Nintendo held their “Press Conference” for E3 this year via a new Nintendo Direct video. Though it lacked the on-stage flair many E3 press conferences ooze, it still provided us with plenty of new games and announcements, with the top of the list being news about the next Super Smash Bros. title. Today was technically the first day of the actual expo, so we were also given a lot of hands-on impressions and demos, as well as some new gameplay trailers and info on both games and systems.

Nintendo, Wii U, and 3DS

• Pokemon X and Pokemon Y for the 3DS will be released this October.
• The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD will also release on the Wii U this October.
• Nintendo detailed some of the new characters that will be in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. sequel on the 3DS and Wii U. New fighters include Mega Man, an Animal Crossing villager, and the Wii Fit trainer.
• The Legend of Zelda sequel to A Link to the Past will be titled The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, and is hopefully releasing this holiday season.

Microsoft and Xbox One

• Killer Instinct was announced yesterday during Microsoft’s press conference, and today they stated the game would be a launch title. On top of that, it’s a free download, but you only get one character to play, Jago. Each other character will cost money to unlock and use.

Sony and PlayStation 4

• The PS4 is region free, meaning there are no restrictions on buying and playing games from a country other than where you bought the system itself.
• When discussing the PS4 and its used games policy, Sony revealed that the PS4 system itself doesn’t have any restrictions for playing used games, but publishers could choose to implement something of the like on their own (possibly online passes, constant internet connection, etc?). Sony’s first party games will not have any of these restrictions.

New Games

• New Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)
• Mario Kart 8 (Wii U)
• Wii Party U (Wii U)
• Art Academy (Wii U)
• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U)
• Super Smash Bros. (Wii U, 3DS)
• Yoshi’s New Island (3DS)
• New Monolith Software RPG (Wii U) (Monolith Software created the Wii’s Xenoblade Chronicles)
• Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty (PS4, PS3, Vita, PC, Wii U)
• Bloodmasque (iOS)

Odds and Ends

• When asked, Sony stated that Team Ico’s much anticipated (and barely mentioned) The Last Guardian was “on hiatus”, only to correct themselves shortly after and state the game is in “active development.”
• Here’s a new Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain trailer.
• The Wonderful 101 received a new trailer.

Updates

• During Microsoft’s press conference, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare was announced as coming to Xbox One, then Xbox 360. It is now also confirmed for upcoming release on the PC according to developer Popcap’s website.
• The Walking Dead: 400 Days DLC will be released this summer. A new trailer gives insight on the content, including mention of five separate yet connected storylines to play through.
• Announced during the Sony press conference, Final Fantasy XV will be coming to both the Xbox One and PS4.
• Kingdom Hearts III will also be on the Xbox One and PS4.

Until tomorrow,
Jsick