Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate release date announced with New Nintendo 3DS XL bundle

Closing out today's Nintendo Direct, Capcom announced that Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate will be released for 3DS on February 13, worldwide.

It will be compatible with the newly announced New Nintendo 3DS XL, as well as other current 3DS models. For those of you planning on upgrading to the new model though, you'll be happy to know that Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate will also receive a special edition New Nintendo 3DS XL hardware bundle in North America and Europe. It will be available exclusively at GameStop on February 13 as well.

Speaking during the broadcast, executive producer Ryozo Tsujimoto praised the New Nintendo 3DS XL, boasting that the added C stick will give players more control of the camera during combat. The system's new face-tracking features will also make the world of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate "more immersive than ever."

For those unfamiliar, MH4U sees you take on the role of a hunter traveling with a caravan of merchants and craftsmen across the world. On your journey, you'll encounter ferocious enemies that'll require strategy and an arsenal of weaponry that features 14 different weapon classes (including two brand new classes). To help you on your journey, MH4U allows you to connect with up to three other players locally and online to team up on quests, a first for Monster Hunter on 3DS.

For those of you who are maybe new to the series, an exclusive demo will be made available "soon." It will include a "feature rich" tutorial for new hunters as well as access to all 14 weapon classes.