UPDATE (1:43PM EST) Nintendo's conference is over! Nintendo focused heavily on Wii, demonstrating tons of games. Most notably, Super Mario Galaxy, an all-new Mario adventure game, has been announced for Wii. The next Metroid game also has a title -- Metroid Prime 3: Corruption. There are some new IPs from Nintendo as well, including ExciteTruck, Project H.A.M.M.E.R, and Disaster.

Super Mario Galaxy showed Mario in space, performing his signature moves as well as some new ones -- it looks like a 3D Mario adventure game, for those worried about any possible gimmicks. Reggie mentioned that Miyamoto added all-new moves to Mario's arsenal that make use of the Wii remote. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption will also make use of the Wii remote extensively, and all-new footage of the game was shown, controlling Samus in first-person and aiming with the remote as well as rolling around in a morph ball. A trifecta of 3 sports -- Tennis, Golf, and Baseball -- in a bundle called WiiSports will launch alongside the system; one lucky audience member (a winner of a contest from Nintendo and AOL) got the chance to play a doubles match with Miyamoto against Reggie and Iwata.

Nintendo did not disclose pricing or a specific release date for the Wii, but Reggie did comment on the name -- in fact, he thanked "both" audience members who had a positive reception of the name. Nintendo is well aware of the commotion the name has caused, but that's the point. Reggie confirmed that the both the remote and nunchuck will include independent motion sensors, and that the remote will have a built-in-speaker and rumble function. Wii will always be connected to the internet thanks to a technology Nintendo calls "WiiConnect24"; an example was given of someone visiting your Animal Crossing town while your console was off. Third party games, such as Red Steel and Tony Hawk, were also shown. Overall, there's 27 playable Wii titles on the E3 show floor, with more in video form.

Zelda: Twilight Princess was shown in top-form, with a live demonstration of the game being played on Wii. Interestingly, there will be two versions of Zelda: one for Wii, and one for GameCube -- it's not the same disc, as some previously thought. Zelda will launch alongside Wii in Q4 2006. On the Wii, you'll use the remote to control distance attacks, such as your bow-and-arrow and boomerang; it will also ease in menu navigation. Quick motions with the remote will also cause Link to perform close-range attacks. Reggie called Twilight Princess the best Zelda game and the most beautiful game Nintendo has ever created.

New DS games were briefly shown, including Yoshi's Island 2 and Diddy Kong Racing, along with some new brain-training games. Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass also made an appearance, and is looking good. That game takes place where Wind Waker left off and uses a similar art style.

Phew! Check the full news page for an archive of our exhaustive live coverage of the event for some smaller details!

Nintendo's pre-E3 press conference is one of the most anticipated events at the show. Keep refreshing this page for LIVE updates as they happen! All times below are EST.


1:41: Reggie thanks the audience, the conference is over! Check back soon for our write-up.
1:39: Back to Reggie: "what hot is the feel of the game, not just the look.. the heat of emotion, not the chill of technology... risk allows progress... Change is good"
1:36: The contest winner is Miyamoto's doubles partner against Reggie and Iwata; they all demo the tennis game from WiiSports
1:33: Reggie invites AOL contest winner to play Wii onstage; Miyamoto plays some WiiSports tennis and then picks the contest winner
1:31: WiiSports -- Three sports games in one package, available on launch day
12:28: Wii will be the system that never sleeps; "WiiConnect24" technology; console is constantly connected to the internet; enabling content download when the console seems to be off. Another example: people can visit your Animal Crossing town while the system is off
1:22: Satoru Iwata steps onstage, talks about the success of DS and how the Wii remote will break down the barrier for non-gamers; Virtual Console will also host simple, intuitive games
1:19:Yoshi's Island 2, StarFox, Diddy Kong Racingcoming to DS! Final Fantasy III coming to DS with 3D graphics; Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam coming to DS with VOIP IP support. Zelda: Phantom Hourglass picks up where Wind Waker left off
1:15: DS has sold more than 16 million units worldwide; 6 million copies of Nintendogs sold, 1.3 million WiFi users; 40+ million gameplay sessions; Brain-Age selling very well
1:14: George Harrison steps onstage to talk about Nintendo DS
1:14: Red Steel sword fighting demoed
1:08: Ubisoft reps step on stage to talk about Red Steel; exclusive launch title for Wii. Set in US and Japan, will feature modern fire arms as well as katakana swords.
1:06: Reggie talks about Tony Hawk's Downhill jam, Madden, Rayman 4, SpongeBob -- 27 different Wii games on the show floor tomorrow
1:05: Reggie talks about Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and Hyper Sonic. "Wii will take what's familiar and reinvent it"
1:04: New games for Nintendo: Excitetruck "now you're holding the steering wheel of a big damn truck, this feels like driving". Project Hammer: "Swing the controller and the bad guys get nailed", Disaster: "what if the enemy is mother nature?"
1:03: Game titles: Metroid Prime 3: Corruption; Super Mario Galaxy
1:02: Reggie steps back on stage. Zelda to be released in TWO Versions, one for Wii and one for GameCube
1:00: Nunchuck has built-in motion sensor independent of the Wii remote. E3 demo of Zelda is a dumbed-down version of a single dungeon. Wii remote can also be used for attacks, such as a quick rotation for a spin attack
12:57: Speaker built into Wii controller; offers "depth of sound", for example the sound of the bow-and-arrow. Rumble feature built into controller
12:56: Zelda Wii controls explained; fairy acts as a cursor and allows you to select menu items; face button used for regular attacks; distance attacks use the Wii remote, such as bow-and-arrow and boomerang
12:54: Twilight Princess the BEST Zelda game ever made; the most beautiful Nintendo game ever made, according to Reggie; released alongside Wii
12:51: Another Wii Video montage, Metroid Prime 3, Disaster, DragonBall Z, SpongeBob Square Pants, Super Mario, Gundam, Tony Hawk, Red Steel, Rayman 4, Super Swing Golf, Sonic Wild Fire, Madden, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, Zelda: Twilight Princess and more
12:50: Reggie thanks the two people in the audience who had a positive first reaction to the name Wii (seriously)
12:49: Date and price details will NOT be revealed at E3, but Reggie says "more fun for less money", 4th quarter of 2006 release
12:47: Reggie will discuss developer support, the reason for the name, pricing and release details
12:46:Reggie: "We have answers to some questions, but deliberately not to all"
12:44: The video montage continues, with footage from Red Steel, Zelda: Twilight Princess using the Wii controller (aiming a bow-and-arrow, fishing)
12:43: METROID PRIME 3 FOOTAGE SHOWN, along with WarioWare and more tennis footage
12:40: "Playing is Believing" video; players using Wii controller as a tennis racket, drum sticks, golf club, leading an orchestra, racing (holding the controller horizontally), BRAND NEW MARIO GAME SHOWN!
12:39: Reggie steps on-stage. "What you see from Nintendo is not just next, instead it's what it's absolutely new.. The next leap in gaming"
12:38: Miyamoto faces the screen behind him, as a player on-stage controls games with the Wii controller -- a racing game, and Red Steel
12:36: It begins! Miyamoto walks on-stage and appears to be leading a virtual orchestra!
12:33: You're not missing anything, the conference hasn't yet begun. Hold your horses, it should start any minute!

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