With E3 just around corner, the video game industry is gearing up for some big announcements for the next generation of gaming.  While the future of gaming looks exciting, game publishers are still cranking out some great games for current generation consoles.  June is shaping up to be another huge month for gaming with titles such as Capcom's new IP, Remember Me, the next chapter in Nintendo's Animal Crossing series, and the eagerly-awaited next game from the team behind the Uncharted series, the PS3-exclusive The Last of Us.

Let's take a look at these games, and more, coming out in June!

Most of my greatest moments growing up had to do with gaming.  Whether destroying Ganon in Link to the Past, conquering Star Road in Super Mario World or obtaining the Paladin Shield in Final Fantasy VI, each of these moments helped me become that much more passionate about video games and, ultimately, the gaming industry.  

One of my favourite games growing up was the Donkey Kong Country series for its cool 2.5D visuals, quirky humor and fun, refreshingly challenging gameplay.  For a long time now I've been waiting for a solid reboot; luckily, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is by far the finest.  

Nintendo held another one of their popular Nintendo Direct presentations, this one broadcasted worldwide, showcasing new and upcoming titles for their Wii U and 3DS platforms.  Among the announcements was a surprise "worldwide partnership" with SEGA, cementing the relationship between two former rivals that will see the next three Sonic installments appearing exclusively on Nintendo platforms.

Let's take a look at this, and other announcements made by Nintendo on Friday's presentation.

In LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins you play as rookie cop Chase McCain as he arrives in LEGO City fresh out of police academy. This prequel to LEGO City Undercover on Wii U charts the rise of Chase McCain as he ascends in rank from rookie to super-cop within the LEGO City Police Department. During your adventure, McCain will have to go undercover using multiple disguises, each granting him with unique abilities, progressing from solving petty crimes to infiltrating the meanest gangs on the streets of LEGO City.

Veteran Pokémon Mystery Dungeon developer Spike Chunsoft is back with Gates to Infinity, an all-new Pokémon adventure brought to life with the rich stereoscopic 3D capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS. It’s the first Pokémon Mystery Dungeon game for the Nintendo 3DS, and thus the first in the series to be in 3D, complete with impressive eye-popping 3D Pokémon environments and characters. Add in the charming storyline, memorable cast of Pokémon pals, and accessible dungeon-exploring gameplay and Gates to Infinity has plenty to offer for newcomers and seasoned fans alike.

Coming off two months of packed game releases, May is looking to continue the trend with its fair share of big game titles.  The month is going to have a mild beginning but will quickly take off mid-month with the release of Metro: Last Light, followed by the HD remake of Resident Evil: Revelations and the upgraded 3D version of Donkey Kong Country Returns.  Rounding out May is the much-anticipated new IP from Insomniac Games, Fuse, and after a five-year wait, GRID 2 finally revs its engine.

Let's take a look at the games!

There's nothing more affirming than having a game stay true to its original vision.  There are very few game series I can think of that are still just as they once were, and while change can serve as a great way to expand a series, sometimes it's that original vision that truly shines. 

In essence, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is just like any other Monster Hunter game.  Take on the role of an anonymous hero or heroine and, well, slay monsters.  During your journey you'll learn to not necessarily grind, but rather farm like you've never farmed before.  Farming earns you resources that you can then either trade for money or combine to form powerful armour and weapons or useful items.  It's as simple as that, yet somehow, despite how tedious and repetitive it might sound, there's something so intriguing about the whole experience.  

Coming off such a blockbuster March gaming line-up, it's a bit of a relief to have a quieter April, especially since I'm sure many of us are still working through the games we picked up last month.  With that said, April has its fair share of notable games, headlined by NetherRealms Studios' much-anticipated DC Universe fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us. 

We've also got the video game tie-in to the upcoming TV show Defiance (filmed in Toronto by the way), and the brand-new Star Trek video game for consoles (developed in London, ON).   April is also delivering Dead Island: Riptide, the sequel to 2011's surprise hit open world zombie survival game, and PlayStation Vita gets Soul Sacrifice, the new action role-playing game from acclaimed gamer producer Keiji Inafune (best known for co-designing Mega Man).

Let's take a look at the games!

Nintendo's Brain Age series is back with Concentration Training, an all-new game inspired by the work of famed Japanese neuroscientist Dr. Ryuta Kawashima.  In Concentration Training, the focus is on improving your "working memory", which is the temporary storage of information used in everyday tasks, through 5-minutes of daily training.  With over 31 million copies of the first two Brain Age games sold, Concentration Training hopes to capture the success of its predecessors with its new "Devilish Training" mode designed to keep our minds sharp in a world full of distractions.

Mercury Steam have really tried to up the Castlevania experience this time around with Mirror of Fate and does so in some, let's say, questionable ways. I commend the developer for trying to stray from the norms and create something different, such as in Lords of Shadow; however, they didn't cater to fans' real needs -- something more traditional, more nostalgic. After that, the team attempted to revert back to the traditional 2D experience, while  implementing much of what they did excel at in LoS, particularly the gameplay. Blending old and new definitely created a new experience when playing Mirror of Fate, but it didn't pan out quite as well as hoped.  

On Valentine's Day, Nintendo aired another of their popular Nintendo Direct video presentations, highlighting a ton of exciting news for Nintendo 3DS including fresh details on the highly anticipated Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.  Let's take a look at what Nintendo 3DS has to offer over the next few months!

Fire Emblem is all about tough love. Since its inception back in 1990 (Fire Emblem: Ankoku Ryū to Hikari no Tsurugi or Shadow Dragons and the Blade of Light, only released in Japan), the series has challenged gamers to the limits with its deep strategy and sometimes punishing difficulty.  The lastest in the series and first handheld with a 3D graphical boost, Fire Emblem Awakening, finds ways to cater to newcomers, but never skimps on the overall challenge.  

Ready for even more most anticipated games of 2013?  Well then here we go! This is already panning out to be quite the year for Nintendo (just check out all the exciting news from the latest Nintendo Direct!), with enough exciting, new 3DS releases to cuddle up with. There are still plenty of TBA release dates ahead of us, but why not live in the moment and relish what's certain (or mostly certain)? -- sorry Ace Attorney 5, SMT x Fire Emblem and Dragon Quest VII, I guess it's just too early to tell.  Luckily, we have plenty of them.  

Here are our picks for most anticipated games of 2013 for the Nintendo 3DS.  Did your game of choice not make our list?  Let us know in the comments section below! 

One look at Fire Emblem Awakening and you'll see why so many fans of the much-loved strategy JRPG series are looking forward to this new instalment. Since 2007, fans have been waiting anxiously for this moment, and what a moment it is! Awakening is Intelligent System's first step into 3D gameplay on a handheld, and it's quickly proving itself to be quite the experience. Let's take a look.