Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! To celebrate, don’t smooch with your significant other; instead come read about what Nintendo is doing! It seems as though all we report on anymore are Nintendo Direct videos, but if we must, we must.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cntz1GyM1Bs&w=760]

A lot was covered today, so let’s try to just get through it!

The Year of Luigi

There are so many games with Luigi in them this year, that Nintendo is calling 2013 “The Year of Luigi.” To be fair, he’s only starring in two games, but they both look great.

Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon – March 24

Some new footage of the game was shown today, and a few tidbits on gameplay. The Poltergust 3000, like in the first game, can suck things to solve puzzles, but it looks like those elements are expanded now. For example, Luigi was shown carrying a bucket with the Poltergust and filling it with water. Another shot showed him grabbing and shooting items. The vacuum can also blow up balloons that allow Luigi to float about. It is also equipped with a new light that lets you see hidden objects or paths. There will be several unique mansions to explore, and also ghost dogs!

Multiplayer 4-player online coop. The four Luigis climb the Scarescraper. There will be some different modes that focus on hunting ghosts, time attack, or finding ghost dogs.

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team – Summer 2013

This is the next installment in the really great Mario & Luigi series. This time Luigi’s dreams are the setting for the game. Luigi is asleep, and Mario is more than happy to jump into his dreams. Sometimes you have to mess with Luigi’s face on the touch screen to solve puzzles. By doing certain gestures, Luigi will perform different abilities in the dream.

Mario Golf World Tour – Summer 2013

This is developed by Camalot. That’s really all you need to know to know it’ll be good. Everything basically looks like older Mario Golf titles, and that is not a bad thing at all.

New Super Luigi U – this year

Downloadable content for NSMBU; this changes all courses in the game for the lead hero Luigi. No Mario in the game, that’s why there is no “Bros.” in the title.

Miiverse

New Miiverse community has been created for the upcoming Zelda titles, available today. Normally, communities are only for already released titles, but Nintendo made an exception here.

3DS

Because there is a bit to cover, I am just going to list thing from here out.

  • New DLC for Fire Emblem coming soon; the new maps will include legendary characters like Marth, Roy, and other heroes
  • Animal Crossing New Leaf – june 9
    • No more chores for Nook, you are the mayor.
    • You can customize the outside of your house now.
    • Happy Home Showcase shows you homes you have encountered via Streetpass
    • [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_UmQ0S1C10]

  • Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins – Spring 2013
    • Set two years before the events in the Wii U title.
    • [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_qH83F1J-8]

  • Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate – March 5th
  • Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D; redone for 3DS
  • Download Super Mario 3D Land, Freakyforms Deluxe, Art Academy, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, or Starfox 64 3d for free between March 21 and April 30 for registering a 3DS XL in addition to Luigi’s Mansion or Pokemon Black/White 2

Wii U

  • Lego City Undercover – Mar. 18
  • WiiStreet U now available for free
  • Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate – March 19
    • online 4 player Coop. Cross platform play between Wii U’s and 3DS’s (Really cool)
  • Need for Speed: Most Wanted U
  • The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct
  • Injustice: Gods Among Us – April 16, running at 60fps
  • Disney Infinity – June
  • New Wii U bundle coming February 17 that includes ZombiU and Pro controller.

Eshop

  • HarmoKnight – March 28
    • Your actions create the harmonies and rhythms in the levels.
    • [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_iCPBCP8vI]

  • Kersploosh! – March 7
    • You are a stone falling down a well, dodge obstacles as you fall.
    • [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wKzrBeL0dU]

  • Mario & DK, Minis on the Move – Coming Soon
  • [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSDIdVpELiI]

  • Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger – April 11
  • Harvest Moon and Legend of the River King coming to 3DS
  • Bit Trip: Runner 2
  • Zen Pinball 2, free download
  • Toki Tori 2

Some of these list items my not have much information, but I was writing as the show was running, so there.

Besides really cool announcements for Luigi – Mario & Luigi and the overhaul of NSMBU – Monster Hunter Tri’s cross platform play sounds really awesome. It’s a rather surprising announcement, to be honest, considering I simply do not expect Nintendo to understand internets, much less connecting two different consoles to one another. Now someone poke Square-Enix and get them to make a super awesome Crystal Chronicles for the Wii U and 3DS…