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3DS XL sells 193K units at Japanese launch
The 3DS XL has sold an estimated 193,441 units in its two days on the Japanese market, according to an Enterbrain report published by Famitsu. New Super Mario Bros. 2, which was released concurrently, sold an estimated 430,185 copies. It's unlikely that number includes sales of the download version, which was launched at the same time. There must have been at least some eShop copies sold.The original 3DS reportedly burned through its full initial Japanese shipment of 400,000 units in 24 hours, making the upsized unit's launch softer in comparison. The PlayStation Vita, the 3DS's most direct competition, sold 321,407 units in its December 2011 launch in Japan, though sales have slowed quite a bit since.
An extra large look at the 3DS XL
The 3DS XL is big.... Okay, maybe it isn't as big as our novelty Fire Emblem eraser makes it seem, but as a system whose main selling point is its bigness relative to the previous Nintendo 3DS, it succeeds handily.In addition to plenty of close-up pictures of our review unit, we also made sure to take plenty of comparison pictures, to help you comprehend its enormity in context. What does that giant screen look like compared to the Vita's huge screen? How big is a 3DS XL compared to a Game Gear? Find out in our gallery.And after the break, see the 3DS XL's vast screens compared to the now-petite screens on the original 3DS. We ran 3DS games, videos, and even a DS game (Game Center CX 2, the only DS game we had two copies of) simultaneously. We also compared both DS display modes - stretched and native – on both devices. A DS game running in native resolution on the 3DS XL displays in roughly the same size as a stretched DS game on a 3DS!%Gallery-161375%
Nintendo Q1 results: Wii sales cut in half since 2011, but 3DS sales more than double
Nintendo's results for the latest quarter reveal growth in profit for the Japanese games maker. Gross profit totaled 24.9 billion yen -- more than double that made from last year's Q1. Operating income remains negative, but substantially reduced since last quarter's statement -- presumably due to strong 3DS sales. Today's results tie in with the launch of both the 3DS XL and Nintendo's first downloadable titles for the 3DS, with sales of the handheld reaching 1.86 million units during the last quarter. Conversely, sales of the Wii have tailed off, with only 710,000 units sold in Q1, down from 1.56 million sold in the same period last year. Fortunately, according to the press release, Nintendo still aims to launch its Wii successor by the end of this year.
Nintendo's transparent 3DS XL poses for the camera, makes you wish you had one
We know what you're likely thinking: "I want this. I want it now" -- or, you know, something along those lines. Unfortunately, don't expect this transparent beauty to show up at retail stores when the supersized 3DS launches later next month, as it's nothing but a mere demo unit. The see-through XL was recently used by Nintendo to showcase the handheld's guts during a Q&A session on its website, and while it's currently just an extra-large test dummy, it could potentially be a sign of big things to come. We wouldn't hold our breath, though, so for now you'll have to be satisfied with one of those opaque options you have to choose from.
Nintendo 3DS XL sports less reflective screen than its predecessor, improved parallax effect
Supersized screens may be the centerpiece of Nintendo's 3DS XL, but a new Iwata Asks interview reveals that its top display packs some new anti-glare tech too. Takashi Murakami, from the company's Mechanical Design Group, notes that each of the LCD's three glare-prone layers were specially treated to reduce reflectivity from the original 3DS' 12 percent, down to three. According to head honcho Iwata, anti-reflection coatings have been on the Big N's radar since the GameBoy Advance era, but were typically abandoned because they were too pricey. The Q&A session also confirmed something we noticed when we put the handheld through the review gauntlet -- the larger display increases the parallax effect, which translates to a deeper looking 3D experience. If your current handheld's screen bounces too much light for your liking, the XL can take its place starting August 19th in North America.
3DS XL's screen reduces glare
Nintendo's 3DS XL system may have a size advantage over the original 3DS console, but it will also feature a new LCD screen that is less reflective, according to a recent Iwata Asks interview. Takashi Murakami, who works in the mechanical design group for the console, said the reflectivity of the new LCD screen will be 3%, down from 12% on the 3DS."On a LCD screen there are basically three reflective layers, which all of them reflects and cause glare. So this time, we specially treated all the layers," Murakami said. Cutting down on glare for handheld systems has been a goal since the Game Boy Advance, which Nintendo President Satoru Iwata said had been abandoned most of the time due to cost.It especially seems to be in Nintendo's interests to reduce the glare on a stereoscopic 3D system like the 3DS XL though, which was also said to offer a broader depth of 3D than its predecessor, as the system includes a larger depth slider.
Nintendo 3DS gets first downloadable titles next week: Super Mario and Brain Training sequels
As Nintendo attempts to get its eShop up to speed with Sony's PS Vita provision, it's finally announced a July 28th launch date for its first two downloadable games. Alongside the in-store release of the 3DS XL, the full versions of both Super Mario Brothers 2 and the latest iteration of Dr. Kawashima's Brain Age / Training will be available for online purchase in Japan, priced at 4,800 yen (around $61) and 3,800 yen ($48), respectively. Nintendo already offers a mixed bag of retro titles and demos to download, but this is the first time it'll wheel out fully-fledged 3DS games.
Nintendo president: 3DS XL isn't big enough for a second analog stick
We spent a good chunk of time getting to know Nintendo's 3DS XL, which sidesteps the notion of a second analog stick -- despite peripherals adding one to the older model. Now Nintendo president, Satoru Iwata, has weighed in on the game maker's decision, saying that trade-offs were made for both battery life and the overall size of the unit. Iwata shrugged off those controller complaints, saying: "[The lack of a second stick] isn't my main focus when I look at the 3DS XL, it's one point we had to cover, but for me personally I'm quite happy with the product we're able to offer. " If you're serious about your strafing and shooting, at least there's the eventual super-sized add-on.
Iwata: 3DS XL to be sold at a profit, 3D likely a 'minor element' in future Nintendo devices
Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata revealed one way Nintendo is working to stop selling the 3DS at a loss, which it has since last year's price drop. "First of all to the 3DS XL, we will not be selling this at a loss," Iwata told the Independent. "We don't have a huge profit margin on it, we intend to sell it at a profit." He wasn't as forthcoming about the Wii U's pricing, of course. "As for Wii U we haven't even announced price so it's too early to comment."He also had some thoughts on the future prospects of 3D. Though "3D is the normal state for human beings, it's how we see our environment," Iwata doesn't believe 3D television will really take off until it can work glasses-free. The 3DS was able to include 3D, he said, "because there are various circumstances on a handheld machine which make it possible. You have the screen and the console being one, normally you have almost constant distance between [the user] and the screen, so with the currently available technology it is possible to provide a high quality 3D experience without glasses. "That said, 3D in video games had a "surprise effect" that Iwata admits is wearing off. "But I think it's an important element, it makes graphics more impactful, it proves a sense of immersion that 2D doesn't have, so I would say generally that 3D is better than 2D." Iwata added, "It's nice to have good graphics but not necessarily on their own, so I don't think we'll present [3D graphics] as one of the key features of our consoles but will probably stick with 3D as one of the minor elements of our consoles in the future. "
Read Engadget's super-sized review of the 3DS XL
If you're contemplating picking up a big ol' 3DS XL, then you're going to need one big ol' review. As it so happens, Engadget has just served up one heaping helping of 3DS XL review, packed with pictures, video and all the text you can read. The verdict: The 3DS XL is more comfortable, the battery lasts longer and, overall, it's a better machine than its baby brother.Head over to Engadget for the whole review. Try not to read it all at once – you wouldn't want your brain to get fat.
Nintendo 3DS XL review: bigger is better, but it's still not quite enough
More Info Nintendo 3DS XL announced Nintendo 3DS review Nintendo's gunning for retailers, expanding eShop offerings for Wii U, 3DS If you like your portable gaming three-dimensional, clam-shelled and big, then Nintendo's 3DS XL fulfills those broad, unconventional requirements. It's a design refresh that more closely references both previous generations of DS hardware (and the incoming Wii U) -- all while touting a substantially bigger, 3D-capable, parallax-barrier screen. Aside from a larger battery, the XL's internals rehash what we first saw over a year ago: the controls remain the same, with no addition of a (mildly) hardcore gamer-courting second analog stick. For what it's worth, the device does arrive with a 4GB SD card in-box (up from 2GB in the original), matching the approximate doubling in physical dimensions. 18 months is a long time in gaming, especially these days, and although 3DS sales have recently rallied against Sony's latest, we reckon the 3DS XL has double the appeal of its forebear. We'll explain why right after the break. %Gallery-159869%
Get an extra large hands-on with the 3DS XL at San Diego Comic-Con 2012
You and your buddy Peter always go to San Diego Comic Con, sure, but do you always get a chance to be the first people in North America to touch Nintendo's next handheld? The answer is no, because you don't. But this year, you totally will, as Nintendo's bringing the 3DS XL.The Japanese game publisher's also bringing a variety of games for you to play, including New Super Mario Bros. 2, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate, and ... uh, Kid Icarus. Okay, okay – outside of those three and a couple others, the rest of the games are kinda not so new. But hey, Just Dance 4 on Wii will also be there! Yeah!Head past the break for the full list.
Nintendo debuts new 3DS variants in spicy summer colors
While we're still itching to handle its bigger (and more stylish) XL iteration, that hasn't stopped Nintendo rolling out the acid colors for two Asia-bound handhelds. The 3DS in Cerulean (the bright blue one) and Shimmer (the hot pink version) will hit stores in Hong Kong and Taiwan, accompanying the launch of the 3DS XL in September. No word from Nintendo so far on whether it'll follow the Aubergine-hued model to the US .
Nintendo 3DS XL getting supersized with Circle Pad Pro extension
Sure, Nintendo could've made the 3DS XL even larger by attaching a second analog stick to it, but what fun would that be? Instead, Nintendo's launching an evolved Circle Pad Pro attachment for the larger 3DS "some time this year," according to Famitsu (via Andriasang).The attachment was outed in the latest issue of the Japanese game mag, though it sadly lacked images (perhaps they were too large for a standard magazine?). Nintendo hasn't confirmed the attachment for North American retail just yet, but it's a safe bet it'll arrive here as well.And yes – stop worrying – the 3DS stand from Kid Icarus is said to still work with this new, supersized attachment. Whew.
3DS XL to get Circle Pad Pro treatment, become that much larger
Nintendo's latest oversized handheld not big enough for you? Maybe another Circle Pad Pro will help. According to Japanese gaming publication Famitsu, the Big N is poised to give the freshly announced 3DS XL a second analog slider. Pricing wasn't covered in the magazine's Nintendo Q&A session, but gamers in the Land of the Rising Sun should have their thumbs on it later this year. Oh, and in case you didn't hear, the colossal clamshell is getting its very own charging cradle too, sold separately for 1,200 yen ($15). Mum's the word on stateside details for the secondary slide pad, but we wouldn't be surprised to see it show up on foreign shores.
Nintendo 3DS XL caught on video, gets manhandled abroad
Nintendo's new 3DS XL was just revealed last week, but we didn't have to wait long for the plus-sized handheld to get put through its paces. Puissance Nintendo got its game on with Nintendo's newest, and if Google's translation is to be believed, the added screen real-estate is, naturally, a welcome addition, and the panel is plenty bright with excellent viewing angles. Also, any negative effects from the bigger pixels present in the display -- it's the same resolution as its baby brother -- have apparently been ameliorated by an anti-aliasing filter of some sort. As for folks concerned about gripping the 3DS XL, fear not, as ergonomics are reportedly spot on, with an even weight distribution that feels no heavier than a standard 3DS. Still not ready to rush out and grab one this August? Head on past the break to see the XL in action, and pop on over to the source link to see if the full French spill will persuade you.
3DS XL comes to Europe on July 28
There was a Nintendo Direct video for Europe as well, which revealed local plans for the new 3DS XL. The hardware will be released there July 28, in red, blue, and silver color variants. Like in all other regions, the 3DS XL will come packed with a 4GB memory card. And, as in Japan, the system will ship without an AC adapter, for real. "Even with the addition of the bigger screen, Nintendo's aim was to still make the system available at a reasonable purchase price," Nintendo UK said. "Because of this, and because so many fans already own a previous handheld, an AC adapter will not be included."Also out in Europe on July 28 is a new Art Academy for 3DS called, well, New Art Academy. In addition, an expanded version of the eShop game Freakyforms will be released as a retail game, called Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! Speaking of eShop games, there's a sale on some popular downloads, with more next week.
Meet the 3DS XL in our hardware gallery
Like it was for everyone else, it was pretty late at night for Nintendo when the news of the 3DS XL came out. And as a result, we all waited until morning for a gallery of official hardware photos not snapped from a video stream.Get a better look at the 3DS XL in its official North American launch colors in our gallery below. Look at those home, select, and start buttons! They're actual buttons instead of whatever you call the mushy things under the 3DS screen.The 3DS XL launches August 19, for $199.99.%Gallery-158914%
New 3DS coming to US August 19 for $199.99
The newly announced "3DS LL" will be released in North America on August 19 as the "Nintendo 3DS XL." It'll cost $199.99 and come in either red or blue, with a 4GB SD card. The release date is concurrent with New Super Mario Bros. 2.The 3DS XL has a 4.88 inch upper screen, for a 90 percent larger viewing area than the 3.5-inch top screen of the current 3DS model. The bottom screen is also larger, at 4.18 inches.The Japanese and European versions will ship without AC adapters as a money-saving measure (really!), as they are compatible with existing 3DS and DSi XL power adapters. It is currently unannounced whether the North American version will include a power cord, though we can't believe that's a question now.%Gallery-158890%
