New Nintendo 2DS XL
DOES THE NEW NINTENDO 2DS XL HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO IMPRESS IN THE AGE OF SWITCH?
HAVING ACHIEVED SOME success with its affordable and 3D-less Nintendo 2DS handheld, and an ultimate level of refinement with 2015’s New Nintendo 3DS XL, the house that Mario built has seen fit to combine the best of both worlds with its latest device.
The original 2DS had something of a divisive design, with its flat, wedge-like shape that had both of the system’s screens placed on a single plane. This new foldable design has been a mainstay of every DS and 3DS system that Nintendo has ever released, and we’re glad to see it applied to the 2DS line for the first time.
The first thing you’ll probably spot is that the new 2DS XL’s hinge now protrudes from the unit’s body while closed. While it does allow for a much smaller mainscreen bezel, it does mean that the unit loses a bit of its sleekness, and as the camera is no longer tucked away when the clamshell is shut, this could potentially lead to the lens getting scratched or damaged.
Overall, the New 2DS XL is a beautiful device, with a nice ridged texture on its top side that makes it feel quite premium, but the top screen doesn’t feel as sturdy as it has on previous models, and we found the stylus itself to be a little too short physically.
While it may not seem like a tremendous selling point, we’re happy to note that the New 2DS XL includes a charger in the box (unlike the New Nintendo 3DS). Another thing that feels weird to describe as a ‘feature’ is the fact that the New 2DS XL only displays in 2D — bringing down the price and contributing to the thinness of the top screen.
As this is part of Nintendo’s ‘New’ branded handhelds, the New 2DS XL features the same faster CPU that was introduced with the New 3DS XL, making apps and games launch faster, and allowing for some exclusive ‘New’-only compatible games.
Quite frankly, it’s hard to look at a 400 x 240-pixel display in 2017 and not immediately notice all of the individual pixels in front of you. Sure, the screen is bright, vibrant and provides a comfortable amount of real estate, but it’s basically identical to the one found on the original 3DS from 2011.
With the New 2DS XL, Nintendo has provided gamers with the perfect entry point for those who want to play the incredible library of 3DS titles without having to pay extra for gimmicky 3D functionality. For fans of roleplaying games, Nintendo’s 3DS library is like mana from heaven, and if you’re after more traditional Nintendo-made games, then the system has you covered in that regard, too.
Best of all, the New 2DS XL, like all the 3DS systems before it, is completely backwards compatible with Nintendo DS titles, and a Virtual Console section on the eShop also provides access to a number of classic games from the NES and SNES era. Add to this the fact that there are some great-looking 3DS titles on the way and you have yourself a library that should keep you occupied for quite some time to come.
Now that Nintendo has an affordable clamshell version of its 2DS, one that includes all of the internal upgrades that came with the New 3DS, the company has the perfect entrylevel handheld for playing its staggeringly great library of 3DS games. Its low-resolution screen might be incredibly dated in 2017, but truly great gameplay never goes out of fashion.
QUITE FRANKLY, IT’S HARD TO LOOK AT A 400 X 240-PIXEL DISPLAY IN 2017 AND NOT IMMEDIATELY NOTICE ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL PIXELS IN FRONT OF YOU. SURE, THE SCREEN IS BRIGHT, VIBRANT AND PROVIDES A COMFORTABLE AMOUNT OF REAL ESTATE, BUT IT’S BASICALLY IDENTICAL TO THE ONE FOUND ON THE ORIGINAL 3DS FROM 2011.