Nintendo’s beefed-up, awkwardly titled New Nintendo 3DS has been in the hands of Japanese and Australian gamers for months, and now the handheld console is finally getting some U.S. love. The $199 New Nintendo 3DS XL is arriving just shy of Valentine’s Day, on Feb. 13. There is no official word yet on the smaller, non-XL edition available in other markets.
The American version of the New Nintendo 3DS XL was leaked in a GameStop ad early this week, and made official today (Jan. 14) during a Nintendo Direct broadcast. The handheld boasts a slightly larger screen and faster processor than the standard 3DS XL. It also features two new shoulder buttons and a second analog stick, located just above the face buttons on the right.
The system’s new eye-tracking functionality will let you view its glasses-free 3D effect from multiple viewing angles, and will pack built-in NFC technology for detecting Nintendo’s interactive amiibo toys. Because of its increased power, certain titles, such as the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles, will be exclusive to the “New” 3DS models.
The U.S. edition of the New 3DS will arrive in red and black, and sport color-coded A, B, X and Y buttons. There will also be two special editions of the system that feature artwork from The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, respectively, with the latter model bundling in the game for $229.
While Japan and Australia received both standard and XL versions of the New Nintendo 3DS, the company has only confirmed the XL model for the states.
The New Nintendo 3DS was revealed among a slew of major Nintendo Direct announcements, including a new installment in the company’s popular Fire Emblem series, a new line of amiibo toys including Pac-Man and Wario and a 3DS version of popular mobile title Puzzle & Dragons.
