10 things we're anticipating at E3 2009

No other single week during the year packs in as much anticipation, excitement, and surprises as E3. The year's biggest show promises huge news for handheld gaming, particularly in 2009, with portables expected to take the spotlight during the show.

Mammoth announcements from Sony, Nintendo, and a slate of publishers could make this an important juncture for pocket gaming and there's a hell of a lot to look forward to.

While we don't know of everything to be shown and talked about during the week, we do know of the following ten things that we're dying to play and see during E3 2009.

Is there something you're anticipating from E3? Let us know by leaving a comment or visiting the forums!

Top 10 things to anticipate at E3 2009

First concrete details on LittleBigPlanet for PSP

As far as anticipation goes, our eagerness to bag new details on Sackboy's handheld debut is right at the top of the list. The lauded release on PlayStation 3 points to a sophisticated game with level sharing, content creation, and accessible platform play.

Who are we kidding? We just think Sackboy and his partner in crime Sackgirl are effin' adorable.

Potent cross-platform content sharing and integrated PlayStation Network features promise to make it a cutting edge game, but it's really the prospect of great gameplay that has us looking forward to checking out LittleBigPlanet next month.

Notable DSiWare games being unveiled

One of the biggest disappointments following the release of DSi has been the lack of worthwhile DSiWare games. While not horrible, the current library is only mildly interesting at best.

We've been calling for cool new titles to hit the download circuit and we're likely to see some at the show. At the very least, if the games aren't shown Nintendo will announce new DSiWare games. Even if they are ports from iPhone such as the rumoured Car Jack Streets, it's a step in the right direction and far more exciting than Animal Crossing Clock.

Potential first hands on with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for DS While it's not likely that Nintendo will have much to show beyond a new batch of screenshots, we can hope that E3 2009 will provide a first hands on opportunity for Link's next adventure.

The Legend of Zelda series always nabs our attention and for good reason: each instalment of this massive adventure series is a veritable masterpiece.

Though we have scant few details on Spirit Tracks, there's no doubt that it will prove to be another hit. Even if it's only a couple of new screenshots, any new information on this high profile DS title should be exciting.

iPhone games being revealed by big name publishers

Metal Gear Solid Touch started a wave of big name game publishers taking interest in iPhone and we're sure to see more noted franchises coming to the device. Konami, Namco-Bandai, EA, Capcom, and others are gearing up to drop well-known series onto iPhone.

Whether they're brave enough to develop full games instead of dumping quick hits onto iPhone is the real question.

Guaranteed hands on with MotorStorm: Arctic Edge for PSP Racers are in ample supply, though none is as stunningly beautiful or promising as much intense gameplay as MotorStorm: Arctic Edge.

That's why we're eager to go hands on with it during E3, one of the few certainties of the show. On top of the fantastic visuals, we now know that the game will pack online races for up to eight players.

The real question, though, is how closely does it keep to the feel of its big brothers on PlayStation 3. We'll know in less than a fortnight when we play it.

New game from Sony Bend being announced

With three incredible action games under its belt (Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror, Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow, and Resistance: Retribution), we have our eyes on the next project coming from Sony Bend.

These guys know handheld action and have a knack for pushing the limits on visual fidelity and gameplay. Another Syphon Filter adventure? A second Resistance outing? Perhaps something original? It doesn't matter because this studio's pedigree is so pure that whatever it's working on is bound to make waves.

Jamming with LEGO Rock Band on DS Handheld music games aren't anything new, but LEGO Rock Band is building buzz by virtue of its odd combination of bricks and bands. It's a pairing so bizarre that it has to be cool.

When we meet with Warner Bros. during E3, this is at the top of our list for games we have to see. Will it come with a peripheral like Guitar Hero: On Tour? Can you sing into the microphone like in Rock Revolution? We'll find out when we jam to this strange new game at the show.

Putting rumours of a new PSP model to rest

We've been talking about this for months now and squashing all speculation of a new PSP will be fantastic. While we're confident that some new hardware is going to be unveiled during Sony's June 2 press conference, even no announcement will put these rumours to rest, at least for a little while.

The daily deluge of insider tips and teases has gotten out of control: it's hard to decipher what's legitimate at this point. Come E3, though, we'll have concrete details on this topic and it'll be awesome to finally tag PSP 2/PSP-4000/PSP Go! stories as fact and not rumour.

Debating the superiority of Tekken 6 versus Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny

When we learned last month that Namco-Bandai is prepping two big name brawlers for PSP later this year, we knew the debate as to which one was better would heat up during E3.

Why? Both games are expected to be playable for the first time during the show, which means fans of either series ought to be ready to rumble come the first week of June following our meeting with Namco Bandai.

Whichever series you prefer, there's no denying that having two great fighting games on show is a knockout development.

Discovering the low profile, off-the-radar hidden gem of the show

Every year at E3, there's one or two games that never get the attention that big name titles like The Legend of Zelda or Resistance: Retribution get, but amaze us with cool gameplay.

These hidden gems are one of the best parts about E3 and something that we can never accurately predict. Will it come from Japanese role-playing game maker Atlus? Perhaps Playlogic will wow us with an out-of-the-blue game? Hard to say, but there's no doubt a surprise is lurking in the halls of E3 2009.