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3DS XL First Impressions/Previews

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Went to my GS to pick up a copy of Picross DS (pretty fun so far) and while I was there I saw some display boxes for the 3DS XL. No demo units, but the employees say they're coming soon.

One more week...
 
So don't transfer until you're satisfied with the unit ^_^

And above impressions about the sweet spot being easily lost and way smaller, not good news. Not good news to me, at all.

Sweet spot is more a product of your eyes, and the distance between them. Not sure why some people are saying the sweet spot got better. By science alone, that shouldnt happen.

As for not transferring, you bet your ass I'm not transferring until I'm 100 percent sure I'm keeping the XL. I'm not risking losing my two Zen pinball games, Mole Mania, and something like 45 dollars in credit on the store.


Man, I hope DS games look good on the 3DS XL because today I noticed the L button on my DS Lite is messed up.

In 1:1 mode you'll be very happy because the images will be crisp and clean like on your lite, but at the size of the DSi screens. In non-1:1 it's blurry, but I've grown accustom to it and prefer it over the smaller image with huge black bars.
 
So, I spur of the moment bought a 3DS from best buy last week to bring with on vacation. I asked about the XL and was told they had no clue when they were coming out. Think I'll have any trouble bringing the OG back for an XL? I figure I won't, especially when I bitch about being told they were unaware of the XL date. But, didn't know about their hardware return policy.
 
I need clear answers, please:

All prior impressions from media implied that Nintendo employed voodoo to make these XL screens

A) filtered, no loss in quality and actually better

B) better sweet spot, easier to find and keep

C) stronger 3D tech

We know the screens aren't blurry/pixelated, just using larger pixels which give games a less crisp look.

I know 3D depends on eyesight. I have no problems finding and maintaining a sweet spot,on my current 3DS. I need to know how much worse, if at all, the XL makes 3D usage. Does the XL enhance the sweet spot or 3D for anybody here, like it seemed to with media? The tech is the same. Does the screen size alter the feel of 3D?

I thought the 3DS XL was ugly as sin, initially. It was these glowing hands on media impressions, that swayed perception, turning much more positive the better the hardware seemed. The sole reason for my upgrade hinges on bigger screens that don't:

Ruin the sweet spot window
Degrade or detract, but make the 3D seem more robust

Please be honest. I was hoping the hardware functionality wouldn't actually decline in use quality.



So, I spur of the moment bought a 3DS from best buy last week to bring with on vacation. I asked about the XL and was told they had no clue when they were coming out. Think I'll have any trouble bringing the OG back for an XL? I figure I won't, especially when I bitch about being told they were unaware of the XL date. But, didn't know about their hardware return policy.


You could make a stink, find something defective and ask for a refund or store credit. Apply that toward the XL.
 
So, I spur of the moment bought a 3DS from best buy last week to bring with on vacation. I asked about the XL and was told they had no clue when they were coming out. Think I'll have any trouble bringing the OG back for an XL? I figure I won't, especially when I bitch about being told they were unaware of the XL date. But, didn't know about their hardware return policy.

Opened hardware can only be exchanged for the exact same item. You can try and talk to a manager about an employee giving you false info.
 
The sole reason for my upgrade hinges on bigger screens that don't:

Ruin the sweet spot window
Degrade or detract, but make the 3D seem more robust

Please be honest. I was hoping the hardware functionality wouldn't actually decline in use quality.
.

The sweet spot is the same, the games obviously look less crisp, but the 3D looks much better to me, the added depth due to the massive size of the screen is amazing.
 
In 1:1 mode you'll be very happy because the images will be crisp and clean like on your lite, but at the size of the DSi screens. In non-1:1 it's blurry, but I've grown accustom to it and prefer it over the smaller image with huge black bars.

Cool. Hopefully I'll get used to full-screen as well, because I'm not crazy about the idea of a small window inside a much bigger screen.
 
Opened hardware can only be exchanged for the exact same item. You can try and talk to a manager about an employee giving you false info.


Damn it. Will talk to a manager then, thanks. I didn't really care since I wanted one then and there, but when I got home and looked on their website and found the date, it bugged me.
 
Damn it. Will talk to a manager then, thanks. I didn't really care since I wanted one then and there, but when I got home and looked on their website and found the date, it bugged me.

"My screen keeps getting scratched/smudged, and then I looked up the issue on the Internet and apparently it's a problem with many of these. I want a full refund."

Done.
 
Yeah, good luck trying to sing the OG 3DS into an XL.

That will probably be a tough exchange I'd think.

Probably just return it and make no mention oF the XL
 
Damn it. Will talk to a manager then, thanks. I didn't really care since I wanted one then and there, but when I got home and looked on their website and found the date, it bugged me.

I feel that way when buying any Apple product. I can understand your frustration! Hopefully you can get everything sorted out and obtain this lovely handheld. Worst case scenario you could do a trade in for the XL, right?
 
I want mine so bad. I just picked up Mario Kart 7, Starfox, and Kid Icarus....and I am not playing them at all till the 19th. Reading screen impressions has got me way too excited for my own good.
 
Yeah, good luck trying to sing the OG 3DS into an XL.

That will probably be a tough exchange I'd think.

Probably just return it and make no mention oF the XL


Well, I obviously expect to pay the price difference, not a 1:1 exchange. I've never had a problem with BB, so I'm pretty hopeful when I tell them an employee gave me shitty info, it'll all be good. We'll see next week.
 
Next Sunday cannot get here soon enough! I haven't touched a DS or 3DS game in weeks, thanks largely to the PC summer sales, and I'm waiting to get the XL before I pick them up again. The system fixes almost every ergonomic issue I had with the original:

- The oleophobic glossy plastic is some of the most disgusting material Nintendo has ever produced. If it's not glass, it has to be matte.
- The D-pad is shallow and uncomfortable to use.
- 1:1 mode for older titles is too small to be worthwhile.
- The hinge is disconcertingly loose. The system is far too top-heavy.
- The glossy screens make playing in any moderately-lit environment frustrating. Too much glare.
- The hard edges cut into your hand during long play sessions.
- Fuck the Home/Start/Select non-buttons.

Nintendo struck out on the original 3DS design--I'm glad to see them return to form and make an actual GAME machine.
 
Next Sunday cannot get here soon enough! I haven't touched a DS or 3DS game in weeks, thanks largely to the PC summer sales, and I'm waiting to get the XL before I pick them up again. The system fixes almost every ergonomic issue I had with the original:

- The oleophobic glossy plastic is some of the most disgusting material Nintendo has ever produced. If it's not glass, it has to be matte.
- The D-pad is shallow and uncomfortable to use.
- 1:1 mode for older titles is too small to be worthwhile.
- The hinge is disconcertingly loose. The system is far too top-heavy.
- The glossy screens make playing in any moderately-lit environment frustrating. Too much glare.
- The hard edges cut into your hand during long play sessions.
- Fuck the Home/Start/Select non-buttons.

Nintendo struck out on the original 3DS design--I'm glad to see them return to form and make an actual GAME machine.

This is a big draw for me too, even moreso than the larger screens. I agree with every single thing you brought up - the original 3DS is probably the most poorly designed piece of hardware Nintendo have released since the original, backlight-less GBA. The thing just doesn't feel very good in your hands at all, I especially can't stand the plastic they've made it from.
 
So on friday i receive my white 3DS LL (alongside NSMB2), and i have to say is everything i wish the OG 3DS was.
Being able to play MH3G on that big screen is priceless.

Where did you buy it? I wanna get a 3DS LL for MH3G, but the $329 play-asia.com is asking for is waaaaaaaaaaay too steep for me.
 
This is a big draw for me too, even moreso than the larger screens. I agree with every single thing you brought up - the original 3DS is probably the most poorly designed piece of hardware Nintendo have released since the original, backlight-less GBA. The thing just doesn't feel very good in your hands at all, I especially can't stand the plastic they've made it from.

Original DS was miserable IMO. Screens were so very dim and it felt way worse than the first pass 3ds, i feel.
 
Original DS was miserable IMO. Screens were so very dim and it felt way worse than the first pass 3ds, i feel.
Pretty nice for SNES FFs though. Felt the screen quality made it look exactly like they should, unlike the GB Micro/DS lite where it seemed like the contrast was cranked too high and they looked garish.
 
Pretty nice for SNES FFs though. Felt the screen quality made it look exactly like they should, unlike the GB Micro/DS lite where it seemed like the contrast was cranked too high and they looked garish.

Some games had their color palettes changed so people with the original non-lit gba's could view the games better.
 
Some games had their color palettes changed so people with the original non-lit gba's could view the games better.
Yeah, and even on my GBA SP it looks washed out (dunno whether I was spoiled or the lights are dimming though, I'm suspecting the former). But the DS phat hits the sweet spot for FFV and FFVI, easily. DSi might've been pretty good too had it kept GBA support.
 
Original DS was miserable IMO. Screens were so very dim and it felt way worse than the first pass 3ds, i feel.

I had one. The first Castlevania game released on the DS was nigh unplayable on it. Too damned dark even on the highest brightness. Stopped playing it, and then popped it into my DS Lite when that thing released and it was night and day different.
 
Dammit Nintendo. Why must I wait until Sunday to get a hold of my Red 3DSXL? I demand answers! Why can't Nintendo of Canada just split away from NoA and do their own thing?
 
I had one. The first Castlevania game released on the DS was nigh unplayable on it. Too damned dark even on the highest brightness. Stopped playing it, and then popped it into my DS Lite when that thing released and it was night and day different.

I didn't buy hardware revisions until the DS Lite. I'd played GBA games on the original hardware up until the DS was released. Unfortunately, my DS's shoulder buttons died around the time the DS Lite was released, so the new hardware became my replacement. It was such a huge leap in quality that I retroactively regretted never buying an SP.
 
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