I love my 3DS.
You saw me just moments after I obtained it, after all, having camped out on Black Friday
for the special, Zelda-print edition.
But, as a DSiXL owner, I missed having huge screens and a larger system to accommodate
my ridiculously large hands.
And so I stared longingly at the 3DSXL, but couldn’t bring myself to ditch that Zelda-tinged
monstrosity that I waited in the cold to obtain.
And then, Nintendo turned the 3DSXL into a Pokemon.
And I couldn’t help myself.
Sure, it’s just a slick, Pikachu-print paintjob, and the inner workings are the same as they’ve
ever been.
But I don’t care.
IT’S PIKACHU.
And it’s freakin’ huge, and the screens are big and beautiful.
That’s the important part.
Also, IT’S PIKACHU.
Sure, I can show you this footage where I try to compare the size of the 3DS and 3DSXL’s
screens, but you really need to hold one to get a feeling of how stark the size difference
really is.
The unexpected side effect of having a larger screen, though, is that the 3D effects that
comprise part of the system’s name now function better at longer distances from your own eyes,
which I’ve found significantly more comfortable while holding the system for periods of time.
Also, the wider body means I don’t get as many hand cramps while furiously scribbling
maps in Etrian Odyssey.
I do have one complaint about the new form factor, though: I often found myself inadvertently
adjusting the volume while intense circle-pad action was going on.
The new rounder edges of the enclosure make this a real issue... even if it is pretty
much a non-issue.
If you’re considering upgrading, Nintendo makes it easy to bring your old software over
by using the System Transfer option in the settings menu.
Sure, it takes quite a while - especially if you’re like me and you’ve got a pile
of downloaded games because an existence without Mighty Switch Force isn’t an existence I’m
all that enthusiastic about - but the result carries over everything you need, including
eShop account data and clearances for all the games on your SD card.
Which is awesome, because all I had to do was pop the 16Gb beast out of my old DS, drop
it in the new, and BAM.
My Fire Emblem, my Pictobits, my Shantae: Risky’s Revenge were good to go.
Sure, you don’t really need all that extra screen real estate if you’re just playing
Game Boy and NES games off of the Virtual Console... but bigger screens are always better.
Always.
ALWAYS.
Especially if you get a free copy of StarFox 64 3D out of the deal by being a Club Nintendo
member.
It’s been at least a decade since I’ve played this game, but it’s good to know
that I can still medal Corneria first time, every time.
You guess you should be thankful, Falco?
You KNOW you should be thankful.