New Nintendo 3DS XL Arrives Feb. 13

Nintendo on Wednesday announced that the new handheld gaming system will launch in the U.S. on Feb. 13 for $200. Unveiled in August, the new 3DS XL has a faster chip and longer battery life than its predecessor, not to mention a new analog stick and NFC support, among other things.

As PCMag sister site Geek.com pointed out, the new analog stick drops the need for add-ons like the Circle Pad Pro. Other new features include: two more shoulder buttons, "super-stable" 3D face-tracking technology, and built-in NFC support, which allows for communication with Nintendo's amiibo figurines.

Meanwhile, in a throwback to old-school gamers, the face buttons have been jazzed up with colors to match the Super Nintendo controllers of yore. In addition to the standard red and black models, Nintendo is releasing two other designs at launch: one featuring artwork inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and another based on Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate with the game pre-installed. The Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate bundle will be available exclusively at GameStop for $229.99.

"We are only a couple of weeks into 2015, and Nintendo is already starting the year off with a bang," Nintendo of America's Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Scott Moffitt, said in a statement. "With New Nintendo 3DS XL coming very soon and an enormous library of exclusive Wii U and Nintendo 3DS games launching throughout the coming months, it has never been a better time to be a Nintendo fan."

:story: PC Magazine