Capcom has confirmed Monster Hunter 4 is coming to Japan and the USA in March 2013. The game will feature online multiplayer.

Nikkei has shared a series of photos that provide a closer look at the Circle Pad Pro for the 3DS XL, which can be found after the break. But while it may look bulky, Brian Ashcraft of Kotaku has said that it’s “not half bad”, and:

…this new, larger Circle Pad Pro is that it feels compact, yet still usable. And more importantly, while Nintendo says the 3DS XL isn’t big enough for a second analog stick, the new Circle Pad Pro’s smart design gives hope that one day it could be.
And that’s coming from someone who hates the Wii U Pro Controller, which I think adds value to the praise.

Librica, a company that is partly owned by various Japanese publishers (Square Enix, Marvelous AQL, etc) has announced the existence of “Bookstore Anywhere” for the 3DS. The application will provide manga, light novels, and other sorts of similar content. When it launches on October 20th via the eShop, “there will be over 100 manga series to begin with, that are currently being serialized in Japanese manga magazines”, and “3DS users will also be able to occasionally receive free magazines through the 3DS’ Wi-Fi capabilities”.

But I have a feeling this won’t be released outside of Japan.

A special version of Project X Zone, shown above, is available from the launch of the game on October 11th. This is not a limited edition though. It’s simply the first print run of the game, meaning it’ll cost the standard price of ¥6,280. This version includes an original box, a booklet with character information, and a CD with the game’s soundtrack.

Reggie Fils-Aime of Nintendo has confirmed that software sales for the 3DS are outpacing the software sales for the DS, explaining that:

In its first 14 months versus the first 14 months of Nintendo DS, the Nintendo 3DS has managed to sell 10.5 million physical games so far.

This figure exceeds the pace that was set by the best-selling system of all time.
Combined with the hardware sales, the 3DS is having quite a good run so far.

Nintendo has revealed that many third-party titles will be available on the 3DS as a digital download, including:

Castlevania: Mirror of Fate
Kingdom Hearts 3D
Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion
Scribblenauts Unlimited

This is definitely a step in the right direction for Nintendo.

Amazon of Japan has published this list, revealing the best-selling products in their video games category between December 1st, 2011 and May 31st, 2012. The top five products were:

Final Fantasy XIII-2
One Piece: Pirate Warriors
Mario Kart 7
Monster Hunter 3G
Super Robot Wars Z
The white version of the 3DS itself managed to grab the twelfth spot on the list.

I was sure Nintendo would release a redesigned 3DS (such as the 3DS XL) next year, but Miyamoto has said that he is “satisfied with the 3DS hardware as it is” and feels “like it’s the best for this generation”. As a result:

What we’re thinking about right now is probably going to be for a future generation of handheld.

That doesn’t mean we should expect to see what comes after the 3DS in a couple of years. Nintendo always starts to work on the next thing as soon as they’re finished with the current thing. But now I’m curious if we’ll see any sort of redesign. What do you think?

Reggie Fils-Aime has confirmed that Animal Crossing: Jump Out is still in development for the 3DS. There’s no further word on anything about the game, but at least it hasn’t been shelved.

There were rumblings of a 3DS XL announcement at E3 2012, but they were disregarded by Nintendo. Hideki Konno of Nintendo, however, did “express his affinity for the DSi XL’s increased real estate” and said that

“he finds the larger screen is much easier to gaze upon”.

In the past, Reggie Fils-Aime has expressed a similar favour of larger screens. It makes me wonder if those reports were simply wrong about the timing of the 3DS XL. I still think it could be on its way.