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Event: 2003 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
Dates: May 13-16 2003

Topic: Best Surprises

Clay "Alkaiser" Chan and Rick "32_Footsteps" Healey

Actually, E3 was pretty much what we saw coming. The surprises aren't the mind-blowing ones of past shows (like last year, when they finally showed Metroid Prime and it was good). But here is what managed to please us.

Rick's #10: Kemco's making a Lobo game

They only had video clips for it, but seriously, it's Lobo! He invented the term "fragging." Easily the best messed-up comic in history, with "Transmetropolitan" being a close second (but that is likely to not be made into a game). Here's hoping that the Main Man is brought to the screen faithfully and with good control.

Clayton's #10: Sam & Max Freelance Police

This wasn't playable but they were showing video of it on the huge video wall, and as much as I hoped they would keep it 2D and maybe cel shade it, but instead they made it wonderful looking 3D, while apparently keeping the same witty humor that made the 2D version so darn amazing. I'm looking for this one come 2004.

Rick's #9: Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg

This odd little offering from Sega guides a young kid in a chicken suit as he tries to fight evil by rolling a giant egg around. Every so often, he has to hatch them too. It makes no sense, but it plays well and the play is rather imaginative. It might not do well, but not for lack of gameplay.

Clayton's #9: Dolphin Blue

Nobody really looks at the video game market and says, "Hey, you know what we need? Another Metal Slug...only with more dolphins." Well, apparently the folks at Sammy did. They were also apparently right. Rick and I would probably be on a very small list of attendees who could say they finished a game at E3. Rick and I liked this so much that we beat it.

Rick's #8: The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

I was a bit surprised that they decided to make a Gamecube version, but they drastically expanded the gameplay and they improved the graphics. Now looking like a lush, 4-player version of "A Link to the Past," it involves much more than simply sword-fighting for rupees. It has the potential to be the party game of the year.

Clayton's #8: Sushi Bar

Also at the Sammy booth, and also on an Arcade cabinet was this Columns clone, called Sushi Bar. You try and connect 4 pieces of similar sushi, and you can switch kaiten belts and other fun stuff. I thought it was going to be totally stupid walking by, but played it for a bit, and earned the title Best Virtual Sushi Chef at Netjak.com. Respect the sushi skillz!

Rick's #7: Dolphin Blue

I know, nobody who played Metal Slug sat there and thought, "you know, this game just has too few dolphins." But Sammy's Dolphin Blue managed to combine underwater fighting, dolphin attacks, and frantic side-scrolling shooting action in a very clean game. While it's a bit short, that can easily be amended. That, and it was totally romped by the 'Jak staff, cleared after a few plays. If and when it comes out at home, I'm all up for Dolphin Blue marathons.

Clayton's #7: Megaman X7

Everyone goes cel shaded, then Megaman decides they want to go 3D. However, it is without the actual "Megaman" Megaman, but still Axl blasting through levels of twisting and turning gears looked good enough to me.

Rick's #6: Sims 2

The basics of the gameplay are the same as ever, and I really don't play it. But the amount of work they've done on genetics is amazing. Having extensively studied face morphology and genetics, EA and Maxim have made an extensive array of different options for modifying body types, as well as the ability to pass those along to children your Sims may have. I'm rather interested to see where this can go.

Clayton's #6: Rockstar

Bill Simmons, aka "The Sports Guy" Page 2 writer for ESPN.com has always asked why nobody's made a game based off of that old B-movie, "The Warriors". Well, Rockstar must have been listening, because plastered over their booth's back wall...The Warriors. They also made a game based off Starsky & Hutch. While this may necessarily be a good thing, it's better than them making another MOVIE based off of it, no? There'll be far less commercials for it at the very least.

Rick's #5: Drakengard

Square really doesn't do action games. So if they hadn't acquired Enix, they never would have gotten their hands on this hot title. Several members of Square's staff admit that this is the game they're most fond of. Honestly, who doesn't like riding a dragon with enemy-seeking fireballs before jumping off and running through armies like Dynasty Warriors is for sissies? The best part is, the number of enemies shown at E3 was just a small sample. This is worth waiting for.

Clayton's #5: Sword of Mana

I never played any of the early Mana games, so I was kind of surprised that I was able to have as much fun playing this one over at the Nintendo booth on one of their GBAs. One of the few RPGs on display anywhere, this is one of the GBA games I'm definitely picking up.

Rick's #4: Sushi Bar

Sammy's coin-op division strikes again. You'd think that a puzzle game revolving around pleasing customers at a sushi bar sounds goofy, but it's built like Puzzle Fighter, but with less randomness as you get to pick your sushi off the bar. Plus, there's nothing like taunting your foe with "Taste the wrath of my giant prawn!" Clay and I split out Sammy coin-op matches - he whipped me in Sushi Bar, but my Dolphin Blue skills can't be denied. Nor can Sammy's coin-op division.

Clayton's #4: Kentia Hall

Wait, Kentia Hall wasn't a huge waste of time, save to laugh at everyone? This year, yes. The AM3 booth had GBA video players, which is cool. I mean, name another handheld device under $100 that you can watch video on? This would over over HUGE in Japan where people sit on trains for great lengths of time. Also, the Asian developers seem to be getting much, much better at making a polished product. In addition, Kentia's always fun just to go and laugh at the France booth, the consistent winner of the emptiest booth at the show.

Clay apparently forgot about the Codemasters booth when he decided to poke fun of France.
 

Rick's #3: FZero GX

Nintendo was never really able to create a good serious racer. I never enjoyed any of the previous FZero games. However, this time, they got the assistance of Sega (leading to the ultra-strange moment for this old-school gamer of seeing a screen with the Nintendo and Sega logos on screen at once), who ironed out all of the problems in the game. Now, the actions flows great, the 3-D courses bend around like they always should have, and everything is better balanced out. Especially with the tame Mario Kart Double Dash being its only competition, this racer should be the best the Gamecube can get.

Clayton's #3: X-Box Karaoke

The horrible rendition of Sir Mix-A-Lot's of "Baby Got Back" we heard notwithstanding, X-Box Karaoke looks to be a big party event for all the X-Box owners. Looks like all the MadCatz people figured out that the one thing X-Box owners wouldn't be doing is playing games with it. So, now all you need is an X-Box, a couple game discs, and rental space...and you've got your own karaoke parlor. But, they do need a lot more than the 52 songs they had on display.

Rick's #2: XBox Karaoke

MadCatz usually is the last company I'd trust to make anything. But their karaoke setup for the XBox is pure gold. It's simple to set up, has a clean interface, and it actually sounds like the original song in the background. The words are even correct, and anyone who has done karaoke knows the pain of seeing the wrong words show up. To top it all off, MadCatz gave both Clay and I t-shirts for trying out their rather nice setup. With a good selection of songs, MadCatz might have the must-own item for the XBox.

Clayton's #2: Sims 2

With the Sims Online not doing so hot, it looks like EA certainly pulled out all the stops trying to make the Sims 2 a great game. Your Sims will now age, and have kids whose appearances are based off genetics. Interesting added features look like Sims 2 will probably have gamers everywhere working on the ass-groove in their computer chair all over again. Although it was only showing by VIP invite, getting a look was enough to whet my appetite anew, despite the fact that the initial "buzz" has faded from when the initial version of the game was released.

Rick's #1: Kentia Hall and the AM3 booth

Sweet heavenly mercy, Kentia Hall was actually worth visiting this year. The first of the four horseman is saddling up as we speak. Specifically, AM3, a small Japanese company, was hanging out there, with their new SmartMedia card. You put it into an adapter for the Game Boy Advance, and you can watch about a half-hour worth of video on the GBA. The animation was very high quality, and I would easily purchase this for series to watch on the go. Best of all, they are already approved by Nintendo, so it's not some fly-by-night company that will make something to cause your GBA to explode. They're even doing research to allow people to download new content from the internet on blanks. Edging out the MadCatz people for the show's top peripheral, AM3 was the best surprise in this year's show.

Clayton's #1: Meeting up with everyone again.

I used to think this was a big side benefit of going to E3, and not the primary reason for going. But, it was a nice rush to see people I hadn't expected to see, and catching up on the past with them. It was really nice to see everyone again and nice hanging with Linda, Erin and Rick for the whole time, playing Puzzle Fighter until 4am and having Linda regularly hand my ass to me like I was inspecting it for purchase. Can't wait to meet up with all the folks again next year...and see some games.

Rick's Honorable mention: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Konami brings around the new TMNT show to the consoles, but they decide to go old-school - the games are built just like the classic TMNT games we all knew and loved, except without the Foot Clan. The random gang drones are just as fun, though. Also, Konami deserves some kudos for finally using cel-shading in the right manner - it fits perfectly and is executed perfectly. If they make a coin-op version, everyone would start playing for the nostalgia, and keep playing for the solid play.

Honorable Mention: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Tons of 3rd person action games coming out this year, and the one to do it best has to call up memories from the 80s. It wasn't just the nostalgia, because the He-Man game really sucked. But TMNT maintained all the great action from the earlier version, and managed to bring fresh enough graphics to give a great new feel.

Honorable Mention: Madcatz Media Player

I mention this only because I was walking by after doing karaoke, and the guy they had deeming the player was playing the Trogdor Theme Song. So I sang along for a little while and asked him about the product. Anyone rocking out to Trogdor will gets mad props from me, although it may be...in the NIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!