We're Really Feeling It With These Xenoblade Chronicles 3D New Nintendo 3DS Cover Plates

Yes NoA is gonna bring.... Oh wait..

While I'm actually not that into Xenoblade, I have to admit that's one incredibly gorgeous cover-plate!

If Nintendo refuses to get rid of region lock and NoA refuses to bring the standard size here, I wonder how much longer until some "renegade" finds a way to get the NA firmware working in/on an imported N3DS? Because price permitting (and warranty be darned), some folks would be willing to pay for that kind of stuff and would just import the faceplates themselves.

Ooooh, I can't wait to try this one out on my all new North American N3DS!

/gets memo/

You can't use face plates if you live in North America? So I guess that we are stuck with the same old design until we buy we a new one...? Huh.

That's is no fair I want one in an XL version

I have an XL, but I will still buy these if they come out in Australia.

OH GOODNESS i need those !

I don't want to buy any, but this one is making me flinch... hope they don't make a "F-Zero" one or I will cave in.

Ok, those are pretty cool, but I guess someone will create similar decals for the N3DSXL eventually ^^

Noa knows by bringing the regular sized new 3ds with face plates would negate their ability to sell 200+$ @ limited editions..and shove them down our throats. With their artificial scarcity...it's a shame really. they are so full of baloney

I love the idea of cover plates! Right now I am rocking the monster hunter cover plates but I am defiantly gonna order those from japan =)

I may get them if they ship to Europe. Or just order them from Japan.
In the end of the day faceplates are somewhat expensive. Most are about 30 euros!!

All this hate toward Nintendo na not getting the standard new 3ds is annoying. You can find decent skins on eBay for any device, and type. I got a Zelda wrap for my wii u, looks amazing. Just do this with the xl. The xl is better just because it fits my hands and doesn't force them to cramp up.

The designs on face plates that span both plates all look weird when the system is closed...

You know, the more I think about this I feel like Nintendo has to plan on bringing the standard New 3DS to the U.S., just based on the fact that the New 3DS XL is still in fact called the New 3DS XL. They make a point to designate that it is the XL model, phasing out the old XL model. They have also stopped selling the original 3DS, or at least they are not stocked in stores anymore. If they truly believed the U.S. would only want the XL model, I feel like they would have named it the New Nintendo 3DS, and just had that be the singular standard model.

All of this assuming NoA actually has a marketing and distribution plan in play, and arn't just poorly misreading the market. Does anyone see where I'm coming from? or am I just putting too much thought into it?...

That is just freaking sexy as hell but still not going to get the new 3ds unless I get some savage deal on it.

Even if NOA had released the normal size, they would not have brought these faceplates. Or just for Gamestop or anything.

And those are truly beautiful.

Bah, I guess this will be one of those 26€ premium plates. I'll be waiting for the black Zelda faceplates.

awesome, I'll pre-order this one as soon as it's available for pre-orders. Don't want to see the same situation like with Majora's Mask cover plate, which go for 40-50pounds on ebay now >_<

If I had a 3ds, I would settle for no less. Looks great

This is painful to see, as we do not get the standard N3DS in NA...

"I'm really feeling it!"
-Shulk, Xenoblade Chronicles

Those covers are some of the best I've seen.

NoA should pack in small stickers/decals in every game to make up for not selling the New 3DS systems with exchangeable face plates in NA. That way, you could if you choose, to decorate your system with characters from you favorite games.

I think these may be the next set of plates I get. Currently rocking the Ambassador Edition underplate and the Smash Bros white faceplate.

Hurry up and announce some sort of collector's edition or preorder freebies Nintendo!!! T.T

@Donutman You must have only listened to like 5 complaints total then? Numerous posts about the XL have pointed out its portability issues, and what about people who have hands a bit smaller than you? The XL just isn't comfortable for many to hold for that reason - just as you apparently have bigger hands and find the XL better for comfort, not everyone has adult-sized hands, ya know?

Along with that, the system has the same res as the smaller model, which means the picture is just stretched the heck out. It's bad enough the res is pretty crappy on a smaller screen(making it at the least a lot crisper than the XL), but that pixel-yness on the XL model really is annoyingly distracting. I'm far from the only one who has noted this as well.

The faceplates, while still a valid complaint for the lack of, are just one part of the bs that is the mess NoA has been getting itself into lately.

People acting as if this is another act of 'Nintendo is always right!' is just as "annoying" as you feel the supposed hate is.

@CanOn-CanOff I can only hope that that reasoning has some legitimacy(this is NoA we are talking about, heh...). :-l They likely just kept the XL intact because it is the XL size still...you did see that reply we got yesterday where they felt the random need to give relevancy to the original standard model(despite the fact that dang near everybody has confirmed that the model is next to impossible to find at retails due to discontinuation or whatever and isn't even advertised on the official site)? They are making less and less sense the more they supposedly try to explain.

My wounds hurt after this salt

Honestly, I've never cared about faceplates but these are the first I feel might tempt me to purchase. They're awesome! I can import them and duct tape them to my forehead because NOA sucks!

I do wish the interviewers in the know would quit asking NOA why they do stupid things and start informing them that they are in fact stupid.

@Donutman So dumb logic there, the XL is WAY TOO BIG for my hands and is uncomfortable to hold, the regular size 3DS is better. Therefore, why would anybody want an XL?

"Monado... flat broke!"

Now if only I had the money...

That looks pretty awesome, too bad I don't have a New 3DS yet. Even then, NA only has the XL version, but I'd forgive them if they made a limited edition version for the XL.

You could always tape them to your new 3ds xl.

I swear I'm going to have a collection of faceplates and no system to put them on.

These are beautiful. I hope the LE n3DS XL is sexier than this

Based on the lack of stock of old 3DS - TRU yesterday had 1 old red XL, 1 old blue XL and 1 blue 2DS - and XC 3D coming out in April in NA, and XC REQUIRES a new model, that seems like the perfect time to introduce the regular size new 3DS to NA as well. I'd be really surprised if they didn't.

Lets just hope it isn't a Gamestop exclusive, right @sinalefa

This makes NA not getting the standard size hurt more. Tired of daddy-knows-best Nintendo always telling us what we do and don't want.

I am aware that the XL sold better, particularly with the old models, but XL didn't sell better just because its the XL.

1. The OG 3DS was inferior in many ways.
2. The old XL launched next to a 2D Mario and launched with more games overall.
3. Once spring 2013 hit the OG 3DS didn't exist anymore basically.( they basically never marketed it from that point on.)

@Lalivero Well I'll flip that on you. I've got small hands and love the XL. I've also had zero problems ever taking my system anywhere with me in my pocket. It's fit in every pair I have. Plus if you do some research the NewXL actually has a better picture then the old model with brighter whites and darker blacks. Pixels.....never seen them. Screen looks brilliant to me!

YES! I knew these would crop up sometime and the one I was planning to make as a sticker for the top of my original 3DS would've been a waste. I'm going to import this as soon as possible.

@NbaJunkie ...you actually might be onto something there, but I hope you're wrong.

@Spoony_Tech Just as I already said, I'm not the only one to note about the XL being uncomfortable to many with smaller hands? We even have some comments on it above? I personally don't have the portability issue because I carry my systems in my bag usually, so I was addressing the concerns of others there(I -have- tried an XL in a pants pocket of mine, when I originally got one, and while it was fine I can definitely see how it'd be too snug for someone else).

As for the second part, it doesn't require a college degree to get that when the res used for a smaller screen is just thrown onto a bigger screen like they've done, it stretches out. I've even tried out the XL and can personally say that Majora's Mask looks a lot better (crisper, etc.) on my 2DS screen, as one example. This isn't even accounting the 3D, which makes the pixels even more noticeable. If only I had eyes like yours that take even the most horrid screens and adjusts them to look great...

But hey, there's always exceptions though, right?

Annnnnd THIS is why I'm a little annoyed that NA didn't get the standard model. Perhaps it WAS the smarter business decision. Instead of just upgrading limited edition cover plates we'll have to buy completely new limited edition systems when they release. Complaining aside, my MH4U 3DS XL is still, really friggin' sweet.

Hazzah! Another reason to be pissed off at NOA!

@DTFaux
Apparently there's already a way (or almost a way) to use a Gateway cart to actually switch your firmware to that of a different region. Not sure if it's working on New 3DS yet, but it should be soon.
Though...those carts be expensive....

It's amazing the difference between the general quality of the faceplates for the New 3DS systems and those for the regular 3DS systems. I really like most of the New ones but I really hate most of the regular ones. I guess that's the difference between just basically spraying on a monotone pattern/image and actually putting some effort into making these things look decent.

@rjejr

It would make a lot of sense. People eager to get a new 3DS get the XL during the first two months, the ones who do not want one of those wait two months (not long since launch) to get the smaller version.

But I do not see this being exclusive to any retailer. Plates yes, games yes, amiibo yes, but not a whole system.

Maaaaaaaaaan. I was hoping for a N3DS Xenoblade Chronicles 3DS special edition. Looks like this is it. Jumping Muhammad on a pogo stick NOA. Why you no like my money?!

@sinalefa - "but not a whole system."

How about a Gamestop exclusive bundle w/ a new 3DS, game, plates and Shulk amiibo? Sounds like a lot, but have you seen the Japanese XCX bundle, it's chuck full of gaming goodness.

@rjejr

That actually sounds awesome. And that might also guarantee a second batch of Shulk amiibo.

So grabbing this one.

Meanwhile in America there will be a limited edition and as limited as the other 2.

Oh, those are amazing! I'm totally gonna buy one of those! Oh wait, right, I live in the US. (Puts wallet back in pocket. Small tear in corner of eye.)

so what was the logic again, in holding back this stuff from the NA region?

Now I shall look at my N3DS, then at my friends who all bought an N3DSXL, then at this article, and proudly proclaim:

"THIS IS THE MONADO'S POWER! MY POWER!!!"

That design is pretty nice, but personally i think it would look much better and flush as a new XL, bonus points if it had a red interior too. I'd even consider buying a second one.

Very nice! Now please announce a New 3ds XL-Xenoblade 3D-Bundle already that looks that cool !

Want <3

Ugh... Just when I'd finally gotten over the fact that the New 3DS wasn't coming to North America. I hope the XL gets a bundle with this design, because this is the first thing I thought of when Xenoblade 3D was announced.

@rjejr Please, no more Xenoblade items being Gamestop exclusive.

Given that xenoblade is new 3ds only, not having some sort of bundle seems really odd. I hope we get an XL version in europe. I will probably get those faceplates even without owning a small new 3ds

@Flanktwo
You're in denial. The black one looks better.

Nice, though I'd rather have some of the art used for the game packaging. Still waiting for them to list the Majora's Mask one in the UK.

Those look nice!

They couldn't be that difficult to import right? I'd say that's the best idea. I guess it really just depends on the scarcity of the item though.

Good luck to all of you Europeans! I'm happy with my MM edition XL over here in 'Murica.

BTW does anyone know if the N3DS small is region locked? I know they found a way around the region locking on the old 3DS, but how about this one?

That is just amazing looking. I'd buy them if NoA had the sense to give consumers options...

Dear diary: my hate for NoA grows day by day now

NoA why must you do this!? Reggie! I thought your body was ready!

Good for Japan then, unlike a certain country they don't whine about not getting something that another country get and just import it.

Okay, THAT is freakin' awesome and might have made me consider getting a New 3DS if they were available here. A red faceplate with the Monado...Simply beautiful. But it's not gonna be available here, so...Meh.

blow them up a bit and slap em on a 'new black' 3DS XL in the US and I will buy two of these.

Well, I guess Nintendo just decided for me which model of the New 3DS to buy. Though I guess I still have to choose between white and black.

@sinalefa - "And that might also guarantee a second batch of Shulk amiibo."

Or at least a batch of Shulk cards. But I refuse to call them amiibo cards, even w/ the built in NFC chip. Maybe just NFC cards b/c my typing is too atrocious for "amiibo compatible cards".

These are some georgeous Xenoplates Any idea where to order it from Japan?