Top 10 most exciting games and gadgets from E3 2012

E3 is upon us once more, meaning it's time to start flexing our thumbs in anticipation of another year of brand new videogames. Join us as we count down the ten games and gadgets showcased this year that have us all aquiver.

Our humble countdown could never encompass the sheer scope of everything to emerge from E3, so once you're done reading, make sure you point your browser at our sister site GameSpot's excellent conference coverage.

10: New Super Mario Bros. U

Oh, go on then. They never steal the show, but Mario's outings are usually reliable slices of platforming goodness. The trailer for Mazza's first Wii U outing shows off four-person multiplayer, plenty of power ups and all your favourite sound effects.

A proper 3D follow-up to the excellent Mario Galaxy 2 would have been a more pleasant surprise, but nevertheless I'm keen to give New Super Mario Bros. U a go when it comes out alongside the Wii U later this year.

9: Star Wars 1313

Although we had our fingers burned with last year's depressing Star Wars Kinect, a new Star Wars title will always get our geeky pulses racing. 1313 looks different to Star Wars games to date, offering an Uncharted-esque crawl through city-world Coruscant.

Detail is scarce for now, but check out this enticing trailer, which sees our hero leaping around on a burning fighter.

8: Wii U Pro controller

Microsoft may be borrowing Nintendo's second screen idea, but Nintendo's definitely been peeking at the Microsoft design manual too. The Wii U Pro controller looks a lot like the Xbox 360's palm-filling peripheral, and Nintendo is no doubt hoping that it will persuade developers to bring 'hardcore' titles to its new console. Will it succeed? Stick your predictions in the comments.

7: Watch Dogs

Hack the Gibson! Watch Dogs is an open-world title from developer Ubisoft Montreal. Your job is to hack and control anything you can, from traffic lights to phones, all with an eye on collecting intel on your targets.

The announcement trailer offers gorgeous visuals, and some slightly iffy voice acting. The focus on hacking is an intriguing premise. Here's hoping there's some gameplay substance behind the sheen.

6: Project P-100

One of the quieter announcements, Project P-100  for the Wii U looks like a more bombastic version of Pikmin -- seeing heroes recruiting bands of helpless citizens to help crush invading aliens. Project P-100 comes from the developer behind Bayonetta and features a character called Vending Machine Man. What more do you need to know?

5: Halo 4

It's hard not to get excited about another chance to step into Master Chef Chief's big ol' boots, especially with Microsoft showing a tantalising gameplay trailer that depicted lush jungle environments, and the Forerunners -- new baddies that bring brand new weapons to loot. The threat that 'an ancient evil awakens' is more than a little clichéd, so I'm slightly worried the story will turn out to be naff, but you can't argue that Halo 4 is looking gorgeous. Expect it in November.

4: Xbox SmartGlass

This year saw few hardware announcements, but Microsoft was keen to demonstrate something non game-related. SmartGlass is a system that lets you control your Xbox using a smart phone or tablet. iOS and Android devices are in line to receive the SmartGlass app, and will help you play games, as well as control things like video playback.

South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker gave the concept a ribbing at Microsoft's press conference, but while it sounds a little daft, SmartGlass takes aim at the Wii U's tablet controller. Could SmartGlass tech crash Nintendo's party?

3: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

Snappy title, eh?

Anyone who dabbled with Nintendo's Smash Bros. franchise will know exactly what to expect from Sony's upcoming brawler. All-Stars Battle Royale sees your favourite Sony characters beating the stuffing out of each other with a series of acrobatic moves and powerful attacks.

Nathan Drake and Bioshock's Big Daddy are newly confirmed fighters, and gameplay is looking fast and frantic. A subtly different fighting mechanic differentiates it from Nintendo's effort -- here's hoping Battle Royale proves to be a balanced, enjoyable fighter.

2: ZombiU

Set in London, this zombie outbreak adventure's slow-motion trailer has us feeling intrigued, and slightly queasy. But interestingly, this first-person blaster is coming out exclusively for the Wii U.

The Wii U's second screen is used to handle inventory, but can also be employed as a crosshair or scanner. It also looks like you can be attacked while you're rifling through your inventory. Creepy.

1: The Last of Us

An intriguing PlayStation exclusive, The Last of Us is a third-person survival game from the makers of Uncharted. A gameplay trailer was shown off at E3, teasing beautiful post-apocalyptic environments.

Expect cover-based combat, fighting and gunplay, plus well-voiced chitchat with your AI-controlled buddy, Ellie. Did I mention this was from the makers of Uncharted? The Last of Us looks like a rollicking adventure, and is probably the most promising PlayStation exclusive on the horizon.

Is there something we've missed? What's emerged from E3 this year to get your pulse racing? Let me know in the comments on our Facebook wall.