My thoughts on the new 3DS- Glad to see it's getting an XL version (why this isn't the standard is a question that will never be answered), the hardware changes mostly seem good- coloring the buttons is nice (because as a person who has used Xbox controllers for over a decade, the fact that the buttons are flipped make QTEs impossible on Nintendo systems), the improved 3D is probably nice (it sucked on the XL compared to the small), but that 2nd stick looks useless, as does the placement of the extra shoulder buttons (I hated them on the CPP as well).
I guess I just want to see more games that can only be played on it before I buy it. I bought a DSi day 1 because I assumed there were going to be games that you couldn't play without it. And while I hope the lack of any real game announcements past Smash for the 3DS is a sign they actually have stuff planned for this, I'm cynically thinking this device only exists because Capcom demanded they do it for Monster Hunter (which comes out the same day as this, apparently!).
That said, if I hadn't upgraded to a XL yet, this seems like an obvious get.
Oh, and the idea of announcing "new" hardware before a Holiday season where you are still trying to sell the old stuff? Pretty dumb!