Hey Nintendo, can we start this 3DS conference early? I have important sleeping work to do.

What will we see?

Nintendo's hosting a 3DS software showcase to spend more time talking about its range of upcoming 3DS games. And you know what? We're going to be covering it live right on this very page.

It all kicks off at 6pm Pacific — that's 9pm Eastern and 2am UK time.

Don't forget the comments will automatically refresh so kick back, chill out and chew the fat as we guide you through some forthcoming treats for your Nintendo 3DS.

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Could be a long wait

We all wanted Nintendo to show what Retro Studios is working on, but we saw nothing of its mysterious project during yesterday's E3 conference. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has assured fans the developer is hard at work, but we probably won't get to see it for quite a while.

Speaking to IGN, Fils-Aime said:

If I disclosed what Retro is doing, I would have the president of Retro literally calling me right now saying, "Reggie, what are you doing?" We love that people are interested. We love surprising people. I remember getting the questions before we announced Donkey Kong Country Returns. And I loved unveiling that. So... Rest assured, the team is hard at work. But I'm not gonna tell you what they're working on.

Curses, that so very nearly worked. IGN then asked Fils-Aime if we could expect to see the title "soon", prompting the disappointing response:

Likely not.

Probably time to put those Retro hopes on the back burner until next year.

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Happy day

Short but snappy: the dreaded friend codes are gone on Wii U.

Shane Satterfield from GameTrailers.com received the good news this morning.

Oh yeah, was confirmed to me today that friend codes are gone for Wii U.

Wii U's Miiverse is now the central hub for meeting people and making friends on Wii U, and with online accounts we should all be exchanging usernames instead of nonsensical 12-digit numbers by the year's end.

We imagine this news will make you very happy indeed.

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Talks up first-party

How long is a piece of string? And how long is a console launch window? Nintendo says it'll publish several games in the Wii U launch window, but how big a span of time is that? Leave it to Reggie Fils-Aime to explain.

Fils-Aime told IGN Nintendo sees the launch window as spanning a fairly lengthy period:

It's launch plus the following three to four months.

The good news is that everything first-party we've seen is currently slated for the launch window:

Everything that we've shown from a first-party perspective is definitely launch window.

So from Game & Wario to Wii Fit U, it should all land during that three or four month period and avoid a repeat of the 3DS situation, where Nintendo revealed games in 2010 we're still waiting for in the middle of 2012.

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Ubisoft's got eight games on the way to Wii U, but few look as beautiful as Rayman Legends. Don't believe us? Here's a five minute gameplay video running in 720p.

Rayman Legends is exclusive to Wii U and supports five players: four using Wii Remotes and one using the Wii U GamePad to play as Murphy, a helpful little chap who can destroy enemies and open new paths for the other players.

Sadly we might have to wait quite a while for Rayman Legends: while Ubi's other titles have a holiday 2012 release window, Rayman's release is still "to be announced".

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3DS remake Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D has shot to the top of the Japanese charts with an incredible 513,183 units sold in its first week.

The much-anticipated release sent 3DS hardware sales over 100,000 units, shifting 101,075 in a week, a near-90% increase on the previous week's 55,212 sales. Thanks to Dragon Quest, 3DS hardware sales were twice the number of every other console combined.

DQ's 513k sales make it the second fastest-selling 3DS game yet in Japan, just shy of Monster Hunter 3 G's first week tally of 521.959.

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Maybe next year

Shigeru Miyamoto's talked in the past about working on smaller projects, but the only project of his we saw at E3 2012 was Pikmin 3. He's assured Joystiq he is still working on something but we probably won't see it until next year.

People like to ask me if I want to do a small project with a small team. I do like working with a small team, and I'm working with a number of small teams on a lot of different ideas, but the problem is because of all these different roles that I have to fulfill, it takes me a long time to write the design document. Maybe this time next year I'll have something ready to show you that perhaps will illustrate that idea.

You better.

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Then and now

Last year's reveal of New Super Mario Bros. Mii underwhelmed some last year, but this year's screenshots of New Super Mario Bros. U look a lot better. We've put together a gallery comparing screenshots from last year's technical demonstration to this year's game.

The overriding impression we get is that the backgrounds have been most visibly improved, but character models also appear a little sharper and less 'jaggy' than last year. We're not going to say it's the most beautiful Wii U game we've seen so far — our gallery of gorgeous Wii U screenshots should emphasise that — but it looks like it still has some sharp and shiny visuals to share.

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Get sporty

You can indulge your desire for football this week with a new EA Sports bundle, go toe-to-toe with a brilliant SEGA fighter and get some good bargains on games and DLC too. Here we go.

PS3 Games

FIFA 12 and UEFA EURO 2012 Bundle
This bundle unites the #1 selling sports franchise on the planet with the one of the biggest football events of the year. You get the award winning FIFA 12 and EA SPORTS UEFA EURO 2012™ expansion pack, the only officially licensed videogame of the 2012 European Football Championship. The expansion pack requires FIFA 12 (included) to play.
Price: £47.99,€59.99, PEGI: 3, Availability: Not available in AU,IN,IL,KW,NZ,QT,SA,ZA,AE.

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown
This definitive version of the VF5 series includes overhauled fighting mechanics, new characters, new single player & online multiplayer modes and more.
Price: £9.99,€12.99,AU$19.99, PEGI: 16, Availability: All, File size: 1.95GB

Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown Complete Edition
The Complete Edition includes the full Virtua Fighter 5 FS game in addition to all of the Character Customization Packs for the ultimate VF experience.
Price: £19.99,€24.99,AU$39.95, PEGI: 16, Availability: All

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Football Bundle
Lace up those boots and shoot to score! The Who Wants To Be A Football Millionaire? Bundle brings together the core Special Editions game with the Football question pack – that’s 1800 questions, 600 of which are tailored to the world of football. Put your knowledge of the football to the test, and prove that your general knowledge is a cut above the rest with this all-encompassing bundle!
Price: £9.69,€11.99,AU$15.75, PEGI: 3, Availability: Not available in ZA

PS2 Classics

Shellshock Nam ’67
Compatible with PlayStation 3.
It’s 1967 and you’ve been drafted, soldier. Prepare to experience the fear, chaos and hell of the Vietnam War in a visceral 3rd person shooter. Stand shoulder to shoulder with your team as you fight to survive your first tour of duty, through napalm bombardments and deadly VC booby traps.
Prices: £5.49,€6.99,AU$11.45, PEGI: 18, Availability: Not available in Germany

minis

Farm Frenzy Pizza Party
Prices: £3.49,€3.99, PEGI: 3, Availability: Not available in Australia and New Zealand

PS3 DLC

telier Meruru: The Apprentice Of Arland

• Hanna
  Prices: £3.19,€3.99,AU$6.95, Availability: All

Dragon’s Dogma

• From A Different Sky – Part 3, Prices: £0.79,€0.99,AU$1.75, Availability: All

Dynasty Warriors 7

• Original Costume Pack 6-9
  Prices (each pack): £3.99,€4.99,AU$8.45, Availability: Not available in New Zealand

Rock Band Network

Desconocido (£0.59, €0.79, AU$1.30)
The Devil’s In The Details (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
The Fall Of Psilanthropy (£0.59, €0.79, AU$1.30)
In A Hurricane (£0.59, €0.79, AU$1.30)
Martyr To Science (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Riddle Me This (£0.59, €0.79, AU$1.30)
Examination (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Half Cab (£0.59, €0.79, AU$1.30)
Apology Rejected (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Availability: Not available in BL,HR,CZ,GR,HU,IN,IL,KU,LU,QA.RM,SA,SI,ZA,TR,UA

Rock Band 3

Bullet For My Valentine Pack 01 (£2.49, €3.99, AU$6.45)
DOG DAYS ARE OVER (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
I Am S/H(Im)E[R] As You Am S/H(Im)E[R] As You Are Me And We Am I And I Are All Our Together (£0.59, €0.79, AU$1.30)
Power And The Passion (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Scream Aim Fire (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Tears Don’t Fall (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Teen Angst (What The World Needs Now) (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Your Betrayal (£0.99, €1.49, AU$2.45)
Availability: Not available in BL,HR,CZ,GR,HU,IN,IL,KU,LU,QA.RM,SA,SI,ZA,TR,UA

Ridge Racer — x2 DLC (£1.19/€1.49/AU$2.45 – £1.99/€2.49, AU$4.25)
Availability: All

SoulCalibur V – x2 DLC (£1.59,€1.99,AU$3.45 -£1.99, €2.49, AU$4.25)
Availability: All

Street Fighter X Tekken – x12 DLC
Various content
Prices: (Free -£13.99, €17.99, AU$27.95)
Availability: All

Virtua Fighter 5: Final Showdown
Various content
Prices: (£3.69, €4.49, AU$6.25 – £9.99, €12.99, AU$19.95), Availability: All

Avatars

The Studio Avatars — Prices:(£0.21, €0.25, AU$0.45 – £0.79, €0.99, AU$1.75)

Who's up for some Virtua Fighter, then?

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