Posted in: Games, Review, Technology, Video Games | Tagged: 2DS, 2DS XL, Mario Kart 7, New 2DS XL, nintendo, Review

Review: Nintendo's New 2DS XL Purple Edition

While the Nintendo Switch has been getting a lot of love, there are some Nintendo fans who still love the 2DS and 3DS libraries above it. We can't really blame people for it as the handheld console is cheaper than the Switch, not to mention smaller making it much more portable. When the New 2DS XL was released, we wanted to get our hands on one to see how well the current model holds up now that people have been fighting for Switch consoles. The company was gracious enough to send us one of their newer models, this lovely purple design complete with Mario Kart 7 installed, to test out for a proper review.

First, let's start with the case itself. While many fans may not notice it at first, Nintendo has slowly been improving on the 2DS and 3DS models over the years to make them a little more durable. The top part of the shell has gotten a hair thicker from what it once was, giving the top screen more protection than before on the outside, while the base of the unit has been given a sturdier frame. Why? So in case of an accident, it doesn't automatically bust on you. You can spill a drink on it or drop it from your pocket or have something land on it (which we tested) and it will actually resist. Is it invincible? NO! It's still an electronic device! You can't just slam it, dunk it in water, or throw a brick at it and expect it to still work. But you do have some protection from accidents, and that gets overlooked a lot in newer models.

The outside of the case comes with the standard of what you'd find on a 2DS or 3DS system. The front comes with an audio jack, stylus storage, power button, two speakers, and two ports for microSD memory and the game cartridges. The right side has nothing on it while the left has a sliding bar for volume control. The back has the L/R/ZL/ZR buttons, charging port, and a dimmer indicator for the screen. The base has a camera lens to shoot photo and video along with a second lens to determine light in the room when shooting or filming.

My one major complaint about the outer items is the camera. I appreciate that the company threw in a 3D camera in case I want to see my pictures in 3D… but this is a bad camera. Right now, I could go to a mall and find a better camera on a flip phone from a kiosk. The pictures often come out blurry on both the inner and outer camera, which is kind of depressing. Especially when I tried to make my Mii from a photo and looked like a distorted mess. I honestly don't recommend using the camera for anything that isn't game related.

Inside the 2DS XL, we have your usual Nintendo layout with some slight changes. ABXY are in their usual spots with a D-pad and an analog thumbstick built into its own little cubby circle. You have a rubber thumb button, a home button, Start and Select buttons as well. Along the top bar, you have the aforementioned second camera for selfies. I like the layout of this system and the color scheme of silver and purple works really well. It feels like a cool system to own.

When I opened it up I started messing with the apps. Connecting to wifi is a breeze no matter where you're at, the eShop is easily laid out and gives you access to everything you need, the Mii's and Mii Plaza are fun to mess with, the YouTube app worked like a charm (although searches were a little off and dated, we'll blame YouTube for that). A lot of the features and settings within the 2DS itself have been given what I would call the long-term overhaul. Meaning that whatever buds used to be in these over the years have all but gone away or been ironed out of the system. So everything here tends to run smoothly, even though I'm not a fan of the way you have to use the stylus to interact with half the things you wanna do instead of just being able to use your fingers on the touch screen.

Game-wise, we put this new system to the test with some games on loan from a couple of friends, and it played them all like a charm. WarioWare Gold was fine, New Super Mario Bros. 2 worked great, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D was amazing even if I didn't see it in 3D. I did notice there was a bit of a delay when dealing with the cartridge titles as opposed to Mario Kart 7, which was included on a 4GB microSD card. Not that I'm complaining since nothing crashed or stalled, it's just a small delay issue I noticed in a few titles. The games themselves show the difference between the two libraries themselves, like this one I can tell has sort of been catered more for kids and teenagers while the Switch has been pushed to go after teens and young adults. That's not to say I feel like the 2DS XL is a toy by any means, but there is a sharp contrast in content between the two.

Overall, I enjoyed the New 2DS XL in the fresh purple model. There's a lot to love here when it comes to having a portable gaming device and getting the most out of the experience. That being said, I do believe this is a console that works best for two groups: younger teens and kids, and gamers on a budget. This is a cheaper system you can take anywhere that can take a small beating and has a plethora of games that are $30 and under. Even the AR Card system feels like it was designed to be a kid's collectible item game. I think it's an amazing system with games that everyone can enjoy, and would make a good holiday present for people who don't have a ton of cash to spend on a Switch. But I would recommend looking for a bundle to get the most out of it (which run around $150), like this one with Mario Kart 7 or the recently announced Super Mario Maker version.

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