E3 07: Microsoft throws gauntlet at press conference

"Every member of the family"

Microsoft continues to strive for any piece of the market beyond young, testosterone driven males. Creating the Viva Pinata universe was their first attempt; Scene It, a 360-exclusive adaptation of the popular DVD-based trivia board game, seems to be next. While we weren't shown any footage, it's not hard to imagine - film clips play, questions are posed, players buzz in and answer.

What's truly surprising is that Microsoft has bothered to manufacture a unique controller solely for this game. It's buzzer shaped with a giant button on top and the four colored face buttons down the handle. We're not really sure how that's any different in function than the regular controller... how simple minded do they think the other members of the family are?

Bell also reminded us that Naruto: Rise of a Ninja is, of course, an Xbox 360 exclusive, which should thrill the four zillion males aged 8-14 who've made it their #1 show. It looks sharp, though we're not yet sold on its depth (something about it being made so that eight year-olds can play it has us skeptical).

Above: Corporeal showed their love for Halo with some vicious violin shredding

Marketing dudes suck at Madden

Then came one of the more odd moments of the evening, when NFL running back Reggie Bush came onstage to play Madden NFL 08 againstCorporate Vice President of GlobalMarketing, JeffBell. Their completely not forced at all friendly patter went right away from the teleprompter and actually did seem genuine when Bush broke away for a touchdown run, turned to face his back to the screen and declared "I'm not even watching, Jeff!" Apparently, Bush knows a thing or two about football. Or it was all staged, one of the two.

Bush didn't get much of a cheer when he announced this week's Xbox Live Arcade downloads and emphasized, "How 'bout a big shout out for Golden Axe!" The original Sonic the Hedgehog is the other one, if you were wondering