Nintendo Switch may have swatted Wii U out of the limelight near-instantaneously, but the deep-rooted 3DS family of systems won't be stepping aside so easily. In a video uploaded to its YouTube channel earlier today, Nintendo revealed a new 3DS-family device called the New Nintendo 2DS XL, yet another iteration of the system that first debuted back in 2011.
As you may have guessed from the name, the New 2DS XL is an amalgamation of several 3DS-family systems released previously. It contains the faster speed and processing power of the New Nintendo 3DS (hence the "New" branding), but also the boosted size of the 3DS XL line. It has also ditched the chunky Fisher Price stylings of the original 2DS (and Wii Mini before it), opting for a classic clamshell look that is actually quite pleasing to the eye.
Were I not a huge proponent of stereoscopic 3D I'd be considering this sleek, toyish New 2DS myself, but as is implied by its name, the system will only render Nintendo 3DS titles in two dimensions. When it comes to colors, the device will be available in a black and turquoise combo to start, with more colors hopefully coming to fruition down the line (and a white/orange combo already shown on Nintendo's Japanese site). The New 2DS XL also features built-in NFC for amiibo support, and an analog nub C-stick on its right side. These additions bring 2DS to functional parity with the latest 3DS systems aside from, well, the lack of 3D.
The New 2DS XL is set to arrive on July 28th alongside two relatively major 3DS-family releases, Hey! Pikmin and Miitopia. There's also Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia slated for May, so if you've somehow never owned a 3DS-family device before, the New Nintendo 2DS XL looks to be as fine a place as any to get started.
