At least Nintendo’s honest. The “New Nintendo 3DS XL” name isn’t flashy. Nor does it stick in your head like Wii and Wii U. But it’s direct, and to the point: This 3DS is most definitely new, sporting features that haven’t existed on earlier models of the handheld. But does it offer enough to justify plunking down another $200 for one? Let’s consider. The improved 3D is a big positive. Nintendo launched the OG 3DS in 2011 on a wave of “glasses-free 3D” hype. The feature worked, but only just. You got a convincing 3D effect on the tiny screen if you remained perfectly still, but any movement at all broke the illusion. The image doubled, rendering your game unplayable, and headaches (real and metaphorical) ensued. The New 3DS fixes that problem almost completely with face-scanning tech that knows where your face is and adjusts the 3D display on the fly. The result leaves you with significantly improved range of movement, even with the 3D effects set to max. Games that use the built-in mo...
Excellent glasses-free 3D; New guts theoretically promise more technically impressive games; Existing 3DS catalog enhanced by new improvements;
No proprietary cord for charging out of the box included; Extra tools required to swap storage cards; Convoluted system transfer process from older models;