3DS 'launch window' to include more than 30 games leading up to E3

By James Ransom-Wiley

Did you hear? It's got a built-in pedometer! The 3DS measures your steps as you walk — right there in your pocket! Even better: You can pull the thing out whenever and snap all kinds of pics — the thing's got three cameras! And get this: It also pipes out music, browses the internet and even plays games.

True, you've already got a pile of old DS games (and now defunct DS devices) that you could be playing on your new pedometer, but more than 30 three-DEE titles are expected to be released during the 3DS "launch window" (which begins March 27 and promptly closes on June 7 with the start of E3).

We've listed 24 of the apparent launch-window releases after the break (though Nintendo's being coy about exact dates), including Nintendo's own Nintendogs + cats and Pilotwings Resort, plus a hearty helping of third-party support; with notable newcomers, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked (previously unannounced outside of Japan) and Crush 3D, a possible port of the 2007 PSP platforming puzzler from Sega.

Don't look at the date ambiguity in dismay — see it as an opportunity! Beginning in late March, you can walk to and from GameStop in anticipation of a new batch of games each Tuesday for ten whole weeks, and the 3DS will count your steps — each and every one of them! And just imagine how many Street Passes you're going to rack up?

First-Party Launch Window Titles

  • Nintendogs + cats
  • Pilotwings Resort
  • Steel Diver

Third-Party Titles "Coming Soon" (Partial List)

  • Asphal 3D (Ubisoft)
  • Bust-a-Move Universe (Square Enix)
  • Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D (Ubisoft)
  • Crush 3D (Sega)
  • Dead or Alive Dimensions (Tecmo Koei)
  • Dual Pen Sport (Namco Bandai)
  • Lego Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars (LucasArts)
  • Madden NFL Football (EA Sports)
  • Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D (Konami)
  • Rabbids Travel in Time (Ubisoft)
  • Rayman 3D (Ubisoft)
  • Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (Capcom)
  • Ridge Racer 3D (Namco Bandai)
  • Samurai Warriors Chronicles (Tecmo Koei)
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked (Atlus)
  • The Sims 3 (EA)
  • Super Monkey Ball 3D (Sega)
  • Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (Capcom)
  • Thor: God of Thunder (Sega)
  • Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars (Ubisoft)
  • Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell 3D (Ubisoft)

First-Party Titles "In the Works"

  • Animal Crossing game
  • Kid Icarus: Uprising
  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
  • Mario Kart game
  • Paper Mario game
  • Star Fox 64 3D

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