Do you live in North America? Want to get your hands on one of these sweet New 3DS faceplates? SORRY. Nintendo doesn’t want to sell them to you.
Let me explain. There are two models of the New 3DS: small and XL. But because Nintendo is Nintendo, North Americans are only getting the XL version when the new hardware launches outside of Japan next week. This might sound insignificant — after all, the normal 3DS XL is great! — but there’s a huge difference between the two models: swappable faceplates. With the smaller New 3DS, you’re not stuck to one colour or design: instead you can buy, collect, and customise your own plates for both the top and bottom of the system. You can have a different 3DS every day.
But, nope, the US just gets the big one. No customisation allowed. That means we won’t get to use either of the two Zelda faceplates, pictured above. Sad, right? The Majora’s Mask art on the left is pretty, but a bit too busy for my taste. It’s the rightmost Zelda faceplate — announced on the official Zelda Twitter today — that’s making me really friggin’ jealous that the rest of the world gets these. Come on, Nintendo. People are supposed to be jealous of US.
Comments
22 responses to “This Is Why Nintendo Should Bring The Smaller New 3DS To America”
I want an XL with the SNES colour scheme.
Am not ashamed to admit it is 99% of the reason I am considering mini new 3ds instead
I wont actually buy one until there is a game what I like.
But to make the upgrade feel that much better, I’d prefer an XL, since Ive never owned one.
+1
That’s 90% why I bought a new one (Australian). 10% is the really good 3D, I might even like 3D now…
yeah got my new XL in the metallic blue…..the number 55 plate up there makes me wish i had gone for the non xl.
How does it feel America 🙂
Really though, I think this is mostly Nintendo struggling with demand, I think the new 3DS will end up released in the US later in the year.
I really don’t know why anyone would want one.
Faceplate 55 at the side looks fantastic on a black 3ds. I was almost swayed to go normal new 3ds but since my main 3ds was xl, it was hard for me to go small screen again 🙁
I just read Jason Schreier articles for the laugh. His high school paper writing style always includes a bias, formulaic article setups, and unprofessional word choices. There’s just always something to remind you you’re reading a Jason Schreier article and not a professional piece. He’s hit the trifecta in this one. I was in stitches halfway through, but then “People are supposed to be jealous of the US”, opened the floodgates. Thanks for the laughs Jason, all these years of practice and you still hold the title of most unprofessional writer in the industry.
I have to agree, kotaku has become a hackles blog so gradually you don’t notice straight away.
Everything wrong with the US in one sentence.
When has nintendo ever cared about what they “should” do?
Why can’t they make a Zelda one that looks cool on the White New 3DS?
Also the gold writing under the hylian crest translates to, “Three golden goddesses descended upon the chaos that was hyrule…”
The biggest, most important difference for me; and the one no-one else seems to care about, is that the designs are the right way up on the original, upside down on the XL.
Can’t we only get the white New 3DS over here anyway (so both of these covers would look kinda crap)?
Nintendo is pretty much screwing everyone (except Japan) over, as usual.
Why this article are here on Kotaku AU?
Schadenfreude, maybe?
No. 55 looks so nice. It makes me angry that the XL does not have swappable faceplates.
I’m wondering if there is any physical reason that the XL does not currently have faceplates. My cynical self is also wondering if this is just a ploy by Nintendo to make bank with selling heaps of normal-sized 3DS units plus faceplates… and then bring out NEW AND BETTER faceplates for the XL, which would no doubt motivate a lot of people to spend more money upgrading to the larger unit, and even MORE money to get new faceplates for it…
who gives a shit about a faceplate anyway? you’re not going to be looking at the outside of it when you’re playing something. that being said i did have to get the majora’s mask special edition… but that is also an xl =].
would it have been so hard to localise this article Kotaku AU??? You guys are so slack some times.