As a huge animal crossing fan, I was pretty excited to hear about the special edition animal crossing 3dsXL a while back. I have been dying on whether or not to get it though, it has some major fanboy appeal, but I have a 3ds and could get the game alone for 35 bucks versus 220. So basically, is the extra 185 dollars worthwhile for the upgrade alone? I know they have better battery life and obviously larger screens, but is it any better/really worth getting? I have never gotten the chance to use XL and searching doesn't help much. Any adivce from xl owners?
That's all down to personal preference. And, by the way, go to any decent video game store and they'll have a display unit for you to try. You have to ask yourself whether a bigger screen is really worth it for you. And what you're going to do with your old one / how much extra it's going to cost you if you trade it in or sell it. It's nice, sure - and as a non-owner, I'd probably go for one myself. I don't think I'd move up just for the sake of a slightly bigger screen if I already had one, though.
Retro is right it's a personal thing. I had a regular 3ds from launch, and decided to sell it/replace it with a picachu edition. I find the larger one much more comfortable to play and perfect the bigger screens, though I only ever really user mine at home so portability isn't an issue for me either. Go try one and see what you think
I also sold my 3DS and got 3DS XL because I have big hands and I found 3DS XL easier to hold comfortably. Do try to hold one at demo station, some Walmart and Toys R US has em. Or check used game store, they may let you hold it just to see how it feels.
I just picked up a used 3DS a bit ago and am also thinking on getting an XL. Just for the bigger screen though.
I have a regular 3DS and picked up a 3DS XL around when Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance came out. It is absolutely worth it. The larger screen allows you to see details in the graphics you wouldn't see otherwise. It won't be as crisp as the smaller screen but the large size is definitely worth it. Also its a bit nicer ergonomically to hold and more comfortable. I like the actual buttons for Home and Start that are on the XL as compared to the membrane like buttons on the regular 3DS. Also the top screen on the XL doesn't flop around like my regular 3DS does. A big difference I don't see mentioned between the 3DS and 3DS XL is the analog nub. The regular 3DS has a hard rubber analog nub and the 3DS XL has a much softer nub. Honestly the softer nub wore out for me quickly and its the only aspect of the 3DS XL that I feel nintendo changed for the worse. I ended up modding my 3DS XL with a regular 3DS analog nub and it works amazingly well.
I'm one of the few people who would say no. My reason is because I carry my 3DS around with me everywhere since StreetPass is the best goddamn idea in gaming since achievements (hate 'em or love 'em, they were a good idea), and the XL is just too big to comfortably carry around in my experience.
@Deckard-thanks a lot for the screen info. I wasn't so sure about streching out a game that was made for such a small screen with incredibly low ppi. I'll have to go see the difference for myself one of these days. @jp-You seemed to also read my mind. I love having my 3ds in my pocket and I would hate to lose that ability. Thanks! It seems to definitly have its pros and cons, so I will just have to go try it out. The only thing I have to figure out is what to do with the 3ds I have, I hate selling consoles for some reason(its been that way since I traded my gbc for a gba) but I don't wanna spend 220 at the same time. Damn I am indecisive, but thanks everyone for your recommendations! EDIT: Also one more question, the normal 3ds runs out of battery pretty quickly even when not in use with wireless on. Does the extended battery in the xl fix this?
Absolutely! Bigger screens are always good, but in the case of the 3DS, the larger screen means the 3D effect works better (there's more flexibility for the "sweet spot"). It's also got a longer battery life. Also, no, the screen doesn't look pixelated like the DSi XL, you honestly can't tell the console was originally designed with a smaller screen in mind.
Ive had my 3DS since a week after launch and I've never upgraded- the screen resolution on the XL is okay but you can start to see the horizontal lines go across the screen- in addition to its limited portability.
I rather wait for a smaller 3DS lite Whats the point of buying a portable if you cant carry it around?
I have the original 3DS and have never felt the need to upgrade, since the regular 3DS is chunky enough already considering its a portable. Sure you have the bigger screen, but for me personally the only big change that interested me was the better battery life, but that kinda pisses me off as the original should have a decent battery life in the first place.
Well I preordered the xl, seems that everyone that did upgrade found it very worthwhile, hopefully it'll work out for me! The only thing I am worried about is size, but at least I have like a week to cancel. Thanks for all the advice guys!
