Nintendo’s newest refresh for its 3DS handheld line, the New Nintendo 3DS and the New Nintendo 3DS XL, launch across Europe and North America today. Multiple stores will be having midnight launches to offer the system right as the clock hits twelve, meaning you won’t have to wait too long to get your hands on Nintendo’s shiny new handheld.
The New Nintendo 3DS line benefits from a bevy of improvements, all of them targeting some very obvious flaws the 3DS handhelds have always had- the most important improvement is the system’s autostereoscopic 3D feature has been notably improved, now including built in head tracking, meaning the 3D effect remains maintained no matter what- you don’t have to hold it steady in a sweet spot like previous 3DS models any more.
In addition, the New 3DS systems also come with new and expanded forms of controls (including a second analog stick, dubbed the C stick, as well as two additional shoulder buttons, the ZL and ZR buttons), support for microSD cards over the older SD cards, better battery life, more processing power, and a screen that automatically adjusts its brightness level. The New 3DS systems also feature support for Nintendo’s Amiibo toys. On the smaller New 3DS models, you can also swap out their faceplates to customize their design.
The New Nintendo 3DS is launching alongside Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D. Both are New 3DS enhanced games, meaning that while they support a lot of the New 3DS’s features, they will also run on all older systems. The first New 3DS exclusive game will launch in April, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, which is a remake of the much acclaimed Wii classic by Monolith Soft.