It's becoming the time of year when details on the next generation of sports games are on the horizon, and EA Sports wants you to know that they've got some new things whipped up for you 3DS owners out there.

FIFA 12 will be released featuring the usual impressive portfolio of contents and then some - over 500 licensed clubs, eight different game modes, WiFi Multiplayer, Be A Pro mode and a full Career Mode (they've even added on a 5 on 5 Street option on 3DS, too). While the fact that they managed to port the majority of features from the console iterations of FIFA 12 is a strong gesture to mobile players, EA today unveiled their two main features: innovate touchscreen controls and, of course, 3D.

The touchscreen controls are optional, but those who wish to go that route will be shooting directly from the player's viewpoint on the lower touch screen, aiming and adjusting the power of shots with your stylus. It also comes into play during set pieces, where you can aim a shot using your stylus to determine how you want the ball to curve around the wall, or even just fire it over their heads if you want an intense Roberto Carlos kind of thing.

Viewing the game from the players viewpoint is certainly going to be an interesting experience for fans of the series and a logical step for the game as a whole, considering their recent 'Be A Pro' trend of emulating the player into the game. Either way, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone who wouldn't want to feel like they're in the middle of the pitch during an intense cup final, and now you've got a chance to watch the game-winning goals from a first-person perspective.

Of course, this is also the first year EA Canada will have been able to work with 3D options for the game. There is now an 'innovate curved pitch' and a lower camera view to maximize 3D planes in the game. Matt Prior, the Producer of the 3DS edition of FIFA 12, has much faith in their ability to pop out the 3D visuals:

"We challenged our development team to develop innovative features that would maximize the FIFA experience on 3DS. They delivered intuitive new touch screen controls and a curved pitch in our Street mode that truly brings the 3D elements to life. When you combine these features and many other innovations with all the authentic players and kits for the upcoming season, we are confident that this will be the best soccer game available on Nintendo 3DS."

While PC gamers may still feel a little jaded that the computer port of the game is usually behind on added features, it seems this is going to be a pretty good year for 3DS owners. With the release date likely to be revealed sometime soon, we'll keep you posted as new features from the game are announced and, even better, shown in video.

FIFA 12 is set for a fall 2011 release and has been confirmed across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC and DS.