Nintendo's annual press conference has, in the past, had a certain fan-boy stigma attached to it, a reliance as much on nostalgia and gimmicky goofiness as on actual news and realistic competitive potential--the perpetration for which could practically be seen on the faces of the more jaded audience-members present. And, sure enough, out came Shigeru Miyamoto (rockstar of game designers and probably closest to god-hood in that context) in full orchestra-conductor black and white. He proceeded to actually conduct a virtual, onscreen orchestra using the new Wii controller as a baton. Gimmicky, yes...and impressive.

In fact, "impressive" is the best way to describe Nintendo's entire presence so far, as of this second full day of the Electronic Entertainment Expo proper.

Nintendo's new buzz-word of the moment is "disruptive," but what it comes down is shaking up the preconceived notions of gaming--you know, like they did with that silly-looking, new-fangled, two-screened DS thingy not so long ago, a device which initially confused gamers and press alike ...and has since come to the forefront of innovative, portable gaming--to mass consumer delight and critical accolades aplenty.

The somewhat controversially-named Wii next-gen console, pronounced "we" (as in "we won't be announcing the exact release date and price just yet") (leaks and murmurs speak of November at $249 USD, however), is being touted as ultimately cheaper than its Microsoft and Sony rivals, and will reportedly be available in the fourth quarter of 2006.

In terms of launch titles, the big audience-wowing news is The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which sports a new, less-cartoony (but still fantastic) look along with some incredible use of the Wii's two-handed control system (there will also be a simultaneous launch of a GameCube version of the title... remember GameCube?).

The controller scheme uses a remote control unit whose motion detection translates hand and wrist action directly to the game onscreen. The applications for game action such as wielding virtual tennis racquets, shields or katanas is immediately apparent (tennis, golf and baseball games are also in the works), but the innovation doesn't stop there.

An imbedded speaker offers unique "depth of sound" options. In Zelda, this manifests itself when the player uses a bow and arrow; the twang of the drawn-and-released bow is audible in the handheld speaker and, as the player lets fly, the "thwip!" of the launching arrow starts in the speaker and then moves away from the player, transferred to the monitor-source/TV set.

A secondary controller straight-facedly called the Nunchuck is designed for the player's other hand, and for slightly more involved games (if the flick-motion of the primary controller would the fishing rod, for example, while the secondary controller would handle the reeling-in action).

Another lesser-known feature of the Wii console is that rather than the unit shutting down completely when gamers aren't playing, it remains in a standby state that lets the unit remain connected to the internet (it also boasts freakishly-low wattage consumption). For persistent-world games such as the addictive Animal Crossing, this means that players may resume their gaming session to find that a friend's animal avatar has left a present or a note in the player's absence.

Nintendo execs have said that additional features for the Wii will be revealed in the months leading up to its launch. They do that. It's Nintendo's schtick and the reason people keep talking about it (as opposed to other companies that only have sticker price left for shock value).

In addition to the Wii Sports franchise--a fleet of flagship titles that best exemplify why the Wii controller is extraordinary--, which is slated for availability at launch, players can expect titles from the Sonic and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles franchises, as well as the massively popular Dragon Quest series, and--eliciting the biggest roar of the crowd by far--Super Mario Galaxy.

Nintendo quote of the week: "Risk allows progress. We're a company that doesn't run from risk; we run to it."

Also See:

• Inside E3 2006: Sony Spills PS3 Beans at Pre-E3 Show


• Inside E3 2006: Gates' Orwellian vision convincing, enticing