Nintendo New 3DS XL Red

In comparison, I have owned a 3DS, 3DS XL, two New 3DS XL’s, and a New 3DS.

Everything works seamlessly, little to no lag loading games as is typical for a cartridge-based system. The C-Stick is generally useless except for the few games that actually require it, not really a reason to upgrade for most people. I consider the change from SD to Micro-SD a big improvement in terms of availability of cheap upgrades, but you might be disappointed with the extra work going into unscrewing the back cover instead off just popping it in and out.

Now, on to the pros and cons of the New 3DS XL versus the following:

Original DS + DSXL: Night and day, no matter which model you end up with for the N3DSXL, it’s a massive improvement unless you’re worried about keeping the system small for travel. More on that in the next section, but in general better viewing angles, improved 3D, better button placement. One thing to note is that the stylus on the NXL is smaller than the XL’s, which makes it slightly less comfortable to use.

VS New 3DS – I recently purchased the Animal Crossing bundle to try out the New 3DS (non-XL). The XL has a more premium feel to it, and fits much better in my hands personally (5’11 male). The glossy finish is a fingerprint magnet and not quite as grippy as the standard N3DS, but less prone to hand cramps if you’re an adult. The standard N3DS also feels more like a toy than a $200 console, just generally feels like a lot of corner cutting on the system itself. The smaller N3DS still feels better in the hand than the original, so props to Nintendo for just slightly increasing the size to fix that comfort level. Really, it’s up to the way you hold the system in which you’d prefer, I highly suggest going to a GameStop and asking to hold one of each in your hand before making a purchase.

Finally, N3DSXL vs N3DSXL. Yeah, a comparison between two models of the exact same offering. The first one I purchased from Target brand new in November of 2015 had a TN panel, or something similar. I ordered a second one from Amazon, same color, but it came with an IPS-like panel. For those of you not familiar with the difference, TN stands for twisted nematic, a cheaper technology used on lower-end LCD screens. It is also used on the original 3ds, xl, and the n3ds small version. The downside to this technology is that you have drastically reduced viewing angles, meaning it washes out when not viewed head-on and can distort the 3D effect more than the IPS model. The IPS screen is viewable from nearly any angle, and generally has a ‘cooler’ tone to it than the TN panel; an IPS tends to be more blue when the whites are visible, while the TN tends to be more yellow.

Unfortunately there is no way to tell which type of panel you will receive before you open the box. There is a simple test to tell which type of screen you received for your top panel however; the bottom panel of the N3DS XL is ALWAYS a TN, there is no IPS version. View your 3DS from either the far left angle or the far right, and if both screens wash out equally, you have a TN model. If the bottom screen washes out while the text is still visible on the top panel, you have an IPS model. Your best bet is to play the lottery a few times via Amazon by returning for a replacement until you get the best screen, unless you don’t mind settling for the TN (which renders the 3D tracking useless).

Attached is a comparison photo that I hope will help in showing the difference between the screens of the 3DS XL, N3DS, N3DS XL TN, and N3DS XL IPS.

Believe me, as someone who has the previous generation 3DS XL also, the super-stable 3D performs better than I expected, and truly is super stable. I liked how I could aim weapons, like the bow and arrow in Zelda by rotating the console to look around and aim (which makes it very easy to be quick and accurate, especially compared to using the circle pad to aim), but on the previous version of the system, I had to turn the 3D off to do it because I would see double every time I rotated to aim, which would make me miss. With the super stable 3D, you can move all around and the 3D stays 3D and stable, which means now I can aim great using the 3D and no longer need to switch it off ever. It also makes it so much more comfortable on the eyes, and doesn’t cause strain over long periods like the older system sometimes did. I’ve seen some people say it’s not worth upgrading if you have the previous generation 3DS XL, but for me, the super stable 3D is worth it. And since I have Amiibo’s I used with my Wii U, I like that I can use them for my 3DS now also.

With regard to the extra C-stick, it’s nice, but I only have one game that supports it since only the newer games are starting to take advantage of it. On my previous 3DS XL, I bought the Circle Pad Pro for the extra stick, but I hated that it made the system too bulky to be considered truly portable. The XL barely fits in your pocket as it is, so it just wasn’t worth hauling the CP Pro around for what little it did. That said, I’m glad the new generation XL has it built in. The C-stick does not work as comfortably and easily as the CP Pro did, but like I said, it barely gets used even when it’s supported. It does work decently, though, and it is pressure sensitive. It’s a lot like when laptops had that crappy little rubber joystick in the middle of the keyboard to control the mouse/pointer. But unlike that situation, where it was a pain to use to control a pointer, it is much more appropriate and easier to use for the purpose of controlling external camera angles (the typical purpose in games). The New 3DS also has the additional shoulder buttons like on the CP Pro. All in all, it is not a feature that alone is worth upgrading to this system from the previous generation.

The only other thing there is new about it is the faster processor. The New 3DS XL does perform noticeably faster than the previous, but it’s not like the previous version was slow, so it’s not a major selling point with regard to upgrading.

All-in-all, I’m happy about my upgrade. But I am a working adult who grew-up with Nintendo, and so I have my own money to buy things to fill my spare time. As a parent, I probably wouldn’t be ready to fork out the money for my kid to upgrade from the previous 3DS XL (unless you’re rich and like to spoil your kid). If they have the first 3DS version, I’d consider buying them the upgrade, but not and upgrade from the immediate predecessor. Like I said, the super-stable 3D made it worth the buy for me, and I would consider it the greatest selling point if you are considering upgrading. I bought a PSP (the predecessor to the PlayStation Vita portable console, upon which the Vita is based), and I did not enjoy playing it very much for very long. It was packed with features, but it just didn’t hold my attention. That’s what I worried would happen when I first bought the 3DS XL, but it was totally different. In terms of fun, the 3DS smokes the PSP/Vita to me. The Nintendo system is just way more fun to play, and I can’t describe it in any other way other than I don’t get bored 15 minutes later like I did with PlayStation’s system.