Ubisoft at E3 2013 on Paul Gale Network

Ubisoft (Overall Best of E3 2013)

Ubisoft truly delivered in quality software at this year’s show, with an impressive amount of old and new franchises alike, landing on every major platform. The company that I chose as the overall best, did so because of the following titles. Watch Dogs was first shown off at E3 2012 and I was right there at Ubisoft’s press event to witness it. Seeing how much this ambitious title has come along in that time has really delighted me and given me high hopes for its upcoming release. Assassin’s Creed IV was another flagship title, proving that Ubisoft truly does care for their established franchises. South Park: The Stick of Truth is quickly turning one of my favorite TV shows of all time into a hilarious RPG that I can’t wait to play. Just Dance 2014 added further quality and polish to the already solid JD4, as well as the new Wii U GamePad recording mode that made it earn my interest. You always find a gem at E3 in a little known title and this time around it happened to be Cloudberry Kingdom. It’s a fun platformer with a cute look and extremely intelligent AI. For the right price, this title will be worth downloading later this year. Rayman Legends is a gorgeous game on no matter what platform you play it on, but the PS Vita version was perhaps respectively, the most impressive amongst its peers at the whole show.

Watch Dogs (Best Overall Game) (Best Open World Game)
Best Adventure Game (Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag)
Best RPG (South Park: The Stick of Truth)
Best Dance Game (Just Dance 2014)
Best Downloadable Game (Cloudberry Kingdom)
Best PS Vita Game (Rayman Legends)

Nintendo at E3 2013 on Paul Gale Network

Nintendo and Charlie Scibetta at E3 2013 on Paul Gale Network
E3 2013: Charles Scibetta and Paul Gale

Nintendo (Excellence Award of E3 2013)

In the face of upcoming competition from two other platforms making their playable debuts at this year’s big event, Nintendo did an excellent job in ensuring their fans that Wii U and 3DS would not be going anywhere, anytime soon. Super Mario 3D World was not the Mario game that I was expecting Nintendo to show off for Wii U. I was thinking of something more grand in size and scope, particularly referring to dynamic angles and big stages. What’s present in this game, however, is a delightfully entertaining Mario adventure, built on the foundations of its 3DS predecessor, and truly fun when playing with others. The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds brought back what I loved about the SNES classic and the added ability of clinging to walls (and nearly every one in the game), certainly added a new layer of depth and with it, fun. Mario Kart 8 “wahoo’d” into first place for what’s my currently most anticipated racing game on any platform. The title runs great, it’s pretty on the eyes, and will be a big hit in 2014. The folks over at Platinum Games are really doing a phenomenal job with Bayonetta 2. The battles make you feel badass, the animations and sound is excellent, and the boss battle for the E3 demo was breathtaking. Very well done, team. Finally, the go-to place to take pics and have fun at E3 this year was definitely Nintendo’s booth, thanks to their elaborate set pieces based off of their upcoming big titles.

Super Mario 3D World (Best Wii U Game)
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Best 3DS Game)
Mario Kart 8 (Best Racing Game)
Bayonetta 2 (Best Action Game)
Best Booth

Sega at E3 2013 on Paul Gale Network

Sega

Sega delivered just the type of fun I wanted to see at E3, in two great Sonic-related efforts. For starters, Sonic Lost World looks terrific on both Wii U and 3DS and plays just as well. It seems like the Sonic Team was fond of Super Mario Galaxy and I think that’s a great thing, because this title definitely shares some similarity. Secondly, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games nailed the gameplay variety aspect of a title like this and ironically, while controlling Mario in the snowboarding challenge, made me say, “This is what I envisioned a 3D Mario title to look like on Wii U”. Both titles impressed me a lot and I’m eagerly anticipating their respective releases.

Sonic Lost World (Best Action-Adventure Game)
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games (Best Alternative Sports Game)

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