3DS XL Production Halted in Japan
3DS XL, the bigger brother to the original 3DS, will see a halt of production Japan. This is to help push sales of Nintendo’s latest handheld console, the New 3DS XL.
Originally it was thought that both the New 3DS XL and the older system would be occupying store shelves together, though that is now no longer the case. Though the XL model is being discontinued, the original 3DS will continue to see production. The New 3DS is not yet available in either the U.S. or Europe, where the original system is still being made. There is no word on just when we can expect the New 3DS to be released in North America and Europe, and whether or not the 3DS XL will also be discontinued in the West as well.
The new 3DS brings a wealth of new features and enhancements that were not available on the previous model. This includes higher performance via a faster CPU, and improved 3D capabilities through the handheld’s top screen. The New 3DS will now feature a second analog stick on the right side of the device, called the C-Stick. The system also now has additional shoulder buttons on the sides of the originals, and will have NFC capabilities, most notably for Nintendo’s amiibo lineup.
The new 3DS will allow players to swap up interchangeable front and back face plates, allowing gamers to customize their systems. Memory storage is also receiving a change. Rather than implementing the standard SD cards that the original 3DS used, the new system instead supports micro SD cards. Like the original 3DS, the New 3DS will also have an XL model. Games that are compatible with the New 3DS and not the original will include the upcoming JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles.
The New 3DS and 3DS XL is available in Japan. The system also recently released in Australia and New Zealand.
Tags: handheld console, Japan, Nintendo