Iwata: 2D Super Mario side-scroller in the works, "key 3DS title" for next year

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata announced during the firm's investors briefing that it has a "strong lineup of titles" on slate for the current fiscal year, and that a new 2D Super Mario game is in the works for 3DS.

Currently slotted for the next fiscal year, Iwata said the new Mario game was "a totally new side-scrolling action game," and one "a key title" for 3DS next year. The title was previously hinted upon during the middle of last year, and the reports had Miyamoto pegged as the development lead.

"With the fulfillment of software, we are confident that we will be able to make the Nintendo 3DS active for the full year as the mainstream platform in the video game market," commented Iwata.

It's little wonder the firm has another Mario title in the works, as games starring the firm's mascot did well last year: Super Mario 3DS land moved 5.03 million copies globally and Mario Kart 7 moved 4.54 million.

Iwata also said new titles from the firm will be released without "extreme interruptions" going forward, and many third-party games are in the works as well.