E308: Highlights from Nintendo's private conference

Yesterday's keynote wasn't the only big event on the calendar for Nintendo this week at E3. Right now, their second event, a developer roundtable -- private, low key, totally secretive in that everyone knows about it -- is about to get underway, and we're ready to bring you the big news as it rolls out. Check back for updates as we get them from DS Fanboy undercover ninja JC Fletcher, and in the meantime, let's speculate. Word is that something big will be announced ... but isn't that always how the rumors run? We'll have to wait and see. But don't worry -- as soon as we hear anything, you'll be the first to know! Now let's just hope there's something worth knowing.

Update: So far, looks like the same (Wii) titles from the keynote: Animal Crossing: City Folk, Wii Sports Resort, and Wii Music. Where's the DS love, guys? The love ... where? DS-Wii connectivity and transfers! Also, Joystiq is liveblogging the minutiae of this second conference.

Update: So far, it's still just Animal Crossing: City Folk, and the things that are in the Wii version that have carried over from the GameCube. DS Fanboy rating for this mini-conference so far: yawn. Prediction: will be neat, interesting facts about games, which is okay, but not what we wanted. We just got excited hoping for something extra. There's still time, though!

Update: So it's not for us, but WiiSpeak sounds pretty awesome, frankly. Since it's standalone and not a headset, you can get several people in one room talking with several people in another, without everyone having to have separate equipment. Awesome! Now, DS, please? Maybe after these, we'll get an update on our new titles.

Update: Animal Crossing Q&A. Hmm, if they spend this much time on each game from the keynote ... this roundtable will be longer than the keynote.

Update: Mini-ton! You can port your items and characters from the DS Animal Crossing to the new Wii version! In Japan, at least, they've planned to allow people to get furniture and items through DS download stations that they can then take home and upload to their Wii games. Update to the update: If you don't have Wi-Fi, you can take your Wii guys, put them on your DS, and move them to a friend's house that way.

Update: While you wait for us to clarify the item transfers: they're hoping to utilize download stations in this way in the U.S., too, but they're definitely planned for Japan.

Update: JC couldn't get his question in about clarifying item transfers, so right now it looks like: you can port items and characters from the DS version to the Wii version, and also (in Japan), get things from download stations that will then appear as purchasable items. Either way, we're glad to see some really nice DS/Wii connectivity.

Update: Now onto Wii Sports Resort. We're guessing that one won't have any DS connectivity, for some reason. DS fans can go back to snoozing. We'll wake you when it's something portable.

Update: Breaking (not really): Wii Sports Resort with Wii MotionPlus looks awesome and fun. NO KIDDING. So, uh, how about that Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars?

Update: They were just asked if Wii MotionPlus was an admission that the Wii did not succeed as planned (massive demand aside). Ouch. Not DS-related, but something you should know!

Update: A challenger ... er, an awesome person appears! Miyamoto emerges to discuss Wii Music. DS games after this? Maybe.

Update: So, uh ... how about those new first party DS games? Anyone? Anyone? Cooking Guide is neat but hardly counts, since it's not new. GIVE US NEW.

Update: Wii Music really does look neat. But there's also a lot of great DS stuff going on and we hate to think Nintendo is overlooking their portable money-printing device. Even though we've actually gotten some great new stuff this E3, we can't help but feel a little disappointed. There's still hope for something after the Wii Music presentation, but will it go on that long?

Update: Ah, during the Q&A, someone brings up Rhythm Tengoku and gets shut down (with comparisons to Wii Music). We're not the only ones with DS on the brain.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: While it's not DS-related (OR IS IT?), Miyamoto just said, during this roundtable, taht they are making Pikmin.

Update: No DS stuff. Looks like wrap-up. Booooo. But we did get connectivity!