I know I want a New 3DS as a Valentine’s Day present.
Update 2: There has been some concern over the lack of an included charger with the New 3DS XL. Nintendo of America told IGN the company made this decision to save money for consumers who already own a 3DS or DSi as those chargers are compatible with the New 3DS XL. “Rather than raise cost of New Nintendo 3DS XL by charging consumers for a component they may already own, we are giving them the option to only buy if they need an AC adapter,” Nintendo stated.
Update: Nintendo of America spoke with Kotaku on availability — or lack of availability — of the smaller version of the New 3DS. Nintendo of America stated, “Different territories make their own business decisions regarding individual products and timing. We think New Nintendo 3DS XL makes the most sense for our market. Nintendo makes different systems at different price points for a whole range of consumers, and New Nintendo 3DS XL simply expands those choices even further.” Well, everything is bigger in the U.S.
Original story: The latest in Nintendo’s 3DS line, the New Nintendo 3DS XL, will launch in North America on Feb. 13, Nintendo of America President Reggie announced during today’s Nintendo Direct.
The new XL handheld costs $199.99 and is available for preorder starting today. A Majora’s Mask-themed version was announced as well for release on Feb. 13.
The New 3DS XL does not come with an AC adapter, but it is compatible with earlier adapters. The handheld comes in red or black, but there’s also a Monster Hunter special edition including Monster Hunter 4: Ultimate. This information was first leaked from an advertisement.
The New 3DS, which is not so aptly named, has face tracking so that you can view the 3D from multiple angles, as opposed to the current 3DS systems that only allow you to take advantage of the 3D effect when viewed from the center. It also includes faster loading times and the new C-stick to replace the Circle Pad Pro. So far the only exclusive game announced for the handheld is Xenoblade Chronicles, a port of the Wii game, which releases in April.
A February system update will add amiibo support for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.
Nintendo did not mention the smaller version, the New Nintendo 3DS, which is out in Japan.
Nintendo first announced the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL last August, and it’s already available in Australia, where The Escapist‘s Steven Bogos got a hands-on look at it.
Source: Nintendo Direct
