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New 3DS XL Review

Nintendo's New 3DS XL is a fantastic upgrade to an already great line of handhelds. That said, it's certainly not perfect, presenting a questionable auto-brightness option that ends up being more frustrating than helpful.

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Three-dimensional gaming isn’t the main selling point here, and is something that isn’t talked about nearly as often as it was back when this family of handhelds first debuted several years ago. In fact, the talk about 3D gaming (in general) has noticeably lessened, which doesn’t bug me. I like it from time to time, and generally have my 3DS’ slider positioned as far upward as it can go, but I wouldn’t necessarily miss if it completely vanished.

Another problem with the device is its auto-brightness mechanic, which makes it so that its screen brightness also adjusts based on positioning. While a good idea on paper, it simply fails to provide any sort of a benefit and is more of an annoyance than anything else. I ended up turning it off almost immediately as it was annoying me to the point of frustration.

Those who’ve been following this release will know all about how it’s technically superior to its predecessor, thanks to an increase in power and what have you. It’s a welcome bonus, because it makes it so that intensive games like The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate run incredibly well. Even though I did run into an occasional glitch here and there while playing, they weren’t the system’s fault.

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The C-stick, itself, is yet another game changer for hardcore users. That’s because it answers the entertainment-related prayers of many, by providing a second joystick-esque option method for camera control. As a result, the days of having to use shoulder buttons (or even face buttons) to control games’ viewpoints are in the past. Good riddance to them, too.

What’s strange about the C-stick, though, is how it’s designed. Although it looks like some sort of joystick, it doesn’t move like one. In actuality, it feels as if the input hardly moves at all when used, though what’s shown on screen says otherwise. It works well overall and is a great addition to an already fantastic handheld, although I’m not sure if its placement is exactly where I would’ve wanted it. I’ll get used to that, though, and the same is true of the two new shoulder buttons: ZL and ZR.

Rounding out this relatively great package are other bonuses, like slightly improved battery life, Amiibo support, easier file sharing capabilities and enhanced browsing mechanics. Those are on top of the better cameras, which will allow you to take better, 3D pictures if you so please. Appreciated improvements, all of them, though none are as noteworthy as the rest. At least, unless you’re an Amiibo fanatic.

So, should you upgrade to the New 3DS XL? Yes, but only if it won’t break your budget. This is an impressive improvement to the best handheld system out there, and one that is easy to recommend. Still, it’s not a must-buy or a necessity by any means, at least not until more games that require its improved CPU are released.

This review is based on a review unit that was provided to us.

Fantastic

Nintendo's New 3DS XL is a fantastic upgrade to an already great line of handhelds. That said, it's certainly not perfect, as it presents a questionable auto-brightness option that ends up being more frustrating than helpful.

New 3DS XL Review