Nintendo’s New 3DS XL has more in common with existing 3DS systems than it might want to admit, but it’s still a solid upgrade option for older 3DS owners.
It’s been a while since I’d laid down any cash on a new Nintendo portable.
That in itself speaks volumes, because within my gaming collection I can grab two original gameboys, one Gameboy Light, one Gameboy Advance, one Gameboy Advance SP, one Gameboy Micro and an original model 3DS. No, I don’t have a problem. I can quit Nintendo portables any time I like.
In any case, I was intrigued by Nintendo’s latest 3DS gambit, the so-called “New” 3DS models, if only because Australia’s been remarkably lucky in terms of release dates. The New 3DS and larger screen New 3DS XL went on sale in Japan in October, and in Australia on November 21st… and that’s it. Weird marketing, given that the usual release pattern for hardware tends to go Japan>US>UK/Europe/Australia, but working out why could be enough to send one mad.
In any case, my 3DS has more than a few kilometres on it, so an upgrade seemed wise, and the larger screened New 3DS XL had some appeal for my ageing and gracefully failing eyes and hands.
So what’s so “New” about it all anyway? Nintendo’s beefed up the internal CPU, thrown in an additional C-stick control that’ll only work with specific games and switched from easily removable SD cards for external storage to microSD cards that can only be accessed by removing screws from the rear casing before popping the card out. You can transfer your existing Nintendo 3DS content if you’ve got it by shifting data either wirelessly or through a PC, although you’ve got to be careful, because it’s not feasible if you register a Nintendo ID onto the New 3DS XL before trying the shift.
A quick tip here: I took the SD card out of my existing 3DS to check capacity, because it had been in there so long I’d forgotten, and didn’t put it back into the 3DS before starting the transfer. Queue a mild panic when the 3DS formats itself at the end, but actually this still works, albeit that I had to then copy the contents via PC in order for the New 3DS XL to recognise them.
The New 3DS XL also adds NFC support for Nintendo’s Amiibo figures, but right now there’s no titles that take advantage of it. It’s in a forthcoming patch for Super Smash Bros for 3DS, and as always, I can’t assess a feature that’s not actually functional. I have more to say about Amiibo in general, but that’ll run in my Wii U Smash Bros review.
In many ways buying the New 3DS XL involves buying back into the 3DS space, because it’s not as though there’s any software as yet that takes specific advantage of its slightly improved processor, although some loading times for games are a little swifter. Again, that’s future functionality that may make a difference if, and only if, Nintendo goes in hard on New 3DS-only titles. Given the install base of 3DS consoles and the fact that the Wii U isn’t exactly burning up the charts, it seems unlikely that this is a step they’ll take.
The New 3DS XL also features an inbuilt automatic brightness setting, although this is one rare stumble in the hardware. I found it tended to veer too quickly into darker settings than I was comfortable playing with, and quickly disabled it. Also in the annoying niggles space is the fact that Nintendo doesn’t supply a charger with either New model. I’m sure that saves Nintendo a few bucks in chargers, but unless you’ve got an existing model that means you’ve got to pony up extra just to keep the power flowing. A mid ground approach, perhaps with a bundled USB cable with 3DS-charger style end might have been a better compromise.
The headline feature for the “New” range still lies in its 3D capabilities, and specifically in the way that it uses head tracking from the front camera to dynamically adjust the planes of the 3D illusion effect. I’ll happily admit that I was skeptical about how well this might work, because to date the 3D slider on my existing 3DS has stayed pretty resolutely in the “off” position. I don’t tend to react well to 3D effects in the first place, but the New 3DS XL does a really decent job of maintaining its 3D effect even as the console moves in your hands or your head moves around. It’s not one hundred per cent flawless, mind you, and some titles do seem to splinter the 3D “effect” more than others. But I’m happy enough to say that it’s greatly improved if 3D means a lot to you.
The New 3DS XL benefits from the existing and broad 3DS library of games, but that’s something of a drawback as well, because it means that there’s a lot of 3DS owners out there with perfectly functional machines. The added allure of 3D that actually works is a definite plus, but even then it’s hard to make the case that the owner of a recent model 3DS absolutely must make the upgrade jump, unless you’re particularly keen on Amiibo.
What if you’re only now coming into the 3DS space, or, like me, updating from an original model 3DS? Rather like the mobile phone space, the upgrade path after a couple of years is more evident, because there’s more of a benefit to be seen. The choice between the standard New 3DS and the New 3DS XL is largely a screen space issue; while the smaller unit can accomodate third party faceplates that’s just an aesthetic thing that won’t impact gameplay in any real way.
Nintendo doesn’t tend to make bad hardware, and the New 3DS XL is a gentle evolution of the 3DS model. It’s pleasant for reasonable length gaming sessions, and I’ve had less of the finger cramp than I would have with my existing launch 3DS. Not then, an absolute must-buy prospect, but certainly a solid bit of gaming hardware.