The “Big 3”

The Big 3 refers to the three largest players in the gaming industry right now: Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. Each had their own press conference (or two) at E3 this year, much like every year, and they all had some big news to share.

Nintendo

Nintendo was the only major player to have some new hardware to show off this year – the Wii U. Nintendo has officially stated that the Wii U will launch during this year’s holiday season, perhaps as early as October. Apart from an official launch window, we also got a look at the final version of the new GamePad tablet controller.

The GamePad has a large touch screen that can interact with games in a number of different ways as well as all of the standard motion controller capabilities of the original Wii controller. It also features a web cam, IR blaster (TV remote), microphone, speakers, and dual analog sticks.

The Wii U console, while not necessarily in its final form, is looking small and powerful. It’s roughly the same size as the original Wii, but capable of full 1080p video output with graphics performance 1.5 to 2 times better than the PS3 and Xbox 360. Some of the demoed titles, such as the upcoming Zelda Wii U game, look absolutely stunning.

Microsoft

Unlike Nintendo, Microsoft didn’t have any fancy new hardware to show off. Instead, it focused on new and improved services and software coming to the Xbox 360.

Xbox SmartGlass was Microsoft’s biggest announcement. It is a new software layer that integrates your Xbox 360 with all of your Windows 8 devices, such as tablets and smartphones. SmartGlass can sync shows and movies across all of your devices as well as turn them into viewing companions for more immersive video experiences. Your tablet or smartphone can also be used as a remote, ideal for controlling Internet Explorer, now coming to Xbox.

Sony

Sony’s announcements primarily revolved around the PlayStation Vita. It was all about cross-platform play, such as using the Vita to play multiplayer games with players on PS3. Sadly, other than that, Sony had very little else to announce other than new games.

The Games

Everyone knows E3 is all about the games, so what were some of the most anticipated titles we saw at E3 this year?

Halo 4

The Halo series has always been a favorite among Xbox gamers, and everyone is looking forward to the newest installment, Halo 4. Game play is expected to remain largely similar to the original titles; what everyone is after is the compelling new story line it brings. Release date is scheduled for November 6^th of this year (just in time for the winter holidays).

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

We’re surprised it took Sony so long to come up with a PlayStation variant on the widely successful Smash Bros. series, but it looks like we finally have something with PlayStation All-Stars. Whether or not the title can actually compete with Smash Bros. is yet to be seen, but what’s most interesting about it is the fact that it’s available for both PS3 and PS Vita and capable of cross-platform play.

Gears of War: Judgment

Another Xbox favorite, Gears of War: Judgment offers a prequel to the original title for those curious about the back story of COG and its soldiers. Game play will surely be as action-packed as ever.

Smartphones and Tablets

Over the past couple of years, smartphones have been seeing explosive progress in everything from performance to functionality. At the start of every year, someone makes the claim that it will be the “Year of the Smartphone.” Well, it looks like we’ll be going on the third “Year of the Smartphone” in a row this year, and I, for one, am not disappointed.

Intel Enters the Race

Intel has been talking about developing smartphone processors for a while, but now it’s official. In the second quarter of this year, Lenovo will be launching the very first Intel powered Android phone, the K800. While not quite as power efficient as the traditional ARM processors, Intel’s Medfield chip, now known as the Atom Z2460, will offer a new level of performance in smartphones, tablets, and ultrabooks. It will definitely be interesting to see how it compares to Nvidia’s ARM-based Tegra 3.

Nvidia and Tegra 3

Tegra 3, the first quad-core processor to be found stuffed inside a tablet (the Transformer Prime) has been on the market since December, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t make an appearance at CES. Not only were there several Tegra 3 tablets from manufacturers like Toshiba, Asus, and Acer, but Fujitsu stole the show by displaying the first Tegra 3 smartphone. And in case you were curious about Tegra 3’s performance, a Tegra 3 tablet was shown playing Skyrim on an HDTV. So yes, current generation console performance has officially been achieved in the mobile sector.

Tons of New Smartphones

Just about everyone had a new smartphone to announce at CES this year. Samsung announced its Galaxy Note (as well as the Galaxy S II HD for T-Mobile); Sony came out with the Xperia S; Motorola had the Droid 4 and new RAZR MAXX (claiming 21 hours of talk time); and Nokia showed us the Lumia 710, as Windows Phone that might actually compete with the iPhone and Android for once. And that’s just to name a few of the big players’ announcements.

HDTVs and Entertainment

Apart from all of the fancy gadgetry, CES has always been a staging ground for home entertainment breakthroughs. HDTVs specifically, as well as other home appliances, have always been popular topics.

HDTVs

For the last year or two, HDTVs at CES were all about 3D. That phase is finally starting to die down (I personally say “Good riddance”), and the TV sector is transitioning onto the next big thing: OLED. LG wowed the audience with a magnificent 55-inch OLED TV that had some of the most vivid colors, deepest blacks, and sharpest image ever. Plus it was only 4mm thick!

There were of course plenty of other products on display, including Dish’s new wireless satellite receiver boxes, some fun remote controlled surveillance equipment, and a ton of talk about a new wave of GoogleTV devices.

Video Games

Even though video game-related stuff is more of an E3 thing, there was plenty to go around at CES. For starters, the Wii U got some demo time, strutting its upgraded graphics and tablet-like controller. The PlayStation Vita also got some valuable face time, with Sony announcing a planned launch date of February 22^nd.

CES 2012 continues through Friday, so stick around and we’ll keep you informed of all the cool gadgets and technology that are headed our way this year.

1: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

While it isn’t actually out yet, it would be a great disservice to the Wii NOT to mention it. Nintendo has always been about franchise games (many people buy the Wii just to play the new Mario, Metroid, or Zelda games). Skyward Sword should be available later this year, and is expected to live up to all of the hype.

2: Conduit 2

As one of the most recent games released on the Wii, Conduit 2 is one of the most popular right now, though it has not received the most flattering reviews. Production values feel a bit cheap, with more than a few glitches and shortcomings, but overall game play is still enjoyable. Plus it brings a somewhat Halo-like multiplayer to the Wii.

3: Mario Sports Mix

While nowhere near as in-depth as Madden NFL 11, or any other serious sports game for that matter, Mario Sports Mix still provides some fun and energetic game play for all ages. The best and worst thing about it is that it really requires no skill to play.

4: Lost in Shadow

Lost in Shadow is a puzzle platformer that was popular in Japan and recently released in the US. The concept of the game is fun and new, but sadly offers very little else, often becoming difficult and frustrating as it drags on.

5: de Blob 2

De Blob 2 is an enjoyable puzzle platformer at an even more enjoyable price. It’s a cute game, definitely intended for a younger crowd, but still has a fun little storyline.

Really none of the Wii’s currently released 2011 titles stand up well against last year’s games, like Donkey Kong Country Retruns, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, and Metroid: Other M. It’s likely that developers have started to switch their focus to the upcoming Wii U. All of the Wii’s most popular games can be viewed in our Wii Games Section.