We mentioned analyst predictions for the release of the 3DS earlier this week, which it was assumed would hit Japan by the end of this year, and the rest of the world by the end of Nintendo's own financial year in 2011, based on previous releases (specifically in Nintendo's handheld history), business practices, and the proximity of the system's reveal to targeted release periods.

Well looks like those analyst eggheads were right, because Nintendo of America CEO, Reggie Fils-Aime, has told Industry Gamers that despite no specifics per territory, the 3DS will be available worldwide no later than the end of March 2011.

"The reason we haven't announced a launch date or pricing is that, first, we wanted to get reaction here," he told the site in an interview. "Secondly, we'll be making individual market decisions in terms of what's happening in Japan, what's happening in the Americas, what's happening in Europe. The one thing, for sure, is that we will launch in all of our major markets by March 31, 2011."

Good news for those of us stinging to get our hands on a properly playable 3DS, now we just want to know about pricing.