Newest iteration of small-town simulation series to release on Nintendo's portable during first half of next year alongside Fire Emblem: Awakening.

During a Nintendo Direct presentation today, a newAnimal Crossing game for 3DS was confirmed for a North American launch during the first half of 2013. The game is called Animal Crossing: Jump Out in Japan, and will release in North America as Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

Unlike past sequels, the game's characters will have a more human-like appearance. Animal Crossing: New Leaf will also allow players to become the mayor of the main town and give them free rein to improve the area. A new trailer for the game is embedded below.

In addition, Nintendo also confirmed today that Fire Emblem: Awakening will release during the same launch window. The game released in Japan as Fire Emblem: Kakusei in April and was confirmed for a North American launch in June.

Highlights in the game include the ability to have nearby allies tag-team attack enemies on the battlefield, new classes like the Grandmaster and Griffon Knight, and the option to play the game in casual mode where permanent death is removed. The game also features paid downloadable content, including maps, new episodes, and units from previous games in the series.

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