E3 2011: Nintendo details new Wii, DS Kirby, more

LOS ANGELES--Nintendo had a lot going on during its 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference this morning, including a reveal for the Wii U, which will have substantial third-party support. However, following its media briefing, the publisher also announced a number of titles for its existing systems, the Wii, 3DS, and DS.

On the Wii, Nintendo confirmed a new installment in its Kirby franchise, which had previously been announced in Japan. The side-scrolling platformer, known only as Kirby Wii, looks to be a more traditional take on the series than last year's highly regarded Kirby's Epic Yarn. It is in development at Nintendo's internal HAL Laboratories studio.

Two other previously unannounced titles for the Wii are Mario Party 9 and Fortune Street. The former is a continuation of Nintendo's long-running party-game compilation, where players attempt to be the first around the board by winning various challenges. Unfortunately, Nintendo offered absolutely no details on what gamers can expect from Fortune Street.

Moving on to the 3DS, Luigi's Mansion 2 wasn't the only new 3D game coming to the handheld. Nintendo also announced a new property, The Rolling Western. As seen in a trailer posted to Nintendo's Japanese website, the game stars an armadillo. The Rolling Western appears to be a free-roaming 3D title taking some inspiration from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, as the speedy armadillo travels about solving puzzles and hurting enemies by rolling up into a ball.

Lastly, Nintendo still has plans for its DS system. In addition to confirming North American releases for Professor Layton and the Last Specter, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2, and Super Fossil Fighters (all of which are already out in Japan), the publisher announced Kirby Mass Attack. Unfortunately, as with Fortune Street, Nintendo offered no additional details on this title, though it did post a trailer to its Japanese website.

Nintendo did not offer a release window for any of the aforementioned titles. It did say that many would be on hand at this year's E3, so check back with GameSpot for more information as it becomes available.

For more info on Nintendo's latest console, the Wii U, be sure to check out our Nintendo Wii U: Everything You Need To Know feature or watch Nintendo's E3 2011 Press Conference to see the full reveal!