It's Sunday, a day of rest and laziness for so many, but perhaps this one has a slightly different meaning for some keen 3DS gamers in North America: it's 3DS XL day. Oh, and New Super Mario Bros. 2 day, as well.
3DS XL graced Europe and Japan in late July, with the North American release seemingly being held back and timed to match Mario's latest outing. Just like for many others who've either bought an XL or resisted its charms elsewhere, the question is "should I upgrade, or stick with what I've got"? Maybe there are others that haven't taken the plunge on a 3DS so far, and a glimpse of those lovely screens will prove a temptation too far.
Well, if you're wondering whether to pop out to the shops and pick up the super-sized handheld, maybe our 3DS XL hardware review will help, and if you've got a system and need to move all of your data from an old model, our 3DS XL system transfer guide should do the trick.
Of course, maybe the XL isn't for you, but any old 3DS will play Mario's latest adventure, also arriving in North America today; our New Super Mario Bros. 2 review will tell you all about it.
So, are you spending any hard earned cash on Nintendo goodies today?
Comments 76
Oh, I thought it came out Monday. XD
Well hopefully we could get more streetpasses today if a lot of XL are purchased. I highly doubt anyone would take this outside though. Anyways, not getting this or NSMB2.
Yes and double yes! I can not wait to buy and 'upgrade'. Can't wait to see how pushmo and metal gear solid 3 will look like on it.
I'm hoping to pick up NSMB2 today (no money for that+3DS XL), but since I live on the East Coast I'm not sure if my Gamestop will have it in stock (last time I checked they received shipments 1 day after the original release date).
Love it ! Love it! Love it!
The XL looks interesting, the "New" Mario not so much. Even if I already have a launch 3DS I may get the new system before getting this Mario. But in the end, the Wii U is a bigger priority to me.
Shall get an XL one day. But I downloaded NSMB2 and loving it!
I've owned one for a while since I'm European. Can not honestly believe that i used to play on the normal 3DS.. If Nintendo ever releases a improved redesign that keeps the tiny nature of the original model it's gonna be really hard for me to consider it..
i love my 3ds xl. It almost feels like playing on tv. but i guess its because of me only owning ds handhelds. the only letdown for me is that its a bit heavy and feels a litle bit uncomfortable for me since i hold regular ds differently cause its smaller. but ill get used to it and it was worth getting. when i turn on first model screens are so tiny to me taht i never use it again.
The larger screen sounds nice, especially for Netflix, but the design is honestly ugly as sin. With more color options, I might be persuaded to buy it.
barfs at both the game and the XL
I am getting New Super Mario Bros 2 but not the 3DS Xl because its hard to play with it.
Mine is charging, can't wait to use it.
My poor eyesight welcomes the bigger screens!
I'll be picking up an XL along with a couple games this afternoon, I'll pass on NSMB2 though.
i have to wait a few weeks before i can get my XL and New Mario 2
Yeah, got to enjoy that charming little data transfer process about an hour ago and I'm about to give Kid Icarus a go on this big new screen. Only Nintendo could make me want to watch data transfer between devices.
Shame I can't pick up NSMB2 for another 6 days. But I only paid 14 dollars for it, so its worth it.
The first thing I noticed was the screen size, the second was how easy it is to finger type now. I feel more relaxed with this new model as well since it is more comfortable and I never have to squint to see anything due to the large screens. Too bad I have to wait 'til next paycheck to get Mario
I see lots of frowny faces.
So it's back to the waiting game and the next time we can get open a box and get that new console smell. I'm still lovin' the XL though!
I can not wait to get an XL! Waiting for a super awesome special edition though <3
Im in europe, had it since launch, never looked back!
was gonna pass up upgrading to the big red. But now that I'm working I guess I'll trade up while I can get 100$ off.
gonna miss the old shiny blue guy I got on launch day though but heck bigger screen "drool"
My bday is next Sunday, so hopefully I'll get the XL then. I don't know how ANYone could pass this up, with literally TWICE as big screens and DOUBLE or maybe even TRIPLE the battery life!
I'm passing on both. The XL actually looks like a pretty good upgrade, but Im not prepared to spend $200 on it. And NSMB 2 looks like the most underwhelming Mario platformer to date. Recycled music and the multiplayer are my main irks. I guess I'll be waiting till Nov for Paper Mario.
Ended up downloading NSMB2 at midnight. Then ran to the shop at 6:00 local time to grab an XL as soon as I could. After about an hour or so of transferring files over, I was finally able to sit and enjoy. I love the screens! I cannot go back to a regular 3DS any longer.
I'm definitely getting this, My 3ds is shot. I love the big screen getting it with Hero of Ruin
I'll just get wii u.
I own a XL since day 1 (07/28/12) and did not miss my regular 3DS (which I sold at a good price at ebay) at any day. Guys, just plug in Heroes of Ruin - that's a different game with the bigger screens! And of course there a some other technical upgrades on the XL.
Kind of disliked it at first, although tempted to go get one right now. The only thing holding me back really is the horrible color choice for NA. Is it too much to ask for a real different color for once?
Give me my Orange 3ds XL NOW. Preferably a little darker than this; hell this shade would even work:
Getting one friday along with new super mario bros. 2.Can't wait!
I'm getting the 3DS XL. There's a trade in bonus so it should be like 80$. I'm curious as to how they're going to handle the transfers?
@SamIAm69 I guess if they have internet at wherever you're getting it, they'll allow you to do it there.
I've heard some places without internet have you buy it full price, do the transfer at home or wherever you can get a connection, and then you take the receipt back to where you got the system and they'll give you however much you were supposed to get back after the trade-in. I think Gamestop was one of those places.
Got mine, charging it for work. It's worth seeing it in your hands. Specs give it no justice .
NSMB2 so far has some pretty awesome and unique level designs. The game actually feels quite "new", honestly. I am at least really enjoying it. Thanks Nintendo.
@Chriiis Yeah, that's how it worked at the Gamestop I went to. It helped that business on a Sunday was really slow, so I had no problem striking up a conversation with the guy and working out all the details. Bought it full price, came back and traded in my baby 3DS for the $100 off.
MAKE SURE you back up those SD cards before you transfer, guys. The system transfer works beautifully, but it's writing and rewriting your SD cards that can get a little weird.
Got the game and the XL. The XL just finished charging. I haven't had time to do the system transfer, so I've only played around with the menu apps, but the 3D effect is indeed more pronounced.
Picked up a copy day one. As for the XL, I'm going to wait for a different color to come out.
the XL system is the system Nintendo should have originally put out instead of the one they did I won't be picking this up, because I have a 3DS and for how often I use it, it's good enough
As for NSMB2, I think this is the first Mario game I'll take a pass on. I'll wait for Paper Mario later this year
Picked mine up with Tales of the Abyss. It's so big!
@Hyperstar96 ^With max settings on. If you shut off everything (Brightness and wireless), then it could last up to 12 hours.
@Slapshot :
How does TotA look on it? On the 3DS it looks very jagged. I might get me a XL for that reason.
Why a Sunday release?,seems weird.
XL is awesome, and so is NSMB2!
I plan on getting the XL during holiday. Nintendo always does a bundle so I might as well wait. Been playing the latest Mario adventure. Lots of fun, especially when the gigantic mushroom appears.
Downloaded NSMB2 and am very proud, just wish more older titles would be up for DL
@A-Hungry-Banker Nintendo has been using Sundays as its "release day of the week" for years, at least in NA.
i think im going to buy 10 of them
I just bought my brand new red 3DS XL today at Gamestop for $100 off today only after trading in my 3DS. I really wanted to purchase the blue one, but it was already out of stock. I'll be alright though. I'm just thankful that the offer was official.
I got the red 3DS XL along with a copy of NSMB2 and I'm so happy with both, especially the XL! Those screens are SO BIG!! and so glare-resistant! I love it so much!
Seems to be a lot of good feedback from the users of the XL, I'll be upgrading (kind of, my girlfriend wants it) purely because we play Kingdom Hearts games together, and the tiny screen doesn't help!
I wouldn't mind a blue one with a charging cradle.
u do see the pixels a bit more and the spaces between but the upgraded dimensions compensate totally for me, happy with my purchase, viva la 3DS.
Just got NSMB 2 earlier, not planning to upgrade to an XL at the moment.
I'll be getting the 3dsxl! To bad i have to wait for a pre-own system . :/
I want one but the 'gamestop' near here says there is no such way to do a system transfer if I want the trade in deal. what a joke. Guess I'll have to take my business elsewhere and then sell the old thing on ebay.
Already preordered the silver XL so I should have it by thursday not gonna do the transfer though because I want to keep the original as a backup and start fresh with this system.
@Hyperstar96 #25
I would say that is compared to a brand new small 3DS. I've had my small one for about a year and it played MP3's for my eight hour work shift and ending with a red light. My new XL went the entire shift and had three bars left, and I had already used it for playing games and other stuff for about an hour before that.
The battery life is definitely impressive for what you get and compared to something like a PS Vita or a smart phone.
I could never go back to that small screen, ive replayed some older games on it and I'm amazed at how much detail I've missed. Plus hand cramps are now a thing of the passed. The XL is how it should always have been!!
@Ren: Your local Gamestop are noobs
Can't wait to get mine.
i have the blue one and it is sexy
i have the blue one add its Big
To anyone with the XL right now, how much more space does it have for Dsiware? The old 3ds has very little space for it(so I have to swap back and forth between SD card and system for a fair amount of them, which can get annoying), so I'm wondering if the XL is an improvement there too. Haven't heard about that yet.
It might be one of the last things to finally turn my tempt into a purchase later on today.
@Chriiis: It comes with a 4gb SD Card, double the amount that the 3DS tiny had
I had no interest in Resident Evil Revelations after playing the demo when I had the original 3DS after downloading the demo onto the 3DSXL Revelations is a must buy.
@ChunkyDroid I'm not talking about that, I know about the SD card, ha.
I'm talking about internal memory section for the 'ware. Dsiware can't be played through the SD card and has to be played through the system itself. That's what I meant. It was a little on the tiny side, so I was wondering if the amount of space on the XL itself for such games has increased as well.
@Chriiis I don't know how much capacity the original had, but there isn't all that much internal memory on the XL. It definitely still has it's limitations.
so I caved and did the trade up. But sadly they told me the wrong way to transfer my data. Good thing I have transformers fall of cybertron reserved their. Going in early tomorrow
@0-172 Well going by the Dsiware titles currently on my internal memory, it seems to be around 1058 blocks of memory for such titles. The 3DS should at least have a decent amount size more, even a few hundred blocks would be nice.
It's something Nintendo should have definitely thought over, considering that a fair amount of downloads on the eshop are Dsiware and the fact that they won't allow us to play the games directly off of the SD card(in which there's waaay more than enough room); it's a major pain having to swap games in and out with the SD card and the system memory for them.
What's even worse is that you apparently lose all your saves by switching them over to the SD card, one of the reasons I had to think over which ones to put there for now. I only have 15 dsiware titles on the system memory itself(and a bunch stuck on the SD card because of the problems I mentioned above)...out of the big collection that's available; that really sucks. :
The XL maybe.
NSMB2 definitely.
Only red and Blue sucks!
@Sherman: I'm sure we'll see more colors in time. :3
The 3DSXL still poses a few problems that prevent me from buying it. For one, there aren't that many colors to choose from. I like a different shade of blue than the one I saw, and there is no black. There also is an issue of battery life. It's better than before, but not where it should be. I purchased the Nyko extended battery pack for my 3DS, and the battery life for it is amazing. The 3DSXL's battery is nowhere near. The third issue is that when the 3DSXL is closed, it is going to leave lines along the top screen just like the regular 3DS.
It would be pretty cool to replay my 3DS games on this though, especially Zelda OoT. Imaging playing with the 3D slider set to max while playing it on this.
@Intrepid:The third issue is that when the 3DSXL is closed, it is going to leave lines along the top screen just like the regular 3DS.
No. I'm looking at my XL right now, and the bottom screen's raised frame clearly rests against the bumpers when closed, not the top screen.
Me and my dad had to drive 28 miles just to get the blue XL yesterday, my nearest gamestop was 100% sold out, and the farthest one had 2 left, I ended up getting the last one.
@Burning_Spear Oh, it does have bumpers; I didn't notice. This makes me feel better about getting it should I decide to. Thanks for pointing them out.
@bboy2970 Me too!
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