gamrReview Japan: Owning the "New" Nintendo 3DS LL - Article
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 16 October 2014 / 15,756 Views
Nintendo surprised the gaming world a few months ago by announcing new revisions to its 3DS and 3DS XL (or LL as it is known in Japan) hardware. The biggest changes include the addition of a second analog stick, two extra shoulder buttons, native support for Amiibo figurines, and an upgraded CPU - the latter meaning that games designed to the specifications of this newer hardware would not be compatible with older 3DS handhelds.
One of the perks of living in Japan is that I've been able to buy it before it goes on sale in the West, which will presumably be sometime next year. Over here, it retails for ¥18,800 ($177.53) or ¥20,300 ($191.16), with tax.
Super Mario 3D Land's blue case matches my Metallic Blue 'New' Nintendo 3DS LL, as do these matching pair of underwear I bought on the same trip (at a different store).
I purchased a Metallic Blue New Nintendo 3DS LL. The reason I went for Blue was to distinguish it from my Black original 3DS model. I also upgraded to the LL size for the same reason, though I usually prefer my handhelds to be as compact as possible. Taking the system out of box, the first thing I was struck by was the additional inputs that are now available. The LZ and RZ buttons are couched on the back of the system and are much smaller than the original L and R buttons. The A, B, X, and Y face buttons are now colored red, yellow, blue and green, respectively.
But of course the most buzzed-about addition is one that has been expected ever since Nintendo introduced the circle pad pro attachment - a second analog stick.
Officially called the C-stick, I was expecting something along the lines of the diminutive yellow analog stick from the GamCube controller. Color me surprised to find that it doesn't feel like that at all. Indeed, the new C-stick doesn't really move at all. The best comparison would be to the mouse located in the middle of an older laptop keyboard.
In terms of responsiveness it works just fine, at least based on my initial experience using it to navigate the 3DS Home screen, but because it is so rigid and immovable I worry it may not provide enough feedback if ever used in a game to control something other than the camera. One wonders why Nintendo did not simply stick another circle pad on the device and call it a day.
I bought a Japanese copy of Super Mario 3D Land, which I had yet to play but had obviously heard great things about. Though I am sure the game looks great no matter which 3DS family device you play it on, it looks downright gorgeous on the New Nintendo 3DS LL's bigger screen.
The system also boasts a more stable 3D image, less vulnerable to the natural movements of your hands or eyes while playing, and indeed since owning the New 3DS I've certainly been using the 3D more regularly than I did beforehand. There is a downside, however. For some inexplicable reason the brightness of the screen will flicker during 3D gameplay, and the resulting sudden change from light to dimness can be quite annoying.
Needless to say, none of the new buttons or analog inputs have any affect while playing Super Mario 3D Land, which was released back in 2011. The new analog stick does work for Smash Attack in Super Smash Bros. though (you can read my review of the game here), and it also comes in handy in Monster Hunter 4G (which released alongside the revised handheld).
The stylus is short and stubby. It is cased at the bottom of the unit between the power switch and headphone jack. The game slot is located on the bottom left of the device. The system comes pre-installed with a short 2-minute video featuring a couple of paper airplanes whimsically flying through the air, which is meant to show off the system's 3D capabilities.
I was ready to charge the unit but then I realized that the reason the box it came in was so small was because it didn't include an AC adapter. WTF Nintendo? It just so happens I recently bought an AC adapter for my original 3DS (it cost me ¥1,020, or $9.60), which works the same for the new unit.
After viewing the system from every angle there was still one thing I could not quite figure out: where was the slot for microSD card? The New Nintendo 3DS models support microSD cards, rather than standard-sized ones of its predecessors, and the system comes with a 4GB card as standard. In order to solve this mystery I turned to the system manual.
According to the manual in order to access the microSD card slot you need to use a screwdriver to unscrew the bottom cover of the device. Again, WTF Nintendo? I am too cautious to take a screwdriver to my beautiful brand new 3DS unless I absolutely have to, so I doubt I will be changing the card anytime soon.
To be perfectly honest my main motivation in buying the New Nintendo 3DS LL was simply to have access to Japanese 3DS games while I plan on living here. If it were not for Nintendo’s outdated and anti-consumer region-locking policy I am 95% sure I would have been satisfied with my original, American-bought 3DS, which I have had since day one.
Nintendo's region-locking policy unfortunately means that none of the 3DS games I brought with me from America (Mario Kart 7, Pokémon X, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D) are compatible with my beautiful new piece of hardware. On the plus side, the revised hardware is still region-free with regards to Nintendo DS games, so I can still play Pokémon Soul Silver on it.
The biggest inconvenience at present is having my digital copy of the recently-released Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS tied to my American handheld.
Despite my ill-feelings towards Nintendo's region-locking policy, I am overall satisfied with my new purchase. Since the days of the GameBoy Pocket and GameBoy Color Nintendo has managed to find a way of convincing its customers to buy multiple iterations of its handhelds, and that continues to be the case with this New 3DS. I had my unique reasons for picking up the New Nintendo 3DS LL, but I am sure everyone who decides to upgrade will find some rationale to justify the expense (I once met a gamer who carried around a 3DS and a 2DS, just so she could use one to manipulate the calendar in Animal Crossing).
Nintendo has actually put its Western customers in something of a bind this upcoming Holiday though - the New 3DS does not yet have a scheduled release date in the West and is unlikely to launch this side of Christmas. Should gamers wanting a 3DS buy one sooner or wait for the 'New' 3DS models to launch? That is for them to decide. If you will excuse me I am going back to Super Mario 3D Land.
