Following Nintendo's announcement that the 3DS would be receiving an extra large upgrade back in June of this year, there had been much speculation about just what the 3DS XL would offer to newcomers and owners of the original 3DS system alike.

Old 'n' busted; new hotness

Better designed; better built, It's huge, Matte finish is great, Seats five, System transfer is a cinch

New stylus is a disappointment; SD card door is a liability; Swapnote and photos take a hit

Bigger screen, weightier feel and curved lines mean the 3DS XL is an improvement over the original 3DS. Still needs a second analog stick.

Nintendo loves revising its handheld game systems -as opposed to sticking with one design for the life of the system. The Game Boy went through several iterations before it was replaced by the Game Boy Advance, which itself was upgraded to the Game Boy Advance SP.

Big, beautiful screen; Solid build; Comfortable to hold

Glasses-free 3D still has issues; System transfer process is convoluted

So is it a buy? Definitely! Even as a previous 3DS owner I'd say that this is a significant enough upgrade to make it worth checking out, and if you've been waiting to jump on board the 3DS train, this unit is likely to be THE revision for the next couple years, and marks a definite improvement in...

After barely a year, Nintendo is already upgrading its 3DS handheld with a supersize model. While the company is known for updating kit – it did so several times with the Game Boy and DS – the 3DS XL isn't the big leap forward from the original that many gamers were expecting.

I really love this portable gaming counsel. I had the 3ds but I wanted the bigger screens. It was worth the upgrade. Less eye strain and no longer a fingerprint magnet.

Easy to use; set up; and overall experience is great.

Nothing really

The Nintendo 3DS XL is now on sale in Europe and boy does Nintendo need it to sell well .

Better battery; Bigger screens; Comfortable 3D; Improved layout

Lower pixel density; Only one circle pad; Less pretty

It's been a week since the Nintendo 3DS XL arrived in the Shacknews office. And I am absolutely in love with it. Yes, the XL is simply a larger version of the 3DS, but it's an upgrade that's entirely worthwhile.

If you're hellbent on getting your nipper or yourself a 3DS, then the XL is the obvious choice. However, without the additional thumbstick, Nintendo has once again failed to deliver the means to comfortably explore 3D environments.