The Nintendo 3DS XL Debriefed
While I’ve been a semi-loyal Nintendo girl since the tender age of about 5 years old when Pokemon Red landed in my toybox, the Nintendo 3DS XL didn’t stand out to me when first released. A little too big, I thought, now that I’d become a fully-fledged human often toting a handbag in the crook of my arm and found in a fashion office for the vast majority of my day.
I recently worked with Nintendo on a series of Animal Crossing: New Leaf posts, and also played the Style Boutique game earlier in the year, and am now a full convert. Move aside sleek white DS Lite.



Nintendo 3DS XL, RRP £140. Available on Amazon.
First and foremost, its aesthetic. Well, I am writing this on a fashion blog, right? The Nintendo 3DS XL boasts two 4.88″ screens – one a stereoscopic 3D display, and the other a touchscreen. The novelty 3D screen can be adjusted with an inbuilt depth slider, a great feature because a bumpy commute and the 3D screen aren’t always the greatest combination.
Additionally, the WiFi switch is on the same side. From a usability perspective, this makes the console feel intuitive and easy to use. The Nintendo 3DS XL is also equipped with motion and gyro sensors, opening the console up to a whole new world of gaming horizons. Whether you’re moving from side to side or tilting your screen, the game looks great – just imagine playing Mario Kart! Additionally, it has a built-in pedometer that kicks in even when the 3DS XL is in Sleep Mode. The steps rack up to collect coins that you can redeem on selected games.


The Nintendo 3DS XL also has a standard analogue control and bonus circle pad. So much easier to catch bugs and fish in Animal Crossing now! Finally, another thing to note is the 3D camera which I am quite simply fascinated with. How, does that bad boy work?! Nice nonetheless, but I can’t decide how to use all of those pixelated snaps…
Overall, I’m a 3DS XL convert. I confess. It resides either in my home office (slap on the wrist), on my bedside table or in my handbag, and I probably play on it at least six days a week. The Wi-Fi capability paired with Friend Codes and Nintendo community capabilities means it is super social – great for us bloggers. I couldn’t recommend it enough for both seasoned gamers and those who are looking for something to pass time away this summer. ♥
Disclaimer: I was gifted my Nintendo 3DS XL in order to review Animal Crossing: New Leaf. I have not been paid to write this additional post about my console, I just thought it’d be useful as so many of you are considering picking one up for some New Leaf action!