Coming to Nintendo 3DS in 2012

What does Nintendo have in store for 3DS gamers in 2012?  In 2011, Nintendo might have stumbled through the launch of their latest handheld with a shortage of software that leveraged the strengths of the device.  As the ship begins to steady for Nintendo, 2012 looks to be a year with a ton of great content headed our way.  Covering all their bases here are some of the big games to expect in 2012 for the Nintendo 3DS.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 – Luigi is back on a mission to remove a bunch of stubborn ghosts from some spooky mansions. Armed with his trusty Poltergust ghost-sucking vacuum cleaner, Mario’s brother takes center stage to capture these pesky phantoms.  We got to play Luigi’s Mansion 2 at E3 earlier this year, and it’s one of the games that truly got us excited about the 3DS.  With Miyamoto claiming that the sequel will be more puzzle oriented than the original, its hard not be excited about this sequel to the GameCube classic.

Paper Mario 3DS – Gameplay in Paper Mario 3DS is similar to that of the original Paper Mario and its first sequel, where combat consists of turn-based battles, though its papercraft visual style has been updated to take advantage of the 3D capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS in order to create a sense of depth.  Expect more action and platforming segments in Paper Mario 3DS compared to its predecessors.

Kid Icarus: Uprising – Medusa has been resurrected and is gathering the underworld forces of darkness to fulfill her ambition. You play as an angel named Pit who is bestowed the power of flight from Palutena, the Goddess of Light. Repel the Medusa’s underworld army with your choice of an array of weapons like: Blades, Claws, Bow, Cannon, Mace, Staff and others that you will discover along your journey. Multiplayer mode allows for competitive gameplay locally or over a wireless Internet connection. Its time for Medusa to meet the power of light and only you can guide Pit to victory!

Resident Evil: Revelations – Revealing a brand new storyline for the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil: Revelations sees the return to survival horror, offering a tense and intriguing gameplay experience. Built from the ground up to take advantage of the Nintendo 3DS features, Resident Evil: Revelations delivers outstanding visuals that bring the fear to life. The story is set principally on board a supposedly abandoned cruise ship in the Mediterranean. Far from being empty, the ship hides danger around every corner as Jill Valentine explores the confined space of the ship, facing menacing horrors that emerge from the darkness.

Metal Gear Solid: SnakeEater 3DS – While MGS Snake Eater was one of the first games to be shown for the 3DS at E3 2010, handheld owners have had a long wait on their hands for the game.  Due out in 2012, the title is said to take full advantage of many of the 3DS capabilities.  Shooting for the same type of audience garnered from the PSP release of MGS Peacewalker, Snake Eater has been revealed to be the most ideal use of the steroscopic 3D due to its jungle setting and terrain.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance – King Mickey and Yen Sid prepare for an impending threat by putting Sora and Riku through the Mark of Mastery exam. Sora and Riku are sent into the Sleeping Worlds, where they will face enemies and allies that have never been seen before. If they can successfully complete the task they are given, they will be deemed true Keyblade Masters.

Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle – While no dates have been confirmed as far as the latest from Level-5.  Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle launched with the handheld earlier this year in Japan, and is said to be heading worldwide at some point in 2012.   Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle was the best selling 3DS game in the Japanese launch of the handheld.  The popular puzzle game will hopefully make it to North American shores sometime within the next year.