When you have been a gamer for the majority of your life, a good portion of your memories will be involved with gaming milestones. Whether it was playing a Legend of Zelda game for the first time, or waiting in the most horrible weather for the latest console. One memory that may be shuffled between all of these fond experiences, is the first time you became aware of E3. I must have been young enough to still believe in Santa Clause when I first heard of E3. I was an avid fan of the repetitive anime Dragon Ball Z, in a time where American Dragon Ball Z games were rare. A Gamepro magazine caught my attention when I read the announcement of a new Dragon Ball Z game in development, and the rest of that particular issue was filled with tons of new games I had never heard about. How can a magazine go from barely having any exciting news one month, to hitting the gaming news jackpot the next? That's when E3 became the mecca that I would idolize for years to come. E3 was the event you always dreamed of going to, but never realistically thought you would ever be able to go. By some miracle, I was given the opportunity to attend this year's E3, and after spending some time reflecting on my experience, I find myself wondering is E3 worth it?

The Demos

These are not the demos you play at Best Buy or Gamestop. These are in-depth demos of games that aren't even close to a release date. In a lot of ways, the demo dynamics of E3 are similar to a double-edged sword. You wait in a long line, complaining that the person playing the game is taking way too much time with it, until you finally get to the front and savor every second you are able to be up there. The demos themselves are very inspired choices, tailored to showcase as many features as possible. These are demos meant to give you a great idea about what the game is about, and what is possible within the game's limitations. The fact that the average demo gave the player a minimum of fifteen minutes to play was icing on the cake.

Booth Babes

Let's be honest: Waiting in line, no matter if you're waiting to play an awesome new game, or waiting in line to win a million dollars, is never fun. However, I have to admit, at least there is something to look at while you're waiting: The Booth Babes. A less informed individual would probably think E3 is the gamer's version of the player's ball, with both the games and the booth babes being available for “demonstrations.” That guess would be as good as mine as to why some of the booth babes are even there. I understand for an event there has to be entertainment, but I feel there were some booth babes that were unnecessary. Having booth babes for games that no one has ever heard about, with booths no bigger than the restrooms, just seems like a desperate call for attention.

However, not all of them seemed desperately tacky. A good portion of the booth babes actually know information about the game, and even know how to play. The Nintendo babes are a good example. They will not only teach you how to play, but they will even play alongside you. Having someone there who can guide you through the game, while playing the game, can be very beneficial. Even if the gender of a guide shouldn't matter, you won't find me complaining about playing alongside a gorgeous woman. Despite my heavy critique, I can't lie: I'm a guy; I like beautiful women, I like video games, and E3 having both makes it the closest thing to gamers heaven you're going to find on earth.

The Technicalities

Even the best events can be lessened by horrendous parking. Fans rarely think about the technicalities of an event until they are actually facing them. When judging an event, it is only fair to review every aspect of the experience, especially the ones that made you shrug.

I got very lucky with parking. I've been hearing reports of people parking twenty minutes away from the convention, and I can only describe such a walk in a place like downtown L.A. to be annoying. The parking structures usually has plenty of room, but doesn't have enough to facilitate an army of eager gamers. Even if I was lucky with the parking, I wasn't so lucky when it came to the payment. Fifteen dollars to park is a lot of money anywhere.

While the suckers paid for ten dollar hot dogs, E3 actually showed their compassionate side to those who got there early enough to take advantage of the benefits. The generous people at E3 gave out lunch packets that included a sandwich, chips, an apple, a weird block of cheese, and a cookie. While this was probably all just a gesture to make sure you don't pass out and ultimately sue them, rarely do conventions commit such an act of generosity.

Navigating through E3 is similar to navigating through Disneyland. At first glance, it seems like a mess, with booths appearing as if they were placed their randomly. The flashy stages make it seem like you're entering a different world, one that an individual could easily mistake for an amusement park. However, after getting use to the layout, the reason why some booths are where they are makes perfect sense, and the extravagantly vibrant booths become landmarks for quick and correct navigation. Similar to Matterhorn mountain at Disneyland, these landmarks become fond images that are happily embedded into your mind.

The News

What was the biggest news at this year's E3? Nintendo wins that award, with their unveiling of a new console: The Wii U. New consoles are always what gamers hope are announced every year at E3, especially from those who are going to the convention and can brag to their friends that they actually got to play with the console a year before it came out. Nintendo is especially a scene stealer when they announce their consoles, because they always have the most funky controllers in the industry, and the first question people are dying to know is: Does the controller feel right? From what I have been hearing, it does indeed.

Other than the unveiling of the Playstation Vita, which wasn't too much of a surprise, this year's E3 was all about the games, as it should be. The best demonstrations came from Bioware's Mass Effect 3, Naughty Dog's Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, and Ubisoft's Assassain's Creed: Revelations. While the “behind closed doors” demonstration of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim made me run over pedestrians while racing to Gamestop to reserve the game. On the show floor, I didn't get to play as many games as I wished, but from the ones I played I'll be anxious to spend money on Dead Island, and Final Fantasy XIII-2. Overall, there was a lot to digest at this year's event.

Is it Worth It?

If the most gorgeous person you never hooked up with somehow presented you with the dilemma of going out on a date that would guarantee some action, versus going to this year's E3, I would advise you to go to E3. Is it worth it? A thousand times, yes! It was one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had, and I'm already anxious for another visit.

The gaming news frenzy isn't quite finish for the year. There is sure to be plenty of announcements and demos at the Tokyo Game Show. However, Comic-con is sure to have a fair share of it's own games that should quench any gaming news thirst E3 has caused to a hardcore gamer.