Fond memories
E3 is always an exciting show to attend. We get to see all the upcoming games and be on the front lines as exciting new announcements are made. But E3 2013 in particular was especially awesome because we finally started to get some more details about the PS4 and Xbox One--its hard not to get pumped about a new generation of consoles.
Ryan Taljonick fell in love with Final Fantasy all over again (at least, he wants to after seeing FFXV)
There was a period of about five years where I totally, 100% believed that Final Fantasy games were the best games ever made. My adventures with the franchises many characters, particularly Terra, Cloud, Squall, and Zidane, resonated with me so deeply that it spawned my interest in writing (yeah, yeah, I know) and storytelling. I couldnt get enough. But that series and I hit a rough patch; I started to find its characters too childish, its stories too incomprehensible, and we drifted apart like two best friends separated by change.
Hollander Cooper lost his mind when the Animal Crossing Villager showed up in Smash Bros.
I've never been the biggest Mega Man fan--the Blue Bomber just isn't for me. Animal Crossing, on the other hand, has been my jam ever since I popped the disk into the GameCube. And when I saw the Villager's dead, soulless eyes pop into the Super Smash Bros. trailer, I was ecstatic. He looked so vacant. So broken. So... distant.
Henry Gilbert found Vitas killer app
My favorite overall booth was definitely Nintendos, but it wasnt home to the game that best captured an aesthetic that was unique and appealed to all ages. That would be the PS Vita title Tearaway. Despite not enjoying the LittleBigPlanet titles developer Media Molecule had previously created, after 20 minutes with Tearaway I was a fan of their newest title. It had the same handmade charm of LBP, but with more focused gameplay and story. The games whimsical style is engrossing enough, but its just as important that the papercraft platformer could only exist on the PS Vita.
Sophia Tong can't wait to revisit Twilight Town after Kingdom Hearts 3 announcement
Sony's press conference was packed with pleasant surprises but I was not prepared for Square Enix to come out saying they were working on Kingdom Hearts 3. We all knew it was in the works, but we hadn't heard a peep from the publisher in so long that we were beginning to worry about its existence. But seeing an older Sora skipping along in Twilight Town in lovely next-gen graphics made my heart a beat.
Lorenzo Veloria is stoked to play Mega Man in Super Smash Bros. Wii U
The standout moment of my entire E3 2013 experience would have to go to the Mega Man reveal for Super Smash Bros. Wii U. You never know who Nintendo is going to be able to wrangle for the upcoming Smash Bros. roster. Last time we had Solid Snake and Sonic as the surprise guests, but for the Wii U game, the Mega Man reveal definitely takes the cake. As soon as I saw the Blue Bomber's helmet materialize on his head I just about had a heart attack. Then the super fighting robot started throwing Metal Man's saws and creating leaf shields.
Lucas Sullivan basked in the glow of countless indies
Granted, I've only been to a handful of E3s. But this year was by far my favorite, simply for how much floor space indie games got. I had assumed that the rush to show off processing power with pretty next-gen games would take the spotlight away from titles made by smaller teams. But the Big Three proved me wrong--they all made sure to promote the little guys on the show floor.
