At the Nintendo press conference two weeks ago, tons of new details were given about the Wii U including the bundles the system would be packaged in and the games being put into the launch window. Yesterday, even more details were given to the launch lineup with 23 titles being confirmed for day one. This looks to be one of the largest launch lineups of any system in recent memory with lots of big name games in it.

Aside from bundling the Deluxe system with Nintendo Land to show off the Wii U’s unique capabilities, Nintendo made sure to back the system with the support of major well known franchises for both the casual and hardcore gamer.

For the Nintendo gamer, the system will launch with New Super Mario Bros. U which is the first time since the Nintendo 64 where a Mario game was made available day one for a home console.

Of the Big 3, Nintendo had the most pressure coming in to 2012’s E3. After a mixed response from gamers after the reveal of the Wii U last year, Nintendo needed to do something to shock, wow and inspire people to make the leap from Wii to Wii U. Instead, Nintendo delivered a lot of what was expected. That doesn’t mean that what Nintendo showed off was bad by any means, but there just wasn’t that magic wow moment that gamers were hoping for.

Things started out with a Shigiru Myamoto skit to help introduce the new Pikmin 3 coming to the Wii U. Myamoto, with the help of a translator explained the benefits of playing Pikmin 3 with the Wii U controller and introduced the new Rock Pikmin as well. After a lengthy Pikmin demonstration, Reggie Fils-Aime took the stage and revealed that Netflix, Hulu Plus and YouTube would all find their way to the Wii U.

He also revealed the important fact that two gamepads can be used at the same time on the Wii U, unlike last year’s statement that only one could be used at a time while all other players were going to be stuck using Wiimotes. This is probably a very smart change for Nintendo to help establish the system on its own instead of merely looking like an add-on to the Wii.

To say when gamers find something they really care about, they take it to extremes can sadly sometimes be an understatement. Back in 2007, Mass Effect was released for the XBox 360 and PC to much critical acclaim and commercial success. The game’s follow up, Mass Effect 2, would release in January 2010 for the XBox 360 and PC and almost a full year later on the PlayStation 3. The final part of the Commander Shepard trilogy was released on March 6th of this year with, as you guessed it, Mass Effect 3.

One of the biggest draws for Mass Effect was the promise of an epic storyline that not only spanned three full games, but contained choices that would affect the rest of the player’s story throughout the remainder of the story. Destroy a race in Mass Effect and they would not appear in Mass Effect 2. Let a character die in Mass Effect 2 and don’t expect to see them in Mass Effect 3.

So in a series all about choice, many players were floored to learn that upon completion of Mass Effect 3 and whichever choices they ultimately made, the game presented them with one of six different endings. The “perfect” ending would feature an additional five seconds of footage. The six “different” endings however were merely palette swaps. No matter what choices were made through the entire story or even in the ultimate decision of the player, they just received a different color explosion, particle effect and small changes in animation, but essentially the same ending.

Look at the side by side comparisons in the video from Crosscade (obviously, spoiler warning).

One of the biggest game releases this year is the upcoming Mass Effect 3, the sequel to the mega hit franchise that blends Sci-Fi action and RPG immersion. The game is already being penciled in for game of the century and fans are at a fever pitch in anticipation, so bringing the game to iOS devices seems a smart way to capitalize.

The just announced Mass Effect Datapad is still clouded in some mystery, but we do know it will be an iPad exclusive. Best estimation is that the app will work as sort of a strategy guide, or some sort of informational support for your missions.

Also, EA has announced Mass Effect Infiltrator for all iOS devices, a third person shooter that is meant to feed into the main game’s Galaxy At War system. The mobile game is set around freeing prisoners and gaining evidence against Cerberus, both of which will have a direct impact on your single player experience.

As we have talked out with our other recent Coming in 2012 articles, there are some big games coming out throughout the year. For the most part, these games look to be pretty spread out throughout the year… except for the collection of games announced for March 6th. Six, yes you read that right, SIX blockbuster titles will be releasing on March 6th, 2012 representing four different genres in the gaming industry.

First, fighting fans will finally get their hands on the much heralded and anticipated Street Fighter X Tekken. Back at NYCC, I had the opportunity to get hands on with the game and from what time I got with it, it has the potential to live up to the hype. It’s incredible to think about the dream matchups coming to Street Fighter X Tekken such as the wrestling heavyweight brawl expected to take place between Zangief and King or the martial artistry shown by both Ryu and Kazuya.

The Mass Effect trilogy comes to an epic conclusion with the release of Mass Effect 3. Shepard and his crew come back to earth with this action RPG along with the inclusion of a new multiplayer mode on top of the game’s signature dialogue tree and morality based decision making. Expect this game to consume the lives of those gamers who are finally just finishing their 250 romps from Skyrim.

Another game that will be getting a 3 after it is the Max Payne series. After a long hiatus, Max Payne 3 will be hitting store shelves. Years, both in game time and real life, have passed since the last time we saw Max in bullet time with his Noir dialogue and comic style storytelling.