E3: Best in Show

Every year, dozens of games are announced for the first time at E3, the biggest video game expo in the world. In 2013, with two new consoles launching from Microsoft and Sony, there was an especially large focus on new games and new IPs. Some of the games were rumored or open secrets -- I don't think Mario Kart 8 or Titanfall surprised anyone, for example -- and some were pleasant surprises -- Final Fantasy XV and Killer Instinct, among them. Overall, Nintendo had the highest number of exclusive games, but featured the lowest number of high-profile third-party games. What else is new?

Below is a list of the top five games of E3. These games appear on several different systems, including Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and PC. Enjoy!

#5
Titanfall

 

Announced for Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC, this multiplayer first-person shooter will launch in the first quarter of 2014. Built from the ground up by Respawn Entertainment, founded by former Call of Duty developers, Titanfall is a team-based shooter where players can play on foot or inside giant mechanical soldiers called "Titans." The lack of a single player mode is a big negative for Titanfall, but the gameplay footage at E3 was mighty impressive. Multiplayer matches will be populated with computer-controlled characters to allow human players to make more progress and die less often.

#4
Super Mario 3D World

A follow-up to the hugely successful 3DS game Super Mario 3D Land, this title is due out in December of this year. Like the 3DS game, Mario 3D World will incorporate 2D platforming mechanics into a open 3D world, only this time four players can join the fun. The four players include Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad, the foursome from the North American release of Super Mario Bros. 2. A new item called the "Cat Suit," which allows players to run faster, climb walls, and perform unique attacks, will also make an appearance.

#3
Destiny

From the creators of Halo comes Destiny, a unique game that seems to be part first-person shooter, part action role-playing game, part MMO. If the gameplay footage is any indicator, Destiny will play a little like Borderlands: shooting mechanics, but RPG structure. Unlike a traditional MMO, not all players will be available to one another at all times. Instead, the game will match groups of players together during certain social events in the game's storyline. It's an incredible ambitious title from Bungie and Activision.

#2
Mario Kart 8

The show-stopper from the Nintendo Direct on Tuesday wasn't Super Mario or Zelda or even Metroid. It was Mario Kart. Returning from Mario Kart Wii are 12-player races and motorbikes. From Mario Kart 7 come underwater racing and hangliders. New to the series are anti-gravity sections where players can drive on walls and upside down on ceilings. Mario Kart 8 will launch in the spring of 2014, and will support up to 12 racers online.

#1
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

The number one game of E3 was, coincidentally, the first game shown. It's Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, the tenth game in the Metal Gear canon, and the first to boast an open-world structure. Storywise, the game is a continuation of the story started in Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. Apart from the open-world structure, The Phantom Pain will feature real-time weather and horseback riding. As always, this Metal Gear game will focus on stealth and tactical espionage.