Nintendo had its first Nintendo Direct stream of the new year this morning, mostly to plug its New 3DS hardware upgrade, announce a bunch of new Amiibo, and settle some release dates for upcoming titles.

The New 3DS XL news--the regular New 3DS does not appear to be coming out in North America as of now--was probably the biggest. The system, which upgrades the size and power of the system and includes an additional analog stick, will release in North America on February 13 for $199. Limited edition New 3DS XL systems themed after the upcoming Majora's Mask remake, and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, will also launch on that date. That said, the Majora's Mask systems appear to be selling out quickly via online pre-orders.

Here's the rest of the news from the stream that's fit to print.

• New Amiibo! Even though nobody really seems to understand why they're buying them, undoubtedly lots of people will buy the myriad new Amiibo announced today. 11 new Super Smash Amiibo, including Meta Knight, Mega Man, King Dedede, Shulk, and Toon Link, are on the way in February. Elsewhere, Robin and Lucina from Fire Emblem, Pac-Man, Wario, Ness, and Charizard are coming this Spring. Lastly, a new Super Mario series is coming on March 20 featuring Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Bowser, and Toad.
  
  
• "The Latest Title in the Fire Emblem Series" (probably not an official title) was announced. Intelligent Systems will be developing this new title, but Iwata described the gameplay as "completely new."
  
  
• Original Wii games are now being added to the Wii U store. Super Mario Galaxy 2 is out today, while Punch-Out!! will be coming January 22, and Metroid Prime Trilogy on January 29. All three titles will be available for half-price in their opening week of release."
  
  
• Codename S.T.E.A.M., the steampunky Abraham Lincoln vs. aliens action strategy game from Intelligent Systems, will arrive on 3DS (and New 3DS with "enhanced features") on March 13.
  
  
• New DLC for Hyrule Warriors is on the way on February 5. This will add Young Link and Tingle as playable characters, as well as some new adventure mode maps and costumes.
  
  
• The latest installment in the heretofore Japan-only puzzle series, Puzzle & Dragons, is coming to the US. The game will include Puzzle & Dragons Z, and the Mario-themed Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition in one package. It's set to release in North America in May.
  
  
• Xenoblade Chronicles for New 3DS is confirmed for US release in April.
  
  
• Splatoon, Nintendo's multiplayer ink shooter for the Wii U, is coming this May.
  
  
• Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars will be the first Nintendo game to feature any manner of cross-buying. If you buy the Wii U version of the game, Nintendo will offer you a download code for the 3DS version, and vice versa. It will be out March 5.
  
  
• Pokemon Shuffle, a new Pokemon-themed puzzle game, will be available for free on the 3DS eShop.
  
  
• Kirby and the Rainbow Curse has been pushed back one week. It now releases in the US on February 20.
  
  
• It wasn't mentioned on the US Nintendo Direct (for obvious reasons), but the Japanese version of the stream announced a new Rhythm Heaven game that will be releasing in Japan this summer. It will feature over 100 minigames, 30 of which are new.

You can check out the full stream in the embedded video below.

I've already preordered my Lucina Amiibo. Robin makes no sense to me as a figure because you could change what he/she looked like.

Now the question is if that Metroid Prime Trilogy will force you to use the Remote and Nunchuck or allow the use of a sweet, sweet, pro controller. Sadly my guess is no.

Is that Fire Emblem X SMT ever going to happen?

I was excited about Nintendo stuff last year, I'm going to keep being excited in 2015 it seems.

@goku13k said:

The trilogy is great with the wii remote and nunchuck, the play fantastically coming from someone who hates motion controls

Man, I really want that special edition 3DS XL. I don't know if Nintendo purposefully underestimates demand for everything or if they like having things sell out incredibly fast and watching them go for ridiculous prices on ebay.

I can't wait for a new Fire Emblem!

The Latest Title in the Fire Emblem Series" (probably not an official title)

This is Nintendo we're talking about, the people who named their consoles Wii U and New 3DS and New Super Mario Brothers. It wouldn't surprise if that was the actual title.

Hell yes, Fire Emblem.

@corevi: Robin has a default. It's like saying you can't buy a Commander Shepard figurine because you could customise his face.

Yep, I kinda want a Ness amiibo, though I would have no intention of using it with a game.

I guess, but I have no personal attachment to the default.

Seems like Nintendo finally decided that they could fuck over their US customers the same way they've screwed their customers in the rest of the world with regards to AC adapters.

Anyways, looking forward to Splatoon!

edit: Also, I hope the new Rhythm Heaven game comes to Europe at some point!

Wow, I'm shocked Codename S.T.E.A.M is coming out so soon. Between that and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate my 3DS is going to get some much needed attention.

@nightriff: I was able to grab a copy of it on ebay a few months ago for a very good price ($50ish) and couldn't get though the first game before getting sick of the controls. I agree they feel good and are well done, but I would much rather play with a GameCube controller or pro controller still. Couldn't bring myself to play through it all. But I guess I'm going to have to. Stupid completionist OCD.......

Oh god I wish I had the money because that Majora's 3DS looks so dang sexy.

"The Latest Title in the Fire Emblem Series" (probably not an official title)

At the rate Nintendo's been going, I'm going to put my money on "New Fire Emblem."

"The latest installment in Nintendo's heretofore Japan-only puzzle series, Puzzle & Dragons, is coming to the US. The game will include Puzzle & Dragons Z, and the Mario-themed Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition in one package. It's set to release in North America in May."

@alex Semantics quibble: Puzzle & Dragons isn't really Nintendo's puzzle series. It's a ridiculously popular mobile phone game made by GungHo, that just recently has had a couple 3DS versions. My bad if you know that already but had to gloss over it in an effort to not have a ridiculous run-on sentence.

I will be endlessly sobbing until the new Rhythm Heaven gets released in the US.

New Super Fire Emblem Awakening World U: New Play Control!

Damn, I just want a cool normal sized new 3ds :( sobsobsob

EDIT: also, fuck them for removing the colored buttons on the western release. Makes me even more bummed out about the fact that I didn't get an email for that stupid ambasador 3ds.. that one is fucking gorgeous!....

Supposedly Amiibo figures can only hold the data for one game at a time? At least, Polygon reported that if you have an Amiibo with Smash Brothers character data on it, you'll have to delete it in order to use the figure with Mario Party 10.

I understand that you can only store so much data on a little chip, especially when cost is a factor, but it'd be some hot fucking trash if you had to buy a new figure for each character you wanted to use for each game you wanted to use them in.

The home console version is nU Fire Emblem.

Agreed. I wanted to find a copy just because going back to 1 and 2 after playing 3 with motion controls felt like such a downgrade.

Problem solved now, I guess.

Games that support the classic controller on the wii are supposedly gonna support the wii u gamepad. Metroid is not one of those however as that would require them to redo the game completely.

Does anyone know if the resolution will be higher on the new 3DS?

So, Alex mentions in the write up that the Majora's Mask version of the New 3DS is already selling out via online pre-orders. The thing is that I can't find where these pre-orders are happening. The only place that I see the New 3DS available is Gamestop. Basically, I have an Amazon gift card set aside to get one of these things, but I don't see it listed on that site yet (or any site for that matter). Am I not looking in the right place or am I insane?

Nah, I want the Monster Hunter New 3DS bundle. Wasn't a huge fan of Majora's Mask to begin with.

did they say anything about the european majora's mask release date?

FIRE EMBLEM GIVE IT TO ME AARRGGGAGAGAGAGGAGVRVFHFBBQ

Now the only character they need to complete Hyrule Warriors is the Groosenator. Then it can be a perfect game, haha.

13th February alongside the new 3DSs~

Yea, the amiibo can only hold one character per game.
You'll need 2 or more Link amiibo if you want to store more than one custom Link character in Smash.
But most games that use amiibo only read, not write anyway.

@sarumarine: Technically the Groosenator is in the game. Groose on the other hand, is not.

@jimmypondcakes: wasn't that just the us release date?

BRING OVER RHYTHM HEAVEN NOW!

@jackburtonme: Nope, so on the xl most games will probably still look jaggy as fucking ass.

They should just make that game region free. Obviously they aren't gonna release it here because it sells like 5 copies but it's completely playable without being able to read.

Oh yeah, haha. I forgot about that little detail. Here's hoping for Groose then!

Rubba-dubba-dubba, that true?

I sold all of my Wii bullshit. I wish there was a way to play Galaxy 2 with the pro controller. Also remote play wouldn't be possible using the wii controllers, which is one of the best features of the Wii U.

Minus that, and the bullshit button color changes, this is all really good news. Now put some battle mode courses into Mario Kart 8 and you and me will be square, Nintendo.

FYI The N3DS doesn't come with a charger... not even in North America. Such anti-consumer bs from Nintendo.

After everyone falling in love with the Super Famicom styled version, they don't even bring that version of the hardware to North America. Classic Nintendo.

Wish it was a new Advance Wars, but seeing as Awakening did well I am not surprised to see a new Fire Emblem game out of IS.

Just got back from Gamestop with my Majora's Mask New 3DS Preorder

Just a heads up each store isn't getting an individual shipment, they're drawing from an online stock and you have to pay in full and it gets shipped directly to your house.

The game is called Fire Emblem If in Japan, that's pretty weird too.

It makes me think it'll be like Shin Megami Tensei If... where it's an alternate timeline of a previous game. In this case I'm guessing it'll be an alternate storyline for Awakening since they're using the same style.

New Nintendo 3DS XL, Majora's Mask, AND Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate...on the same day. I can't wait to be broke. -_-' ugh so good though lol

@beyondstrange: From what I have been gathering the Majora's Mask New 3DS is gamestop only.