New 3DS XL review – Nintendo’s biggest, newest handheld

In the mists of time Nintendo handhelds came in one size only. Then the Game Boy Micro appeared in 2005, squeezing the Game Boy Advance down to truly miniscule proportions, and was quickly followed by no less than four different-sized variations of the Nintendo DS. The current 3DS family is no different, as gamers currently have a choice between the standard 3DS, the 3DS XL and the more child-friendly 2DS.

Now, the 3DS and 3DS XL are being replaced by the New 3DS and New 3DS XL. These both have upgraded processors and GPUs, allowing you to play more advanced games, enhanced head-tracking technology to widen its 3D viewing angles and built-in NFC so you can use Nintendo’s amiibo figures with compatible titles – all of which you can read more about in our full in-depth New 3DS review. Here, we’ll be concentrating on the main differences between the two new 3DS consoles, namely the New 3DS XL’s larger screens and revamped design.

The new C Stick on the New 3DS XL gives you much more flexible camera controls in Monster Hunter 4 and Majora’s Mask 3D

Unlike its smaller cousin, the New 3DS XL has a glossy front and rear with matt plastic on the inside and top edge. This may look more attractive straight out of the box, but it wasn’t long before its shiny, reflective surface was spoiled by our smeary fingerprints, leaving the console looking perpetually grubby no matter how many times we tried to clean it. It certainly doesn’t look as classy as the matt-finish New 3DS, and we also found the added gloss gave the console an inherent oiliness that made it feel quite slippery in the hand, which isn’t great news when you’re scrapping with a Great Jaggi in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

A bigger console also means a heavier one to hold and carry around with you. This isn’t really a problem if you’re chucking it in a backpack or playing games in the car, but it may start to weigh down your coat pocket if you’re walking round with it for long periods of time. It shouldn’t give you aching wrists, though. At 329g, the New 3DS XL only weighs around 80g more than the New 3DS and we didn’t really notice a big difference when playing each one on the morning commute.

Naturally, the New 3DS XL is a better fit for those with larger hands. During our time with the console, we felt it was just a fraction too big for us to comfortably reach the C Stick and shoulder buttons while still being able to grip the console securely. As a result, we much preferred the more compact size of the New 3DS XL’s little brother, but larger members of the office definitely appreciated the extra room.

The extra ZR and ZL buttons on the rear of the console means the cartridge slot has been relocated to the bottom of the console

It’s a real shame Nintendo’s not making any interchangeable face plates for the New 3DS XL, though, as we think this is one of the most appealing parts of Nintendo’s new handheld. Sadly, they’re only compatible with the smaller New 3DS, so you’ll have to make do with the standard metallic blue or black colours available at launch instead, although we’re sure there will be plenty of special New 3DS XL editions available in the future to help give it a bit more personality.

Indeed, if future special editions are anything like the beautiful (though sadly now sold-out) Majora’s Mask 3D or Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate consoles, then we’re sure there will be plenty of great designs to choose from when you come to buy one. Of course, you’ll still be stuck with that particular model, unlike the New 3DS’s face plates which you can swap out as often as you like and cost around £11-13 for each pair.

Of course, the New 3DS XL’s main attraction is its huge screens. At 4.88in, the top screen alone is practically the same size as your average smartphone, and the lower touchscreen’s 4.18in display provides more than enough room to swipe and tap with the stylus. That’s a sizable increase over the New 3DS’s 3.88in and 3.33in screens, and there’s no denying that games look visually more exciting and immersive on the New 3DS XL thanks to the larger window it provides into each game world.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, for example, is a perfect match for the New 3DS XL, as the world not only looks and feels larger, but you also get a much better idea of the sheer size of each monster as they tower over you. By comparison, when we played the same game on the smaller New 3DS, our hunts felt much more cramped and it couldn’t really do justice to the game’s extensive environments.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate looks much more impressive on the New 3DS XL’s larger screens

Super-sized gaming does have its downsides, though, as the New 3DS XL’s screens still have exactly the same 800×240 and 320×240 resolutions as those on the New 3DS, giving each one a lower pixel density. This means that games don’t look nearly as sharp on the New 3DS XL, and we could see visible aliasing on nearly every game we tried. It was particularly prominent when we turned on the stereoscopic 3D. We wouldn’t say it’s not a massive problem in the grand scheme of things, though, as we’re more than willing to put up with a few jagged edges if it means grander-looking games.

Of course, not every game has the same epic style as Monster Hunter, and smaller scale games such as Tomodachi Life don’t benefit nearly as much from the extra screen space. If anything, we’d say it actually looks worse on the New 3DS XL due to the sheer amount of aliasing.

The same goes for Majora’s Mask 3D. As much as we appreciated the extra sense of depth on the New 3DS XL, Link and the rest of Clock Town’s inhabitants looked noticeably crisper and more defined on the smaller screens of the New 3DS, so you may want to consider what types of games you like playing before you decide to go for one console or the other. If you like open world RPGs like Monster Hunter and are particularly looking forward to Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, for example, then you’ll probably want to consider an XL to get the most of each title.

Another point in the New 3DS XL’s favour is its larger 1,750mAh battery, allowing you to play for longer periods between each charge. While some games will drain the battery faster than others, Nintendo estimates that you’ll be able to spend 3.5 to 7 hours playing, which is an extra hour over the New 3DS’s 1,400mAh battery. Both consoles should last around 3 days in sleep mode, though.

Overall, we much prefer the New 3DS to its big brother, but the main deciding factor is whether you want the larger screens. It’s a shame the console isn’t simply a larger like-for-like version of the New 3DS, as the New 3DS’s finish is far superior to the XL’s more toy-like, glossy exterior. The lack of face plates is another big deal breaker for us, but if this doesn’t bother you then the New 3DS XL is still a perfectly fine choice. In fact, there’s almost more reason to buy a New 3DS XL right now if you’re hankering after Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, as its larger screens really do add a lot to overall gameplay experience. Otherwise, the smaller New 3DS remains our Nintendo handheld of choice.