During a Japan-exclusive Nintendo Direct presentation, the house of Mario announced that the hardware rumored to debut at E3 2014 was a 3DS revision all along. The Japanese gaming giant confirmed this morning that both the 3DS and 3DS XL models will be on the receiving end up an upgrade that adds a number of new features to the existing handhelds.
Simply opting to throw "new" in front of the 3DS brand's name, the revamped portables add a purportedly enhanced screen that better showcases the games it displays. On top of that, however, the 3D feature of the device has been enhanced to better accommodate the fact that handhelds have been known to shift around whilst in the hands of consumers.
Reportedly, the new 3DS' screen will never look distorted when being viewed from an angle, which is something that's quite literally been an eyesore with the current models. This will apparently be achieved using the gyroscopic capabilities of the portable, allowing the unit to shift around without any visual hinderance of the game.
While these make for some decent improvements, the meat of the appeal these new units have comes from the addition of something Nintendo is calling the "C-Button." This stick will act in a similar fashion to the C-Stick that was present on the GameCube controller, allowing games that were compatible with the clunky Circle Pad Pro (as well as upcoming titles like Super Smash Bros. for 3DS) to make use of an additional stick.
Other features include built-in support for Nintendo's forthcoming toy-to-life initiative, Amiibo, and the first 3DS title to support them is Smash Bros.. The standard 3DS model – sorry XL fans – will also feature interchangeable faceplates for those hoping to add a little unique flare to their gaming device.
Last, but not least, the New 3DS units will feature a hidden Micro SD card slot, additional shoulder buttons and a better CPU – the latter of which will allow for faster download and browsing speeds. More importantly, there will be exclusive software as a result of the enhanced CPU. An update will also soon be arriving on the platform that'll allow gamers to apply themes to their home screen; presumably for a small fee.
All of this will sound enticing to Nintendo fans, but the new handheld is currently only set for a Japanese release. Consumers that reside in the land of the rising sun can expect the 'New 3DS' and 'New 3DS XL' units to arrive on October 11 of this year.
Meanwhile, Nintendo of America and Europe have already confirmed that a new 3DS model won't be arriving in their respective territories in 2014, so stay tuned to Game Rant for an update on when gamers can expect the new portable system.
What do you think of the new 3DS models? Will you be picking up either when they inevitably arrive in stores?
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