Previews

TGS2014: Hands-on with the New 3DS XL

Video for the new unit and Monster Hunter 4G inside

TGS2014: Hands-on with the New 3DS XL
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3DS
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As you may have read on Thursday, Capcom have been demoing not only Monster Hunter 4G, but also Nintendo's upcoming New 3DS units on the Tokyo Game Show floor.

I spent a little time with the new device and I must say... I can barely wait.

The analogue nub just above the ABXY face buttons is the most welcome feature for the New 3DS. It's responsive and sturdy, plus a little coarse compared to the analogue pad.

If you've ever used a trackpoint stick (the little red blobs in the centre of some laptop keyboards), this is precisely how the analogue nubbin feels.

The new ZL and ZR buttons on the back hide just beside the L and R shoulder buttons, but are still comfortable enough to reach around to.

The Start and Select buttons have gone back to their original Nintendo DS placements - just under the ABXY buttons. The home button remains just beneath the touch screen on the unit.

The volume slider has also moved, now found to the left of the top screen, directly opposite the 3D slider, resulting in a pleasing sense of symmetry between the two.

3D mode now has a much, much wider viewing angle than the previous 3DS and 3DS XL units, visible without breaking the effect as you rotate the unit from left to right.

My only complaint would be that the casing of the New 3DS XL feels glossier than original 3DS XL, which could make it something of a fingerprint magnet.

The unit I played about with didn't feature the classic SNES-coloured buttons, although they were present on the show floor and look downright gorgeous.

The New 3DS models are out here in Japan next month, but won't hit the western markets until early 2015. Remember - 3DS units are region-locked, so don't rush out to import one unless you’re planning to stick to Japanese 3DS games.

Danny Russell
Danny Russell
After spending years in Japan collecting game developers' business cards, Danny has returned to the UK to breed Pokemon. He spends his time championing elusive region-exclusive games while shaking his fist at the whole region-locking thing.