3D-Yes! [Nintendo 3DS/eShop/DS Holiday Line Up]

I really wanted to use “Wii U-betcha’!” in there, too, but…this is A Very Handheld Holiday post.

This will be a big holiday season for Nintendo. Think about it, the 3DS is now profitable and the Wii U, successor to their wildly-successful Wii console (duuuuuuuuuh), will be here before you know it. And while Wii release news is scant at best, that console isn’t exactly going away any time soon. People are still buying it.

Anyway…3DS, 3DS XL, and good ol’ regular DS gamers will be interested to know what games are coming your way as we approach the fall/holiday time of year. This is when the cream of the crop will rise above the cream of the crap, demanding your attention and dollaridoos. Probably best to start strategizing now, so you know how best to pen that list to Santa or mom or whatever. This isn’t about religion. This is about games. 3DS games, so they’re tiny. Why not ask for several?

Maybe you’re the Santa or mom, and you want to see what will be available for your little critter’s DS this season?

We’ve got something for all shapes and sizes. There’s even a new 3DS Harvest Moon on the way! I, for one, am pumped.

Shop early and often, because greed is good…right, Wario*?

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.

You can pick up Pokémon Black Version 2 and/or Pokémon White Version 2 will launch for your choosing Oct. 7. They’re 2D DS games, but…c’mon. It’s Pokemon, why let that stop you from catching ‘em all? And fire up the Nintendo eShop Pokémon Dream Radar Oct. 7 and Pokédex 3D Pro Nov. 8.

That’s just the super spotlight stuff.

There’s so much more!

If you were looking for Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, I hope you weren’t looking too hard…it’s been moved to 2013. Probably for the better, though. There’s a LOT on the way.

Check this out:

Activision Publishing, Inc.
Angry Birds Trilogy October
Bratz: Fashion Boutique October
Lalaloopsy: Carnival of Friends October
Moshi Monsters Moshlings Theme Park October
Skylanders Giants Oct. 21
TRANSFORMERS PRIME Oct. 30
The Trash Pack October
Wipeout 3 October
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
Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! Fall
Ben 10: Omniverse Fall

Disney Interactive
Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion Nov. 18
Disney•Pixar Finding Nemo September
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
American Mensa Academy October
Junior Classic Games October
Jett Tailfin November

Natsume Inc.
Harvest Moon: A New Beginning Q4

Nintendo
New Super Mario Bros. 2 Aug. 19
Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! Oct. 1
Crosswords Plus Oct. 1
Style Savvy: Trendsetters Oct. 22
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Oct. 28
Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! Nov. 5
Paper Mario: Sticker Star Nov. 11

SEGA
Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed Nov. 20

Storm City Entertainment
Chevrolet Camaro Wild Ride August
Old Skool Classics September
Word Wizard 3D September

Telegames, Inc.
Classic Games Overload: Card and Puzzle Edition November

Ubisoft
Rayman Origins Q3
Imagine Babyz Oct. 23
Imagine Fashion Life Oct. 23
Petz Countryside Nov. 6
Rabbids Rumble Holiday

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
LEGO The Lord of the Rings Fall
Spy HunterFall
Scribblenauts Unlimited Holiday

XSEED Games
Unchained Blades Summer

Nintendo eShop

Arc System Works
Vector Racing Aug. 23

Endgame Studio
Fractured Soul Q3

Gamelion
Speed X Q4

Konami
Gradius Q4
Mystical Ninja starring Goemon Q3

Nicalis
Cave Story Q3
Nightsky Q4

Nintendo
Pokémon Dream Radar Oct. 7
Sparkle Snapshots 3D Oct. 18
Pokédex 3D Pro Nov. 8
Fluidity: Spin Cycle Q4
Wario Land II Q4
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

2K Play
Nickelodeon Bubble Guppies Nov. 1
Nickelodeon Dora & Team Umizoomi: Fantastic Flight Nov. 1

Activision Publishing, Inc.
TRANSFORMERS PRIME Oct. 30
Bratz: Fashion Boutique October
Lalaloopsy: Carnival of Friends October
Moshi Monsters Moshlings Theme Park October
The Trash Pack October
Wreck It Ralph October

D3Publisher
Rise of the Guardians: The Video Game Nov. 20
Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! Fall
Ben 10: Omniverse Fall
Victorious: Taking the Lead Fall
Winx Club: Magical Fairy Party Fall

GameMill Entertainment
Big Time Rush Nov. 6
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
Pokémon White Version 2 Oct. 7

Scholastic Inc.
I SPY Game Pack September
Smart Games for Kids September

Telegames, Inc.
Puzzle Overload October

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
LEGO The Lord of the Rings Fall

*No new Wario games. Sorry.

[3DS icon image borrowed from ]

All About Tony Sadowski ...

Tony is a Philadelphia-based writer and producer with a taste for the quirky and comical. A lifelong gamer and pop culture addict, he is also 1/3 of the team behind the You Like the Worst Stuff podcast. Connect with him using the links below, especially on Twitter @TweetsByTheTony. Or send your thoughts to tony@ggsgamer.com!

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