Last batch of free Nintendo 3DS ‘Ambassador’ games revealed, dated

When Nintendo dropped the price of its latest handheld the 3DS by $80 mere months after the device hit stores, the company attempted to lessen the blow to early adopters by gifting them 20 free titles culled from its roster of classics. Dubbed “The Ambassador Program,” only customers who purchased the portable at its original $249 price point were eligible.

The first 10 games, originally published on the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System, were released on September 1. An update this week to the Japanese 3DS eShop provided a date for the second half: December 16.

Nintendo previously confirmed five of the 10 Game Boy Advance ports 3DS Ambassadors would be able to download for free: “Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3″; “Mario Kart: Super Circuit”; “Metroid Fusion”; “WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$”; and “Mario vs. Donkey Kong.”

The five remaining titles are a mystery no longer.

Japanese gaming news blog Andriasang reports that “F-Zero: Maximum Velocity,” “Kirby & The Amazing Mirror,” “The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap,” “Fire Emblem” and “Wario Land 4″ will round out the final batch of freebies.

European and Japanese gamers should see the titles in their respective eShop app on Thursday – hopefully boasting a new, less convoluted download method. Nintendo of America has yet to say if U.S. customers should expect the same. We’ll keep an eye on our 3DS and let you know. (via Andriasang)