An Inspir3D System Line-Up

Not that anyone noticed, but last Friday was a very important day. Not just because it was the 1st of July and therefor officially the point in which us in Britain can be legitimately disappointed when it rains, rather than just sighing and carrying on but due to a more gaming-related reason. The first day of July marked the release of Resident Evil: The Mercenaries, a landmark in the history of Nintendo handhelds. Firstly, on a lighter note, it was the quickest time in which a Nintendo handheld has gained an 18-rated title, just three months, (It took both the GBA and DS three years to gain a GTA title, which went on to be their only adult-only games.) but secondly, and most significantly, it was the tenth good game on the 3DS. Yes, Nintendo's most recent portable system has gained another digit on the count and with it achieves the feat far quicker than the humble DS, a system that now boasts the best library to grace any console, Ever.

For my money, these ten games are launch titles Super Street Fighter IV, Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, Ridge Racer 3D, Pilotwings Resort, Pro Evolution Soccer 3D and Nintendogs plus more recent releases in the collective shapes of Dead or Alive: Dimensions, Steel Diver, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and now Mercenaries. OK, perhaps Steel Diver is pushing it slightly as it'll never become a classic or anything as a number of the mentioned titles may well do, but as an early piece of software, it's quite nice. I currently own five of these games, with intentions to pick up them all when the price dips on those I do not own. (Ridge Racer is already beginning to slip.)

Mario's headed to the 3DS, via the Galaxy team's bus. Can't be bad, can it?

What's all the more remarkable is the coming line-up of games. This autumn/winter period, the 3DS shall be hit by an incredible amount of triple A titles. Never before have Nintendo spoilt us like this, the closest I can think being the grand November of 2007 that saw a brand new Metroid and Zelda launch just either side of Probably The Best Game Ever, Super Mario Galaxy. Within three months (Or even less) Nintendo shall be launching a new Mario platformer, Star Fox in full 3D, a brand new Mario Kart title and the long-awaited return of Kid Icarus on top of a brand new Wii Zelda game that's been in the works of six years.

This is before you look at this Christmas' third-party software for the little miracle-box. There's Metal Gear Solid launching for it, a new Tales game from tri-Ace (Who are also working on the incredible-looking Beyond the Labyrinth, as I reported for AV-Gamers the other day.) and an original BluBlaze title also being given the 3DS treatment. Don't forget Doctor Larautec, either, France's answer to Professor Layton or the surprisingly good looking Pac-Man Dimensions, which includes the whole of both Pac-Man: Championship Editions and Pac-Man Vs, two very fine games indeed, as well as various reworkings on Galaga. Don't forget the online store, either, which shall be letting you download Mario's Picross before long, great news for square-guzzling fans like me.

It's important to remember that by comparison, the DS had a really start. It took it a year and a half to get a 'proper' RPG (And even then, it was the rather underwhelming LostMagic) and by the Christmas point had just five good games, (Mario 64, Meteos, Nintendogs again, Sonic Rush, Mario Kart) as opposed to nearly 20 as the 3DS shall have. (I've also written off the somewhat promising Dream Triger, an ultra-hardcore bullet hell title with rhythm action elements.) For a machine coming under so much criticism, you have say that it's a pretty strong line-up, especially compared to a system that didn't get as much stick yet struggled even more. It's already got a better library than the PSP and it's godawful lack of diversity. The 3DS has a big future ahead of it, you've just got to believe.