While we still have Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 to look forward to as 2011 wraps up, Nintendo is hard at work on new 3DS releases slated for next year.  At the company's media briefing in Japan today, several games were announced and reconfirmed for 2012, and Nintendo of America is already making plans and announcements of its own.  Kid Icarus: Uprising slides into next year with the previously announced Paper Mario and Luigi's Mansion 2, while new installments of Animal Crossing and Mario Tennis are also in the works.  Here's some of the press release:

Beyond the holiday season, Nintendo is already making plans for 2012. Nintendo is revealing a previously unannounced 3D Mario tennis game for the Nintendo 3DS system. Mario Tennis™ (name not final) will launch in 2012 and more details will be announced later.

Also in 2012, Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to enjoy a new 3D installment in the Animal Crossing™ franchise. This version will include a number of options not available in previous versions. These include the ability to become the head of the village and boost its development, a way to install certain items in the village to make its characteristics more personalized for each player, and the ability to view homes of other players who are tagged through StreetPass connections.

In one final bit of news, the development team for Kid Icarus™: Uprising for Nintendo 3DS has determined that more time is needed to complete the game. As a result, the game will now launch in 2012. Nintendo is also in the process of developing 3D Kid Icarus animations with critically acclaimed Japanese anime production houses. These animations will be made available free of charge via the Nintendo Video™ service to Nintendo 3DS owners worldwide.

I think we all saw the Kid Icarus delay coming.  Nintendo has been very quiet about it for a game that was planned for release this year.  While you can't play Uprising in 2011, you can expect another 3DS system update that adds new Mii hats and puzzle panels to StreetPass which means that everyone's favorite convention metagame will be worth playing again.  The big addition to the system's capabilities, however, is the long-promised 3D video recording function.

This November, a new system update for the portable Nintendo 3DS system will enable owners to capture 3D video footage. People will be able to record and view moments from birthday parties, soccer games and holiday events, or create their own original 3D productions and show them to others in 3D, all without the need for special glasses.

There is no mention at all of the newly announced Nintendo 3DS Expansion Slide Pad in the American press release, but I'm certain that information is coming sooner or later.  The 3DS has experienced a bumpy start this year, but hopefully we can put all of that behind us and enjoy what the system has to offer with some new original titles.