The 3DS is banging on all cylinders these days. While this morning's most intriguing development is still clouded in mystery, there's still quite a bit on the immediate horizon for people to be excited about, especially for our friends across the pond.

Planning is essential when confronted with a lengthy list of potentially cash-worthy releases, so it's a good thing Nintendo has released an updated European 3DS release schedule, which you can check out after the break.

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We've raised our expectations for portable fighting games in the last decade, especially in the past year.

The last time Namco brought Tekken to a Nintendo handheld, it produced 2002's Tekken Advance, which received praise from reviewers at the time but in hindsight was a poor facsimile of the console and arcade experience -- like the Kid Cuisine version of spaghetti and meatballs, fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, but, c'mon son, that ain't a proper meal.

Another Tekken Advance (that is to say another handheld port that's far from arcade perfect) wouldn't stand today, not when releases like Super Street Fighter IV 3D and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 set the standard for fighting games you can play on the go. Those releases don't stop at just emulating the big screen experience; they raise the bar for what all portable titles can accomplish, online and off.

That is why Namco Bandai and Arika's Tekken 3D Prime Edition will disappoint both new and casual Tekken fans. Because while the core game -- the parts in between "Round One, Fight!" and "K.O. You win!" -- are just as great as the Tekken 6 I've played on consoles and in arcades, everything else is lacking.

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Today's Nintendo Direct presentation shot out trailers and gameplay videos fast and furious. Once the coffee kicked in and we had a little time to organize, we got them together for you (yes, personally, for you!) in this handy-dandy post. Check out videos for Kid Icarus: Uprising, Mario Tennis Open, Spirit Camera and Dillon's Rolling Western here.

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Debuted during Nintendo president Satoru Iwata's latest Nintendo Direct address, the new trailer for Fire Emblem: Awakening on 3DS is -- dare we say? -- dramatic. Crafty YouTubers have already snatched the video and put it online, as evidenced above.

As part of the Nintendo Direct event, Nintendo has announced the surprise release of Dillon's Rolling Western, a new download for the 3DS eShop (first revealed at Nintendo Direct last year). The game stars the armadillo cowboy -- a cowboy who is also an armadillo, not an armadillo herder -- named Dillon, who defends poor towns in traditional gunslinger style. Except he doesn't use a gun at all, actually, preferring to roll his way to victory. Rolling Western features tower defense gameplay, in which Dillon must collect resources and repel the invasion of evil rock monsters -- monsters who are also rocks, that is, not Osbournes -- the Grocks.

About that surprise release: it's today, a full day before the usual Thursday eShop update. You can snag Dillon's Rolling Western for $10. If you're still on the fence, we'll have a Portabliss on it later today.

Check out Nintendo President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime get raw and uncensored in this Nintendo Direct presentation. It's all like "WHOA!" and "WOW!" and up in your grill faceplate! All these trailers are also available on the 3DS eshop for maximum in-your-face action.

Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced this morning a 3DS collaboration between publishers Capcom, Namco Bandai and Sega. The "impossible to predict" project also has a a teaser site.

Your guess is as good as ours...

Street Fighter x Tekken x Sonic & Friends?

The Nintendo Direct presentation from Nintendo of Japan brought news of Mario Tennis Open for 3DS, the latest entry in, you know, that series of games about Mario playing tennis. We learned that the sports game will feature online play and Mii customization -- and, most importantly, that it'll be available May 24.

The European translation of the same video informed us that the game will be out on May 25. And now we wait for 9AM EST, and the American Nintendo Direct, for potential news of a stateside release.

Update: Nintendo of America says Mario Tennis Open will arrive in North America on May 20.

Nintendo has been criticized for not getting edgy with some of its franchises. Well, it's about to do just that in the most unexpected way. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata announced a follow-up to the Brain Age series this morning with a devilish Dr. Ryuta Kawashima.

As translated by Andriasang, the new title focuses on concentration and working memory, with some of the challenges so tough they are referred to as "Oni Training," which you can translate as devil or demon training.

The normal Kawashima will now be replaced by a devil form. Yup, this is going to go over well in the States with the firebrand crowd. Somehow we have a hard time imagining Nicole Kidman giggling through this Brain Age.

March 14 is the big day for Game Gear on Virtual Console, with a trio of titles headed to Japanese 3DS owners, Nintendo announced this morning. Unsurprisingly, Sega leads the lineup with three classics: Sonic (Sonic and Tails 2), Shinobi (GG Shinobi), and Dragon Crystal. The titles will cost ¥300 ($3.75) apiece, and no word was given as to when they'd head Stateside.

Of course, Sonic Triple Trouble and Shinobi were rated by the ESRB for 3DS back in February, and we were last told that Game Gear (as well as TurboGrafx-16) games would arrive on the handheld's Virtual Console store in "late May." So, uh, they're coming to North America, just not quite yet. We'll also venture a wild guess that Dragon Crystal will end up in the US as well. Sure, why not?