Nintendo 3DS Gets 18 Games for Its Launch

18 games will be available for purchase when the Nintendo 3DS will finally be launched next month in North America.

The Nintendo 3DS will make its debut later this week in its native Japan and a month from now in North America and Europe.

As such, Nintendo is pulling out all the stops in order to ensure that the $250 handheld console will be a success, and part of this is ensuring that a wide array of games will be available at its release.

The company has now revealed a full list of 18 games that are going to be available for purchase when the 3DS makes its North American debut.

"Seeing 3D visuals without the need for special glasses is just one aspect of Nintendo 3DS," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "The real test of any system is whether the games and applications draw you in and keep you engaged. Through the launch window and beyond, Nintendo 3DS delivers."

Nintendo will launch three games on its own, Pilotwings Resort, Steel Driver and Nintendogs + Cats, while third-party publishers are responsible for the rest of the lineup.

These non-Nintendo titles include:

-Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition from Capcom
-The Sims 3 from EA
-Madden NFL Football from EA Sports
-Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami
-LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars from LucasArts
-Ridge Racer 3D from Namco Bandai
-Super Monkey Ball 3D from Sega
-Bust-a-Move Universe from Square-Enix
-Samurai Warriors: Chronicles from Tecmo Koei
-Asphalt 3D from Ubisoft
-Combat of Giants: Dinosaurs 3D from Ubisoft
-Rayman 3D from Ubisoft
-Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars from Ubisoft.

All of the games will retail for $39.99 when they are released for the Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo promised that over 30 games would be available for the handheld device by early June.

After that period, the Japanese company is bringing out popular titles like the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64, Mario Kart or Kid Icarus: Uprising, not to mention a new Super Mario Bros. game confirmed by Shigeru Miyamoto.

The Nintendo 3DS is out on February 26 in Japan, March 25, in Europe, and March 27 in North America.