Nintendo 3DS at E3 2011: Mario Kart release date, Super Mario 3DS Pokemon 3D,

Written by Brian Lelas on June 07, 2011

3DS E3 Press Conference News: Nintendo Wii U wasn't the only thing at Nintendo's E3 2011 press conference. Mario and Pokemon were also a focus.

Nintendo 3DS wasn't sidelined at Nintendo's E3 2011 Press Conference despite the announcement of Wii U. Taking center stage was Mario Kart 3DS, which will feature tracks from earlier games in the series as well as new ones. Glider power up is new. Underwater track confirmed. Customizable karts with upgradable wheels. The rumored Mario Kart 3DS release date is confirmed to be this Holiday season.

Also confirmed was the release date for Star Fox 64 3D on Nintendo 3DS. Fox McCloud and the gang will make it to the US in September. The game utilities the motion controls of the handheld in addition to traditional control schemes. The 3DS cameras will also be a major addition to the game.

Super Mario 3D, a previously unannounced 3DS game, was revealed, showing a heavy emphasis on inspired Super Mario Bros. 3 power-ups like the Raccoon suit. The game is visually incredible and changes between 2D and 3D planes, much like Super Mario Galaxy. The favorite and familiar settings like lava pits and underwater levels are included. The game has a release date of this year.

Kid Icarus Uprising is the new game in the fan-favorite Kid Icarus series. This most impressive title looks set to fully utilize the benefits of 3D with a 3D targeting system. There will be and online competitive multiplayer mode included. New AR cards were revealed for use with the game in conjunction with the 3DS. This looks like being a major blockbuster for the system. A 3-on-3 playable multiplayer demo will be available on the E3 2011 show floor. The game is due for release in the Holiday season.

The biggest surprise was the announcement of Luigi's Mansion 2, complete with the vacuum cleaner we all remember from the launch of the Nintendo GameCube. This title looks remarkably like the original and displays some of the most impressive visuals seen on the Nintendo 3DS. The game is promised to be entirely new and features more than one mansion setting. No release date was given.

During the reveal of Nintendo's Wii U, a Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS was confirmed for both systems. No logo or release date was given.

Also shown were third party titles:Resident Evil Revelations, Driver Renegade, Tekken 3D, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, Ace Combat 3D, Tetris Online and Cave Story. Excitingly, Nintendo confirmed that downloadable demos of retail titles will start rolling out this year. The final game announcement was an update for Pokemon Black & White via eShop called Pokedex 3D, which requires use of the 3DS cameras to search for Pokemon in the real world using Augmented Reality. The game update is absolutely free.