Official Site: http://www.nintendo.com/3ds
Source: Youtube Channel Nintendo
I bought a Nintendo Nintendo 3DS XL yesterday and decided to have my first game be New Super Mario Bros. 2. Before I talk a bit about the game, I'll go over a bit of the system itself. I had waited all this time for a dual analog stick version of the 3DS, but it seems like Nintendo wants to keep their design the same and rather create a new version of the 2nd analog stick for the XL. Despite the slight disappointment, it was nice to see a larger version of the 3DS. Let's have a run down on the comparisons:
Pros
-Screen Size: I'm not entirely sure, but I'm pretty sure "XL" stands for "Extra Large" which is true. The screen size is an inch larger than the original. This has made it significantly easier on the eyes.
-Better for larger hands: This would benefit those who have really large hands as the previous model really made it difficult to adjust to the size without cramping one's hands.
-Return of the rounded shoulder keys: I didn't like the rectangular shoulder buttons that were significantly tinier than past gameboys on the original 3DS. It didn't feel right. The XL version feels closer to the shoulder keys of the GBA SP and has a nice rounded shape and a nice clicking feeling to them.
-Sleeker design: More than just aesthetics, the original 3DS had a bit of a lip that did make it easier to open, but felt bulky more than it should. The XL is evenly cut all the way around and feels very solid. It's still just as easy to put in your pocket.
-Real Buttons: By that, I mean the Start, Select, and Home keys are actual buttons where the original used the foam pad keys. The decision to use foam pad keys was a bit confusing as those wear out rather quickly and are known to have problems in a lot of children's toys in the past. I'm glad they're real buttons now.
-Dynamic Audio: I'm not entirely sure what they did with the audio hardware, but I like it. Everything is so much clearer and works with true stereo. It kind of reminds me of my original Gameboy from the "Play it Loud" series.
Cons
-It's heavy: This is the heaviest gameboy I've ever had, nay, the heaviest "handheld" I've ever had. It's not too much of a problem at first, but I generally lie down to play handhelds. Usually, I play handhelds at night when I can't sleep and holding the 3DS XL up made me realize just how heavy it was. Maybe I can turn this into a good thing and build muscles from playing it!
-Hand Cramps: I have a problem with this on almost all handhelds now, so it's not specific to the 3DS XL specifically. It's cool to finally have an analog stick on a gameboy now, but it has created quite an odd ergonomic predicament for holding the gameboy without getting a hand cramp. I think it's mainly holding a hand held horizontally now that causes the hand cramp because my NDS and PSP does the same thing to me after a while. I gotta be careful around the 3DS XL and do some stretches before and after playing.
-Not as portable: For me, it's portable since it fits in my pocket. For a younger child, or those with smaller bags on them, this unit is too huge to carry around. It's almost like carrying a brick around, just a little flatter.
-Battery Life: Why isn't this under the Pros? Because the difference in battery life isn't that significant compared to the original 3DS. Considering the device needs more juice to run a larger screen, louder audio, wi-fi, stand-by, and such, it's not surprising the battery life runs at 7 hours at most. I remember burning through AA batteries like crazy back in the Gameboy B&W and GBC days, and then they had a rechargeable battery for the GBA SP which was like the best thing ever, especially since it lasted 10+ hours. When I got my NDS Lite, it ran for an awesome 20 hours before needing a recharge. So 7 hours is really sad and disappointing in comparison and the original 3DS ran about 6 hours max, which is not too big of a difference depending on what you play on the 3DS.
-Not for Tiny Hands: The device is most likely made for the older generation who want a larger screen and control space for our larger hands. The original concept was created from the DSi XL as Brain Age and such games were popular among all ages, even those past their 60's. So that people didn't need to squint so much or put on heavy reading glasses, Nintendo made a larger device. Same for this one. The device is quite large, and so it's not going to be very comfortable for younger children or those with smaller hands.
Although I wrote a lot more for the Cons than the Pros, I have found the 3DS XL to be worth it for most people. Unless you have tiny hands or want more portability, 3DS XL would be great for anyone looking to play any of the titles for the system.
Now for a short rant on New Super Mario Bros. 2. I'll start off by saying that it's fun. I'll also say that it's significantly easier than the first one and any Mario game that came before it. I just started at World 2 and reach up to 62 Lives already just from running through the levels (I generally rush through a game and then revisit the levels or replay the games to get everything else). Despite the many iterations of Mario games, Nintendo has managed to keep this game fresh and interesting. It feeds off the greed for coins and even updates players on how many coins have been collected nationally and internationally (we're past a billion coins already). It was cool seeing the game change a little by the actions of other players in the world. It's almost like playing an online game where changes affect everyone and anyone can contribute to it. All the mushroom huts have been refreshed twice already due to the coin collecting milestones the players have reached. I probably won't be doing a review until I finish the game though, and I also have a lot of other reviews lined up. In short, New SMB 2 feels very casual, yet is still a lot of fun.
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