Nintendo missed out on the crucial holiday shopping season in the U.S. when it decided to release its updated handheld gaming unit in 2015.
But get ready folks, because now the device is only a month away. Nintendo confirmed today that the new Nintendo 3DS XL will be released in the U.S. on Feb. 13 for a suggested retail price of $200.
It has been 3-and-a-half years since Nintendo released the first Nintendo 3DS. It was novel at the time for offering 3-D gaming on the go. Since then, it has sold 44 million units despite competing against smartphones that play games and do much more.
It will be interesting to see how this version sells with even stiffer competition coming from tablets. Hardware enhancements include the addition of the “C-stick” (an analog stick for the right hand), additional “ZL/ZR” buttons, 3D face-tracking, and built-in NFC capabilities so the device can communicate with Amiibo figurines, Gamasutra reports.
The device first launched in Japan on Oct. 11, and then arrived in Australia and New Zealand the following month. On Feb. 13, it will also become available in Europe.
Unlike in Japan, where there are two sizes of the device (a regular version and a larger “XL” version), it appears the U.S. will only be getting the bigger format. The announcement was made this morning at 6 a.m. in a Nintendo Direct video press release.
