Nintendo's E3 global broadcast went down like a lead balloon yesterday, with a shocking lack of major reveals and 2013 software. However, the inestimable Shigeru Miyamoto  confirms that they're working on a massive Zelda title for the Wii U, which they didn't show to avoid people seeing it, buying a Wii U and giving them lots of money.

Or something. Either way, the logic is insane.

Following Nintendo's big Wii U Direct presentation this week, we pick apart the announcements as well as discussing the Metal Gear Rising demo, Strike Suit Zero, and Ni No Kuni.

PWNCAST | Season 3: Episode 3 - Nintendo Rising, Recorded: January 24th, 2013

Parental Advisory: We've tried to keep it as conversational and informal as possible, and you should be warned that there may be a few instances of strong language.

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The tour kicked off early last year, but it's coming to London for one night only. Following a wildly successful and delightfully entertaining slew of 25th Anniversary concerts a couple of years ago, the Symphony of the Goddesses tour hits the UK on May 23rd, 2013 at the Hammersmith Apollo.

Our newest recruit Chris takes a look back over a long year that saw the second year in a row won for him by Bethesda, a surprisingly muted launch for the Wii U, a flawed gem in Capcom's Dragon's Dogma, and a glorious Platinum in Skyrim at last!

Game of the Year | Dishonored

For me, Bethesda pulled it out the bag again this year with their stealth, magic, assassin, first-person, action game. The first thing that really works for this game is that its so easy to get absorbed into it. With the first-person perspective, and the “choice” system of how to complete missions that makes a difference, it really does take you in and feel as though your really are Corvo Attano pacing through the streets of Dunwall. It makes you think about how you should continue, and not in a forceful way, like a game like Dark Souls, but in a personal way of how you want to play the game, and how you want it to pan out. And there’s so much fun to be had on further playthroughs to discover where different decisions could have led.

And the way in which you can make those decisions also made this a great game. A combination of weaponry and various powers at Corvo’s disposal provide you with plenty of options to tackle each enemy and situation. I also found the AI to be a step up from most games, where a quick hide in a corner might be enough, but Dishonored is less forgiving of rash movements – in a good and thought-provoking way. To top it off the visual style of the game is also very good and the landscape of Dunwall oozes character, creating an overall gaming experience that for me was the best this year.

Shigeru Miyamoto has responded to fan suggestions that they'd like to see Retro Studios - the Texan-based developers responsible for the fantastic Metroid Prime - take on another Nintendo franchise: Zelda.

We loved Lone Survivor here on Dealspwn, and creator Jasper Byrne has revealed a few tantalising tidbits for  new game that he's working on - a title that, according to Byrne himself, is shaping up to look a little like The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass meets Demon's Souls.

Rumoured Gameplay & GamePad Features Leak Out

According to a sensational new report, Nintendo are hard at work on a flagship Zelda title for the Wii U and targeting a 2014 release window. The rumoured project has been described as "the most innovative Zelda game ever," sporting HD graphics, GamePad functionality and a development team numbered in the hundreds.

Here we go. Will Nintendo blow us all away this time around? Frankly we'd just settle for them getting it right. Don't just tell us, Nintendo, show us. Show us a bunch of games that we can get behind and the Wii U will be the only thing on everyone's lips for the rest of this week. Show us how they make the most of the new console, how they make the console unique, and how they'll fare against the intrenched forces of MS and Sony.

Oh, and Luigi's Mansion 2 would be nice as well.

In our final look at the big three press conferences, we chat about Nintendo and, unsurprisingly, the big thing on everyone's lips is the Wii U. Will they announce features and specs? What of the console's launch lineup? Will it get a rebranding? And what of the 3DS? Nintendo have a second chance following last year's fiasco to set the record straight.

Carl

Oh those guys. Those ******* guys. After an E3 presentation last year which left me horribly disappointed it’s time for take two of the Wii U’s unveiling, but this time they have to absolutely 100% nail it. My hope is that they have used the last year to allow multiple tablet controllers to connect to a console, and perhaps even allow for streaming a game to a tablet over the internet so you can properly play on the go (you know, like the name “Project Café” implied.)

No doubt we will get a smothering of Mario-based products, Zelda will make an appearance, and we will see their attempt to make the 3DS relevant to the casual buyer market, but what I really want is for Nintendo to start being more adventurous and grab my interest in their games again. A guy can dream, eh?

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It shouldn't have worked. In fact, if one takes statistics into account and appraises the situation from a purely numerical perspective, it didn't. But somehow Nintendo's little purple box of wonders has left an indelible mark on hearts across the globe. It was the little console that, in the end, sadly couldn't. But for the faithful, for those who took the rather inexplicable plunge and sampled it's delights, there was nothing else we'd rather have been playing on.

Looking at Nintendo's practices now - with their last two consoles built and sold on hardware gimmicks and promises rather than stacks of excellent software - the GameCube defies all logic. Indeed, it seemed to defy logic back in May 2002 as well, launching without the ability to play audio CDs or DVDs (instead plumping for the laughably cute mini optical discs), abandoning the N64's trident controller in favour of a dual-analogue approach, there was no backwards compatibility, and it looked ridiculous. It even had a carry-handle!

But it also had some of the best games of its generation.

Miyamoto Considering Metroid Prime Studio

It's always a little curious to think a new Zelda game is in the shops. The development period is often so long, the game becomes something of a myth. Well, Skyward Sword is a reality, and with Link's latest adventure released, Nintendo has turned their attention to the next title in the Zelda series. And might they be taking the radical step of not only including a new team in developing said title, but a Western outfit who revitalized the Metroid series?

Eiji Aonuma, current series producer for The Legend of Zelda, has told of how in spite of coming to the series halfway through its lifespan thus far, he really wants to make the series his own, stamping his own mark on the series after taking the reins from Shigeru Miyamoto.

It's the last in our mini season of Twitter parties, and we're ending things with Ninty's biggest launch of the year. You know the drill by now, so make sure you've got enough food, drink, heating and internet. We're going to raise the cyber-roof !

Every hour, on the hour, between 6pm and midnight there'll be a question going up on either the @Dealspwn or @HotUKDeals streams on Twitter. We'll be kicking things off at 6pm on the @Dealspwn stream and alternating from there, so make sure you're following both accounts to maximise your chances.

Further details here.

And so we reach the last in our season of Twitter competitions.

It's been a bit of a nightmare year for Nintendo. The 3DS didn't exactly set the world on fire, the announcement of the Wii U was met with widespread confusion and shrugging, and the albino box that once printed money has found itself carried onwards only thanks to dancing titles. But Ninty are preparing for a big finish. The Wii is finally getting the dedicated Zelda epic that it has been longing after for four years.

And on Tuesday 15th, we're giving away 18 copies!

You know the drill by now. Every hour, on the hour, between 6pm and midnight there'll be a question going up on either the @Dealspwn or @HotUKDeals streams on Twitter. We'll be kicking things off at 6pm on the @Dealspwn stream and alternating from there, so make sure you're following both accounts to maximise your chances. The night will run as follows:

• 6pm - Dealspwn
• 7pm - HotUKDeals
• 8pm - Dealspwn
• 9pm - HotUKDeals
• 10pm - Dealspwn
• 11pm - HotUKDeals

All you need to do is reply to the relevant stream on Twitter with the answer and the #winZelda hashtag within the hour.

For example, if this is the question:

Win Zelda. Name the village at the foot of Death Mountain in Ocarina of Time. #winZelda

If the question came from Dealspwn, then you should answer:

Kakariko Village @Dealspwn #WinZelda

Or if the question came from HUKD, then answer:

Kakariko Village @HotUKDeals #WinZelda

Individual question rounds will last an hour, after which three winners with the correct answer will be chosen at random for each question. As you'll see in the rules below, we only accept one entry per person. Multiple entries and duplicate posts are deleted upon data collation to ensure a level playing field. We tend not to disqualify people completely, but we will if you take the piss.

Things to note:

• One entry will be accepted per account per question. You're welcome to compete in all of the question contests, but the maximum you'll win is one copy.
• One entrant per household.
• UK entrants only.
• Check your answers! You only get one shot per round so make it count. Online wikis that may be edited at will by users are generally not the most reliable sources of accurate info.

Good luck!

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword is shaping up to be... well, it's a Zelda game. It's going to be good. However, it contains a few nifty new upgrades to the traditional formula in a very literal sense. Players will be able to collect resources from slain enemies and use them to upgrade their gear at the Skyloft Scrap Shop, making their shields tougher and their catapults more powerful. We assume that  most of the items and weapons can be upgraded, which should provide an addictive new dimension to the gameplay as well as a constantly-improving arsenal.

Check out our hands-on preview here, and click through for the trailer. We'll keep you updated ahead of its November launch.

The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword is shaping up to be an absolute blinder. Well, it's a Zelda game after all - but this time, the tight puzzling is blended with the freedom to fly. Nintendo has released a new Comic-Con trailer that shows off some of the action - as well as revealing that the Gorons will make an appearance. It's brilliant stuff, and rousing to boot.

Why not check out our hands-on preview?

At their E3 2011 unveiling of their newfangled console, the Wii U, Nintendo showcased an impressive tech demo for a mysterious Zelda title, showing a meticulously rendered Link entering a beautiful cathedral, awash in light-shafts, crisp textures and a particularly large arachnid. It was jaw-dropping stuff, the true-to-life art style a stark difference from the painterly Skyward Sword. However, according to Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma, whether they decide to make a Wii U Zelda title or not, it's not certain it'll look like that.

We're beginning to get a clearer idea of what Nintendo's Wii U console and controller will offer us when it releases next year, and Ninty guru Shigeru Miyamoto has spilled a few more choice details. Apparently the controller will have a built-in standalone web browser, and the Zelda franchise will (unsurprisingly) be making its way to the new system.

Platform: 3DS

Developers: Nintendo | Grezzo

Publisher: Nintendo

So, The Greatest Game of All Time gets another makeover, this time in portable form, with Link's adventures remastered in glasses-free stereoscopic 3D. It's fitting that the game which propelled the series into polygonal 3D now finds a new home on the 3DS some thirteen years later. But, of course, remakes are tricky things. Change too much and you run the risk of negatively affecting what made the original great in the first place. Change too little, however, and there's little point in buying the thing.

It's been a while since 1998, that's for certain, but this is certainly not the first time the N64 classic has been redone and updated for a new generation. There was the Master Quest bundle, of course, that came with Wind Waker, not to mention The Legend of Zelda: Collector's Edition for the Gamecube, which saw it accompanied by the likes of the criminally underrated Majora's Mask as well as emulations of The Legend of Zelda and The Adventures of Link. It's available today on the Wii's Virtual Console for a tenner, which rather begs the question as to why you'd want to pay over three times that for a game that's thirteen years old, especially if you already own it on a playable platform or have played it to death before.

For those of you you don't and haven't, Ocarina of Time follows the story of a young elfin lad who lives in the forest, beset by nightmarish dreams of a man clad in black armour, a young girl he's never met in his life before and lots and lots of thunder and lightning and fire. He's a bit of an outsider - the only one in the village not to have a fairy, for which he is mocked - and only really had one proper friend, named Saria. Anyway, one day the forest's protector - a giant, moustachioed talking tree - summons the boy, sending a fairy called Navi to help him on his way. Upon meeting with the tree, the boy learns that his dreams are in fact visions, that the armour-clad man is terribly real, pretty evil and hopes to get his hands on an ultimate power called the Triforce. Basically, it's up to you to stop him.

The highly anticipated 3DS remake of one of gaming's most beloved titles hits European store shelves today, and to add to the sense of occasion, Nintendo have promised a free Legend of Zelda sountrack (on CD) to those that register their copy of OOT, while stocks last.  While the site itself states that the offer opens in a couple of days' time, we lucky Europeans are eligible for the gift as of today, by registering on the Club Nintendo website, which is back in action after the recent phishing attempts forced it down.