Nintendo 3DS XL



The Nintendo 3DS XL (Nintendo 3DS LL in Japan) is a remodel of the Nintendo 3DS. Rather than be a redesign of the system or add new features, it is simply a larger size with subtle differences, akin to the Nintendo DSi XL. It was revealed during the June 22, 2012 Nintendo Direct broadcast. Prior to E3 2012, Japanese publisher Nikkei had hinted that Nintendo would unveil it soon, though the company initially denied it.

The system was released July 28, 2012 in Japan for 18,900¥, the same date in Europe for a price determined by retailers, and August 19 (the release date of New Super Mario Bros. 2) in North America for $199, and will be released September 9, 2012 in South Korea for ₩278,000. At launch, it was available in red/black, silver/black, and white colors in Japan and South Korea, while in the other two territories, the white color was replaced by blue/black.

Features
The system boasts an extra 90% view area on both screens, making the top screen 4.18 inches, and as opposed to the original Nintendo 3DS's 3.02 inch screen, and the lower screen 4.18 inches. The 3DS XL will also have longer battery life of up to 6.5 hours, nearly doubling that of its predecessor's. An AC adapter won't be included with the system in Europe and Japan in order to keep costs down, though it will be available for purchase separately, and bundled with the system in North America. A 4GB SD card will be included with it in all regions.

Reception
While the Nintendo 3DS XL has recieved praise for its bigger screen, better battery life, and overall improvement over the previous model of the Nintendo 3DS, the redesign has also drawn criticism. People who had owned the previous model felt "cheated" as how Nintendo would release the 3DS XL almost a year into the 3DS's lifetime.