Nintendo’s not done — New 2DS XL launches this July

If you thought that Nintendo was going to just sit back and chill after releasing the Switch, their new dual-function and highly portable games console, you were wrong. The company has announced a new member of their handheld family in the 2DS XL, a revamped version of the 2DS that chucks the wedge shape, adds a hinge, and increases the size of the screens.

Set for a late July release overseas, the 2DS XL is basically a merger of the 3D-less 2DS console and the 3DS XL. Nintendo appears have kept the 3D screens away (otherwise the 2DS bit of the title doesn’t make sense) and dropped the build quality a tad to keep the price down, resulting in a 2DS that we wouldn’t mind playing for extended periods.

That’s because the control scheme for the 3DS XL has made the jump to the newer, cheaper console, meaning that pretty much any previous and future 3DS game will be compatible with the system. The 2DS XL will also feature screens the same size as those seen on the 3DS XL: 4.88in on the top and 4.18in on the bottom. It’ll also be shipping with its own AC power adaptor and a 4GB microSD card. At least we won’t have to buy those bits this time around.

One of the big features missing from the original 2DS was Amiibo functionality, something that the 2DS XL will be correcting at launch. Based on the feature video for North America (below), the 2DS XL will handle Amiibo interactions in the same way that the 3DS XL does.

We’ve reached out to Nintendo’s local reps and they’ve promised us an update once South African pricing and availability have been locked down. American pricing (before taxes and import duties and all that) is $150, or about R2,000 at current exchange rates. Look for it to be a little higher when it gets here, some time after the 28 July international launch date.

Source: via Polygon