Nintendo's cowboy armadillo Dillon is back in a new game

For the three people who, like me, played 3DS eShop exclusive Dillon's Rolling Western, last night's Nintendo Direct in Japan held a welcome surprise.

The Dead Heat Breakers is a new action tower defense title for 3DS, due to launch in Japan next year. In it, Nintendo's cowboy armadillo hero Dillon makes a surprise return as its star.

Your Mii will co-star alongside Dillon - or rather your Mii turned into a... furry version of you. (What is it with Nintendo and furries lately?)

Dillon's debut game, the eShop-exclusive Dillon's Rolling Western, launched for 3DS back in 2012 as one of the system's first downloadable-only releases. It didn't set the world on fire but was followed by a sequel, Dillon's Rolling Western: The Last Ranger, in 2013.

Since then Dillon has been taking a break - although he popped up a couple of years ago in Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U as an assist trophy.

As yet there's no word on a localised release for Dead Heat Breakers.

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