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E3's wackiest moments (photos)

Getting ready to hit Los Angeles and the Electronic Entertainment Expo for the 11th time, I was inspired to peek back at photos I had taken over the years at E3. Most of these are from the years 2002-2005--considered the heyday of the show's over-the-top displays. From bikini-clad women to a life-size Katamari ball, we've seen plenty of unusual things at E3 -- this year's show will have to be pretty far out there to stand out.

Dan Ackerman
Dan Ackerman leads CNET's coverage of computers and gaming hardware. A New York native and former radio DJ, he's also a regular TV talking head and the author of "The Tetris Effect" (Hachette/PublicAffairs), a non-fiction gaming and business history book that has earned rave reviews from the New York Times, Fortune, LA Review of Books, and many other publications. "Upends the standard Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs/Mark Zuckerberg technology-creation myth... the story shines." -- The New York Times
Dan Ackerman
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1 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
A life-size Katamari ball.
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2 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Pre-CNET, I was considering several career options, including joining the Imperial forces.
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3 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Oddly, the pedal-powered GameBike never caught on.
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That's a pretty big inflatable Spider-Man.
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5 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
The only place I've ever seen a hot dog wrapped in bacon. But maybe I've just led a sheltered life.
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Our first look at the Sony PSP handheld.
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7 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
The girls of Tecmo's Dead or Alive.
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8 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Getting ready to hit Los Angeles and the Electronic Entertainment Expo for the 11th time, I was inspired to peek back at photos I had taken over the years at E3. Most of these are from the years 2002-2005 -- considered the heyday of the show's over-the-top displays. From bikini-clad women to a life-size Katamari ball, we've seen plenty of unusual things at E3 -- this year's show will have to be pretty far out there to stand out.
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9 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
This aspiring product presenter seems to have forgotten her pants.
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10 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Inside the Los Angeles Convention Center is the perfect place to host a slumber party.
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11 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Booth babes plus prizes -- pretty typical for past E3 shows.
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12 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Crash Bandicoot caught eating an unemployed actor.
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13 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Our first look at the Nintendo DS.
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14 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
A ComputerSpace machine from a vintage gaming exhibit.
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15 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
We don't recall what these dancing girls had to do with the driving game on display here, but we're sure it all made sense at the time.
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16 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Now that's an E3 booth.
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17 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Katamari's little prince.
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18 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Hulk smash bad licensed games!
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19 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
Hey buddy -- that's a "no helicopter parking" zone.
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20 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
It's not a party without Spongebob.
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21 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
This fight ended badly.
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22 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
A famous example of vaporware -- StarCraft: Ghost.
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23 of 23 Dan Ackerman and Libe Goad
These young ladies just wanted to know which Netbook they should buy.

See more E3 coverage.

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