Iwata promises no 3DS game drought

Unlike the Wii and DS, the 3DS will have a steady stream of new software arriving post launch, Nintendo has promised.

Speaking with the Japanese Nihon Keizai Shimbun newspaper, as translated by Andriasang, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said, "It's important that you be able to supply software with no pause.

"With the DS and Wii, following the titles that were released at launch, the momentum dropped when there was a gap in software releases. We're making plans so that this type of thing won't happen."

Judging by the impressive array of software announced so far for the new handheld, this might not just be an empty promise.

This weekend we learned that the console will launch in Japan next month with eight titles, with Street Fighter IV, Nintendogs + Cats, Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle, Ridge Racer 3D and Samurai Warriors: Chronicle among the big names.

However, there's a long, long list of other stuff due in the months that follow, including Kid Icarus: Uprising, Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, two Resident Evil games, Starfox 64 3D, Pilotwings Resort, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, Mario Kart 3D and a new Paper Mario, to name but a few.

By comparison, the Wii launched with Red Steel, Zelda: Twilight Princess, Call of Duty 3 and Wii Sports, among others, in December 2006. Something of a dry spell followed until things started to pick up with Metroid Prime 3: Corruption in August 2007.

Nintendo is due to announce 3DS launch details for the rest of the world on 19th January.