E3 1995 - 2009 in video
The rise, fall and resurrection of the greatest show on Earth
This news report from 1997 shows the games of E3, noting that A: N64 had a software shortage and B: the next-generation of machines was still some way away. Still, there was a little game on display called GoldenEye...
Sadly, '97 was the last great E3 for the Saturn. But there were some cracking games being shown off, including Sonic R, Panzer Dragoon Saga and Fighting Force (before it was cancelled).
And then there was a game called Prey by 3D Realms that was almost finished. Oh, and something called Duke Nukem Forever. Prize quotes include: "We're really lucky at 3D Realms... we really aren't structured by the quarter system, that whole business model that drives everybody crazy," "Our tagline is 'it's done when it's done'," and "We're shooting for a shareware release some time in summer 1998 [for Prey]". Course you were.
A year later and the same interviewer got chatting to Paul Schuytema about Prey again. It's in a back room so there's no dancing to speak of, but there was more of that Prey portal technology, now with a weapon that allowed you to place two portals and activate them at will - a full decade before Portal wowed us all.
And there was an actual gameplay trailer for Duke Nukem Forever! Must be close now!
Back to the showfloor with this TV report. Dreamcast was doing its thing and Shenmue was impressing everyone. Sony were still pushing PS1and there was another Lara Croft model to ogle, on top of belly dancers (not literally) and... apes. If that's your thing.
Thought the bellydancers were hot? You ain't seen nothing yet - check out the next page!
Sign up to the 12DOVE Newsletter
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
Justin was a GamesRadar staffer for 10 years but is now a freelancer, musician and videographer. He's big on retro, Sega and racing games (especially retro Sega racing games) and currently also writes for Play Magazine, Traxion.gg, PC Gamer and TopTenReviews, as well as running his own YouTube channel. Having learned to love all platforms equally after Sega left the hardware industry (sniff), his favourite games include Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, Zelda BotW, Sea of Thieves, Sega Rally Championship and Treasure Island Dizzy.