

You’ve found the beating heart of E3′s overwhelming magic. Whether from observatory impressions or direct, hands-on experiences, GamesBeat discussed and dissected a sizable stable of upcoming games and hardware.

Hands-on

Hitman Absolution lets you perform hits in giant crowds – by Dean Takahashi

Metro Last Light fights shooter fatigue with deeper single player – by Dean Takahashi

Crysis 3 brings the jungle, gun hacking, and silent stealth kills to Manhattan – by Dean Takahashi

EA reveals Dead Space 3, coming with drop-in cooperative play – by Dean Takahashi

Sleeping Dogs turns Hong Kong crime movies into a video game – by Dean Takahashi

From the creator of Portal, Quantum Conundrum caters to physics-based puzzle gamers – by Dean Takahashi

Capcom remakes hack-slash-shoot-grapple formula with upcoming DmC: Devil May Cry – by Dean Takahashi

Capcom shows three playable characters for Resident Evil 6 – by Dean Takahashi

Finding similarities between Arma III and Carrier Command: Gaea Mission – by Omri Petitte

Neverwinter’s user-generated content could elevate it above the competition – by Stefanie Fogel

DmC: Devil May Cry is full of swagger…and F-bombs – by Eduardo Moutinho

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed leaves Mario Kart in its dust…and wake…and vapor trail – by Mike Minotti

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is an anime you can actually play – by Eduardo Moutinho

Sony Online Entertainment’s PlanetSide 2 – by Rob LeFebvre

Slice, dice, and julienne enemies in Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance – by Eduardo Moutinho

Medal of Honor: Warfighter deploys fire teams to the front lines – by Eduardo Moutinho

Hell Yeah! is like Metroid with a chainsaw jetpack-riding demon bunny – by Mike Minotti

Dead or Alive 5 wants to deliver a power blow to the competition – by Eduardo Moutinho

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s simplicity is just what consoles need – by Omri Petitte

Hands-off

Just what kind of game is Star Wars 1313? – by Dean Takahashi

Warner Bros. confirms LEGO: Lord of the Rings video game – by Dean Takahashi

EA’s cute The Act romance game exploits iPad’s touchscreen for unique gameplay – by Dean Takahashi

Turn the snow crimson with redcoat blood in Assassin’s Creed III – by Dean Takahashi

Far Cry 3 demo leads you deeper into drug-induced insanity – by Dean Takahashi

Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls is one of the best games of E3 – by Dean Takahashi

The 5 different games you’ll be playing in Dishonored – by Sebastian Haley

Final Fantasy XIV brings new gameplay and western sensibilities to venerable franchise – by Rob LeFebvre

Windows 8 works hard to meet the needs of all gamers – by Rob LeFebvre

A trio of Mario games strengthen Nintendo’s 3DS lineup – by Mike Minotti

OnLive’s MultiView spectating entices multiplayer and co-op gamers – by Omri Petitte

Player choice matters in The Walking Dead: Episode 2 – by Stefanie Fogel

The Last of Us is even smarter than you think – by Rus McLaughlin

Star Wars 1313 is a game of firsts for the sci-fi franchise – by Eduardo Moutinho

The adventure-game renaissance continues with The Cave – by Eduardo Moutinho

Heroes and villains join forces in Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion – by Mike Minotti

007 Legends proves personality makes or breaks a game – by Omri Petitte

Breaking down what’s exactly new in God of War: Ascension – by Dan “Shoe” Hsu

Turning technology against your friends in Watch Dogs – by Omri Petitte

Interviews

Chasing after the wayward developer or evasive executive amid a sea of journalists and industry luminaries didn’t slake our interview appetite, and we nabbed a slew of thoughtful talks with members across various gaming companies. Take a look.

Why Ubisoft is pouring a lot of resources into Wii U games – by Dean Takahashi

Harvest Moon creator wants to spread happiness with his new game – by Jacob Lopez

How Shenmue’s lead programmer rescued a bad game – by Jacob Lopez

The Last Story developer talks Operation Rainfall, reason for cover system, and Wii U – by Jacob Lopez

With 1.3B tanks obliterated and 30M players, Wargaming.net plans to conquer the online gaming world – by Dean Takahashi

Even Scribblenauts’ creator is surprised by the things people make in his new game – by Jacob Lopez

The Witcher developer CD Projekt RED wants to set new standards with Cyberpunk – by Stefanie Fogel

Japan’s Gree moves mobile gaming into the spotlight at E3 – by Dean Takahashi

THQ’s Brian Farrell talks about looking for a bottom and staging a comeback – by Dean Takahashi

Crytek says CryEngine 3 already does awesome graphics as good as Unreal Engine 4 – by Dean Takahashi

Our opinions

During the craze-filled days of E3, our minds typically busied themselves with ensuring our legs avoided snapping off our torsos and running away with yelping noises. But sometimes, a cohesive thought miraculously coalesced within our overloaded brainpans. Our hands shakily reached for the keyboard, keys started tapping, and well…these are the results.

The DeanBeat: What to expect at E3 – by Dean Takahashi

4 ways developers will use SmartGlass to enhance Xbox 360 experiences – by Dan “Shoe” Hsu

Nintendo’s Wii U: Safe on first, weak on third-party – by Rus McLaughlin

Why Nintendo will have a tough time adding a second GamePad tablet controller to the Wii U – by Dean Takahashi

Tomb Raider is not torture porn – by Rus McLaughlin

Would it be a mistake for E3 to move out of LA? – by Dean Takahashi

Bored, impressed, and giddy: Our final thoughts on E3 2012 – by Dan “Shoe” Hsu

Move over, consoles – mobile is the future – by Rob LeFebvre

Microsoft’s E3 2012: Analysis of 16,000+ comments shows Halo 4, South Park impressed, rest did not – by Andrew Hiscock

Sony’s E3 2012: Analysis shows “shotgun blast” won big, Wonderbook lost – by Andrew Hiscock

Nintendo’s E3 2012: Reactions show hardcore gamers lost faith in Wii U – by Andrew Hiscock

Memes

All it takes is one memorable quote, one Freudian slip, or some facepalm-worthy banter to prompt the Internet community’s creative and unrestrained hand at animated gifs, a worshipful use of Impact font, and hastily jangled Photoshop edits. Here’s what we’ve found.

The best memes of E3 – by Jeff Grubb

Remember these crazy memes from past E3s? – by Jeff Grubb

The wildest memes from the Microsoft E3 press conference – by Jeff Grubb

Silly memes inspired by Sony’s E3 press event – by Jeff Grubb

Aisha Tyler: Ubisoft’s meme machine – by Rus McLaughlin

The oddest Nintendo E3 gifs and Photoshops from the Internet – by Jeff Grubb

Galleries

We snapped plenty of pictures while attending parties, pressers, and meandering the showfloor. Direct your eyeballs upon these galleries, and enjoy the view!

The big gallery of E3′s huge banners – by Mike Minotti

E3 2012 will get your hands up – by Evan Killham

Our editor-in-chief’s E3 adventure – by Evan Killham

The many costumes of E3 2012 – by Jacob Lopez

Retro games have a place at E3, too – by Jasmine Rea

Videos

Dubstep. A beleaguered Lara Croft. Ham-handed hosts. No, this isn’t the latest entry in Alex Trebek’s dream diary — it’s some of our E3 video and trailer content below. Enjoy!

Tomb Raider trailer shows how Lara Croft feels sorry for shooting you – by Dean Takahashi

Konami pre-E3 2012 event: More Castlevania and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance – by Jasmine Rea

Ubisoft shows strong commitment to the Wii U – by Mike Minotti

6 awkward moments from the E3 press briefings – by Evan Killham

Why we wub wub wub E3 2012: The dubstep of E3 – by Jacob Lopez

Press conferences

Surprises and snooze-fests alike emanated from E3′s five major press briefings held by Microsoft, Electronic Arts (EA), Ubisoft, Sony, and Nintendo. Check out all the announcements and debuts here.

Microsoft (video)

Halo 4 trailer video shows Forerunners, new tech – by Rob LeFebvre

New Splinter Cell: Blacklist borrows from Uncharted – by Jeff Grubb

Gears of War: Judgment sets Sera on fire (again) – by Rus McLaughlin

Microsoft previews Xbox Music at E3 press conference – by Rob LeFebvre

Forza Horizon brings street racing to the franchise – by Jasmine Rea

Microsoft introduces Xbox SmartGlass to integrate smartphones and tablets with Xbox 360 – by Dean Takahashi

Nike+ Kinect Training brings in-depth fitness measuring to Xbox 360 – by Jeff Grubb

Microsoft’s Internet Explorer coming to Xbox 360 this fall – by Jacob Lopez

Usher hits the stage to announce Dance Central 3 – by Rob LeFebvre

Xbox Live is getting Nickelodeon, Machinima, and tons of live sports – by Tom Cheredar

Kinect voice commands hit EA Sports flagship titles – by Eduardo Moutinho

South Park creators introduce their game and playfully mock Microsoft – by Jeff Grubb

New Xbox 360 games coming from Signal Studios, Twisted Pixel, and…Gore Verbinski? – by Stefanie Fogel

Microsoft E3 2012 press conference recap…in limerick form – by Andrew Hiscock

Electronic Arts (video)

SimCity Social: If this free-to-play game is too good, will you pay $60 for the full PC version? – by Dean Takahashi

EA reveals Battlefield 3 Premium and fields “15 million players worldwide” – by Omri Petitte

Star Wars: The Old Republic gets new planet, new species, and free trial – by Jacob Lopez

EA nabs UFC from THQ – by Jeff Grubb

Medal of Honor: Warfighter’s beautiful carnage – by Rus McLaughlin

EA shows off Need for Speed: Most Wanted at E3 – by Rob LeFebvre

Ubisoft (video)

Rayman Legends rhythmically runs to the Wii U – by Eduardo Moutinho

You are the network in Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs – by Rus McLaughlin

Here’s where that Watch Dogs cube-head QR code goes – by Jeff Grubb

Sony (video)

Experimental developer Quantic Dream reveals the haunted life of Jody Holmes in Beyond – by Jasmine Rea

Nathan Drake and the Big Daddy Bouncer join PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale – by Mike Minotti

J.K. Rowling is writing PlayStation’s Wonderbook – by Rus McLaughlin

Sony announces Assassin’s Creed III Vita and PS3 bundles with exclusive content – by Jeff Grubb

Sony brings down the house with The Last of Us demo – by Dean Takahashi

Sony E3 2012 press conference recap…in limerick form – by Andrew Hiscock

Nintendo (video)

Social networking comes to Wii U, Miiverse will interface with PCs and phones – by Jasmine Rea

First look at action-strategy game Pikmin 3 – by Jeff Grubb

Nintendo confirms 23 games at E3, video streaming, and more for Wii U – by Mike Minotti

Wii Fit U will make you sweatier, livelier, and happier – by Rob LeFebvre

Brag to the Miiverse and take on new modes in New Super Mario Bros. U – by Eduardo Moutinho

Zombify your face with ZombiU for the Wii U – by Mike Minotti

Nintendo bets big on “asymmetric” tablet-based gameplay – one player against several – by Dean Takahashi

Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition utilizes Wii U’s GamePad screen – by Omri Petitte

Nintendo details 3DS Mario titles, Luigi’s Mansion, and third-party games – by Jeff Grubb

Nintendo Land brings asymmetrical multiplayer to Wii U – by Jasmine Rea

Nintendo’s E3 2012 press conference recap…in limerick form – by Andrew Hiscock

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

---

NeoGAF, one of the Internet’s most popular video game message boards, received over 16,000 posts during the three major Electronic Entertainment Expo press conferences. Now that E3 is over, we can take a look back at how these hardcore gamers reacted and draw interesting conclusions on what they thought of the industry’s biggest trade show of the year.

We’ve already seen how NeoGAF reacted to Microsoft and Sony’s press conferences, but what did the gaming community think of Nintendo’s? The below chart scores the members’ reactions, as posted in real-time:

Click for a full-size version. For a more detailed explanation of how we analyzed this data, please see the explanation at the end of this article.

What NeoGAF liked about the Nintendo press conference

Only three games registered as positive. The forum members received Pikmin 3 very warmly, and they gave it the highest reaction score of the press conference, while New Super Mario Bros. U and Scribblenauts Unlimited received largely positive comments for a very brief amount of time.

Otherwise, NeoGAF absolutely loved Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo’s legendary game designer, and Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO of Nintendo of America.

The only other item that received a positive score was the announcement that the Wii U will support two GamePad tablet controllers at the same time.

What they didn’t like

NeoGAF reacted poorly to just about everything else. Posters lambasted established franchises such as Paper Mario and New Super Mario Bros. They dismissed revitalized and new intellectual properties such as Luigi’s Mansion and ZombiU, respectively. They outright destroyed any talk of motion-controlled games such as Wii Fit Plus and casual titles like Sing and Just Dance 4.

In fact, after Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged the popular meme “my body is ready” in the 34th minute (which everyone thought was good fun), Nintendo did not generate a positive score for the rest of its morning press conference.

The worst individual minute occurred during the trailer for Sing, reaching a score of -117, which is extraordinary. To put this in perspective, I performed this same study in 2009, and the infamous Wii Vitality Sensor introduction scored only a -80. Sing’s lowest point was the worst E3 2012 press conference moment, beating out even Sony’s Wonderbook (though that scored lower overall due to it being a much longer demo).

Perhaps more interestingly, while the scores for the other conferences went up and down and back up throughout, Nintendo started very strong and then steadily went down from there. One could argue that this was just a result of what they showed and when they showed it. The 6,000+ posts of the NeoGAF thread on Nintendo made it clear that, as the press conference progressed, gamers were becoming increasingly disillusioned by the Wii U. By the end, the majority had lost faith.

This may have major ramifications for Nintendo. The Japanese company lost a big opportunity to court hardcore gamers during this press conference with a console many hoped would engage that very audience. With predicted new console launches next year, Microsoft and Sony could learn valuable lessons from Nintendo’s conference if they want to get core gamers excited.

That could be a big “if.” Video game consoles are much more versatile entertainment devices, engaging a much wider audience. Perhaps, as many members of NeoGAF fear, E3 is not for the hardcore gamer anymore.

Next year’s E3 press conferences should prove very interesting. With the possibility of new game systems, will Microsoft and Sony seek to please hardcore gamers? Or will they continue their momentum in search of more casual audiences?

The most valuable lesson they can learn here: Don’t try to appeal to gamers — as Nintendo repeatedly claimed to do throughout its 70 minutes on stage — and not deliver. As we’ve discovered, hardcore gamers are very hard to impress.

For more on how NeoGAF reacted to the E3 press conferences, check out the Microsoft and Sony studies.

How the scoring works

NeoGAF hosts a single message board thread for each press conference, where dozens of members comment throughout each show. I graded each comment as positive or negative, giving them scores of 1 or -1 respectively. Then I totaled the sum of these reactions for each discrete minute and plotted in the above chart. A high score means that the NeoGAF community liked what they saw; a score close to zero represents mixed reactions; and a low score means that they were not enjoying the show at that moment.

Some notes on how I scored each response:

• I made no distinction between really positive or somewhat positive comments — likewise for negative comments. Each was given either a score of 1 or -1.
• While I made every effort to understand the various memes and inside jokes that make up a large part of the responses, if I could not understand a response, I would not score it.
• In the event that a comment employed obvious sarcasm, I scored it to reflect the original intent of the commentator. If the sarcasm was not clear, I relied on the literal meaning of the comment. Fortunately, the very expressive NeoGAF community rarely employed subtle sarcasm.
• When comments included positive and negative observations, I accounted for the more immediate reaction to preserve a more real-time response. An example: “I liked the game that was shown at the beginning of the show, but this game now is bad” would have a negative score.
• Many comments weren’t scored as they offered no opinion. These included clarifications, questions, discussions between members unrelated to the press conference, and inquiries into whether one game or another would be shown at a later time.

GamesBeat 2012 is VentureBeat’s fourth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. This year we’re calling on speakers from the hottest mobile, social, PC, and console companies to debate new ways to stay on pace with changing consumer tastes and platforms. Join 500+ execs, investors, analysts, entrepreneurs, and press as we explore the gaming industry’s latest trends and newest monetization opportunities. The event takes place July 10-11 in San Francisco, and you can get your early-bird tickets here.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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With publishers showing so many games in such close proximity, the Electronic Entertainment Expo is a great place to discover the directions that developers are taking the entire industry for the next year and beyond. Below are eight trends that GamesBeat’s writers noticed during the annual trade show.

1. The year of the bow.

I don’t know when bow and arrows became so cool. Maybe we should blame Hawkeye from The Avengers? Or maybe that girl from the Hunger Games? Whatever the reason, many of gaming’s protagonists have traded their rifles for wood. GamesBeat writer Jeff Grubb actually detailed this phenomenon quite a bit, listing Crysis 3, Tomb Raider, Far Cry 3, and Assassin’s Creed III as examples of string-tugging action.

Now, some of these characters use bows because of limited resources (Tomb Raider) or because of the technology of their day (Assassin’s Creed III), but why on earth is the guy from Crysis 3, who probably has access to the most advanced weapons technology on the planet, using such a primitive device?

2. Fourth installments of franchises, aka fourquels.

This industry has always loved its sequels, but when you reach the fourth installment of a series (in many cases within the same console generation), you begin to want for a bit more originality. Microsoft is the most guilty party here, showing off an upcoming library of software that includes Halo 4, Gears of War: Judgement, and Fable: The Journey.

Not that Sony is completely off the hook, thanks to God of War: Ascension, the fourth console release of the series. Sure, all of these titles are likely to be enjoyable on some level, but franchise fatigue is definitely setting in.

3. Shocking brutality.

Video games have been violent for a very, very long time. It seems like ages ago when we all gasped while Kano tore a guy’s heart out of his chest in the original Mortal Kombat. Still, the violence was usually treated with a sort of action movie level of seriousness…meaning it wasn’t taken very seriously at all.

Well, now all of the killing, cutting, ripping, bludgeoning, and bleeding seems much more real. The trend seems to start with the new Tomb Raider, which sees protagonist Lara Croft screaming in almost constant pain as she is impaled and beaten. Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us is also a clear example of more visceral violence, especially thanks to a notable scene from Sony’s press briefing where the player shot a guy in the face with a shotgun while he begged for his life. Despite a lifetime spent watching polygons and pixels explode into bits of organs and limbs, for the first time ever gaming violence is making me wince.

4. Everything looks like Uncharted.

I’m guessing that we’re beginning to see a lot of the games that were put into production after 2009′s Uncharted 2: Among Thieves proved to be a big hit. There were multiple titles on the show floor that featured climbing and mouthy characters that could easily be describe as, “It’s like Uncharted, but….”

I mean, there was Star Wars: 1313, which was like Uncharted but with a sci-fi setting, and Tomb Raider is like Uncharted without any of the lighthearted comedy. Even Splinter Cell: Blacklist seems to take the series in a more climbing-focused direction. I guess imitation is flattery, right?

5. Stealthy franchises are less stealthy.

Remember when Metal Gear was a stealth-based franchise? Sort of hard to believe that series could inspire a hack-and-slashing affair where you cut a guy into a dozen pieces with a sword, but that’s exactly what we have with Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. What about Assassin’s Creed III? The new protagonist, Connor, seems to prefer to charge directly at his foes rather than stunning his adversaries with surprise like his ancestors, Altair and Ezio, did.

Even Agent 47 has gotten bold enough to kill his targets in the middle of giant crowds in Hitman: Absolution. Of course, these could all just be vertical slices that are focusing on more action-oriented aspects of these titles, but you still couldn’t escape the feeling that stealth was out of style at E3.

6. Second screens.

Dual screen gaming was made popular with Nintendo’s DS hand held device back in 2004, but now we’re seeing that concept taken to the consoles. We already knew about Nintendo’s Wii U, the new system that heavily features the use of a tablet controller, but Microsoft showed off SmartGlass technology, with allows preexisting smart phones and tablets to act as a second screen for Xbox 360 experiences.

We saw a lot of examples of this technology being used for unique gameplay possibilities, notably in Wii U platformers New Super Mario Bros. U and Rayman Legends, where the second screen can be used to assist the main player. Microsoft, meanwhile, showed off the ability to instantly transfer a movie from the television to a smart phone mid-scene. It’ll be interesting to see how consumers take to this innovative (and potentially expensive) technology.

7. Revenge!

A lot of characters seem to be motivated by revenge this year. Just look at the tagline for Dishonored, the new steampunk, action-adventure title from publisher Bethesda: “Revenge solves everything.” You can also look at the trailer for the four player co-op mode in Far Cry 3, where four random people unite in their quest for (what else?) revenge.

Don’t forget about Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. There’ so much revenge that they have to make up new words for it!

8. Amazing facial animation.

Last year’s L.A. Noire impressed many with its exceptional  facial animation, and it seems like the trend for more realistic looking characters will continue. The PlayStation 3′s Beyond: Two Souls, the new title from Heavy Rain’s David Cage, leads the pack with some absolutely stunning faces that are able to emote and act as well as any real person.

Even franchises which aren’t normally renowned for this kind of technology have stepped up their game, notably seen in trailers for Far Cry 3 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Man, I remember when the character’s mouths didn’t even move.

GamesBeat 2012 is VentureBeat’s fourth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. This year we’re calling on speakers from the hottest mobile, social, PC, and console companies to debate new ways to stay on pace with changing consumer tastes and platforms. Join 500+ execs, investors, analysts, entrepreneurs, and press as we explore the gaming industry’s latest trends and newest monetization opportunities. The event takes place July 10-11 in San Francisco, and you can get your early-bird tickets here.

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GamesBeat 2013 is our fifth annual conference on disruption in the video game market. You'll get 360-degree perspectives from top gaming executives, developers, and analysts on what’s to come in the industry. Our theme this year is “The Battle Royal.” Check out full event details here, and grab your early-bird tickets here!

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