Nintendo's "8-Bit Summer" Announced for the 3DS eShop

The quantity of new Virtual Console releases has been waning in the eShop through the past several months, but Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime promised a new wave of old games is coming soon. Speaking during this evening's Nintendo Direct video presentation, Reggie confirmed that two new VC titles will be coming to the eShop every week, for four weeks straight, from July 5 through August 1. That's eight total games, collectively being marketed as Nintendo's "8-Bit Summer."

We don't have the full release schedule yet, but we do have most of it. Here's what's coming:

July 5: The Legend of Zelda (NES) – 3DS Ambassadors will be able to upgrade to this new version from their previously downloaded freebie editions from last year, and doing so will activate Restore Point functionality (and a nicer Home Menu icon).

July 12: Kirby's Pinball Land (Game Boy) & The Sword of Hope II (Game Boy)

July 19: Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters (Game Boy) & Tumblepop (Game Boy)

July 26: Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (Game Boy)

Not Dated Yet: Sonic Blast (Game Gear) & Sonic Labyrinth (Game Gear)

That's all eight games confirmed, but Nintendo seems to have not made a firm decision about where to position each of the Sonic games. We should be getting either Sonic Blast or Sonic Labyrinth alongside The Legend of Zelda on July 5, while the game that isn't chosen then will debut alongside Wario Land on July 26.

Altogether, this lineup of eight is enough to make this July one of the strongest Virtual Console months in history.

So what do you say? Will you be partaking of some new versions of classic games this July? What other titles should Nintendo include in the "8-Bit Summer?" Share your thoughts through the comments box below, and check out this YouTube trailer for the eShop event before you go:

Lucas M. Thomas has been covering Nintendo's digital downloadables since the first wave of Wii Virtual Console games went live in November '06, and this is the first time the company's ever held a named release event in America. Crazy stuff. Follow Lucas on Twitter, won't you?