Nintendo introduces 3DS, new titles at E3 (live blog)

Editor's note: We used Cover It Live for this event, so if you missed the live blog, you can still replay it in the embedded component below. Replaying the event will give you all the live updates along with commentary from our readers and CNET editors Daniel Terdiman and Josh Lowensohn. For those of you who just want the updates, we've included them in regular text here.

Welcome to CNET's live coverage of Nintendo's E3 2010 press conference.

We're live in Los Angeles, where the 3D version of the Nintendo DS is expected to be among the company's key announcements. (See our full list of predictions here.)

In addition to the live video feed (above), Daniel Terdiman and I will be providing play-by-play coverage using Cover It Live (below).

9:01 a.m. PDT: Annnd here we go!

9:02 a.m.: Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo's president, is coming on stage now.

9:03 a.m.: "For gamers, this is the best week of the year. You can just feel the buzz in the air." Fils-Aime mentioning 3D, HD, motion controls, and saying he's going to help adjust those expectations.

"Technology is only a tool--the end product, the thing that does matter is the experience. And the best experiences only come when technology and game technology are perfectly matched."

9:03 a.m.: Now showing a video of Zelda--through the years it seems, and now onto gameplay footage of Skyward Sword, which is a Wii exclusive.

9:06 a.m.: Now Mario and Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto is up on video (but not on stage) talking about creating new control methods for games over the years. Saying the Wii remote and nunchuck will be used like a sword and shield in the new title.

9:07 a.m.: Now we're getting a demo of how Zelda works with Wii MotionPlus and the nunchuck. And Miyamoto just literally burst on stage to show us how to do it.

9:08 a.m.: "Just imagine that you're holding a sword and a shield yourself. And the only buttons you use are what's on the controller--everything else is just normal actions."

9:09 a.m.: So yesterday's Microsoft demo had players cutting through watermelons, whereas Nintendo's conference has switched it up with giant mushrooms being sliced up.

9:09 a.m.: Players can charge their swords by holding their arms up in the air for a couple of seconds. This should make a lot of kids happy, as it did to Miyamoto on stage. Miyamoto also just showed off how to open a door in the game by waving his sword to confuse the enemy.

9:12 a.m.: Players can now cut trees, as well as grass with their swords.

Miyamoto then demoed how to use the controller like a drinking glass to drink up some in-game healing potion.

9:14 a.m.: The inventory control system uses a new radial dial menu where you just move around the analog stick to pick something.

The on-screen demo of how to target things with the in-game slingshot just went very badly. Miyamoto switched over to a sword to finish the job.

9:15 a.m.: Miyamoto is demoing how to toss and roll bombs, the latter of which can be sent on their way to a target by doing the same rolling motion used in Wii Sports bowling.

Steve Jobs being made fun of now by Miyamoto's translator, "we're getting some interference up here...you guys need to turn off your wireless devices."

9:17 a.m.: New weapon: A beetle that you shoot, then control with the Wii remote. Can be used to pick up items as well as attack enemies. Think of it like a homing missile, but harder to control from the looks of the demo.

9:18 a.m.: Another new weapon: A whip, that you can use to attack enemies from afar. Also works on grass apparently.

9:18 a.m. (from reader Aaron): The whole Zelda demo seems to be going very poorly. Very unresponsive controls.

9:19 a.m.: @Aaron: Yes, though to be fair there are a ton of wireless devices in here.

9:19 a.m.: Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is being released next year, Miyamoto says.

9:20 a.m.: Seeing a promo video of the game now. Lots of jungle locales, and lava of course.

9:21 a.m.: Fils-Aime back up now, saying, "Today we want to first introduce you to titles that are based on this goal of universal appeal. Let's start with the wide world of sports where developers can go for realism, or over-the-top fun."

9:22 a.m.: Fils-Aime says we'll be seeing an exclusive version of NBA Jam on the show floor. But, more importantly, Mario is in another sports game, folks.

9:24 a.m.: Seeing a bunch of Nintendo characters--Mario, Peach, Bowser, Luigi, Yoshi--playing hockey, volleyball, what appears to be handball, and basketball.

Game will be called Mario Sports Mix, will be out "next year."

9:26 a.m.: "Last year you heard people say Wii momentum was starting to wane. But last December, we set an all-time record for game system sales of any kind of any month."

Last year, you heard we weren't selling as many games, but more games have sold for Wii in 43 months on Wii than any platform ever in the same launch period.

Studies say people spend longer playing Wii, and more people intend to buy the Wii in the next six months. Fils-Aime says the secret is "bridge titles," or games that are easily accessible to all.

9:27 a.m.: New game called Wii Party, coming this holiday. Demo reel made it look like you'll need four controllers to play it.

9:28 a.m.: A demo reel of Ubisoft's Just Dance 2 is rolling now. Will let up to eight people play at once.

9:30 a.m.: Fils-Aime says, "At last year's E3, a lot of you got jazzed hearing about a new DS title, Golden Sun, which is now being retitled 'Dark Dawn.'"

We're getting a demo reel of that now.

9:31 a.m.: Fils-Aime says the Golden Sun sequel arrives this holiday season.

9:31 a.m.: Nintendo showing a video about N64 classic, Goldeneye.

9:32 a.m.: This November, Nintendo is releasing a new Goldeneye title. It will be a Wii exclusive and will have online multiplayer. Looks to feature the new Bond, and not Brosnan. Interesting.

9:33 a.m.: Fils-Aime: "I remember it. You remember it. But there are people watching now that haven't experienced it." Game will be developed by Activision.

9:35 a.m.: Fils-Aime is talking about Mickey Mouse now (without much of a segue). Disney is doing a new game called Epic Mickey, which will be a Wii exclusive.

Warren Spencer and Adam Creighton are up now giving us a look at Epic Mickey. Game is third-person.

9:38 a.m.: The game has cartoon-like cut-scenes, and characters from various Disney properties. Creighton is doing a live demo, showing off various platforming bits.

Gamers can "draw and erase" things around the game environment with Mickey's magic paintbrush. Players can change the game world for good or bad depending on whether they use paint, or thinner. "At the end of the day, we want each player to feel like they've crafted a unique experience based on those decisions," Spencer says.

9:40 a.m.: "Travel Zones" take you from one part of the world to the other. They're "inspired by" Disney classic cartoons, and use platform mechanics with some very pretty looking 2.5D visuals.

9:41 a.m.: This is the interview I did with Warren Spector about Epic Mickey a few months ago: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10390179-52.html

9:43 a.m.: Fils-Aime is back now, saying, "Keeping popular franchises fresh takes a lot of developers inside of Nintendo." He's talking about how Kirby has worked his way into the hearts of gamers, but hasn't really gotten a new game in more than 7 years.

"Should a new game be cut from the same cloth? Should Kirby stick to his knitting? Or spin a yarn like it has never been spun before?" New game: Kirby's Epic Yarn.

(Oh, now I get the metaphor.)

9:44 a.m.: We're seeing some gameplay footage now; the game has some very cool cloth texturing going for it. Makes games like Little Big Planet look quite reserved by comparison.

9:45 a.m.: Slated for release this fall, Fils-Aime says.

9:47 a.m.: 4.2 million copies of Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Skies sold in Japan, Fils-Aime says.

The new title, which comes to the U.S. next month, has 120 mini quests, 300 monsters, 900 items, Wi-Fi play, and an infinite number of treasure maps.

9:47 a.m.: We're now getting some video footage of Metroid.

9:49 a.m.: Metroid: Other M, a Wii exclusive, will be in stores August 31.

9:50 a.m.: The new Donkey Kong is getting demoed now. More 2.5D action here--platformer fans should be pleased.

9:51 a.m.: It's called "Donkey Kong Country Returns."

The game will be out "this holiday."

9:52 a.m.: Fils-Aime is back up, talking about how Super Mario 64 helped raise the bar for 64-bit gaming. Now he's talking about how the Nintendo 3DS will do the same thing.

9:53 a.m.: Fils-Aime says that the glasses have been a barrier: "Man, those glasses."

"We think there's a better way. A solution that lets you take 3D with you wherever you go, with ample 3D content at launch. And best of all: no glasses."

9:54 a.m.: We're getting a film roll now of various 3D technologies over the year. Things like the VueMaster, polarized glasses, Avatar.

The 3DS is now being raised on a foggy platform.

9:55 a.m.: Satoru Iwata, the president of Nintendo, is now up.

3DS has an analog stick and top screen that's slightly larger than the current DS models. 3.5" widescreen display on top. Has full 3D graphics, without the need for glasses.

9:56 a.m.: Iwata says, "What we searched for was a way to make 3D games a reality, and a product for mass market. And the Nintendo 3DS is our answer to that."

The device has a 3D depth slider and lets players use 3D in 3D-enabled games, or remove it completely.

9:57 a.m.: The bottom screen is still a touch panel, which Iwata attributes to it "not getting along well with the 3D sensor."

9:58 a.m.: I think he meant that in terms of not making the top screen touch sensitive as well.

9:59 a.m.: Iwata calls the analog stick a "slide button."

3DS also has an accelerometer built in, and two camera lenses on the outside. Players can take and view photos with the device in 3D.

10:00 a.m.: It can also be used to show 3D Hollywood movies, but Iwata says, "We are not announcing any titles this week." 3D trailers for Dreamworks, Warner Bros., and Disney movies will be shown off at Nintendo's E3 booth.

10:03 a.m.: Iwata also says that "Project Sora" was established to create games exclusively for Nintendo's 3DS.

To which we just saw a preview of Kid Icarus: Uprising, which Nintendo says is "coming soon."

10:04 a.m.: Iwata says 3D gives players a much better idea of height and depth, and that for Kid Icarus it makes it easier to jump and figure out where you're going to land.

10:06 a.m.: Iwata is now talking about Nintendo building in communications to the 3DS that will connect automatically instead of games having to run matchmaking tools in game settings, as well as download things like ghost data and challenges passively. All for free--with no monthly fee.

10:09 a.m.: Iwata says it was Nintendo's job to build an install base with first-party software, but says that the 3DS will be bigger than ever because of third-party developers.

Now he's talking about third-party 3DS developers including EA, Activision, Atlus, Harmonix, Sega, T2, Ubisoft, Konami, and Capcom.

Some games include: Kingdom Hearts 3D, Saints Row, EA's Madden and FIFA Soccer, Ninja Gaiden, Resident Evil, Batman, Assassin's Creed Legacy, Ridge Racer, and Metal Gear Solid.

10:10 a.m.: Now we're seeing a video roll of third-party developers talking about developing games for the 3DS. Lots of praise, obviously.

10:11 a.m. (from reader Wildcat84): The screenshots shown don't look very 3D. Do they look better in person?

10:11 a.m.: @Wildcat84: We'll find out at the booth and let you know.

10:12 a.m.: Fils-Aime is back up now, saying, "Today we promised something for everyone...I hope you found something you're looking forward to."

10:15 a.m.: They're now rolling a video of a 3DS slurping up various Nintendo folks, including Miyamoto and Fils-Aime.

Who just came back out onto the stage in a shredded blazer.

10:17 a.m.: "We're going to let all of you here in the Nokia Theater travel to the third dimension, right here and right now." Fils-Aime introducing a slew of fembots--err all-female demo persons who have 3DSes chained to themselves.

They're all wearing the same thing--this is insanely creepy.

10:18 a.m.: Wii demo booths are rising from the floor of the stage with Zelda now.

10:18 a.m.: All right, folks, it's all over. Thanks for joining us.

10:19 a.m.: To sum up, we've got a bunch of new games shipping this holiday, and new DS hardware that doesn't have a price or a ship date.

Editors' note: The original, barebones version of this post was initially published Monday at 9 a.m.