Want to see content from United States of America

Continue
The new 2DS XL
© [unknown]
Games
5 reasons to get a 2DS XL
Nintendo have released another member of the 3DS family, but should you buy it?
Written by Tom East
4 min readPublished on
The 3DS family is huge. Since the original 3DS came out in 2011, Nintendo's relentless wave of new iterations has seen the long-running handheld birth more offspring than the Beckhams. We’ve already had the 3DS XL, New 3DS, New 3DS XL and the family-friendly 2DS, not to mention a truckload of game-specific special editions. Apparently, Nintendo thought that the world needed another 3DS rework, as now there’s another new revision hitting stores - the  New Nintendo 2DS XL.
With almost a 3DS model for every day of the week, the question is, why would you need to get another? Well,  the short answer is you don’t, really. Not if you’ve already got a New 3DS XL, anyway. In a nutshell, the 2DS XL has all the features of the New 3DS XL, minus the 3D (which hardly anyone uses) and is £50 cheaper. But, if you have yet to buy a 3DS or you want to upgrade to a model with bigger screens, here are five reasons why you should invest in Nintendo's latest revision of its long-running handheld.

1. It has an amazing library of games

Pokémon Sun and Moon
Pokémon Sun and Moon© Nintendo/Game Freak
If you haven’t got a 3DS yet, it's no stretch to say that you’ve missed out on some of the greatest games of this decade. All of Nintendo’s biggest franchises get a look in - you’ve got Super Mario 3D Land, Pokémon Sun and Moon, Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Future, plus remasters of the classic Zelda games Ocarina Of Time, Majora’s Mask and A Link To The Past. Then there’s Smash Bros 3D, Mario Kart 7, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Fire Emblem: Awakening and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. And that’s just Nintendo’s stuff. With hundreds of quality games ready and waiting, the 3DS' bulging library has enough to keep you going for years. If you want a console to take on holiday, this is it.

2. There’s more to come

Hey! Pikmin
Hey! Pikmin© Nintendo
Many Nintendo fans assumed that with the arrival of the sexy new Switch, the 3DS would be put out of pasture. Yet, despite the dual-screened behemoth passing its six birthday, there’s still more big hitters still coming to the 3DS. Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training and Hey Pikmin have just launched alongside 2DS XL, but more excitingly, a proper 2D Metroid game is on the way in September. There’s also a new Monster Hunter spin off, the fifth edition of the excellent Etrian Odyssey series and of course, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Not bad for an ageing handheld, eh?

3. It looks great and has some lovely big screens

The new 2DS XL
New Nintendo 2DS XL© [unknown]
If you only have an original 3DS, it’s definitely worth upgrading to a shiny new 2DS XL. Sure you’ll miss out on the 3D, but be honest, how often do you actually use it? It was a nice gimmick at first, but while a few games really benefited from it, after a few months, most people we know turned it off. The biggest reason to upgrade from the original, is that this new console has same screen size of the 3DS XL, while somehow managing to be both lighter and thinner than the older model. The bigger screens really let some of the 3DS best games shine, and this well-designed machine still feels incredibly lightweight and portable.

4. It has all the features of a New 3DS XL, including Amiibo support

amiibo Nintendo
amiibo© Nintendo
For those who've been keeping up with the 3DS family, Nintendo's latest packs in all the most recent additions that fans can expect from the handheld. The 2DS XL has the (now standard) little nub control-stick, plus the second set of ZL and ZR shoulder buttons to help you out with more complex games. Unsurprisingly, it also boasts NFC support, so you can continue to use your Amiibo and justify your insatiable mini-figure addiction.

5. You don’t need a screwdriver to remove your Micro SD Card

The 2DS XL looks far sleeker than the standard 2DS
The 2DS XL looks far sleeker than the standard 2DS© Nintendo
As anyone who owns a 3DS XL will know, with Nintendo's first 3DS update, you had to use a screwdriver to swap out your SD card. Thankfully, the 2DS XL makes this a problem of the past. Now, there's a handy SD Card slot next to the Game Card slot, making adding storage space as easy as putting in a game.  Admittedly, the stumpy stylus is a bit rubbish, but that’s all we have to complain about. You can get one now for £129.99.
For more gaming coverage, follow @RedBullGames on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Games
Gaming