Nintendo recently released the Wii U, and that seems to be the hot item that gamers are talking about. However, Nintendo has another fairly new console sitting in the background that seems to be mostly forgotten. The Nintendo 3DS is quietly doing its thing, and it has some really good games ready to hit the market. While 2012 was not exactly a landmark year for the 3DS, Nintendo's price drop kicked it in gear a little more.

While the release schedule is not as fully loaded as I would like it to be, there are still some Nintendo 3DS games that are going to convince me to pull my 3DS out and play. It's still 2012, and we don't know what is coming next holiday season for Nintendo's latest portable system, but we do have a good idea of some stuff coming along in the early part of the year. If you own a 3DS, these are the three games that you need to grab during the early part of 2013.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate

I love Castlevania. Since the first one on the NES I have been addicted to the game. Of course, there have been some terrible entries (I'm looking at you Simon's Quest), but over all, the franchise delivers. The problem Castlevania has faced in recent years is a departure from the type of gameplay that made it great. Too often they have tried other games and, quite frankly, it's not nearly as good.

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Well fear not, because while we don't know much about this new Castlevania game, the one thing we do know is that it's a side-scrolling action game, and to be honest, that's really all I need to know to get excited. A 3D, side-scrolling Castlevania game that I can take with me wherever I go sounds like a winning formula for me. We don't know an exact release date; just that the game is coming in early 2013.

Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon

Luigi's Mansion is finally getting a sequel! It's been like a million years since the first game came out, and I could not be more excited to see the franchise come back. Personally, I would have preferred a proper console version of the game, but beggars can't be choosers, and I will take some more awesome Luigi's Mansion on whatever platform Nintendo wants.

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Even though the game is on the 3DS, it still features the same classic gameplay we've come to expect from Luigi. When the green brother takes center stage, you know there is going to be some ghost-sucking action. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is coming to our beloved Nintendo portable sometime in the first or second quarter of 2013.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf

If any franchise is meant for the 3DS, it's Animal Crossing. Nintendo's virtual life game is the kind of game you can play for long sessions or quickies; which is exactly what a handheld system is designed for. Nintendo showed the game off at E3, but he have not heard much about it since then. We know it will follow the similar Animal Crossing formula, and that's good enough for me.

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The one thing we did see at E3 is that the game makes great use of the 3D functionality of the 3DS. It makes the world feel much more alive by having objects in the background actually in the background. It looks just as addicting as it ever was, and personally, I cannot wait to get this game in my 3DS and play it when it hits in the early part of next year (for those in Japan, it is already available).

Conclusion

If you own a 3DS, these are some Nintendo 3DS games you can get excited for. I wish Nintendo was doing a better job of bringing along more quality games, but unfortunately, we have to work with what Nintendo gives us. While the quantity might not be there, the quality of what they are bringing most certainly is.