E3 2006 : A floor report.

As every year at this time we ask the question: “What’s hot and What’s not” in the interactive gaming industry.

The gaming industry is trying to fight the stereotype that games are to violent and for the male audience only. And yet…this years E3 is dominated by big guns, massive battles, barely glad big breasted fantasy avatars, drug-lords, Orc’s and all sorts of blood thirsty Aliens – all this in HD of course.

You have alternatives – that is if you like sequels. But how may “Tony Hawk” or “Gran Turismo” sequels can we take? And if the only new thing SEGA has for us is just another “Sonic” game – then that’s not a good sign.

But hey at least it’s HD, that supposedly makes everything better.

But there has to be credit to who credit deserves:
Some of the new 2KSports and EA titles take good advantage of that HD color fidelity and dynamic available with 3rd Gen consoles. Most people however will have to buy a new TV after dropping $599 for their PS3, and oh make sure you have a Dolby Surround System otherwise your 3rd Gen is probably a waste of your money.

Nintendo steers in another direction with their “Wii”.
Gyro controlled, 24h online-even if turned off, super fast startup and all your favorite old games online for free. Too bad the wait time was almost 2hours to get some hands-on “Gyro-controller” Wii action.

Last years Guitar Hero showed us all that “super” graphic is not necessary for a smash hit – it’s innovation we love.

Good luck Nintendo, because the graphics quality of Wii can only compete with medium PS 2 games. Nintendo is betting on innovation and fun- and let me tell you it looks like a lot of fun to me. Having a retail price under $300 will make it appealing for a lot of people.

Nintendo I salute you.

But what’s new for the kids:
“The game factory” is in my opinion the most innovative kids gaming company. Well established in the European console, handheld and PC market, they are now taking on the US market.
Their titles are licensed non-violent characters like Strawberry Shortcake, Garfield, Noody, Franklin etc. The games provide solid, fun, good looking, 3D, educational game-play, available for all platforms. What stands out is the fact that they do consoles and handhelds not only PC as most other companies like Brighter Minds Media Inc. or Topics Entertainment – who still believe that PC is the only way to go and that they cannot sell their games on other platforms.

I asked them:
If parents had a choice- would they rather play “I Spy” with the whole family in the living room on the couch or have their kid be all alone in mommy’s or daddy’s office?

I heard a lot of excuses, but nothing I could buy into, except maybe that some games are build in “Director” and a port would be waaaay too expensive for a small company.

So,
What’s hot:
Nintendo’s gyro controllers, fling and swing yourself thru the levels.

What’s not:
Sequels, sequels, sequels – the gaming industry is getting just as bad as Hollywood

By Thomas Hasch
Editor Kid Confidence