Nintendo Handheld Console 3DS XL - Red/Black (Nintendo 3DS XL)

I ordered this for myself as a Christmas present, and I don't mind telling you that I am VERY impressed!! The difference between this and a standard 3DS is a lot greater than you may think. I realise that compared to the resolution of the PS Vita this will seem quite inferior, and after the cost of the Vita dropped not only here on Amazon but also in the high street just prior to Christmas, I was beginning to think I had made the wrong choice, I can assure you, I didn't. The build quality is sublime and it feels very heavy and sturdy in the hand and gives the impression of a top quality product, especially when "locking" the screen to one of the 2 fixed positions. The buttons and the analogue controller feel pretty much the same as a standard 3DS so no problem there. Some people have complained that unlike the Vita, there is only one analogue stick present, and I must admit that the inclusion of a second would have been a great idea if Nintendo had decided to go ahead (apparently their president said the unit was not large enough?). As it happens though, I have bought Metal Gear Solid for it, in my opinion a game that probably would benefit from a second analogue stick to control Snake with, but I didn't really notice to be honest. Rumor has it that a version of the famed Circle Pad Pro is going to be made to fit the XL anyway, so it's just a matter of time.With regards to the screens, this is obviously where the new version shines, although Nintendo have not updated the resolution from the original 3DS (Upper Screen)800 x 240 WQVGA resolution. (Lower screen) 4.18 LCD touch screen at 320 x 240 QVGA resolution. It still works, and for those of you who own a collection of original DS games, by pressing and holding the start button when turning on the power, the game is portrayed in it's original resolution, albeit with a black border. I happen to think that although there is slight pixelation when playing an original DS game on the bigger screen (in this instance New Super Mario Brothers) it still works and is very pleasing on the eye!! With regards to the 3D aspect of what the larger screen means, it simply shines. I have played quite a bit of the pre loaded Super Mario 3D Land and it looks amazing!! Admittedly you have to ensure that the screen is held directly in front of you to fully appreciate the effect and the depth of field, but on a larger screen as a glasses wearer I found that the effect was much less debilitating and potentially headache inducing than my daughters standard 3DS.Another key feature regarding build quality are the Select, Home and Start buttons. On the 3DS XL they are actual buttons, and not something similar to a simple rubber dome configuration covered in a thin sheet of plastic with the relevant titles denoted in a white print, reminiscent of a cheap pocket calculator from the mid 80's. These are buttons you can see being physically pressed and have the words laser etched in to them. Just a small piece of detail, but one that lends itself well to the overall build quality of the unit. I found though that the sound volume compared to the original has been reduced at least without earphones. It is loud enough but at the same time noticeably quieter than the standard version.With regards to the included 4gb Memory Card, I have since swapped it out for a 64gb SDXC version. I did do some research on this, and after reading that someone had used a 128gb SDXC card to store their information, games, photo's etc, I decided to take the plunge. This works very well, but only AFTER you have converted the card to be in a FAT32 file system. This is quite an old file system by modern PC standards and an SDXC when first used is in the exFAT file system. Copying the included cards data from one to the other is also very easy, simply creating a new folder copying the content from the included SDHC card and then copying it back to your now FAT32 SDXC card. You get the picture, tons more space in terms of blocks possibly too many, and having already made good use of the Nintendo eShop all the titles I have downloaded work perfectly with no flaws, glitches or otherwise. Again, the large screens are far superior when playing old classics like Super Mario Land (Game Boy Dot Matrix Display & Super Mario Bros 8 Bit pixels and colours).I was surprised to see that the European version of the unit comes without a PSU and this is something that Nintendo need to rectify as to buy an official one from Amazon (PSU only) is if I remember correctly, only approx £7 plus P & P, hardly a fortune. I paid £189.99 at the beginning of December for mine, and yes, won't deny that seeing it now for £20 less is a little annoying, but not the end of the world. I certainly would not rate this product 1 star as another reviewer has done, solely because a PSU is absent from the packaging?! If you hover your mouse pointer over the picture of the box, it magnifies it and the text printed on the box stating this is clearly legible, so if you look properly, you will see that a separate PSU is needed before you click add to basket.Overall this version is brilliant, from the build quality to the sheer size of the screens compared to the original 3DS!! Anyone looking to buy a current generation handheld, or a 3DS, the XL really is a no brainer especially as they themselves are still in the region of £130 without the inclusion of a title to get you started. I must admit I would have preferred a cartridge containing Super Mario 3D Land to be included separately in the box, but it being pre installed on the included memory card is a very handy feature, and means until you have played it to death, is always there for your amusement, before you decide to erase it.

I bought this as an early Christmas present for myself and couldn't be more pleased. As a big Pokemon fan (and what Pokemon fan doesn't love Pikachu) I couldn't resist. I already own the Zelda edition 3DS, and this was a nice step up.So! A few things I looked at when I received it: When the screen is lifted, the inside of the console is a little different than I expected, as it is white and I did assume it to be yellow all over, but this makes it nice to play on as it's the most neutral of colours and yellow may have been distracting. Also, it's a nice touch that Pikachu's tail carries on from the back of the front screen and on to the back of the console. It also has sort of a smooth Matt Finish, unlike the 3DS' glossy finish, which allowed fingermarks all over it, a nightmare for people who like their console's pristine! So no more fingermarks on the 3DS XL.Comparing this as a 3DS XL to the 3DS and previous DS consoles, I had no experience with 3DS XL's since they have come out, and so had no idea what to expect. But having owned one of every DS console released, I can honestly say this is the best one yet.The top screen is crystal clear and bright, and much bigger compared to the DSi XL, (and the biggest DS screen yet) which makes it easier to use the 3D and is just overall more comfortable to use. The console itself seems more 'finished', compared to the 3DS which still seemed very much like a prototype from it's appearance when it was released, it was clunky and square and not very attractive. But the 3DS XL has been nicely rounded off to look more like it's from this decade.This also makes it easier to use as it sits more comfortably in your hand. The light weight for it's size is another important factor, for what it is - being an XL console with 3D, it would be assumed to be weighty, but actually it's fairly light and this makes it easy to play happily for hours. The Sound is also much clearer compared to any other DS console I've used before.The 'Select', 'Start', and 'Home' buttons have been made more like buttons this time, rather than embedded into the console like the 3DS, they are still in the same position - below the bottom screen, but are now much easier to access if you're mid-game and need to pause. The 3D slider can now be snapped down to an 'off' position, and it will be held there, unlike the 3DS where it could be accidentally knocked on again. The SD card slot is now on the right hand side rather than on the left like the 3DS. For me, the improvement I found most helpful (but also minor) is the stylus! The stylus itself has been changed back to the older style, just a plain plastic stick, none of the extendable aluminium stuff, it is also larger (around the same size as the one given for the DSi XL). And the slot for the stylus has been put back to the side of the console, and sits above the SD card slot on the right hand side. I found it so annoying with the 3DS that if you needed it mid-game you'd have to reach behind it (and fail)to grab it, and then try and extend it to the size needed, so a well thought-of improvement.Obviously yes, it doesn't come with a charger but I don't see this as a problem due to the superb price. It is labelled clearly on the box. If you owned either the DSi, DSi XL, or the 3DS, all of the chargers included with those console work fine. If not, you can buy an official one at a reasonable price. Nintendo Power Adapter (Nintendo 3DS)Well that's just about anything and everything I have to say about this fabulous console. Go buy it! :)