E3: Nintendo Revives Goldeneye, Kirby, Donkey Kong Country On Wii

Year after year, core Nintendo fans seem impossible to please at E3, but this year, the company eschewed its usual, oft-confusing reveals of party and fitness titles to focus instead on announcements of major installments in core franchises. Crowning the event was the announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, launching "next year." By comparison, the company spent only a little time showing off Mii-equipped Wii Party, launching this holiday, to the enthusiast press. Ubisoft's casual Just Dance 2 was confirmed to be launching this fall, but it was only briefly discussed on the way to a pair of surprises: the first showing of Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for DS, confirmed for this holiday, and the announcement of a long-anticipated follow-up to beloved Nintendo 64 shooter GoldenEye. Activision's GoldenEye: 007 will feature 16 game modes and film hero Daniel Craig in the title role, and will launch this holiday. Disney's Warren Spector emerged to show off Epic Mickey, its upcoming action game set in an alternate world of beloved Disney characters, based on a paint-based mechanic with player-driven problem-solving. Spector said the title represents a "a balance of heritage and innovation" for both Disney's and Nintendo's enduring brands. There have been no new installments in the Kirby franchise in years, but Nintendo and creator Masahiro Sakurai revealed a new spin on the property today with Kirby's Epic Yarn, a game that plays with the stitching and weaving properties of yarn to create a sidescrolling platformer. It's slated for release in the fall. Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies, which has sold 4.2 million copies to date in Japan, will be coming to North America on July 11. Team Ninja's Metroid: Other M, which promises to push the series down new "emotional corridors," will hit shelves on August 31. Retro Studios, known for its Metroid Prime trilogy, has created a new Donkey Kong Country title, Donkey Kong Country Returns, which revives the classic Super Nintendo sidescrolling platformer this holiday.