Spotlight: E3 1996: The Full Scoop

The Electronic Entertainment Expo is here to stay. We have assumed as much following the total demise of the video game scene at CES, but all may now claim E3 as THE place for players to look to for breaking news each year.Over 1,700 games and games-related products were on display at the trade show. This frankly thrashes any remote competition into the stratosphere. Above all else, the epicenter of the whole event was the ethereal Nintendo 64 and its pinnacle showpiece, Super Mario 64. Mr. Miyamoto and Co. pulled the curtain back completely on their groundbreaking project - and audiences were totally blown away. Yet, the talk was not limited to the 64-Bit device, with Sony's magnificent Crash Bandicoot and Sega's Nights Into Dreams each causing quite the stir as journalists, retailers, and other show goers lined-up to get a sneak peek at what is coming soon to an electronics store near you. Let's dive right in and see just how promising your gaming future will be.

Crowded Sega Pavilion                             Welcome to the E3!                             Crash Wowed Audiences

More so than at any other booth in the L.A. Convention Center, the unavoidable Super Mario 64 sparked the greatest degree of fascination and generated the most fervor. Folks waited nearly an hour in enormous lines just to grab a glimpse of the plumber's foray in full 3-D, and grab onto that analog gamepad to give the new console a whirl. This version, seemingly at a near-completed state, was even more impressive than the Shoshinkai demonstration with a greater assortment of enemies, obstacles, and special effects. Alongside the red capped mascot, stations for the ever-soaring Pilotwings 64 and arcade racer Cruisin' USA were available as well for guests to try out. In the words of longstanding NOA Chairman Howard Lincoln, "It's certainly no secret this E3 show is a big deal for Nintendo. It's show-and-tell time." Nintendo confirmed several key details regarding their upcoming Nintendo 64. First, only about 500,000 systems will be available at launch in the U.S. (Get ready to arrive at Babbage's early!). The $250 pricetag is here to stay, as is the promise of Mario 64 as a launch title - albeit not a pack-in. Seven other games are planned for September, including the epic Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, jetskiing Wave Race 64, and Pilotwings 64. As for the highly anticipated Mario Kart R, that 4-Player gem is expected to arrive by the year's end. Mr. Lincoln assures us that over 50 additional titles are well into development with a focus on quality over quantity. The Big N plans to unleash $54 million in marketing to lock-in its first million in system sales. Sadly, no breaking news on the DD64 disk drive add-on just yet.

N64 Sizzle Reel                             Nintendo Looms Over All!                             Cruisin' USA Booth

While Super Mario prevailed as the unabashed Game of the Show, the competition was fiercely breathing down its neck. Yes, although Nintendo's other announcements concerning a sleeker, slimmer edition of the Game Boy and a third entry in the Donkey Kong Country franchise were noteworthy, the overall presentations from fellow industry titans may have outshined them. Sega put forward a brilliant array of upcoming titles for the Saturn, commanded by an all-new game developed by Yuji Naka and Sonic Team. Nights, a gorgeous, free-form fantasy adventure set in a 3-D environment, proves Sega's determination to get back in the race with the PlayStation. Likewise, ambitious sequels Bug Too!, Virtua Cop 2, and Sonic Xtreme broadcast the ingenuity and promise of Saturn in the second-half of 1996. Sony, as it appears thus far in the console race, cannot be caught nor slowed down. Not only has the entertainment giant matched Sega's price cut to $199, but it presented to audiences a direct contender to the likes of Mario 64. Naughty Dog's Crash Bandicoot, an astounding 3-D side-scroller our team previously checked out in last issue's Preview Corner, was granted spotlight status at Sony's booth. Standing alongside it were thrilling follow-ups Twisted Metal 2, Tekken 2 and Jumping Flash 2, in addition to gallery shooter Horned Owl, robotic simulator Carnage Heat, and an excellent-looking fighter called Tobal No. 1. The abundance of games coming soon to the PlayStation, even in the third-party scene with choice entries from Capcom and Konami, sufficiently demonstrate Sony's readiness to put some distance between itself and the rest.

[Article from the July 1996 Issue of PPM]

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