The year of Luigi continues as more details have been announced about the Green Wonder’s many appearances this year.

• First off, we get a little more information about Mario&Luigi: Dream Team. We got to see a lot of the combat this time around as various Bro moves were showcased. Some familiar platforming moves return, including the famous Bro Tornado, as well as many new ones. The two can kick shells back and forth; they can grab hold of a flying plate to do a super pile driver; in the dream world Mario can roll up a Katamari like ball of Luigi's to bowl down the enemies and use many Luigi's in one tornado to reach farther out platforms. Luigi's mustache can also be used to grab and throw Mario during platforming sections in the dream world. The projected release date is August 11^th, 2013.
• Next is Mario Golf: World Tour. Introduced in February, this update as outlined a few of the multiplayer options. If you can’t guess from the title, World Tour will have a variety of online options. There will be the standard competitive play worldwide along with the ability to upload your score onto worldwide leader boards and tournament tiers. Another option is the ability to use the community feature to play with friends or with others along a certain theme. Themes can include standard golf rules with no special shots, compete on specific courses at certain times, or use only on character. Though we don’t have a specific time, the projected release date is Summer 2013.
• Third from the Mario world is a new Mario Party, though this one hasn't been given a number yet. The mechanics are much the same with seven boards this time, dice rolls, chaotic environments, and eighty-one new mini-games that use many of the 3DS' features. Again, there is no release date, but they are guessing for Winter 2013.
• Extra information has been announced for New Super Luigi U, the DLC for the Wii U's New Super Mario Bros. U. All eighty-two stages have been changed to accommodate Luigi as the main hero. Luigi, true to form, can jump higher than Mario and reach greater distances. On the other hand, his sliding movements return, making his stopping distance a lot longer. This time around, all the stages have only one hundred seconds for completion. The stages will be shorter but with more obstacles and are made for replayability. The DLC should be released this Summer, 2013.

Focusing next on the 3DS, we've seen some new announcements that longtime fans of Nintendo should be pleased with.

• More information has been revealed for Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. The biggest release is the new game mode added, simply known as “New Mode.” This mode will be easier than the original mode, adding extra health and items to get through a level. Hardcore fans can relax, however, as the original difficulty will still be available, right away, in “Original Mode.” A new world Nine will be available as well, with eight new levels to defeat. We should see this hit shelves, May 24^th, 2013.
• After a six year hiatus, we’ll be seeing a new Yoshi’s Island game. From the trailer, a lot of the familiar mechanics will stay the same, including the platforming, the eggs, and charming art. Being on a new system, the graphics will be updated and some new options will be available, including the ability to throw a giant egg. As this is the initial announcement, no release date has been given yet.
• Next from the downloadables marketplace, we have Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move. This title puts the player into the role of a path builder, leading the mini Mario's to then end star, collecting coins on the way. The player puts down blocks with path markings to guide them, being able to switch out blocks and create new paths. There will be different game modes with different limitations and challenges. Also included will be four different mini-games to play outside of the main game. This title should launch May 9^th.

For those of you with a Wii U, some updates and online options were also mentioned.

• The spring system update will be releasing soon. It should decrease loading times for channels and software. It will allow you to copy data to external drives. It will also allow for background downloads, so you can download new features while playing. It should also allow for automatic updates, even when the system is not on.
• The Virtual Console is also getting some updates with a variety of games available. You will be able to get a hold of Donkey Kong Jr., Excite Bike, Super Mario World, Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Ice Climbers, Kirby Super Star, Punch Out, Super Metroid, Balloon Fight, Kirby’s Adventure, and F-Zero. If you don’t own these games already, they will run you between $4.99 and $8.99. If you already have them, you can get the updated versions for $1.00-$1.50.
• An update for Pikmin 3 has shown off a new kind of Pikmin, the flying Pikmin. These Pikmin will be able to carry objects over bodies of water and over the heads of some enemies. As of yet, there is no release date, but more information will be released.
• Retro gamers can rejoice as a big announcement for the Virtual Console takes the form of Earthbound coming to the Wii U. It was already available in Japan, but after a large fan reaction from the states, Nintendo has decided to release it here. Again, no date has been given, but they predict that it will be available by the end of this year.

Bill Trinen gave a few more updates about what 3DS and Wii U owners in North America can expect.

• For the Wii U, a new WarioWare game will be released called Game&Wario. Many of your favorite characters will be back, including 9-Volt, Kat&Anna, Ashley, and Young Cricket. The new mini-games will take advantage of both the Wii U’s motion control, and the interplay between the game pad and TV. One section with 9-Volt shows the player having to pause and hide from his mother as she patrols outside his room, trying to catch him playing games. There will be the traditional twitch reaction games, and some new ones built around the Wii U. And while little information was given, we will be seeing multiplayer games as well. Look for this game June 23^rd.
• Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate has received the update allowing for play on the gamepad, not just the TV. This feature was promised before release, but has taken a little time to get to the general public.
• Lego City Undercover will be seeing a prequel release for the 3DS called Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins. The game will follow the main character, Chase McCain, as he moves up the ranks from a rookie cop rescuing dogs and going on doughnut runs, to the undercover cop we are familiar with. The signature humor will return, as well as the open world aspect. Whether it will be as large as the Wii U version remains to be seen. This game launches soon, on April 21^st.
• With Animal Crossing: New Leaf coming out, Nintendo is releasing a special Animal Crossing bundle pack for the 3DS. It will include a special 3DS XL with Animal Crossing icons dotted on the case, and a digital copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf on an SD card.
• The 3DS Virtual Console is getting a big tag-team release as Legends of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons and Legends of Zelda: Oracle of Ages are both coming to the online store. Fans may remember the connection options that the two games had, including trading rings, passwords, and a special final boss. These functions are still going to be available with the download titles. These two will be available on May 30^th.
• Bravely Default: Flying Fairy from SquareEnix will be released to the North American audience. This RPG will offer a few new strategies for battles, multiple endings, special wireless support, and visuals much like we saw with Final Fantasy 3 for the D's. As of now, the only release time known is in 2014.
• The second trilogy final to Professor Layton will be released with Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy. The game will feature Professor Layton and Lucas traveling the globe, solving over five hundred puzzles. This one is also slated for release sometime in 2014.
• Level-5 Studios will be having a big impact on the eShop by releasing four new games. First up isThe Starship Damrey, what is apparently a sci-fi first-person exploration/horror game; with players having to put together what happened and why there are on the ship. Second is Bugs vs. Tanks, a squad based game where the player gets to control a number of World War 2 tanks that have been shrunk down to battle bugs of all kinds. Finally, there is Attack of the Friday Monsters!: A Tokyo Tale, a game about a boy who lives in a town that is attacked every Friday by giant monsters and robots from much of Japan’s fiction. Little of the game play has been seen for this one. No release date has been given for any of these titles.
• Fans of Atlus and their popular RPGs will be glad to know that Shin Megami Tensei 4 is coming to the 3DS. A special edition box set will be available that includes the game, a music collection, and an art book, all housed in a collectible case. The game should be seen in North America this summer, July 16^th.

Possibly the biggest announcement has come from Reggie Fils-Aime. The 3DS will soon be seeing a sequel to The Legends of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Tentatively titled Legends of Zelda: A Link to the Past 2, the sequel will take full advantage of the system’s graphical power. It will remain in the top down perspective, but with 3D models and the added challenge of height. The demo trailer showed Link jumping up levels of a dungeon. Another new feature is the ability for Link to become a drawing on the wall and reach new platforms and secrets. Surprisingly, it should be released soon, planning for Holiday 2013.

Nintendo has been flexing their handheld muscles this time around. The Wii U still seems to be struggling, but some of these new updates may increase some interest in the system. You can watch the full Nintendo Direct below.