UPDATE: You may have noticed that Luigi’s Mansion is nowhere to be found on this list. That’s because Nintendo officially delayed the title to the first half of 2013. So much for that.
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Nintendo of America just unveiled a ton of release dates for upcoming 3DS games for the rest of the year. On the retail front, notable 3DS games include Paper Mario: Sticker Star coming November 11th, Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations Alive! for November 5th, and Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask for October 28th. On the 3DS’ eShop, notable releases include Nicalis’ Cave Story and Konami’s Mystical Ninja starring Goemon listed for Q3. We also have Nintendo’s Fluidity: Spin Cycle, Wario Land II and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Konami’s Gradius (presumably the Game Boy version) and Nicalis’ Nightsky listed for Q4.
The most interesting piece of information is of XSEED’s Unchained Blades. Not only has the release date for the game changed to Q3, but it’s also listed as a retail title with a Summer release date. Since XSEED has never said anything about a retail release in North America, I’m just going to assume that was a goof on Nintendo of America’s part. Also, the push for the digital release to Q3 would make sense, considering that mid-August is when retail games will be available on the eShop, starting with New Super Mario Bros. 2.
Here’s the press release from Nintendo of America.
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Nintendo’s Portable Game Lineup Offers Boundless Fun for Everyone in 2012
Dates Confirmed for New Games, Including Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask
NOTE: Multimedia available here
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– From puzzles and mysteries to fashion and photo fun, the diverse lineup of games set to arrive for the hand-held Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL systems during the remainder of 2012 truly has something for everyone. Nintendo today revealed launch dates for several upcoming games, including packaged games that will be available in stores as well as downloadable games and applications that consumers can purchase digitally via the Nintendo eShop. What’s more, the Aug. 19 launch of the Nintendo 3DS XL system will let players enjoy their games on an even larger scale, with screens 90 percent larger than those on the original Nintendo 3DS.
Upcoming games and software for Nintendo 3DS include new installments in several of Nintendo’s fan-favorite franchises as well as great games from third-party partners. Newly dated games on the way include the following (details subject to change):
Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! (Oct. 1) – Users of any artistic skill level can learn painting and drawing techniques that can be applied to real-life art projects, with optional, additional lessons available for purchase.* The game also lets users share and download certain game content via SpotPass.*
Crosswords Plus (Oct. 1) – More than 1,000 professionally designed crossword puzzles will challenge players at any skill level. They can also receive and share bonus puzzles via StreetPass or connect their Nintendo 3DS to the Internet to receive free additional puzzles via SpotPass.* The game also includes other game play modes such as Wordsearch, Anagrams and the new Word of the Day.
Sparkle Snapshots 3D (Oct. 18) – Launching exclusively in the Nintendo eShop*, this downloadable game is a fun photography application that lets you personalize your 2D photos by adding 3D layers of stickers, ribbons, pens and other effects. Users can then share creations wirelessly with friends or transfer them to an SD card and email them.
Skylanders Giants from Activision Publishing, Inc. (Oct. 21) – Fans can look forward to more than 20 new inter-action figures to collect, including Giants that are twice the size of regular Skylanders and new LightCore Skylanders that light up both in the game and in real life when they are placed on the Portal of Power.
Style Savvy: Trendsetters (Oct. 22) – Players can run their very own full-scale fashion shop and spark a fashion revolution by helping customers keep up with current trends, buying new clothes for their customizable store and sharing their creations with their friends online.*
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (Oct. 28) – Experienced fans and newcomers to the Professor Layton series can solve dozens of fascinating puzzles as they work their way through a new mystery storyline. Players can even download one additional puzzle per day for 365 days, starting on game launch day, at no additional charge.*
Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! (Nov. 5) – Players can create their own creatures and use them to explore a planet that they customize. Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! contains new features not found in the original downloadable title, such as dungeons to explore, enhanced creating capabilities with more parts to choose from and new special powers that can be used to further personalize the creatures. The game also features Download Play, which allows players to share the creative experience with friends who do not have a copy of the game.
Paper Mario: Sticker Star (Nov. 11) – Nintendo’s classic Paper Mario franchise gets a fresh 3D look in its hand-held debut. Stickers are the backbone of Mario’s newest adventure in which players use stickers found in the game to not only win battles, but to solve puzzles as well.
Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion from Disney Interactive (Nov. 18) – Inspired by the classic Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, this game features new ways for Mickey Mouse to interact with a 3D game world using paint and paint thinner.
* – wireless Internet access required
“The wide variety of games and applications for Nintendo hand-held systems will put a smile on everyone’s face this holiday season,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Plus, with a new larger-size version of the Nintendo 3DS, consumers have even more choices. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just discovering Nintendo systems for the first time, you’ll have more ways to play than ever before.”
Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL users can also look forward to sharing even more of their 3D photos via the online Nintendo 3DS Photo Showcase website at http://photoshowcase.nintendo.com. Galleries filled with fun, eye-popping pictures are updated every week, highlighting the creativity of Nintendo fans and the interactive fun of Nintendo 3DS.
Remember also that Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 will launch on Oct. 7 for Nintendo DS systems (also playable on Nintendo 3DS in 2D), and Pokémon Dream Radar and Pokédex 3D Pro arrive exclusively in the Nintendo eShop on Oct. 7 and Nov. 8, respectively. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon will now be available in the first half of 2013 in the Americas.
See the charts below for a partial list of upcoming games and software for hand-held Nintendo systems (details subject to change).
Nintendo 3DS
Publisher Title Available
Activision Publishing, Inc. Angry Birds Trilogy October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Bratz: Fashion Boutique October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Lalaloopsy: Carnival of Friends October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Moshi Monsters Moshlings Theme Park October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Skylanders Giants Oct. 21
Activision Publishing, Inc. TRANSFORMERS PRIME Oct. 30
Activision Publishing, Inc. The Trash Pack October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Wipeout 3 October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Wreck It Ralph October
Aksys Games Localization, Inc. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward Oct. 23
ATLUS (Index Digital Media, Inc.) Code of Princess Oct. 9
D3Publisher Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game Nov. 20
D3Publisher Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! Fall
D3Publisher Ben 10: Omniverse Fall
Disney Interactive Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion Nov. 18
Disney Interactive Disney·Pixar Finding Nemo September
Disney Interactive Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure September
Electronic Arts FIFA 13 September
GameMill Entertainment Hotel Transylvania Sept. 18
Majesco Entertainment Hello Kitty Picnic October
Maximum Games 50 Classic Games October
Maximum Games American Mensa Academy October
Maximum Games Junior Classic Games October
Maximum Games Jett Tailfin November
Natsume Inc. Harvest Moon: A New Beginning Q4
Nintendo New Super Mario Bros. 2 Aug. 19
Nintendo Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! Oct. 1
Nintendo Crosswords Plus Oct. 1
Nintendo Style Savvy: Trendsetters Oct. 22
Nintendo Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Oct. 28
Nintendo Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! Nov. 5
Nintendo Paper Mario: Sticker Star Nov. 11
SEGA Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed Nov. 20
Storm City Entertainment Chevrolet Camaro Wild Ride August
Storm City Entertainment Old Skool Classics September
Storm City Entertainment Word Wizard 3D September
Telegames, Inc. Classic Games Overload: Card and Puzzle Edition November
Ubisoft Rayman Origins Q3
Ubisoft Imagine Babyz Oct. 23
Ubisoft Imagine Fashion Life Oct. 23
Ubisoft Petz Countryside Nov. 6
Ubisoft Rabbids Rumble Holiday
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment LEGO The Lord of the Rings Fall
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Spy Hunter Fall
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Scribblenauts Unlimited Holiday
XSEED Games Unchained Blades Summer
Nintendo eShop
Publisher Game Available
Arc System Works Vector Racing Aug. 23
Endgame Studio Fractured Soul Q3
Gamelion Speed X Q4
Konami Gradius Q4
Konami Mystical Ninja starring Goemon Q3
Nicalis Cave Story Q3
Nicalis Nightsky Q4
Nintendo Pokémon Dream Radar Oct. 7
Nintendo Sparkle Snapshots 3D Oct. 18
Nintendo Pokédex 3D Pro Nov. 8
Nintendo Fluidity: Spin Cycle Q4
Nintendo Wario Land II Q4
Nintendo Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Q4
nnooo Spirit Hunters Inc. Q4
Teyon Crazy Chicken: Pirates 3D Aug. 16
UFO Interactive Johnny Impossible Q3
XSEED Games Unchained Blades Q3
Nintendo DS
Publisher Game Available
2K Play Nickelodeon Bubble Guppies Nov. 1
2K Play Nickelodeon Dora & Team Umizoomi: Fantastic Flight Nov. 1
Activision Publishing, Inc. TRANSFORMERS PRIME Oct. 30
Activision Publishing, Inc. Bratz: Fashion Boutique October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Lalaloopsy: Carnival of Friends October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Moshi Monsters Moshlings Theme Park October
Activision Publishing, Inc. The Trash Pack October
Activision Publishing, Inc. Wreck It Ralph October
D3Publisher Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game Nov. 20
D3Publisher Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! Fall
D3Publisher Ben 10: Omniverse Fall
D3Publisher Victorious: Taking the Lead Fall
D3Publisher Winx Club: Magical Fairy Party Fall
GameMill Entertainment Big Time Rush Nov. 6
GameMill Entertainment Hotel Transylvania Sept. 18
Little Orbit Monster High: Skultimate Roller Maze Nov. 13
NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. THUNDERCATS Sept. 25
Nintendo Pokémon Black Version 2 Oct. 7
Nintendo Pokémon White Version 2 Oct. 7
Scholastic Inc. I SPY Game Pack September
Scholastic Inc. Smart Games for Kids September
Telegames, Inc. Puzzle Overload October
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment LEGO The Lord of the Rings Fall
Remember that Nintendo 3DS features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.
For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.9 billion video games and more than 630 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.
