Nintendo has released a new system update for the 3DS.

Available in Europe and North America, system update 7.2.0-17 introduces new parental features.

According to the latest patch notes, adult users can register an email address to which a master key can be sent.

"If you forget your PIN and the answer to your secret question at a later point, a master key to reset your PIN can be sent to the email address you have registered," reads a Nintendo post.

"Please make sure to use an email address that only parents or guardians can access, to prevent children from seeing the master key that is sent."

Elsewhere, the firmware update improves system stability and makes minor adjustments to the overall user experience.

Nintendo recently confirmed that the 3DS has sold 590,000 units during the fourth financial quarter and has sold 43.33 million units to date.