I've been playing on Nintendo handhelds for a long time. With the ubiquity of smartphones and the proliferation of free apps, younger gamers might not realize that back in the 90s, dedicated portable game consoles were a big deal.

I'm in love with my New Nintendo 3DS XL, and no, that's isn't some PR quip. I genuinely love this device, but it doesn't exactly re-imagine the handheld genre. It did do something that not too many devices seem to do though - fill me with absolute glee.

For the second time since its North American release on March 27, the Nintendo 3DS will undergo a significant change. The first of these changes occurred just four months after its release and saw the price drop from $250 to $170, a move that attracted a wave of new adopters, but also brought heavy...

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

The Nintendo 3DS XL is a larger version of the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming handheld, 90 per cent larger than the original 3DS. It features two cameras, one on the inside, the other on the outside for taking photos and playing augmented reality-style games.

The much larger display makes games easier on the eye, bringing games to life to broaden the appeal of Nintendo's 3DS range; Should you wish to have the 3D effect switched on, the effects are much more noticeable and obvious than before, Games such as Super Mario 3D Land and The Legend of Zelda:...

The larger screen makes games look even better, but even the 3DS cannot compete with the HD screen quality of the PlayStation Vita; The build quality could also be better, especially when, again, compared to the superbly-made PlayStation Vita, The 3DS XL also sacrifices portability for size, so...

The 3DS XL is a portable gaming professional with much to recommend about it, a whopping great screen and a decent raft of games being high among them. While smartphones reign the masses, the 3DS has proven there is still a market for dedicated gaming handhelds for at least the near future.

Bigger screen looks great; 3D sweet spot much larger; Comfortable curved design

Build feels a bit cheap; Heft makes it cumbersome; Bland styling

When we reviewed the original Nintendo 3DS in March 2011 we thought that the lack of decent launch titles and limited battery life were its two biggest woes. But its believable, glasses-free 3D display - well, for some viewers, but not all - was an interesting prospect.

Better battery life than original 3DS; large 4.88-inch screen; can be used as a 2D device; enough decent games now available; more affordable than original 3DS was at launch

No power charger included!; same resolution as 3DS; the 3D mode won't be for everyone; is the age of the handheld console and pricey games challenged by smartphones and tablets

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

Smoother, sleeker and more pleasing in the hands. Nintendo has done a good job of tweaking the Nintendo 3DS.

Fits nicely in your hands; Visually more pleasing than the 3DS; Bigger screen offers a noticeable improvement

Not compatible with Circle Pad Pro; Charger sold separately

No prizes for guessing which route Nintendo has taken with the 3DS XL. This is the extra-large version of the 3DS, bumping up the dimensions from 134mm by 74mm by 21mm to 156 x 93 x 22mm.

A more immersive big-screen experience; Makes 3D more effective and more practical; More comfortable than the original 3DS; Great games; and easy and fun to use

Big screen spoilt by low resolution; Battery life still not great