Nintendo announces a brand new 3DS model

[Mirage]

This is kind of similar to the DSi, though, it's not a new generation yet. And if the DSi is anything to go by, there won't be that many exclusives and nothing too significant. I don't think those who don't upgrade will suffer for it.

Everyone who wanted Xenoblade will suffer.

[Fynn]

Xenoblade is my favorite game of all time and I already put way over a 100 hours into it on the Wii. And I have a 3DS XL and don't intend to upgrade. Don't feel like I'm losing out a lot

[Mirage]

What about those who never had a Wii/U?

[Aulayna]

Wtf, I just got a 3DS XL. There is almost no chance of me upgrading it to play different games. smurf you, Nintendo.

This. Leeching off of other people's posts ftw.

In Ireland at least, GameStop tend to an offer where you can trade in your current model and pay €20-30 on top to get the new model.

[Yellow_Magic]

Lucky enough to not have got my 3DS XL recently (it was last September IIRC) but I'm still pretty miffed. Gotta love technology sometimes *says CS graduate*

[NorthernChaosGod]

Wtf, I just got a 3DS XL. There is almost no chance of me upgrading it to play different games. smurf you, Nintendo.

This. Leeching off of other people's posts ftw.

In Ireland at least, GameStop tend to an offer where you can trade in your current model and pay €20-30 on top to get the new model.

Unless they have the upgrade in the same Zelda motif as my XL, not happening.

[Ayen]

Wtf, I just got a 3DS XL. There is almost no chance of me upgrading it to play different games. smurf you, Nintendo.

This. Leeching off of other people's posts ftw.

In Ireland at least, GameStop tend to an offer where you can trade in your current model and pay €20-30 on top to get the new model.

I'm not paying extra for a trade in.

[DMKA]

I wish they'd announce new games.

[Skyblade]

A better course would be to let the new games be playable on old 3DSes, but in a new 3DS, you'd get things like higher resolution, antialiasing, texture resolution and perhaps 60 fps instead of 30.

Also, please add bluetooth to it, so I don't have to use the wires for my headphones.

I don't know. Nintendo doesn't seem to like doing things halfway. I can't see them willing to take an overall quality drop that low. I heard that part of the reason for the better processor on the New 3DS is to allow it to run games like Xenoblade, so I'm not sure they could tone it down.

I'm sort of intrigued by the overall functionality improvements. Wider range of 3D viewing angle is huge. Built in Amiibo functionality is probably going to save another 20 bucks or so over the older model. Faster processor and load times should be great all the way around. And apparently better wireless interaction. It's looking to be a pretty substantial upgrade.

[Dat Matt]

I'm glad it's an upgrade, but I can see why people are pissed that they are making exclusive games for it. It's not like the Gameboy Colour/GBA SP which were improvements but those using the Gameboy or Gameboy Advance could still play the games. I assume all first party games from now on will be designed for the New 3DS rather than the Old 3DS. So with this update we're basically reaching a new generation of handheld games, rather than an upgrade of the same model.

[Mirage]

A better course would be to let the new games be playable on old 3DSes, but in a new 3DS, you'd get things like higher resolution, antialiasing, texture resolution and perhaps 60 fps instead of 30.

Also, please add bluetooth to it, so I don't have to use the wires for my headphones.

I don't know. Nintendo doesn't seem to like doing things halfway. I can't see them willing to take an overall quality drop that low. I heard that part of the reason for the better processor on the New 3DS is to allow it to run games like Xenoblade, so I'm not sure they could tone it down.

I'm sort of intrigued by the overall functionality improvements. Wider range of 3D viewing angle is huge. Built in Amiibo functionality is probably going to save another 20 bucks or so over the older model. Faster processor and load times should be great all the way around. And apparently better wireless interaction. It's looking to be a pretty substantial upgrade.

Well, I'm not sure if I would call it halfway. Higher texture resolution combined with higher rendering resolution can really make a very big impact on perceived visual quality. I'm not sure how well antialiasing actually works when you use a 3D display like what's in a 3DS, but that also adds a lot if you ask me. Personally, I also notice some framerate reductions in certain scenes in Bravely Default when playing in 3D, so there's definitely some improvements that could be made there as well. All that, combined with better 3D (for those who actually care about that), and several other enhancements would be enough for me to get one, and I don't even play a lot of 3DS games.

Even if people with a regular 3DS are going to feel like they don't play the games as well as they could be, I think they'd be more bummed by being forced to upgrade, rather than being encouraged to upgrade. I think being limited to playing a 3DS+ game in 2D mode and somewhere near 30fps would be better than not being able to play it at all, even if the new 3DS could run the same game in 60fps 3D.