Nintendo have announced the launch details for the 3DS in Japan and it's not as expected...

The Nintendo 3DS has officially been given a Japanese release date of February 26th, missing the holiday shopping season like many people expected. The console will retail for 25,000 yen, which is equal to approximately �188 and €220.

No specific pricing or release details for America or Europe have been announced but it is expected to retail in March in these territories. The 3DS will be available in Aqua Blue and Cosmic Black at launch, although no doubt more colours will be released as time goes by.

The console will come with a 2GB SD card as well as numerous augmented reality games pre-loaded on the system. A docking unit will also be included when the box retails. Nintendo will finally be complimenting a Virtual Console store that allows gamers to download Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles onto their 3DS. These titles will apparently be playable in 3D as well, adding a nice bonus to the already loved classics.

Fans of the Miis will be delighted to know that they too will make an appearance on the 3DS. Gamers will be able to take photos of themselves with the 3DS and then use Mii Studio to essentially trace the image and make their own Mii. These are then converted into a QR code, placed onto an SD card and can be uploaded to websites and shared.

The Nintendo 3DS will also be constantly "Wi-Fi aware" so that even when in sleep mode they can download Miis from others through hotspots or from other 3DS consoles using an enhanced Tag mode. This will also be used to download updates, game saves or rankings as well. Capcom took the opportunity to announce that this mode will also be incorporated into Street Fighter IV 3DS by enabling fight requests to be received.

For the first time in a Nintendo console you will be able to multi-task with the 3DS. Gamers can pause a game and switch to other programs or applications, such as the announced "Memory Notebook" and "Number of Steps", and then later continue their gaming. A video showcasing some of the new console features can be seen below.

Launch window titles are set to include Resident Evil Revelations, Resident Evil: The Mercenaries, Samurai Warriors: Chronicle, Dead or Alive Dimensions, Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D: The Naked Sample, Paper Mario 3DS, Mario Kart 3DS, Chocobo Racing 3D, Ridge Racer, Professor Layton: The Mask of Miracle, Pilotwings Resorts, Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, and Animal Crossing 3DS, although this may change before release. A video showcasing these titles can be found here.