Following the latest Nintendo 3DS Direct which detailed many of the exciting releases in the year ahead, Nintendo Australia today announces release dates for several highly anticipated Nintendo 3DS™ titles which will make their way to Australia and New Zealand in the coming months and be available at retail and as digital downloads from Nintendo eShop.

Luigi's Mansion™ 2 sees Luigi stumble through multiple mansions to capture ghosts and solve puzzles armed with his trusty ghost-catching vacuum cleaner, the Poltergust 5000 and, in a series first, in addition to download play the game will feature a local and online multiplayer mode. The game is a fully-fledged sequel to the Nintendo GameCube title that first put forth Luigi as the reluctant hero, battling his own nerves and a bevy of ghosts on a mission to save his brother Mario from a haunted mansion. On Nintendo 3DS, Luigi will face an even greater challenge for solo players to enjoy in addition to the new multiplayer mode. Luigi’s Mansion 2 will be available on the 28th March 2013.

Fire Emblem™: Awakening will launch on the 20th April 2013 only on Nintendo 3DS. In a world ruled by two mighty dragons, dark forces rise and threaten to destroy the kingdom of men. Set out on an exciting adventure and experience battles packed with action, strategy and danger in Fire Emblem™: Awakening. Building on a variety of elements from previous Fire Emblem games, Fire Emblem: Awakening offers an experience that both dedicated fans and newcomers to the series will enjoy. Traditional turn-based combat sees you requiring both skill and strategy to complete stages successfully, while the new 3D visuals see each battle come to life like never before on Nintendo 3DS.

Coming exclusively to Nintendo 3DS on the 18th May 2013, the all-new Pokémon™ Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity game introduces a vast world populated only by Pokémon. Here, you too have become a Pokémon and can choose to play as Pikachu, Snivy, Tepig, Oshawott, or Axew and it is your mission to battle your way through Mystery Dungeons that have sprung up across this world, and to uncover a fiendish plot that threatens your new home and its Pokémon inhabitants. No dungeon will appear in the same way twice, so an infinite number of possibilities can unfold. In this new game, players can discover Mystery Dungeons accessible only through Magnagates, mysterious portals activated when the Nintendo 3DS system’s cameras are used to scan round objects in the real world, such as soccer balls or clock faces. Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity also introduces wireless multiplayer features, allowing as many as four people to work together to battle through dungeons.

Get ready to enjoy a whole new life in a town shaped entirely by you as Animal Crossing™: New Leaf comes to Nintendo 3DS on the 15th June 2013. Continuing the much-loved freeform gameplay from previous Animal Crossing titles, Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a game without any restrictions. There are no goals, no story, not even an ending – instead, you can enjoy life in your new town in any way you choose. And since time in the game moves at the same pace as in the real world, every day brings new experiences! Packed with new animals, new experiences and new ways to have fun, both long-time fans of Animal Crossing and newcomers to the series are sure to enjoy everything that Animal Crossing: New Leaf has to offer. It's a new life... live it how you please!