Where do game developers go to learn how to make better games? The annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco is a week-long event filled with workshops like "He Who Ships, Wins: Producing GEARS OF WAR 2" and "Building Your Airplane While Flying: Production at Bungie." But for those of us in the press, GDC has turned into a mini-E3 of sorts, filled with keynotes, press conferences, and a chance to go hands-on with upcoming games. I spent the week in San Francisco filming my Spike show GameTrailers TV, and here are some of my highlights.

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata keynoted at GDC 2009.

Modern Warfare 2 was announced, without the Call of Duty name.

B.J. returns in a new Wolfenstein shooter this summer.

The conference began with a speech from Nintendo's president Satoru Iwata. It's no secret that Nintendo continues to dominate the sales charts, and April marks the introduction of its latest product: The DSi, an updated Nintendo DS featuring two cameras. Iwata broke the news at GDC by unveiling a brand new Zelda game for the DS tentatively titled The Legend of Zelda: Sprit Tracks. Based on the trailer, the game features Link riding around on a train that shoots cannonballs at enemies. The gameplay looks similar in style to Phantom Hourglass, although Nintendo was cagey on details or a release date (though Iwata did claim the game will be out this year).

As for the Wii, there is finally some good news for hardcore gamers. Besides the recent release of MadWorld, May brings the release of Punch-Out!! for the Wii. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime demonstrated it for me on the show floor, and the game looks to be a faithful recreation of this classic Nintendo franchise. You can use motion controls to bob and weave, or turn the controller sideways and play it just like you did back on the SNES. Many of your favorite fighters are back again and there is a new addition to the roster: the rather flamboyant Disco Boy. If you're a hardcore Nintendo fan, Punch Out is definitely worth renting when it comes out in mid-May.

One topic that Nintendo didn't address was the Wii Motion Plus controller add-on that will allow for much more precise movement. First introduced at E3 2008 with Wii Sports Resort, the add-on was nowhere to be found on the GDC show floor. Nevertheless, it must be coming soon, since third parties like EA Sports have been publicly demonstrating Motion Plus support in titles like Grand Slam Tennis and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, both due out in June.

In terms of other big GDC announcements, by far the biggest buzz was generated by the teaser trailer for the next Call of Duty, simply titled Modern Warfare 2 (it appears they've dropped the Call of Duty branding). The teaser aired for the first time as a surprise at the end of the Game Developers Choice Awards - and it definitely was a teaser. The near two-minute trailer - modeled after the teaser for the Dark Knight - was based around a green sound wave that expands to show live-action footage and brief glimpses of in-game images. What do we know for sure? Not much besides the game's release date: November 10th, 2009. Fans have already started to speculate about elements in the teaser, including the presence of Russian dialogue, and images that appear to depict a submarine. We should be hearing more about Modern Warfare 2 at E3 in June.

As for games on display at GDC, I spent a few hours with Activision looking at three of their upcoming releases for the summer. The first, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is based on the film due out in early May. While the trailers and screenshots have been relatively tame, let me assure you that this is a brutal M-rated title. At one point, for example, Wolverine pulls a helicopter pilot out of his seat and proceeds to decapitate him by thrusting his head into the chopper blades. Developed by Raven Software, Wolverine may finally make up for a series of underwhelming X-Men games. Wolverine is doing double-duty this year, as he's also featured in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, an action-RPG which will include more than 20 marvel superheroes in a Civil War storyline.

The final game I spent time playing was Wolfenstein, the long-awaited first-person shooter based on the classic id Software franchise. While you might expect another mindless action game, the development team at Raven has added a lot of depth to the experience. There are extensive cutscenes for storytelling, and a whole layer of strategy with "veil powers" that let you do things like slow down time and uncover secret paths. Set during World War II, the veil powers are possible by tapping into the Nazi's "black sun" energy, a result of research into the occult. Scheduled for a summer release, this game could be a sleeper hit that delivers high quality action on the Xbox 360 and PS3. After playing for the better part of an hour, the game reminded me of the fun I had playing Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Next month I'll be back with a sneak preview of E3 2009 which takes place in early June in Los Angeles. What will the big three console companies announce at the show? I'll give you my insider perspective next month.