E3: The Good, Bad and Inconsequential

Microsoft put forth a respectable first showing for its spiffy new Xbox, which aims to bring PC gaming performance into the living room environment on November 8. The $300 machine is certain to garner critical, if not commercial acclaim, boasting unrivaled audio-visual and software processing capabilities. But while a surprisingly console-esque lineup including titles such as Dead or Alive 3, Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee, Cel Damage and Blood Wake put on a commendable show, as did system-supporting bands Third Eye Blind and Blink-182, E3 consensus was the machine still lacks a "killer app" and all-important franchise characters.

Though Nintendo adopted a more laid-back approach, their GameCube (launching just three days before Xbox) and Game Boy Advance (launching next month) systems were equally well received. Sure to be seen as irresistibly compelling by diverse audiences, these machines nonetheless boasted only popular spinoffs such as Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Brothers Melee and Mario Kart Advance in playable form. Fans dying for a glimpse of fresh Metroid and Mario-centric products had to settle for some brief video footage and a promotional slant that emphasized Mario/Donkey Kong creator Shigeru Miyamoto's new garden-themed strategy title, Pikmin, over other alternatives.

Meanwhile, Sega and Sony gladly let content do the talking. Both companies are highly focused on supporting current systems, including Sega's virtually defunct Dreamcast hardware. Whereas Sony is bringing its muscle to bear behind the PlayStation 2 with a slew of never-before-seen and well-received first-party products like Dark Cloud and Twisted Metal Black, Sega instead opted for a cross-platform strategy. Gamers will actually be able to enjoy previously Dreamcast-exclusive titles such as Phantasy Star Online, Chu Chu Rocket and Space Channel 5 on multiple platforms inclouding Xbox, PS2, Game Cube and Game Boy Advance.

Still, with so many viable consumer outlets forthcoming, Hollywood predictably took notice of potential sales opportunities. That means TV and movie buffs suffering from severe game addictions will find three tough decisions ahead. First, which system to buy? Second, which titles to acquire? And third, why the heck should anyone pay top dollar at theaters for two measly hours of entertainment when day-consuming silver-screen goodies like these will soon be forthcoming:

The Simpsons: Road Rage (Electronic Arts, Xbox)--Bart, Homer, Apu and friends tear up Springfield with wild vehicular antics, a la Crazy Taxi.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Dominion Wars (Simon & Schuster, PC)--A strategic romp played in real-time 3-D that tests starship captains' mettle through good old fashioned tactical know-how.
Aliens vs. Predator 2 (Vivendi Universal, PC)--Pissed-off space marine meets angry, carnivorous life form... much first-person gunplay ensues.
Planet of the Apes (Fox Interactive, Dreamcast)--Solve puzzles, interact with mysterious characters, and monkey around for appearances' sake.
Top Gun (Titus, PS2/Game Boy Advance)--Kick the tires and light the fires as Maverick throughout a semi-realistic airborne combat campaign.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Electronic Arts, PC/PlayStation/Game Boy Color/Game Boy Advance)--Play the young wizard in the first video game from the hit book series.
Die Hard: Next Generation (Vivendi Universal, GameCube)--Yippie-ki-yay, mother@^#%*! That's Hollywoodspeak for big explosions and even bigger, more action-packed gameplay potential.
Antz Racing (Empire, PC/PS2)--Z and his miniscule friends burn rubber in this pint-sized powerhouse of an arcade racer based on the feature film.
From Dusk Till Dawn (Dreamcatcher, PC)--Set immediately following the movie's conclusion, Seth Gecko has 72 hours to escape from jail, kill a few vampires, and party hearty like an action-adventure star.
Robocop (Titus, PS2/Game Boy Advance)--Obey the prime action movie directive and blow criminals sky high in classic shoot 'em up style.
COPS (Vivendi Universal, PS2/Xbox)--Journey on the wild side on a rollicking good adventure through America's slums with the bad boys of law enforcement.
Starsky & Hutch (Empire, PC/PS2)--A story based action arcade driving game, featuring two way cool white boys, one Ford Torino, and Huggy Bear's streetwise grin.
Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza (Vivendi Universal, PC)--Forty floors of fresh office space must be cleansed of terrorist activity through gratuitous bloodshed.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire--Trial by Fire (Disney Interactive, PC)--One of two titles (the other is a "prequel") tied into the Mouse House's latest animated flick, this kid-friendly 3-D adventure game puts you inside the 'toon.
James Bond in Agent Under Fire (Electronic Arts, PS2)--Kill at will mayhem that takes place on foot or via moving car as players take on the role of the world's favorite secret agent.
Aliens: Colonial Marines (Electronic Arts, PS2)--Command a squad of four doomed space troopers who're stuck deep in hostile, otherworldly territory populated by vicious man-eaters. Dinner's served!
Spider-Man: The Movie Game (Activision, PS2)--3-D wall-crawling, real-time action adventuring as the classic superhero turned movie star.
Survivor: The Australian Outback Interactive Game (Infogrames, PC)--See if you can kill a wild pig and avoid killer crocs while outwitting, outlasting and outplaying the competition.