E3: NINTENDO PREDICTIONS

After last week's predictions about Sony's e3, we here at DC Reviews boldly said that Starhawk would be announced at e3, well a couple of weeks before e3 and it has been! Score one for team DC! So today we look fondly over in Nintendo's direction, what can we expect? Read on to find out...

Project Cafe is actually called the Nintendo Stream

Yep, that's right folks, start your Wii Stream jokes because we believe here at DC that Nintendo's next console will be called the Stream. Not due to Ninty loving jokes but the fact that the basis of the new console will be on streaming. Streaming old games to be able to play them, streaming to the new controller with a touch screen, so a very apt name we feel.

Finally an online system worth using!

After the disaster attempt at online using the Wii, Nintendo will finally give us all a decent online system. While not directly copying Sony's or Microsoft's online plan, perhaps we will see something in the middle. Something similar to Netflix's pay monthly use everything system could be established, except from being allowed to watch movies it could be the Virtual Console, let's say you pay £4.99 a month and in return get to play any game off the Virtual Console as it's streamed to your system. Maybe a long shot but would certainly tie into the idea of the 'stream' idea.

A lot of Zelda stuff...

The release of Skyward Sword and re-release of Ocarina of Time won't be all we hear of Zelda this year, I expect hints of future Zelda's for Stream/Cafe and 3DS, brand new adventures not re-releases. Also, Skyward Sword will not be moved to the new console ala Twilight Princess but could perhaps be delayed until early 2012.

3DS WILL get Gamezzzz!

With all this talk of of the next home console, let's not forget Ninty's new handheld was only just released mere months ago. While the shortcoming's of the 3DS aren't hard to workout (I don't want Pilotwings!) e3 should give us all 3DS gamer's something to shout about. Mario 3DS will get an in-depth showing, a new fully original 3DS Zelda will probably be hinted at and some major third party showings should boost up the catalogue a bit. Metal Gear, Resident Evil and Sonic Generations are all expected to show up with confirmed release dates to stop the 3DS from collecting dust.

Project Cafe/Stream unveiling

While already confirmed to be announced at e3, just what exactly will Nintendo tell us? While a release of 2012 has been confirmed Nintendo should shorten that timespan to first quarter 2012, a simultaneous worldwide release seems unrealistic at this stage so expect Japan first followed by America and Europe a few months later. March for Japan and May for the rest of us wouldn't be the worst guess in the world. Those hoping for a price announcement will be upset, why would Ninty announce a price nearly a whole year in advance? There's no advantage they could get by doing it this early, expect that announcement early next year.

As with the confirmation of a sketchy release window don't expect a full launch line up either. Games will be announced of course but we have to remember these will be in quite early stages of development, expect a playable form on the show floor anything more than that is unexpected.

Overall a positive show from Nintendo this e3, they're best in quite a while, they will win this show. Only a total balls up from the new console would mean they won't win, everyone loves a new console after all! Mario and Zelda in HD? Welcome to the 21st century Nintendo, we've missed ya!

Super Monkey Ball 3D Review

Our first 3DS review isn't the immediate pick on everyone's 'must have' 3DS list when purchasing the console but perhaps you should reconsider? Upon poping in the little white 3DS cartridge and seeing monkey's in ball's happily rolling around the stage I'm reminded of Super Monkey Ball's original debut on the Gamecube and the fun I had when playing it.

If your not used to Super Monkey Ball where have you been? It's a delightful little puzzle game where the object is simple, guide your monkey in a ball to the goal within a minute. A simple premise at first when your tasked with rolling the ball down a simple slant in a straight line, but the further into the game you get the more testing the stages become. Rolling the ball around a swirl with no walls and with springs which fling you off into the distance is not an easy task at all! But Super Monkey Ball 3DS somehow manages to not make you get frustrated, perhaps it's the colours or the loveable monkey's themselves but I never found myself getting annoyed because I couldn't do a level.

The advantage of having a 3D screen helps this game immensely, especially on the latter level's when evading obstacles such as the spring's I mentioned earlier is crucial and the added perception you get really helps. The controls for this game are simple enough, you have the option of using the control stick or the gyroscope in the 3DS itself to control the ball. If you do opt for the gyroscope though make sure you turn 3D off, as moving the system all over the place to control your monkey makes you lose the sweet spot of the 3D very easily and makes viewing a nightmare.

Like every Super Monkey Ball game there are the additional mini-games, not so much this time though. We have Monkey Racing, a delightful Donkey Style kart racer and Monkey Fight which kind of feels like Super Smash Bros, but with monkeys. Each mini-game does a solid if unspectacular job and can take up some of your time but both pale in comparison to puzzle mode which undoubtedly steals the show and it's easy to see where the develops spent the most time perfecting the game.

Super Monkey Ball 3D is a great little starter game for you brand new handheld before some of the more bigger names come to fruition in the summer (who said Zelda?), for now, Super Monkey Ball will delightfully fill your time and provide with a few hours of 3D fun.

7.5