Today in Japan, Nintendo released a new Nintendo 3DS—er, make that, the New Nintendo 3DS. I bought one for Kotaku, so let's see how it sizes up to its predecessor.
At last month's Tokyo Game Show, I checked out the New Nintendo 3DS XL and was quite impressed with what I saw. While I've only had the NN3DS for a few hours, you can expect more detailed impressions later this week.
Until then, here are some photos that should give you a good idea of just how big the NN3DS lines up to the 3DS. Hint:
And here are comparison pics of the actual hardware:
One of my favorite things so far about the New Nintendo 3DS is that it's covered in matte plastic. The handheld is smooth and easy to the touch. While I like the way the original 3DS looks, the plastic can get sweaty after extended periods of play. Those who like a glossy plastic can swap out the faceplates to something else.
Though, I worry that this will easily absorb dirt and grime.
The NN3DS screen makes the one old's look much smaller. But this pic might make it hard to tell.
Better?
There we go. This is easy to understand.
There's a new Home button.
The face buttons compare like so.
Once again, I like this matte plastic.
I believe the Dpads are the same, but the NN3DS doesn't sported a Dpad that's coated like the original 3DS does—and which started to look "wrinkled" for some players.
The rubber covering the NN3DS's Slide Pad looks slightly different. Hopefully, that will help Slide Pad issues.
Here's a closer look at the Dpad:
The New Nintendo 3DS's screen is 1.5 times bigger than the original 3DS's screen. The handheld has a new C-Stick as well as new ZL and ZR should buttons. There are also new software features for the New Nintendo 3DS, Amiibo support, and better battery life.
The New Nintendo 3DS was released in Japan on October 11, 2014. It is slated for a November release in Australia. No word yet for an exact North American or European release date.
To contact the author of this post, write to bashcraftATkotaku.com or find him on Twitter @Brian_Ashcraft.