The New 3DS XL feels like it has much more precise and solid construction, by comparison. My own previous ‘old’ 3DS XL units felt more cheaply made, and the special edition NES controller version I picked up recently had the bottom case creak issue that tends to afflict the older design. Overall, the design changes add up to net benefit for any gamer, though, and the new design also just feels better put together. There’s also no dedicated hardware switch for wireless, which makes it slightly harder to save battery on the fly. Things about the design changes that aren’t great include the decision to put the stylus slot at the front of the device, where it’s less easily reached than at the side while gaming. It’s also better-designed than the old volume slider. Nintendo has also repositioned the start and select buttons, to a much more convenient location under the XYAB buttons, and put the volume slider on the opposite side of the top half of the clamshell, across from the 3D slider, which makes a lot more sense. The new rear trigger buttons expand the potential for game developers on the platform, and are reasonably easy to find without resulting in any accidental presses of the existing L and R buttons despite their placement. It’s so small you’d be forgiven for missing it after a cursory glance, and while touching it outside of any game that supports it might suggest it offers little in the way of travel, while playing both Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and the new Majora’s Mask 3D remake, it proved immensely useful while controlling the camera, and surprisingly responsive and accurate.
Nintendo has finally added that second analog control stick that many clamored for, even dating back to the introduction of the original 3DS itself. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however: In some cases it makes for a better user experience, and in others it makes things a tad more inconvenient, but overall it should require very little learning time or adjustment both for users of previous 3DS hardware and those entirely new to the platform. The New 3DS XL bears more than a passing resemblance to the old 3DS XL, but some things have changed to make way for new buttons and controls, and even familiar parts have been relocated as a result.