Liveblogging Nintendo's Annual Japanese March Conference

The following is a liveblog of Nintendo's annual Japanese March conference, with newer entries added at the bottom. Will they drop some bombs? I hope not, as I'm in the audience!

25:01: We just took our seats, there's a quiet hush here that seems unusual after having been to so many American conferences. I think there's a lot of excitement and expectations. Let's hope Nintendo doesn't disappoint.

25:12: OK, the stage is lighting up. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has just stepped onto the stage and in front of the podium. Everyone is silent.

25:13: BAM! First thing, a graph. I think it's about Wii vs. 360 in Japan. PS3 nowhere to be found, ouch.

25:16: "In order to expand the market of the gaming industry, we must ensure that every potential gamer can find exactly what they want when they open the box. Thus, we must maximize the amount of available configurations for consumers."

Confirms the following Wii SKUs for Japan this summer/fall, with more on the way:

- Wii (Standard): The Wii Japan has today except 5000 yen cheaper, and available in Turquoise, Onyx, and Magenta.

- WiiVC: Comes with 4000 Nintendo Points, one Classic Controller Pro, and an increased capacity of 8 GB flash; 5000 yen more expensive than current model.

- WiiHD: The same Wii Japan has today except with 720p output capabilities and 4 GB interior flash memory; same price as current model.

25:27: "WiiWare and DSiWare represent Nintendo's push for creativity outside of Nintendo."

Says Japanese developers haven't been as willing to get on board with WiiWare, shows a reel of game footage from games we've all seen so far.

25:27: Wait, there was just a clip of Final Fantasy 13: Crystalis Railbuilder! It seem to be a spiritual sequel to My Life as a King.

25:27: Yeah, no first-party Nintendo WiiWare games yet guys. Not for a while.

25:28: "We therefore cannot be seen as being disparaging to our core fans; this is why we have a new Zelda game for the Wii for release this year called The Legend of Zelda: Link's Shadow." OMFG

25:29: They're actually showing a trailer of it! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH SHIIIT!

[I was cheering during this part of the conference, however everyone around me including the Nintendo execs looked at me like a crazy git.]

25:32: Link's Shadow seems to combind BOTH the toon style of Wind Waker and the realistic, rustic style of Twilight Princess. There are no dungeons, but a lot of minigames.

25:34: Trailer over. Miyamoto taking the stage.

25:34: Wait, no. Yes? Iwata's still up there.

25:34: Seems they're going to double team everyone in the conference room.

Iwata: "And now to introduce you all to the world of Link's Shadow, here is the creator of the series, Shigeru Miyamoto."

Miyamoto: "In order to make the game more approachable, we have decided to replace the dungeons with minigames; there will be 13 in total. We would like to thank everyone who did not buy Twilight Princess for making this decision so easy."

25:45: Miyamoto: "I am working with several core teams to ensure games like Link's Shadow are not underrepresented on Wii."

Iwata: "Teams like Retro Studios and Bungie, as well as Rare, which we are in the process of negotiating from Microsoft Corp. Our hope is that one day, all developers are owned by Nintendo, if they're not already getting owned now."

Sounds like one-console future, doesn't it?

25:49: A new reel of Wii-exclusive gameplay clips, I'll type them as fast as I see them:

- Blast Corps Wii (working title) / Rare
- Donkey Kong: Crystal Chronicles / Square-Enix
- Banjo-Threeie (working title) / Rare
- Excitebots / Monster Games
- Wario Land 6 (working title) / Nintendo
- Raven Blade / Retro
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Shadow / Bungie

25:55: Quick impressions: Blast Corps Wii looks gorgeous, DK: CC is as absurd as it sounds, Banjo-Threeie is a pure platformer, Excitebots is Mario Kart and Excite Truck mixed, Wario Land 6 is the sequel to Wario Land Shake, Raven Blade is a much better looking version of the cancelled game, and Link's Shadow is entirely in first-person and looks better than Killzone 2.

26:02: The conference is winding down, Miyamoto has left the stage and Iwata is explaining why all these games are coming out before June.

Iwata: "However, rest assured we have many core titles lined up for this holiday season. Here is one such title."

26:03: New footage being shown. We're following something in go real fast in a highly-stylized, cartoon-like world. Galaxy 2? Mario Kart Wii 2?

26:04: Wait, it's Sonic! He stops and does his finger-wave at the audience. Footage cuts to Miyamoto and... is that Yuji Naka?? at a conference table.

Naka: "When I go online and read my gaming forums such as NeoGAF, I see a deep resentment for the latest Sonic games. That's why I contacted Miyamoto to help him work on my new action platforming IP."

Miyamoto: "However, we realized after Let's Tap bombed (sic) that consumers do not always like Naka-san's games, especially lately."

Iwata walking through the door shirtless and ripped: "This is why we knew we had to wrangle Sonic away from Sega and the Sonic Team. Thus, the Sonic license is now ours."

!!!!

The game is physics-first, speed-second collaboration between Nintendo and Prope, with most development taking place at Nintendo EAD Tokyo.

26:09: Game is coming out this December, with a sequel already planned.

Iwata: "We realized that if many people bought sub-par Sonic games, then perhaps a good Sonic game would sell really well!" Oh Iwata.

26:12: Iwata leaves the stage, and the light dims. Conference appears to be over, but Reggie briskly takes the stage. He is speaking in English at a Japanese conference.

Reggie: "But before you leave, step inside one more world for Wii."

This conference keeps delivering. I assume the game we're seeing is going to be one of those holiday games Iwata mentioned.

26:15: We see a white world, high above a planet. It's quiet. We see an object fall from the sky and crash through the clouds, like that hovercraft in The Matrix Revolutions. Getting a closer look at our protagonist...

26:16: It's Pit! It's his Super Smash Bros. Brawl model except with a higher poly count and better textures. The triumphant Kid Icarus music starts up as the logo comes into view: Kid Icarus: Legend of the World (sic). Matt Casablahblah redeemed!

26:17: Trailer quickly switches moods. It's dark and moody now. We see a lone tree overlooking a canyon with plenty of mist, but we can still see the moon.

Pit (he talks?!?): "I was banished to the moon two decades ago, too much has changed. Hades, you're time is coming."

26:20: He jumps into the canyon as the trailer ends and thunderous applause is heard in the audience. NOW THEY CLAP?!

26:22: Reggie: "For almost 20 years Kid Icarus lay forgotten. Now, he is triumphantly returning on the Wii. Those of us who have thought we have forgotten core gamers, or core game franchises, will be proven wrong. I said I was about kickin ass and taking games, and Nintendo's about makin games. This is true now more than ever. Fans of our other franchises should also expect other game properties to reappear, it was 'bound to happen."

Mother?!? (Earthbound.)

26:26: Reggie: "This is one of those holiday games Iwata-san mentioned. Using Factor5's prototype engine, we have instead entrusted the project to Shinji Mikami at Platinum Games. Hideo Kojima has been hired for scenario development. Rest assured, however, he will get nowhere near the script." (laughs in the audience)

26:30: That's it then! The conference is confirmed to be over. This is too much to take in, I have to go home and think about all the bombshells dropped today.

...but what do they have for next year?