What a beast!

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D -- a portable adaptation of the Wii RPG classic -- was announced alongside the New 3DS in Japan last year. The New 3DS launch came and went in that region with no solid news of a release date for the game, but today's Nintendo Direct has confirmed that we'll be getting it a lot sooner than expected in the west.

The title hits store shelves on April 2nd in Europe and a rather less specific "April" in North America -- a pleasant surprise when you consider that many assumed the west would have to wait a little longer for the title. The port is being handled by US studio Monster Games, who previously transferred Donkey Kong Country Returns to Nintendo's portable.

The game will be exclusive to the New 3DS -- so it won't run on the original 3DS, 3DS XL or 2DS -- and will use the bottom screen as a map. There will also be a special mode where players can view the game's 3D models from any angle, as well as listen to the game's brilliant musical score.

This is the first title that requires a New 3DS console to run -- so will it make you upgrade if you weren't going to already? Let us know by posting a comment below.