On Sunday, it will have been only 511 days since Nintendo released its portable 3DS in North America. That might seem like a relatively short time to roll out a major redesign like the 3DS XL, which expands both the screen size and the external dimensions of Nintendo's glasses-free 3D handheld. But after spending a few weeks with the XL, we wish Nintendo hadn't waited so long to release the expanded system. It feels like the way 3DS games were meant to be played.
A pocket full of 3DS XL
Internally, the 3DS XL is an exact replica of the original 3DS, so almost everything that makes it distinct has to do with the hardware design. Nintendo sent me the metallic blue version of the 3DS XL; it has a matte finish that just looks classier (and is less susceptible to thumbprints) than the shiny turquoise of my launch-era 3DS. The edges of both the top and bottom sections of the system come to a gently rounded edge, which makes it look a bit like a set of long, pursed lips when viewed from the front side.
Still, the system cuts a much sleeker figure than the unsightly 3DS, which always looked a little misshapen thanks to the slight trapezoidal bulge of its upper section. The rounded corners also make the system significantly more comfortable to cradle in your palms than the blockier corners of the standard 3DS (though neither fits in your hands as well as the perfectly contoured edges of the PlayStation Vita). The hinge that runs almost the full width of the system feels quite sturdy, snapping into place at the standard 155-degree angle, as well as a laptop-style 120-degree angle that's perfect for watching videos.
By adding close to an inch to both the width and the height of the original 3DS, the XL is slightly less portable than its predecessor, but not unbearably so. The unit will still fit in a standard side pocket on a pair of pants, but without much room to spare. It's still a much better pocket fit than the Vita, which is a bit shorter but more than an inch wider, and the XL is even a hair thinner than the original 3DS (though quite a bit fatter compared to something like an iPod Touch).
The extra height also makes the system a better fit for adult-sized hands, and makes it less necessary to fold your fingers into a claw to support the system while playing. This is especially noticeable in games like Kid Icarus: Uprising, where you have to use one hand to support the system and manipulate the joystick and the other to tap on the touchscreen. Such games are much less of a strain on the wrist with the XL, especially when you're playing for an extended period (the extra 100 grams or so of weight the XL has over the standard-sized 3DS weren't especially noticeable, even in this one-handed mode).
Both the d-pad and the face buttons are ever-so-slightly larger than the original 3DS, but the most noticeable change in the inputs is in the shoulder buttons, which are transformed from tiny, blocky strips to large, rounded corners that are much easier and more comfortable to tap with the inside edge of a finger.
The 3DS XL also moves the stylus back to its traditional position on the underside of the right-hand edge of the system, which makes it much easier to quickly slide in and out compared to the awkward, vertical, upper-left corner placement on the 3DS. The solid black stylus on the XL is a little shorter than the silvery telescoping stylus on the original 3DS, but it's thicker at the top and feels a little sturdier since it doesn't slide in two parts.
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