The Hardware of E3 2010

E3 is, quite rightly, mainly about the games, but this year there was an awful lot of hardware on show too. Here’s our round-up of the most exciting new kit that you’ll be able to get your hands on in the coming months.

Nintendo 3DS

Without a doubt, the most exciting hardware reveal of E3 2010. Nintendo’s next handheld will let you play games in 3D without the need for ugly glasses. Graphically it’s a big step up from the DS and might be out before Christmas in the UK.

Kinect – Xbox 360

Microsoft is attempting to grab hold of the casual gamer market with its full-body motion control device that doesn’t require players to hold a controller. The technology is amazing, but so far there are few truly exciting games for it.

Redesigned Xbox 360

It might not have come as a surprise, having leaked a few days prior to Microsoft’s press conference, but the new, smaller, quieter Xbox 360 is still very exciting. If you’ve had to turn up the volume on the TV to drown out the deafening whirr, you might want one of these come July 16. Built in WiFi and a 250GB hard drive are nice bonuses too.

PlayStation Move – PS3

While already revealed, at E3 2010 we saw more games for Sony’s PS3 motion controller. Move compatible titles include the expected mini-game collections, but unlike Kinect, there are also a fair few traditional games that should get the hardcore excited.

3D Gaming

You need an expensive new TV to take advantage of 3D console games, and special viewing glasses are required, but with games like Crysis 2, Killzone 3 and Gran Turismo 5 all using the new technology, 3D arrived in a big way at E3 2010.

Rock Band 3 Fender guitars

The Fender Mustang has six buttons across 17 different frets, while the Fender Squier Stratocaster is a true electric guitar with MIDI support, playable outside of the game, and features technology that can detect where the player is holding down strings. These guitars take music gaming to another level.

Rock Band 3 keyboard

Not content with a guitar, drums and microphone, Harmonix is brining a keyboard to Rock Band 3. If you ask us, it looks mightily difficult with its 25 keys, but we’re all for new peripherals that spark new life into the music game genre.

Battle Tag

Who’d have thought the publisher behind Assassin’s Creed and Splinter Cell would have showcased a clever lightgun game at E3. This is a real life game, where you shoot friends with plastic guns. A connected PC keeps track of the score.

Innergy

We thought we were watching a Nintendo conference when Ubisoft showcased Innergy. This relaxation and health software for PC and Mac uses “a cutting-edge biofeedback tool that measures heart rate variability, blood flow and pulse” – or in basic terms, something that you put on the end of your finger.

Parrot AR Drone

If you don’t think a space age-styled flying ship that you can control using your iPhone isn’t cool, how about one that transmits a video feedback to you and lets you play augmented reality games? Very cool if you ask us.