on Black Friday for the special, Zelda-print edition. But, as a DSiXL owner, I missed having

huge screens and a larger system to accommodate my ridiculously large hands. And so I stared

longingly at the 3DSXL, but couldn’t bring myself to ditch that Zelda-tinged monstrosity

that I waited in the cold to obtain. And then, Nintendo turned the 3DSXL into a Pokemon.

And I couldn’t help myself. Sure, it’s just a slick, Pikachu-print paintjob, and

the inner workings are the same as they’ve ever been. But I don’t care. IT’S PIKACHU.

And it’s freakin’ huge, and the screens are big and beautiful. That’s the important

part. Also, IT’S PIKACHU.

Sure, I can show you this footage where I try to compare the size of the 3DS and 3DSXL’s

screens, but you really need to hold one to get a feeling of how stark the size difference

really is. The unexpected side effect of having a larger screen, though, is that the 3D effects

that comprise part of the system’s name now function better at longer distances from

your own eyes, which I’ve found significantly more comfortable while holding the system

for periods of time. Also, the wider body means I don’t get as many hand cramps while

furiously scribbling maps in Etrian Odyssey. I do have one complaint about the new form

factor, though: I often found myself inadvertently adjusting the volume while intense circle-pad

action was going on. The new rounder edges of the enclosure make this a real issue...

even if it is pretty much a non-issue.

If you’re considering upgrading, Nintendo makes it easy to bring your old software over

by using the System Transfer option in the settings menu. Sure, it takes quite a while

- especially if you’re like me and you’ve got a pile of downloaded games because an

existence without Mighty Switch Force isn’t an existence I’m all that enthusiastic about

- but the result carries over everything you need, including eShop account data and clearances

for all the games on your SD card. Which is awesome, because all I had to do was pop the

16Gb beast out of my old DS, drop it in the new, and BAM. My Fire Emblem, my Pictobits,

my Shantae: Risky’s Revenge were good to go. Sure, you don’t really need all that

extra screen real estate if you’re just playing Game Boy and NES games off of the

Virtual Console... but bigger screens are always better. Always. ALWAYS. Especially

if you get a free copy of StarFox 64 3D out of the deal by being a Club Nintendo member.

It’s been at least a decade since I’ve played this game, but it’s good to know

that I can still medal Corneria first time, every time. You guess you should be thankful,

Falco? You KNOW you should be thankful.