TheKingofRedLions on 13 June 2014
E3 is over...and I'm both happy and sad. Sad to see all the fun end for such a great E3 for Nintendo. Happy that it's over...because I'm REALLY tired of spending 20+ hours every day not moving from the computer! I need some SLEEP! Hope you enjoyed our coverage, because I sure enjoyed having you here. See you in a few, short hours!
Prior to E3 2014 kicking off, I had shared my thoughts on Nintendo's plan for the big show. I was excited for what they were doing, but I was also a bit disappointed. I was really hoping Nintendo would return to the big stage and put on a presentation like they used to, but for the second year in a row we were going to see Nintendo share a pre-recorded feature. Now that E3 2014 has come and gone, I can honestly say that I found Nintendo's activities at this year's show to be their best presentation ever.
Nintendo's Digital Event absolutely blew me away. When you look back at what Nintendo did last year, you can see that they were trying to find a voice. They had an idea and ran with it, but they hand't really figured out just how they wanted to approach things. The show had its good moments, but it wasn't that memorable overall. That's why I was hesitant to see that same thing this year, but Nintendo really brought their A game. They came out with a loud-and-clear message and a very succinct presentation. They also created a ton of memorable moments.
The amount of heart an soul Nintendo put into their digital event was ridiculous. You can see that they meticulously planned out this year's presentation to be something memorable. The way it was shot and how features were presented came out super-polished. They went out of their way to make sure they were doing something special. We also got to see Nintendo make fun of themselves and even the fans, but in a smart, funny and loving way. The Robot Chicken opening was a huge surprise and the Iwata/Reggie battle was insanely cool. What other companies out there show their bigwigs having this much fun and being this silly?!
That themed carried through the entirety of E3 with Nintendo putting together many more video features. We got to see Reggie taking on a cardboard robot, controlled by Miyamoto. We saw a major Smash Bros. tournament that went off without a hitch. We got to see brand-new IPs welcomed into Nintendo's stable. It all came together in the whirlwind of E3, but stood out in the best way possible. Even those that don't follow Nintendo had to sit up and take notice this time around.
Even with all that said, the best part of Nintendo's E3 had to be the Treehouse Live segments. Nintendo had 3 full days of live-streaming action from the show floor, jam-packed with live gameplay footage of numerous titles. You got to see developers, be they from Nintendo, third parties or indie devs, show off their games and explain what made them tick. We also got to see the Treehouse team front-and-center, which is a big change from how Nintendo handles that team. They're usually tucked away in a windowless office, toiling away on the games we love. Now they were the stars of the show.
It was this Treehouse Live feature that really sealed the deal for Nintendo at E3. These guys and gals working the Treehouse came across as genuine. It was impossible to not see their passion for Nintendo and the games they are working on. You could tell that they cared about what they were demoing, even when it was a title that was coming from a dev outside of Nintendo. These guys/gals are a crucial part of Nintendo's inner-workings, but you can see that they are Nintendo fans first and foremost. Seeing such a display of heart and passion was a such a hugely refreshing element of E3. We hardly ever get to see anything like that, yet Nintendo gave us 3 days and countless hours of it.
I am blown away by what Nintendo did at E3 this year. As I said, I think it may have been their best show ever. To think that they pulled off all of this with such a clear tone, passion and commitment to fans is mind-boggling. Nintendo needed a really stealar showing at this E3 and they really came through with it. This E3 really proves why Nintendo has such passionate and unwavering fans. We see the heart and love that Nintendo pours into their games, and now Nintendo found a way to share that same feeling with fans. We usually get it from their games, but this time around we got it from the people.
An unbelievable show that I hope Nintendo sticks with next year. Consider me a 100% convert. Nintendo never has to do another stage show in my opinion. Give me stupid robot battles, Treehouse live, tournaments and real people showing real games. I'll be there to watch every second of it. Nintendo's presentations at E3 2014 perfectly showed why I've been a lifelong fan of the company...and always will be.
Do you agree?
