While the Nintendo Switch is quickly becoming the handheld of choice—thanks in part to the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey—the 3DS still has some life left in it. Kirby's Blowout Blast, Hey! PIKMIN, Metroid: Samus Returns, Fire Emblem Warriors, Layton's Mystery Journey, and Dragon Quest XI are all due for release in 2017 alongside updated (and cheaper) hardware in the form of the £130 New 2DS XL, which goes on sale July 28 (pre-order here).

For those keeping track, the New 2DS XL (the "New" is important) is the sixth revision of the 3DS hardware, which started with the original (and smallest) 3DS. That was followed by the 3DS XL, which sported a 90-percent larger screen along with improved battery life. Following developer demand for a second analogue stick—a problem Nintendo initially solved with the bulky Circle Pad Pro add-on—Nintendo released the New 3DS and New 3DS XL, which not only integrated a second analogue stick, but also incorporated more powerful hardware.

This led to the confusing state of affairs where games like Xenoblade Chronicles requires the New 3DS XL hardware and won't play on an original 3DS or 3DS XL. Then came the 2DS, a stripped-back version of the console aimed at a younger audience. It ditched the clamshell design, second analogue stick, and more powerful hardware, instead only playing games compatible with the original 3DS. The 2DS doesn't feature the glasses-free 3D screen of the 3DS either, although given the feature ended up being more of a novelty than a necessity, it was hardly missed.

Which brings us onto the New 2DS XL. As the name implies, the New 2DS XL ditches the 3D screen but features the second analogue stick and updated hardware of the New 3DS XL, making it compatible with all games in the 3DS library. It also brings back the much-loved clamshell form factor in a streamlined, lighter design. It's basic, but robust, with curved corners, a redesigned hinge that allows the screen to lie completely flat (albeit with the same amount of Nintendo wobble as always), and a snazzy pinstripe pattern on the lid.

The overall aesthetic is certainly more child-like than its predecessor, but I like the chunky coloured rim and colour matched buttons. Unfortunately, unlike the New 3DS, there's no way to change the look of it with customisable face plates, so choose your colour wisely at purchase (turquoise or orange, if you're in the UK).





















The button layout of the 2DS XL remains largely unchanged, with only the home button moving from below the screen to the left of it. Moving this button, along with the frontfacing camera to the cylindrical hinge, has given the 2DS XL a much smaller footprint: 86mm x 160mm versus 94mm x 160mm. Even better, it's lighter, at 260g instead of 329g. This makes a noticeable difference during long gaming sessions, and, for comfort alone, the New 2DS XL is worth picking up. The power socket remains unchanged, making it compatible with existing chargers. Nintendo even includes one in the box this time around.

There are, however, some odd changes. The shoulder buttons have been given more travel but have lost their clicky feel. The speakers have been moved to an awkward position at the bottom of the unit.

The stubby stylus is far too short to use comfortably, while the micro SD card slot (a 4GB card is included) and the cartridge slot have been moved behind a fiddly plastic flap. I loathe fiddly plastic flaps. They're a pain to open, and to close, and they often break with heavy use. Nintendo's effort feels more robust than most, but I'd still rather not have to deal with it. Yes, downloads are more popular than ever, but for those of us into physical media, the flap is an odd design choice.

Thankfully, the screens remain as good as those on the 3DS XL. They're laughably low resolution by modern standards—the top panel is 400x240, while the lower resistive touch screen is 320x240—but they produce punchy visuals. The only drawback is that they aren't quite as bright as those on the New 3DS XL, making them harder to see in harsh sunlight. The ambient light sensor has also been removed, meaning you have to make brightness adjustments manually (although, given how flaky the light sensor was on the New 3DS XL, that's probably a good thing).

Nintendo promises the same range of 3 to 5.5 hours of battery life, which was mirrored during my testing. That's on par with the New 3DS XL, which is fine, although it would have been nice to see that extended somewhat, particularly given the age of the hardware inside.

Still, there's no doubt that the New 2DS XL is the best version of the 3DS hardware. It's smaller, lighter, and supports all the features of the platform except stereoscopic 3D, which few will miss. It even looks the part, too. So long as you can deal with the fiddly plastic flap, there's little reason to go with older versions of the hardware, particularly as Nintendo includes everything you need with the 2DS XL, including a micro SD card and charger.

With the likes of Pokemon soon to be appearing on Switch, Nintendo's latest console is clearly the future for handhelds, despite its protestation otherwise. But the 3DS software library is vast, still growing, and well worth exploring.