Yes, it's that time of year again where thousands of gamers across the world set themselves up for megatons of announcements, and subsequently get disappointed. There's no point in trying to claim that this year is any more special than any other, because frankly, the emotions reach a peak every E3 regardless of what happens. As Nintendo's conference draws ever closer � commencing at 5pm UK time on Tuesday June 15th � we set out our predictions for what will be played, discussed and unveiled at the media briefing.

Okay, so let's get the most obvious one out the way. For better or for worse, Nintendo have made a name for themselves at E3 for hammering home talk of unprecedented commercial success, and who can blame them? The company has weathered the economic downturn relatively undamaged, and managed to keep business booming whilst sales elsewhere across the board were significantly down, so expect this achievement to be a main focal point of the money chat. Also, released worldwide over the past twelve months was the DSi XL, which hit the ground running and with surprising grace, especially for an upgrade that essentially merely offers larger screens. We imagine this will give Nintendo's Cammie Dunaway precedent to talk of expanding the DS market even further, and building a much more sociable gaming environment. As always, expect pie-charts.

One of the most unpredicted surprises at last year's conference (or in any gaming conference, ever) was not just the Vitality Sensor, but also the way Nintendo masterfully managed to say absolutely nothing about it. It takes no crystal ball to guess that the reveal was more-than-likely a last minute, knee-jerk reaction to the intense speculation surrounding Sony and Microsoft's imminent motion-controlling devices, but nonetheless, a collective industry was left scratching its head. After a year of silence, it's time Nintendo pulled back the curtain properly. Will the 'finger-hole' design have changed radically since last time, perhaps to include Nunchuck support? Probably not, but we'll be more than happy to eat our words. Rather, we expect the inevitable bundled software will be as expected: something of the health variety. Talk of future integration into 'core' games will be just that at this point: talk. But like with the Balance Board, we're remaining perfectly optimistic that developers will show the audacity to provide some unique gaming experiences down the line. It just might take a while.

2007 saw the world introduced to Wii Fit. 2008 was the year of Wii Music, while 2009 saw Wii Sports Resort awarded the limelight. What do these games have common? Arguably, they're what many cynics enjoy complaining about most, stating they aren't the sort of games they buy Nintendo consoles for, while remaining completely ignorant of the bigger picture. We hate to be the ones who have to piddle in your cornflakes if you are such a 'disgruntled core gamer', but E3 is not all about you, and it has certainly never been some sort of exclusive club for those who make up just a small part of the gaming market. E3 is a place where the whole world � including shareholders � look to Nintendo, so it's only right that every year, the company comes out with a game that boldly shouts "this is what will keep our share prices sky high this holiday season". So when Nintendo was forced to adjust down their profit forecasts earlier this year, it is no coincidence that they simultaneously announced Wii Party. The expectations are blindingly present. A highly-accessible, Mario Party-esque multiplayer game from the people who brought you Wii Sports? It's a surprise Nintendo didn't think of it sooner, and you can bet several execs will be up there on stage playing it. A scantily-clad Iwata bursting out of a giant cake with nothing but a Wii Remote jacket and some strategically squirted whipped cream to hide his shame will make this one family-friendly unveil to remember.

We doubt there was anybody outside Nintendo who wasn't caught off-guard with the announcement of the 3DS earlier this year. The prospect of a brand new handheld boasting 3D technology (without the need for stupid glasses that cause 30% colour-loss, no less) certainly piqued interests at the very least. If Nintendo and their third party partners can get this thing onto shelves with a range of software available within a year, then we'll be astonished at the level of secrecy maintained over the past few months. The 3DS has been so shrouded in mystery up to this point that we can't not be hypothetical: we just don't know how long software developers have had their hands on dev kits. If Nintendo can pool a range of playable demos for a week's time, then expect a blowout. Just don't be surprised if full details of the system don't become apparent in LA. We firmly believe that Nintendo are prepared to wait for the right time before giving a comprehensive showcase of the 3DS brand. Will that time be at E3, or at a separate event a few months down the line? It's probably wise to be aware that these things are never set in stone. Either way, we're certain the 3DS will at least be on the lips of Reggie and co. at the conference, and fully expect our anticipation levels to hit the roof.

Now let's set the ground rules here: 2010 has thus far been a powerhouse of a year for quality Wii software, and third party triumphs have played a key part in that. Having said that, we've only been enjoying such gems as Silent Hill, Red Steel 2 and No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle so recently here in Europe as a result of delays, and to be blunt, the future's starting to look a little bare. We're not saying all hope is lost; the likes of Epic Mickey, NBA Jam and Conduit 2 should be healthy supplements to anyone's Wii library this year. But anyone expecting a third party renaissance at E3 should probably lower their expectations, especially if previous years are anything to go by. Fingers crossed for a couple of new, quirky titles destined to be cult classics, because we doubt many publishers are clamouring to put their blockbuster efforts on Wii.

Nintendo always has surprises up its sleeve. Whether it was a new Mario Kart in 2007 or a Team Ninja-developed Metroid last year, there's no point denying that people are caught off-guard every year by an unexpected familiar face. After some years of fans crying out for Nintendo to boot up the 'old' franchises separate from the Mario/Zelda/Metroid trinity, we think this will be the E3 we see a big new entry in a much-loved series. We wouldn't like to embarrass ourselves by taking a shot in the dark, but the possibilities are tantalising. What have Monster Games been up to since ExciteBots was hoofed out the door? We certainly weren't the only ones to draw similarities between their work and the fabled F-Zero. Or perhaps we'll see that Kirby game pop up in some form. Having said that, it's criminal we haven't seen a Star Fox game this generation. And what about Pikmin 3? Or Kid Icarus...

Retro Studios have earned their place in the hearts of gamers forever. The Texas-based outfit have only developed three games, but their assured quality has made them one of the most revered parts of Nintendo today. What has the studio that brought us Metroid Prime been up to since shipping the concluding part of the trilogy in 2007? Despite being hard at work on something new for what seems like an age, we're going to go out on a limb and say they won't be making any appearances at this E3. We could write a whole separate feature speculating on what they may be up to, but we can bet that it'll be big, and fans will love it. So an epic, core-oriented game? Surely E3 would be the perfect time to unveil such a project! As it happens, there may just be a certain other game from Nintendo that fits that criteria...

And so we come to the showpiece. We know that the next main iteration of Zelda on Wii will be unveiled at E3; this much has been repeatedly emphasised by Aonuma and crew. What's significant is the level of speculation surrounding this one game. We know next to nothing about what is undoubtedly the most hyped Wii title there will ever be. Part of the fun is the mystery, so we thought it would be appropriate to simply re-cap what we already know so far, rather than pull guesses out of thin air. We know that Miyamoto-san has pushed for the game to require MotionPlus, opening the door for both immersive combat and hopefully some daringly ambitious puzzles. Aonuma has also cryptically alluded to some sort of shift regarding the game's structure, so perhaps the typical overworld/dungeon approach will see a shake-up. The single piece of artwork teased to us last year suggests the team is sticking to a more realistic visual look with a mature Link to take centre-stage. The same piece of art was also notable for showing our hero with no sword � something that is apparently significant � and also a mysterious blue creature � surely a key character and maybe even an ally of Link's.

Zelda is a franchise that carries with it the burden of some of the strongest emotions shared by an entire generation of gamers. We're certain that this unveiling will resonate with us above all other potential announcements. Nintendo knows how powerful this card is, and it makes them by and large the most formidable company at E3 2010.

Every E3 is significant for obvious reasons, but what seems different about 2010 is that the hype surrounds not the expectation to be surprised, but around the promise of elaboration on what we already know will be there. It's rare that we can safely say what will be Nintendo's specific focal points for the show: the 3DS, Vitality Sensor and Zelda. If they wanted, Nintendo could easily stretch out a 2 hour show pumping us with information on those three mysterious entities, and we'd have no reason to complain. Moderation of expectation seems to be the order of the day here. To go in hoping for your pipe dreams to come true is to set yourself up for disappointment � this much is true every single year. Hope for the best, but expect nothing other than a brand new console Zelda and a successor to the most popular handheld ever. If anyone can possibly be disappointed under that proviso, we advise psychiatric help.

What do you want to see at E3? Let us know below, and join us on June 15th for all the big reveals...

Aaron Clegg
- N-Europe Staff Writer