For those unfamiliar with this whole E3 buzzword flying around for the past month here's the real deal: E3 stands for Electronic Entertainment Expo and it is the largest gathering of videogame developers, designers, publishers, retailers and media in North America. It is an industry only show, which means not everyone can get in. You have to either be employed by a videogame company, a retail company or belong to some form of media outlet. You also have to be 18. This is strictly enforced. Yeah right! Let me say this, I saw fetuses in suits walking around in E3. That's a load of crap. There were kids there all right and our buddy Steve was one of them. Right Steve?
The show has been held in Los Angeles and Atlanta (at different times, smarty pants), but it seems to have found a permanent home in LA for the time being. It lasts for 3 days and it features all of the upcoming games and peripherals that will be released over the next 12 months and beyond. Sound cool? It is. Every game you can imagine is there to play and the game designers, programmers and PR people are on hand to answer your questions. Many companies hire "booth babes" who stand around and look good, so that you'll stand around and gawk. The booth babes are generally models who are paid to smile at you and laugh at your jokes, while silently wishing you dead. I purposely did not get my picture taken with a "booth babe" this year as I felt the whole thing was a little degrading for everyone involved. The only model I talked to was the one giving out condoms to showgoers. Condoms at a videogame convention? Isn't that like handing out headphones to deaf people?
The show is just as much about games as it is about parties. There are great parties thrown every year. Some we make it to, and some we don't. It's almost about making contacts for the coming year. I was so pleased to meet some of my PR contacts that I have been dealing with over the last year. The turnover in this business is pretty quick and it's sad to phone someone you have a good business relationship with and find out they have moved on to another company. Anyway, enough about the business dealings and whatnot. On to what matters! The parties! I mean, the games.
Dreamcast owners are going to have a lot to look forward to this coming year. Sega had a very strong showing on the E3 floor, displaying 103 titles that held their own against the "PS2 menace". Before E3 Sega announced their amazing SegaNet rebate that will see $199.99 US rebate checks sent out to those who will sign up for a 3 year term for the online gaming service (this offer is also available to current DC owners). As well Sega will be offering a $100 Canadian connectivity bonus which will effectively drop the price of Dreamcast to $199 Cdn, from June 4 - August 31/00. The bonus will also complement the rebate program for Dreamcast owners who sign up for SegaNet service. In short, Sega is going overboard to make the Dreamcast as enticing as possible. With the PS2 launching at $299 US on October 26, 2000, Sega is pulling out all of the stops. If I were Sony, I'd be a little concerned, especially after witnessing the exciting software that's headed our way from Sega and other third parties in the 3rd and 4th quarter. The second generation Dreamcast titles are looking very hot indeed. Without further ado, let's check out some of the standouts of the show.
NFL 2001 (2K1)
Sega and Visual Concepts scored a touchdown with this one last year and expect lightning to strike twice. Addressing some of the faults and bugs of last years incredible effort, NFL 2001 looks to be on it's way to being the pigskin king again.
NBA 2001 (2K1)
Watching Ice T. and another guy play an online game of NBA 2001 at the Sega party against two people from San Francisco, was a sight to behold. No lag time to be found and the game rocked. Sega proved that SegaNet has the power to play efficiently over a narrowband connection (56k modem). With sports games like NFL, NBA and NHL heading online, Sega is going to rule the sports world, at least until EA and Sony get the PS2 broadband connections in home.
Shen Mue
There was more of Shen Mue to play than last year, but not enough for my liking. A couple of QTE (Quick Time Events), free travel and fighting portions were available. So far, I'm not overly impressed with this title, but I have full confidence that this will change once I play the final game in sequence and in the privacy of my own home where I can marvel at the real world effects like weather and time passage. I found one section where Ryo learns fighting moves off a street vendor to be particularly frustrating. All Ryo had to do was take two steps and kick, but for some reason, taking two simple steps was impossible. Perhaps the game was glitching; that's always a possibility at E3. This one is coming to you on November 14/00 so book your vacation now. Psst: It also will support online play.
SeaMan
With JellyVision (You Don't Know Jack) on board to inject some of their whacked out humor into this bizarre virtual pet game, expect SeaMan to be the craziest "game" you've ever seen. You can tap on the virtual aquarium to get the creatures attention, as well as pull them out of the water as they exclaim, "Master, you are hurting me. Please put me back in the water!". Yeah right! Where's a virtual cat when you need one?
Sonic Shuffle
In the "innovation is for suckers" department, Sega is bringing out a 4 player electronic board game. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? I didn't spend a lot of time with this one, as it looks like it would take a while to get to know what's going on. It looked like a million bucks and I'm sure it'll be fun, but has Sega no shame? A blatant ripoff.
Phantasy Star On-Line
Yup. You read that correctly. Expect this game to explode in Winter 2000. By using an innovative keyword system, players of all nationalities will be able to play together online without that nasty language barrier getting in the way. Finally an RPG that you can actually play like a real adventure. You'll be able to contact people all over the world and see who wants to join your party on a plethora of quests. Very cool.
World Series Baseball
One of the best baseball series ever made gets a chance to shine on the Dreamcast. This one looked just as good as the other Sega sports titles and played very well. If you love baseball, you can't get any better then this series.
Space Channel 5
Ulala (pronounced "Ohh La La") is the perfect party chick mascot for Sega. Exciting and fun, Ulala and the Space Channel 5 dancers are exactly the image Sega is going for with the Dreamcast. The Dreamcast doesn't make toast or play DVD's, but it will do what it is made to do: Play the best games and give you years of entertainment for your gaming dollar. Not a bad deal, eh? If you are into music games you'll dig Ulala and the gang. Not for everyone, but pretty dang fun!
Ecco the Dolphin
More aquatic adventure starring a porpoise with a purpose. The Ecco games looked amazing on the Genesis, so just imagine what this title looks like on the DC. Again, this title isn't for everyone, but it will be the perfect game for those who tend to shy away from the giblet tossing shenanigans of Quake III. Underwater puzzles, mazes and danger await Ecco and his sonar. With Nintendo's new machine nowhere to be found, this will be the only Dolphin action you are going to get for quite awhile.
Samba de Amigo
Weird. A maracas music game that features a ton of pop music like the ever popular, ever out of style Macarena, Tub Thumping, La Vida Loca, etc. You'll wield electronic maracas that plug into the DC ports while you shake them up down and all around. Definitely a party game for those who have never been to an actual party. Personally I felt like a complete idiot playing it. If you aren't talented enough to play guitar, drums, piano or saxophone then this game will probably appeal to you. Think of it like Music for Dummies. No make that, Real Big Dummies. When is the kazoo game coming out? Maybe I'm being too hard on it, but it really annoyed the crap out of me. Oh well, at least I don't have to buy it.
Jet Grind Radio
This game not only looks fantastic but it's just so damn fun. It's an inline skating game that includes the ability to "tag" or spray paint your mark across town. The look of the game is very cool and it plays wonderfully. This game will fly off store shelves once everyone realizes what the game is about. One of the best of E3.
Sega GT
Sega's answer to Gran Turismo is looking very good. The control needs some tweaking but graphically the game looks sweet. Players will be able to build their own vehicles from scratch, with over 2 million possible combinations or choose from a plethora of classic cars or 2000 models. There will be 22 courses to race and the obligatory 2-player split screen mode. No word on online support yet, but that would be awesome wouldn't it?
Acclaim doesn't seem to be taking any chances. Most of their DC lineup has already been available for months on other systems. I thought we may have a glimpse of TrickStyle 2, with heavy emphasis on gameplay this time, but nada, instead we get a South Park Rally port and another wrestling title. Here's hoping Acclaim starts publishing some cool original titles. Soon.
Bust A Move 4
Customizable puzzle boards or tons of stock ones. If you're a fan of puzzle games, Bust A Move is one of the best. This game will feature 8 opponents, 4 game modes and the DC's powerhouse graphics.
Fur Fighters
Battling stuffed-animals that aren't quite so cutesy thanks to over 40 weapons to choose from and spanning 20 levels of carnage. A proposed 50 hours of gameplay awaits. Personally I couldn't get used to the Turok style controls. I'm hoping there will be a way to modify the configuration in the final product.
ECW Anarchy Rulez
Acclaim continues to milk the Warzone/Attitude engine in yet another ho-hum wrestling title. Simpler controls are available for newbies and for the veterans, the first ever Table Match. If Attitude or ECW Hardcore failed to pump you up, don't hold your breath for this one. It offers more, but still looks and plays the same (ie: sluggish).
Jeremy McGrath Supercross 2000
Featuring 16 stadium and motocross tracks, this one is looking pretty sharp. It's taken forever to come to the shelves but it looks like it's finally on the way. Motocross fans will have a field day with this one, especially on the DC, as it wins by default.
South Park Rally
One in a long line of Mario Kart ripoffs coming to all platforms, SPR is a port over of the dismal racing title that infected the PSX, PC and N64 earlier in the year. It may look a little better but rest assured the gameplay is nowhere to be found. Avoid the urge.
NFL QBC 2001
This series has had its share of problems and we hope that 2001 is a stellar year for the QBC. Will it beat out NFL 2001 by Sega? Only time will tell. Wouldn't it be cool to have a few different awesome NFL games to choose from this summer?
Vanishing Point
The racing genre is a tad under-represented on the DC as of yet, but that's definitely going to change this year. With so many racing titles heading to market, Vanishing Point being one of them, they are going to have to be pretty unique to stand out. The press copy for the game reads, "..the most realistic racing model, this side of the arcade..". What does that mean exactly? I'll tell you: Unrealistic arcade physics. It's either realistic or arcade control right? Don't expect Gran Turismo here. The environments are looking great and the cars control okay at the moment, but Vanishing Point needs some more time in the oven.
I was a little disappointed with Activision's DC support for the new year. Basically there isn't much. Activision seems to be focusing their efforts on the PSX and N64. Mind you the games that they are planning for those systems will set the world on fire (X-Men, Spider-Man, Tenchu 2, Tony Hawk 2 etc.) so who can blame them. I thought we may have heard hints of a Blue Stinger 2 but nothing as of yet, and since they just picked up the tile for North American distribution, BS2 could end up going through another publisher anyway. Ports of their coolest titles to DC is probably inevitable, which is a really good thing.
VOOT (Virtual On Oratorio Tangrem)
Why Activision is publishing a SEGA product is beyond me, but this Mech action game is looking very fine. Features include 12 Virtoids (1 secret), 17 stages that take place on land, in space and water, 2 player mode, hand to hand combat and all at a beautiful 60 FPS. Sounds good to me. The game play is great and will thrill fans of the original Virtual On.
Cannon Spike
Anything that makes you strap on Motor Boots has got to be good. Played from a top down perspective (at least from the screens I saw) this game looks to be an action shooter that will be pretty intense. Hey it's Capcom, I wouldn't worry about it. You'll be able to choose from 7 characters that belong to the Anti-Robot Special Forces. Your mission: Defeat the "terrorist radical robots". One question: Why are all robots evil?
Gun Bird 2
Gun Bird 2? Whatever happened to Gun Bird 1? Oh, that's right, Japan always gets the cool games. Another action shooter, this one looks to be more of a top scrolling shooter, much in the vein of a billion shooters from days gone by, the names of which elude me. It's based on the arcade game of the same name. You play as one of 7 characters (that sounds a tad familiar) who are on a quest to find the magical ingredients so that they can produce an All-Purpose Medicine. I guess none of them have ever heard of Tylenol or a Pharmacy. As you might have guessed, they are intercepted by a rowdy band of pirates on their way to the underground temple. One question: Why are all pirates evil?
Marvel vs. Capcom 2
Think of it. 56 playable characters. Three on three tag team battles. Triple player super combos. Jill from Resident Evil. It's absolutely mental. This game is so fast paced it defies human decency. I don't know what that means. However, if you like your fighting games heavy on the flash, then you'll need this one. A must have fighting game if there ever was one.
Power Stone 2
Taking a nod from Super Smash Bros, Power Stone 2 is the most amazing spectacle of four player 3D fighting yet. Over 120 different weapons are available and that's just part of the fun. Anyone who played the first game had to be impressed and this one will be no different. Kind of makes you happy you have a DC doesn't it?
Spawn
Based on the arcade title but with added features for the home, Spawn looks to be a heavy duty multiplayer frag fest if there ever was one (until Quake III shows up that is). My only complaint with this title? Where the frag is Spawn's cool looking cape? You'll find all of those happy little Spawn characters in this game, so go ahead, buy it and make Todd McFarlane just a little richer.
Street Fighter 3: Third Strike
Starring a measly 19 fighters from the SF universe, SFIII looks to be the next in line to suckle at the Street Fighter teat. The one bonus to SFIII is that Capcom fighting game purists will breathe a sigh of relief that this game isn't based on the Vs. series. Some gamers just don't appreciate the button mashing frenetic pace of the Vs. series. That's why Capcom is peddling the millionth variation of a game that has been around for over a decade. There are new features such as Leap Attacks and a judging system that grades your performance. We all know what it will play like. That's the beauty of it.
With a small handful of titles that includes a port of Activision's prodigal son, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, to the DC, Crave is going to make a lot of waves in 2000. Check out this lineup:
SnoCross Championship Racing
Pick your Yamaha sled and watch out for low bridges. 8 world-racing circuits are at your mercy including Nagano, Japan, Munich Germany and Aspen, Colorado. It's the only snowmobile game in town for the DC, and so far it's looking very worthy indeed.
Star Lancer
Dogfighting in outer space and in cyber space thanks to online support. Up to 8 players can battle it out over the net in one of 12 armed to the teeth spacecrafts. Could be just what the shooter fans are looking for.
Super Magnetic Neo
A cutesy title that stars Neo and his little magnetic head. Thanks to the magnet, the game features some innovative gameplay, while the DC serves up Rayman 2 like visuals. It's not just for kiddies though as the gameplay was challenging enough to provide a decent thumb workout. This "insane platformer" may just be thing after MDK2 and the aforementioned Rayman 2.
Tony Hawks' Pro Skater
Although this game is only visually enhanced over the PSX and N64 version, that's still nothing to sneeze at considering THPS was the best game of 1999. The graphics are really clean, making this version the one to have, without a doubt. It would have been cool to have seen an extra level or new players, thrown in for those of us who have played the original to death but will still buy this port for the eye candy. Watch for this any day now.
Ultimate Fighting Challenge
After suffering through the PSX version of this game at the show, I didn't even want to pick up the sweeter, smoother looking DC version. However, I was pleasantly surprised at the speed of the game. I picked Tito Oritz and kicked some poor guy's ass. The very cool thing, was not three seconds later, I saw Tito at E3. Then I kicked his ass using all the moves I learned playing the game. Okay, so that part isn't true. Here's what you can believe though: Tito was at the show and I was impressed with UFC on Dreamcast. The Octagon awaits with 22 real fighters to control, fantastic graphics and fast moving gameplay.
102 Dalmations
Yay! A doggy game based on the upcoming live-action movie. I can only imagine how much better this will be than Metal Gear Solid 2 for the PS2. Actually, this 3D action-adventure game does look really good and I'm sure that it will thrill its target audience. Featuring 19 levels and mini games.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver II
This one is looking and playing hot already, and so it should; considering that most of what was at E3 was cut from the original game anyway due to time constraints. Expect more of the same, with more enemies, new moves, bigger bosses and those awe inspiring graphics. Could be great.
Omikron: The Nomad Soul
I didn't see this one at E3, which means either I missed it (???) or it wasn't there (???). Either scenario is just as puzzling. Set to be released on May 31/00, this free roaming action/adventure/RPG is sure to please fans of cool games. I loved the PC version and I'm sure the port over will be seamless. At least I hope. You start the game as YOU, who then takes over Officer K'ayls' body, as you investigate this futuristic new world. Hours upon hours of mind bending gameplay and puzzles, plus appearances and music by David Bowie and Iman. Be sure to check it out once it's released.
Walt Disney World Magical Racing Tour
Mario Kart with Disney characters. If there was one genre that was extremely over-represented, it was the Mario Kart rip-off. Kids might just love it as they get to race 10 tracks around the Magical Kingdom. The DC version even offers 4-player multiplayer racing! Watch for this port over from the PSX very soon.
Sydney 2000 (Olympics)
Is it that time already? Has it really been 4 years since the last Olympics screwed up summer television for two weeks? Eidos has the perfect game for those too damn lazy to get up at 4:00 AM to start their training: Sydney 2000. Now you'll be the main dude at the 2000 Virtual Olympics in Virtual Sydney, Australia. After playing this early title for awhile, I was virtually unimpressed. Let's hope it gets a lot better. Diving through rings reminded me way too much of Superman 64.
Stay tuned for Part II of Cheat Code Central's Dreamcast E3 coverage.