I wonder if it's more the size or the resolution that makes some 3DS games feel cramped. I'm hoping the XL helps whatever the case may be.
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3DS XL First Impressions/Previews
- Thread starter Truth101
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wackojackosnose
Member
Yeah I did. I bought it from their Tesco Entertainment Store and I highly reccommend them. They got the 3DS to me on the day of release (via TNT) and as I had problems with my 3DS (wonky screens, twice) they were more than happy to pick it up from me (via TNT) and replace it quickly.
Thanks for the link and sarcasm.
I would pay a 100 dollar premium for a XL model with OLED screens that I can touch without worry of smudges.
Why would you do that?
Member
You can play any region DS game on any DS as long as it's not a DSi enhanced game, and Ouendan isn't.
For GBA games, you'll need to keep your DS or buy a DS Lite. However, I personally prefer the original DS's buttons and GBA slot.
Oh I really can't wait to get mine, this thing is really HUGE.
01DragonFly
Member
The red one looks awesome
Thanks.
So, is the general consensus that the screen is the same as the current 3DS and not slightly darker? Or am I wrong?
twingloxx2
Member
Iwata comments on the lack of a 2nd analogue stick:
http://m.ign.com/articles/2012/07/12/why-the-3ds-xl-doesnt-have-a-second-circle-pad
http://m.ign.com/articles/2012/07/12/why-the-3ds-xl-doesnt-have-a-second-circle-pad
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
Thank fuck I pre-ordered red.
SoGood.jpg
SoGood.jpg
really? I get as much time if not more than the 3DS on a charge. I think it's a good thing they are improving the battery but I still wish it would have had a second stick.
Wow... that top screen is insane! :O
Admittedly the big advantage is in sleep mode, even with Near checks the Vita lasts forever, but after about 2 days of being off the charger the 3DS starts crying to be charged again. Turning wireless off DOES help though, and I guess the Vita just does casual pings rather than constantly keeping an eye on whoever's going by.
Finally
Fixed.
Blue's my favorite color yet I haven't had a system in that color aside from my DSi, and that's far from the right shade. This looks to be a lot closer, so I may grab that, now it's a question of when and if I trade in my 3DS for it.
Stealth20k
Banned
http://www.1up.com/do/blogEntry?bId=9111491
Speaking as a total mark for handheld systems, this thing hits almost every single note just right. The initial announcement of the XL met quite a bit of cynicism due to its lack of a second analog stick -- and quite reasonably so given the existence of an accessory for the standard 3DS that adds precisely that -- but I think the sting of that weird oversight has been mitigated by news that Nintendo will be creating a Circle Pad Pro XL. Not the ideal solution, but a solution nevertheless.
And, having held the XL and played a fair amount of Super Mario 3D Land and Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, I can't find it in my heart to hate the system. As I said, it's almost exactly everything I could ask for.
Of course, in essence it's a 3DS exploded into a larger format. But Nintendo didn't simply increase the system's proportions and call it a day; the XL features a number of minor tweaks that make it far more usable.
The first improvement Marty remarked on is the way the corners of the system have been rounded off. The standard 3DS tends to cut into your palms as you play, which can become uncomfortable for lengthy sessions. The XL fits your hands far more comfortably regardless of the size of your mitts, simply because the corners don't jut out sharply.
The system has a good look, too. The two-tone colored finished has a nice luster, but the finish is more matte and doesn't pick up the fingerprints that immediately coat the base model 3DS. The front edges taper into a rounded bevel, a lot like Apple's current MacBook Pro line. A Nintendo product that resembles an Apple device? Fancy that.
Despite the increased size of the system, it feels well-balanced and doesn't sit awkwardly in the hands. It's very slightly thinner than the base 3DS, which means it creates the perception of being much thinner thanks to the different proportions.
An even greater difference in proportions becomes obvious when you open the system. As you can see from this comparison shot with my trusty ol' Aqua Blue 3DS, despite being only moderately wider than the previous system the screens are almost twice as large. Proportionately, the screens occupy far more of the real estate; in fact, the top screen is nearly as large as the upper half of the standard 3DS.
This means everything looks great on the XL. (Folks with a severe allergy to aliased edges will shudder at the visuals, but those people don't like the 3DS to begin with.) I didn't notice a difference in color temperature, and the 3D effect works really well despite the change in size (and thus the screen's relative position to the viewer's eyes).
Yeah. That's a pretty significant difference.
What really sells me on the XL is how much Nintendo has improved its build quality. The slightly loose feel of the 3DS is absent here, and lots of minor tweaks really make the system more usable. The stylus, for example, has been moved to the system's right side -- no more fumbling behind the open screen and accidentally popping out the cartridge while trying to grab the sylus. The system buttons are now buttons, not membranes. And perhaps the best change of all: The 3D slider now has a small notch immediately above its off position that demands a small amount of extra force to turn the 3D on or off. We're not talking a major amount of effort, but it should prevent the effect from being activated or deactivated by mistake.
There are still a few unknowns about the XL; we haven't seen a standard DS game running on it, so there's no way to know if it improves its predecessor's famously terrible DS upscaling. And while existing 3DS owners will be able to transfer games, Street Pass, and other data from their old handheld to the XL, Nintendo has indicated a few (unknown) elements won't transfer over. Despite these minor concerns -- and the lack of a second stick, of course! -- we're impressed by the XL. You could argue that the XL is coming about a year and a half later than it should have, but we're happy to have it, late or not.
Speaking as a total mark for handheld systems, this thing hits almost every single note just right. The initial announcement of the XL met quite a bit of cynicism due to its lack of a second analog stick -- and quite reasonably so given the existence of an accessory for the standard 3DS that adds precisely that -- but I think the sting of that weird oversight has been mitigated by news that Nintendo will be creating a Circle Pad Pro XL. Not the ideal solution, but a solution nevertheless.
And, having held the XL and played a fair amount of Super Mario 3D Land and Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, I can't find it in my heart to hate the system. As I said, it's almost exactly everything I could ask for.
Of course, in essence it's a 3DS exploded into a larger format. But Nintendo didn't simply increase the system's proportions and call it a day; the XL features a number of minor tweaks that make it far more usable.
The first improvement Marty remarked on is the way the corners of the system have been rounded off. The standard 3DS tends to cut into your palms as you play, which can become uncomfortable for lengthy sessions. The XL fits your hands far more comfortably regardless of the size of your mitts, simply because the corners don't jut out sharply.
The system has a good look, too. The two-tone colored finished has a nice luster, but the finish is more matte and doesn't pick up the fingerprints that immediately coat the base model 3DS. The front edges taper into a rounded bevel, a lot like Apple's current MacBook Pro line. A Nintendo product that resembles an Apple device? Fancy that.
Despite the increased size of the system, it feels well-balanced and doesn't sit awkwardly in the hands. It's very slightly thinner than the base 3DS, which means it creates the perception of being much thinner thanks to the different proportions.
An even greater difference in proportions becomes obvious when you open the system. As you can see from this comparison shot with my trusty ol' Aqua Blue 3DS, despite being only moderately wider than the previous system the screens are almost twice as large. Proportionately, the screens occupy far more of the real estate; in fact, the top screen is nearly as large as the upper half of the standard 3DS.
This means everything looks great on the XL. (Folks with a severe allergy to aliased edges will shudder at the visuals, but those people don't like the 3DS to begin with.) I didn't notice a difference in color temperature, and the 3D effect works really well despite the change in size (and thus the screen's relative position to the viewer's eyes).
Yeah. That's a pretty significant difference.
What really sells me on the XL is how much Nintendo has improved its build quality. The slightly loose feel of the 3DS is absent here, and lots of minor tweaks really make the system more usable. The stylus, for example, has been moved to the system's right side -- no more fumbling behind the open screen and accidentally popping out the cartridge while trying to grab the sylus. The system buttons are now buttons, not membranes. And perhaps the best change of all: The 3D slider now has a small notch immediately above its off position that demands a small amount of extra force to turn the 3D on or off. We're not talking a major amount of effort, but it should prevent the effect from being activated or deactivated by mistake.
There are still a few unknowns about the XL; we haven't seen a standard DS game running on it, so there's no way to know if it improves its predecessor's famously terrible DS upscaling. And while existing 3DS owners will be able to transfer games, Street Pass, and other data from their old handheld to the XL, Nintendo has indicated a few (unknown) elements won't transfer over. Despite these minor concerns -- and the lack of a second stick, of course! -- we're impressed by the XL. You could argue that the XL is coming about a year and a half later than it should have, but we're happy to have it, late or not.
Woah, woah. What?
RPGCrazied
Member
Finally... real photo's of the red, so going to get that. So, even with the 3D full blast, doesn't hide any of the jagged edges of the graphics? If I can deal with a PS2 on a HD tv, I should be able to get over the jagged edges on a 3DS.
I just put my preorder in for a red one (did it at Game because I have points on my card there so why not). Still a little bit unsure at the moment. I already have a 3DS, the Zelda one, which I've had for probably just under a year but longer battery + bigger screen probably makes it a worthwhile purchase. Plus my brother doesn't have a 3DS so I could probably give the old one to him for £50 or something.
Any idea how some older DS games look on the bigger 3DS screen? Some games obviously suffered from the DS -> 3DS thing already, I'd imagine EMBIGGENING it further doesn't help a few of them.
EDIT: Aaaand answered by a link a few pages back.
Any idea how some older DS games look on the bigger 3DS screen? Some games obviously suffered from the DS -> 3DS thing already, I'd imagine EMBIGGENING it further doesn't help a few of them.
EDIT: Aaaand answered by a link a few pages back.
CrunchinJelly
formerly cjelly
nintendo.se says only user name, internet settings, parental settings, and credit card information isn't transferred.
http://www.nintendo.se/arkivet/faq/3ds_system-transfer#Finns det några data som INTE förs över
Major Zero
Banned
Hype increasing
the huge screen looks fantastic, but why the hell wouldn't they play in 2d? did they expect the viewer to appreciate the 3d through a video?
big black woman
Member
any comparison on the sound quality/volume?
Conrad Link
Member
Omg I want big screens! So excited.
My only concern is I've already transferred from launch 3DS to Zelda 3DS now will be doing another once the XL comes out. Hopefully they don't make too many more upgrades I'll want to move to or I'm gonna run out (its limited right?). >_<
My only concern is I've already transferred from launch 3DS to Zelda 3DS now will be doing another once the XL comes out. Hopefully they don't make too many more upgrades I'll want to move to or I'm gonna run out (its limited right?). >_<
vagabondarts
Member
I wonder if you will have to reorganize your folders.
Vyse The Legend
Member
Red looks pretty junky, but blue... oh, my.
Smiles and Cries
Member
yeah I am leaning towards blue
now I just need amazon.com to have a pre-order page
Major Zero
Banned
Blue looks nice, wish they had black, but red is an eyesore to me
Nintendo confirmed in a video of theirs that the 3D slider will have a detent to click into when the 3D is off so it won't get pushed up on accident... let me try to find it.
EDIT: Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYVN_b8gwZI
Also, I'm gonna go blue. Red is a bit too loud for me.
White>>Blue>Silver≥Red IMO
EDIT: Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYVN_b8gwZI
Also, I'm gonna go blue. Red is a bit too loud for me.
White>>Blue>Silver≥Red IMO
I'm in the minority for liking the Red, I know that.
But, as a Red-Device connoisseur, this looks to be one of the better things out there. The issue with red things is generally this: they don't look red under some light sources. Suddenly your sweet red iPhone case is bright pink when you put it on your desk at work. This thing seems to be more in line with the Apple red stuff: slightly orangey, which means it'll be Red in most light. This pleases me.
But, as a Red-Device connoisseur, this looks to be one of the better things out there. The issue with red things is generally this: they don't look red under some light sources. Suddenly your sweet red iPhone case is bright pink when you put it on your desk at work. This thing seems to be more in line with the Apple red stuff: slightly orangey, which means it'll be Red in most light. This pleases me.
Wait what, I thought the majority of people were in for the red over blue.
chickdigger802
Banned
k, if Parish, one of the last few game journalist veterans that plays handhelds, likes the XL, then I'm good.
Probably blue for me. Makes no real difference for me anyhow, you only see the blue/red for the few secs you pull the thing out of your bag anyways.
Probably blue for me. Makes no real difference for me anyhow, you only see the blue/red for the few secs you pull the thing out of your bag anyways.
So cute how she moves the system to the right to try to land the jump.
And yeah, Blue is the best launch color.
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