I guess the rumors are true. The classic beat ‘em up genre is making a comeback. This is becoming more and more apparent with the reveal of Scott Pilgrim vs The World. You may have never heard of this game, but you can still appreciate what it’s based on and what it’s attempting to do.

This game takes the awesomeness of titles like Double Dragon and River City Ransom and throws in more pop culture and video game references than you can throw gold coins at. Based on the comic book and the movie of the same name, this game looks like it will be one of those great comic cook and movie tie-ins. Copying the same charm and style, it looks as if it will follow every story detail down to the very last page.

Although not a very complex game, it is still a great game to pick up and play. It has a simple control style. 2 buttons is all you need to rock on and whoop ass with Scott and the band mates from Sex Bob-omb. Its 8bit greatness is what makes this game so lovable. All the sprites are taken from the comic book itself and made to come to life in ways few other 2D games ever express. Fans of the comic and upcoming film will have fun playing as Scott and his band mates as they join forces to battle Ramona’s 7 evil ex’s. The first evil ex was shown in the playable section, and by the looks of it, we are in for one hell of a treat. This game will be a total blast when it’s released this summer exclusively on PSN.

Few things really take me by surprise at the Electronic Entertainment Expo these days, but a big one was the playable demo for Metroid the Other M. The Team Ninja interpretation of the franchise translates simply into Ninja Gaiden Metroid. (Gasp!) That doesn’t mean the Samus Aran we know and love is gone; far from it. In this re-imagining of the classic side-scroller she is a true badass. The ability to wall jump and shoot your enemies at the same time is great and flows smoothly, allowing for some truly awe-inspiring, double-take inducing thrash moves that even your enemies will learn to fear.

It is a true 2 and a half D (2.5D) platformer with the occasional first person view. Let me explain: normal gameplay is all 2D. When you want to check something out for clues, that’s when you put the game into first person. This allows players to dynamically switch up gamplay interactions and keeps the action and discovery in a good check. The same is also true when you want to exploit a boss’ weak spot, or even fire your missiles.

Samus takes on a 4 eyed, 10 brained, sliming, purple, people eater.

Of course it was a timed demo so I decided to skip the cut scenes. A highly positive thing to come from playing was that Samus auto locks to the enemies in 2D mode. Yes, even the ones that are clinging to the roof. Metroid The Other M handles well and looks great. Easily one of the best looking Wii games we’ve seen so far. If Team Ninja keeps the same formula going, Other M looks like  It will be a welcome addition to the Metroid franchise. Look for Metroid the Other M to hopefully be available August of this year.

Avillain O’Sullivan decided that it was more than time to break down E3 2010 for those of us who hadn’t been paying attention. Starting with the controversially irrelevant Microsoft E3 2010 Keynote, we once again get to relive the horror of rafting down waterfalls, tickling a tiger named Skittles, and the Minority Report style ESPN coverage.

Am I ever glad you two are here. Things had been starting to get boring without some sort of rumble in the jungle. Now that Donkey and Non-Sean-Combs Diddy are back on the scene, Nintendo fans and the duo can start making up for lost time. As if Nintendo didn’t have enough reviving on their hands, Donkey Kong Country Returns is both the game’s title and its action. Not a decade too soon. We’ve got some short bits of gameplay and screenshots below.  Nothing against rhythm games, but I need some actual fighting and smashing and rhino galloping action if I’m going to think about calling myself a monkey’s uncle.

Three days ago, if you told me that Retro Studios–makers of famed Metroid Prime series–was going to make to be making a cutesy little 2D sidescrolling Kirby game about yarn, I would’ve believed you. I would’ve believed you so much that it’d made sense. The only thing that I wouldn’t have believed was how awesome it looked. I heard rumors about a new Kirby game, but when E3 comes around, I tend to plug my ears when it comes to Nintendo conference news. Desperation is a horrible thing for fans, and it takes root so quickly and easily that one will believe almost anything. Well, this year Nintendo turned desperation on its own head into inspiration. We have a short video of Kirby: Epic Yarn’s epic gameplay.

How long did it take for Capcom to give us a straight answer about Marvel vs Capcom 3? You have to give them much props though on this account. Finally a Japanese developer that is having some good ideas in regards to their older established franchises. Adding in new characters from both camps such as Chris Redfield and Deadpool, the game sports a very interesting roster for battle forged mayhem. Our only remaining E3 cadet Axel has taken it upon himself to record two videos of the awesome and hectic action that is Capcom’s next great 2.5D fighting game. Thankfully we won’t lose sleep over whether or not it exists anymore, and it is in fact mucho playable.

Gameplay Video 1

Gameplay Video 2

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword might not have had the best debut (or best name) but you don’t get to choose who or what you love. It featured the gameplay and design choices that most gamers had expected since they waited in line in the “Wii” hours of the night for Twilight Princess. Now, four years later, those same gamers will have to ask if they’re still in the peak physical shape to take on a demanding Wii Motion Plus Zelda game that requires you more than flick your wrist to deal with an imposing baddie.

Not an hour after the presentation, our resident show-goer Axel made a mad dash for the show floor to get his hands on Skyward Sword. What he came away with was a short video featuring what seems to be the game actually working in a non-controlled environment. No one can be sure…yet. But it looks as if there’s hope for this one after all.

*Screenshots from VideoGamesZone.de

It looks like E3 has a new contender for late arrivals and frequent showings with Star Wars: The Old Republic. Once again shown to a crowd of expectant gawkers with nothing more than an awesome trailer, The Old Republic managed to do exactly what it did in 2009 – get everyone hyped. With the only brief announcement being that every player in the game would be able to fly their own ship. Okay. Now maybe ten more scraps of details like that and we’ll be comfortable enough to hazard a release decade. Nevertheless, the trailer was incredible. It isn’t quite clear why Chun Li was beating the crap out of Darth Vader, but who didn’t love it?

What is Halo Reach? No one should need to ask that now. At Microsoft’s 2010 E3 Keynote, they showed us a brief section of a singelplayer level from a Halo Reach video. Needless to say, it added in aspects from Halo Reach multiplayer beta and showed how they would be implemented in the regular campaign. Showing off four members of the elite Spartan Noble Team, this four minute Halo Reach video puts every Halo Reach screenshot we’ve seen previously into motion. Oh, and did you know there seems to be space combat? The September 14th Halo Reach release nears.

The 360 Project Natal got it’s official name today at the Microsoft Press Conference’s E3 Keynote. Now called Kinect, and it will hit shelves this holiday season on November 4th, and it’s still without a price point for some reason (I’m guessing they didn’t want a hefty price tag to distract people from the show). There will be 15 launch titles, and 6 of them were shown off at the conference:

Kinectimals: Picture Nintendogs on the Xbox 360, but with a LOT more control and activities to try.

Kinect Sports: The title says it all.

Kinect Joy Ride: A racing game.

Kinect Adventures: A game designed to get you moving. It takes your picture during all of the crazy moves you have to do.

Your Shape: A Ubisoft title that is basically a much more advanced Wii Fit.

Dance Central: A Harmonix title that teaches you how to dance. Think Rock Band except you are utilizing your entire body for points.

They didn’t actually say what the other titles were, put they did show an image of all of their box art. The ones that I can confirm are:

Motionsports, The Biggest Loser, Sonic Free Riders, and EA Active.

Not a single one of those games were very interesting to me, but at the end of the demonstration, they showed off actual gameplay using Kinect for an upcoming Star Wars game. It was told that this project was a collaboration between Microsoft and Lucas Arts and that it would release next year. I have to say that I am extremely excited on this one. It appears that you’ll be able to control your lightsaber with exact precision, with all the bells and whistles of things like physics to control how your weapon effects Storm Troopers and other enemies. This game (that wasn’t given a name) is at least one thing to look forward to.

*Image via E4g.info