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3DS XL First Impressions/Previews

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Holy hell, first my fiance surprises me with a 3DS XL as a gift (on top of her preordering Dark Souls PC for me unexpectedly), and then my little sister bought me New Super Mario Bros. 2 and Kingdom Hearts 3D as an early Christmas present since she won't be around for Christmas.

Fucking best week for games in a really long time for me. <3

Can I borrow your family? My wife hates games.
 
I'm liking it better after a couple of days (at first I was thinking of selling it off and going back to OG). NSMB2 looks beautiful on this screen.

However, a couple of things are still bothering me, though they are slowly being outweighed by the positives:

- It makes UI elements look ridiculous. Every button on the lower screen just looks absurd now, like a web browser with the zoom level artificially bumped into senior citizen range.

- The sweet spot is too close. I said this before and am getting used to it, but I'd still greatly prefer if this thing would allow me to hold it further away and still see the 3D. As it stands, I have to hold it as close as I did the OG, and that feels odd with such a huge screen in my face.

If you put it to the side of the original, you'll see the distance at which you should have it, is the same. But being a bigger screen it makes you feel it is too close :P
 
I did the transfer today from my 3DS to my 3DS XL...except it only transfers saved games. I got scared that all my abassader games and eshop downloads and realized I had to redownload them again. *sigh*
 
I did the transfer today from my 3DS to my 3DS XL...except it only transfers saved games. I got scared that all my abassader games and eshop downloads and realized I had to redownload them again. *sigh*

All of my ambassador games transferred over just fine.
 
I did the transfer today from my 3DS to my 3DS XL...except it only transfers saved games. I got scared that all my abassader games and eshop downloads and realized I had to redownload them again. *sigh*

You have to use the SD card you transferred with from the old system. Unless you also copy the old sd card onto the new one from a pc.
 
You have to use the SD card you transferred with from the old system. Unless you also copy the old sd card onto the new one from a pc.

I goofed and formatted the original 3DS card after the transfer. I'll just have to redownload the games again. I didn't back my card up since I wasn't near a computer at the time.
 
You can do that with apps / games (and I did) but my minor gripe is with various buttons, from the PLAY button on videos to the front menu of nearly every game. Everything is just so enormous... kind of making me cringe from a UI-design perspective. But it's not a huge problem, just one of those things that bother me.
´
huh, you get my axe on that. they should do a second design to selct from. all the same, just smaller icons and buttons.


one can dream....
 
Starfox multiplayer through download-play is pretty fun. I can only imagine how much fun it would be being a kid on the schoolyard and playing this stuff.

Is there only one stage available though? I probably missed something obvious.
 
OK, so I'm torn right now on the XL. The image quality is just not good. :( Maybe I'll get used to it eventually or something? But everything is so zoomed-looking and pixelated and low-res, it just makes the menus and games look like something Fisher-Price would make for toddlers. (or like someone else mentioned, like it's super-zoomed for senior citizens with bad eyesight)

On the other hand, the games that I've played so far are fun...so I guess that's all that matters? I keep trying to convince myself of that, at least..

It seriously looks like when you run games in 800x600 on a 22" monitor. The resolution just looks low for some reason. The pixels and aliasing are insane. If they seriously had these quality of games running on something like the Vita hardware...that would be the perfect combo. But now going back and forth between the Vita and the XL is like going from a PC game running at 1900x1200 to the same game running at 800x600 on the same size monitor.

Hope that makes sense what I'm trying to explain? Does everyone else not notice the aliasing and low-res'ishness look of the games on the XL, or am I being crazy here?
 
Starfox multiplayer through download-play is pretty fun. I can only imagine how much fun it would be being a kid on the schoolyard and playing this stuff.

Is there only one stage available though? I probably missed something obvious.

You can change them at settings.

I've had fun playing it. Alone....
 
OK, so I'm torn right now on the XL. The image quality is just not good. :( Maybe I'll get used to it eventually or something? But everything is so zoomed-looking and pixelated and low-res, it just makes the menus and games look like something Fisher-Price would make for toddlers. (or like someone else mentioned, like it's super-zoomed for senior citizens with bad eyesight)

On the other hand, the games that I've played so far are fun...so I guess that's all that matters? I keep trying to convince myself of that, at least..

It seriously looks like when you run games in 800x600 on a 22" monitor. The resolution just looks low for some reason. The pixels and aliasing are insane. If they seriously had these quality of games running on something like the Vita hardware...that would be the perfect combo. But now going back and forth between the Vita and the XL is like going from a PC game running at 1900x1200 to the same game running at 800x600 on the same size monitor.

Hope that makes sense what I'm trying to explain? Does everyone else not notice the aliasing and low-res'ishness look of the games on the XL, or am I being crazy here?

I think you are making a much bigger deal out if it than it is. I mean its somewhat noticeable but saying the games look like Fisher Price games made for toddlers and that the pixels and aliasing are insane makes you sound just a little crazy. I don't have a vita but going from a 3ds to a XL I did notice a little bit of a difference but it still looked good to me and I got used to it after about half an hour. The immersion I get from a bigger screen outweighs the lower quality image. I would give yourself time to get used to it.
 
Just got mine in the mail from Fry's. sogood.gif

I don't know if anyone complained about how the DS games look on this bad boy, but I think they look terrific. I just tried out Kirby's Mass Attack and it looks so much more vibrant on the XL than it did on the OG 3DS, I have no idea why.

Now to try 999 on here and see if it's just as awesome on a huge screen.
 
I think you are making a much bigger deal out if it than it is. I mean its somewhat noticeable but saying the games look like Fisher Price games made for toddlers and that the pixels and aliasing are insane makes you sound just a little crazy. I don't have a vita but going from a 3ds to a XL I did notice a little bit of a difference but it still looked good to me and I got used to it after about half an hour. The immersion I get from a bigger screen outweighs the lower quality image. I would give yourself time to get used to it.

That's what I'm hoping. :) I think it might be harder to get used to it when my other options are a PC running on a GTX670 @ 19x12, a PS3 running at 720/1080, and a Vita running on an OLED running at whatever res it runs at (960x600 maybe?). Then I pull out the XL that has the bottom screen and all menus running at 320x240, and the top screen at 800x240(?).
 
I took advantage of the Gamestop deal and I got myself a red XL and a free Steel Diver.

The XL brings life to every single game. KH3D looks amazing compared to the OG 3DS and so does every game I own.
 
I think you are making a much bigger deal out if it than it is. I mean its somewhat noticeable but saying the games look like Fisher Price games made for toddlers and that the pixels and aliasing are insane makes you sound just a little crazy. I don't have a vita but going from a 3ds to a XL I did notice a little bit of a difference but it still looked good to me and I got used to it after about half an hour. The immersion I get from a bigger screen outweighs the lower quality image. I would give yourself time to get used to it.

I have a Vita and I have to say that the screen isn't THAT great. After all the "zomg dat OLED" talk on GAF, I was disappointed once I bought a Vita. The screen is good, but it's nothing special. I have zero problems switching between XL and Vita.

On the other hand, I was disappointed with the XL at first too, but I got used to it after a few hours. Now that I've had one for almost a month, I never want to go back to the smaller screens again.
 
On the other hand, I was disappointed with the XL at first too, but I got used to it after a few hours. Now that I've had one for almost a month, I never want to go back to the smaller screens again.


Yeah, I'm starting to think that's what the difference is...the majority are going from the tiny screen on the OG 3DS to the XL, and are enjoying the increased size. I never owned an OG 3DS, so don't have a frame of reference to come from...only the other systems that I own. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. :)
 
Can I borrow your family? My wife hates games.

My fiance doesn't play games (though I bought her a 3DS XL because she does like Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon and Nintendogs. But she doesn't care that I love them and play them all the time, and buys me games as gifts a lot. In college, we basically shared a room, and half of the time I spent sitting there playing games and she didn't care one bit. It's amazing, because most girlfriends/fiances/wives of my friends cannot stand games and think their partner should be spending every waking minute doing something with them.

My fiance is amazing. I've been with her for almost 8 years, and I initially was afraid that she'd start getting annoyed with my gaming after a while, but even with our wedding approaching this spring, she still supports the hell out of me and my gaming. <3
 
That's what I'm hoping. :) I think it might be harder to get used to it when my other options are a PC running on a GTX670 @ 19x12, a PS3 running at 720/1080, and a Vita running on an OLED running at whatever res it runs at (960x600 maybe?). Then I pull out the XL that has the bottom screen and all menus running at 320x240, and the top screen at 800x240(?).

I'd probably stay away from buying any of the ported games for the 3DS. Like Metal Gear, SSF IV etc. if it's that big a deal to you. Stick with native 3DS/Virtual Console games so the experience isn't as "jarring".
 
Do they have demo units in stores yet (United States)? I really don't feel like checking out my local best buy and gamestops for the 3rd time ;_;
 
What software would you guys suggest? I could either get a retail title, or $40 in eshop credit. Is there anything substantial on the eshop?

I've already played Mario 3D Land and Resident Evil. Haven't played Kid Icarus yet though but I heard it had awful controls.
 
What software would you guys suggest? I could either get a retail title, or $40 in eshop credit. Is there anything substantial on the eshop?

I've already played Mario 3D Land and Resident Evil. Haven't played Kid Icarus yet though but I heard it had awful controls.

Kid Icarus is an excellent game, but the controls require a few hours to really learn and master. If you put in the time though, it's one of the best titles you'll ever play.
 
What software would you guys suggest? I could either get a retail title, or $40 in eshop credit. Is there anything substantial on the eshop?

I've already played Mario 3D Land and Resident Evil. Haven't played Kid Icarus yet though but I heard it had awful controls.

Kid Icarus is easily my favorite handheld game ever. There is so much game there for the $40 price tag.

That would be my retail suggestion.

eShop suggestions would be: Pushmo, Mutant Mudd, Mighty Switch Force, Links Awakening, Super Mario Land 2, Super Mario Land 3:Warioland, Super Mario Bros. and 3D Classics Kirby's Adventure.
 
eShop suggestions would be: Pushmo, Mutant Mudd, Mighty Switch Force, Links Awakening, Super Mario Land 2, Super Mario Land 3:Warioland, Super Mario Bros. and 3D Classics Kirby's Adventure.

May go with a retail game and $20 in credit to pick up Link's Awakening and maybe Mudds and MSF. Thanks. :)

Just a learning curve.

Hm. Wish I could try a demo or something. I don't feel comfortable with spending $40 on something that I may not like because of controls.
 
if the wifi on all the time? regardless if I close it? Because that would really drain the battery

It is, the 3ds tries to use streetpass and spotpass while on sleep mode.

Edit: And somehow I missed all the post explaining this. Welp

Re:Kid Icarus,
GOTY, the problem with the controls is that many people go thinking "It is going to suck because is not Dual Analog". It is a new, different way to control a TPS (groun sections), and just like the first time playing dual analog or any other setup , it will take a while to get use to it. But boy, the things you can do when you master it.
 
Well, I got my XL today. It came with Kingdom hearts, and I have Ocarina of Time on order. So... this thing feels lovely doesn't it. Some game prices are still a bit up there over here, so I'll be holding off on Kid Icarus and stuff like that until they drop to around £20 :P Might have a dig around in the eshop though...

Edit: Also, this is the first nintendo handheld i've owned since the original DS. Probably going to end up going out and picking up A BUNCH of original DS games for this thing too. Hopefully i'll be able to find most of the Dragon Quest games that came out for it. Never played World Ends With You either, so i'll be on the prowl for that...
 
Yep I'm still confused but that sounds horrible.

It's more of a learning curve. No game quite controlled like it before and probably no game will since. The sky missions are easy enough to get the hang of, but land battles do take some dedication before you feel comfortable. If you give it a shot, don't be surprised if you're a good 1/3 of the way through story mode until it "clicks."

Once you "get it," though, it's a really fun, high quality game with a ton of unlockables and replay value.
 
Are the controls convoluted or something? I mean, what makes it hard?

The controls are.. different. In the air it's simply a mix between using the circle pad to move, stylus to aim, and l button to shoot.

Once you are on the ground, you will realize what everyone's been talking about. Circle pad to move, stylus controls aiming, however in order to move your reticule around you will need to use a flicking motion to quickly aim at what you want. At first, the concept is very foreign. But with enough practice and tweaking, you get very used to the control scheme, albeit some hand cramps after a long period of play (at least with the original 3DS).
 
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