3DS in 2012: Coming Soon to a Handheld Near You

Despite all the flack the system received at launch for its lack of software, the tides have most certainly changed for Nintendo's newest handheld. Thanks to the boost of the holiday season and the support of some huge software releases (most notable Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7), the 3DS has already pushed past the 4 million units sold mark in both Japan and the U.S., and has even sold more than both the Wii and DS did in their respective first nine months on the market.

But the 3DS can only hope to maintain this success if Nintendo continues to support the system with good software - and luckily, that looks to be the case. Below you'll find some of the big titles you can expect to see coming soon to a 3DS near you. Some of them have solid release dates, some of them don't. As always, it's possible some of these dates will get pushed. Still, these are the titles 3DS owners can reasonably expect to get their hands on during the first half of the year. Pull out your wish list and take note.

One of the most exciting games on the 3DS horizon has to be Resident Evil Revelations. Rich spent a considerable amount of time with the game last month, and what he saw has him incredibly excited for the next chapter in the RE series. Following Rich's playthrough of the first six or so hours of Revelations, we posted a host of tasty new footage of the game, which you can check out at our Resident Evil Revelations video page. If you're too lazy to click on the provided link, you can catch a glimpse of Capcom's forthcoming survival horror adventure below.


RE Revelations is set to release on February 7. It so far seems poised as a return to the franchise's survival horror roots, with more intense atmosphere and suspense complemented by some of the innovations of the later, more action-oriented RE games. If you've ever been a fan of Resident Evil, turn off the lights, hold tight to your new handheld and prepare to be impressed.

Not one to be left in the dust, Snake will also be sneaking his way onto Nintendo's newest handheld this coming March, by way of Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater. The title is a remake of MGS 3, which originally debuted on the PlayStation 2. The game brought some great concepts to the MGS formula, such as the camouflage index, the Close Quarters Combat system and the health/stamina system.


MGS 3D will be one of a handful of titles to support the Circle Pad Pro, the 3DS peripheral that will allow gamers to add an additional circle pad to their systems for use with select titles. The menu and item system will also be more streamlined thanks to the dual screens, and you'll be able to use the 3DS camera to create custom camouflage. Whether you've played this game or not, it should prove a solid purchase for stealth-loving 3DS owners.

It'll likely be a good, long while until developer Masahiro Sakurai reveals more info on the next Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. Luckily, we have a blast from Nintendo's past to tide us over in the meantime. Along with the rest of his Project Sora team, Sakurai is giving new life to the angelic hero, Pit, a relic from the NES and Game Boy era.


The verdict is still out on whether or not Uprising has what it takes to bring this cult favorite series to a wider audience, but unless the March 23 release date is pushed back, we won't have to wait terribly long to find out.

RPG fans rejoice - the PlayStation 2 fan favorite is getting a 3DS update, which is currently slated to release sometime next month. This entry in the Tales series blends turn-based encounters with real-time attacks for a unique battle system that truly sets it apart.

Tales of the Abyss will remain largely untouched from its original version, save for the fact that it will be presented in full stereoscopic 3D. It will also make use of the system's dual screens for things like assigning skills for faster action during battles. It will mark the first time the game has ever been available on a Nintendo platform.