Nintendo 3DS XL Release Date, Features & Price: Out In February

The new Nintendo 3DS XL will officially arrive in the US on February 13 and will be sold for $199.99, it has been announced.

Here's Nintendo's official tweet:

New Nintendo 3DS XL is coming to the U.S. on 2/13 at a suggested retail price of $199.99! #NintendoDirectNA pic.twitter.com/sAjWzoLEoL

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 14, 2015

Game Rant meanwhile claims that the release of the Nintendo 3DS XL will coincide with the the launch of the "The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D" remake and "Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate." The report also noted that the console has already been released in Japan after its launch in October 2014.

The new Nintendo 3DS XL has a lot of new features. Here are some of them:

Face-tracking 3D

First on the list is the Face-tracking 3D feature. This new feature allows users to enjoy "super-stable 3D" games through the system's inner cameras which could adjust images based on the user's viewing angle. The console's camera somewhat tracks one's face to make sure that the clearness of the image remains the same. This feature is not included in the previous Nintendo 3DS XL console.

New Controls

There are also new control possibilities like intuitive camera control brought into the new console through the C stick. Also, the new Nintendo 3DS XL console has new ZL and ZR buttons.

Amiibo Support

Users can also enjoy Amiibo features in compatible games just by tapping an Amiibo figure to the near-field communication (NFC) reader located on the lower screen. Nintendo promises that those who use Amiibo figures with Amiibo-compatible games will surely receive bonus items and content.

Improved CPU performance and Camera

The new console also comes with improved CPU performance and camera. Nintendo says that improving the CPU performance resulted in a "faster loading times." Plus, it also promises users to get better results when using the camera in low-light situations.

Better browsing and easy sharing

Note that the new console also comes with a new Internet browser which can allow people to use the ZL/ZR buttons for switching tabs and the C stick for zooming. Aside from this, users can now easily transfer files between a PC and microSDHC card through wireless network. It's also more convenient as users no longer need to remove the card to transfer data.

More games

Users of the new Nintendo 3DS XL can also enjoy more games as they are allowed to play games from previous systems including those from Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, and Nintendo DSi.

Meanwhile, the Huffington Post said that Nintendo is really urging its current 3DS users to shift and upgrade to the new 3DS XL. "Rather than raise cost of New Nintendo 3DS XL by charging consumers for a component they may already own, we are giving them the option to only buy if they need an AC adapter," the report quoted an unnamed Nintendo spokesperson.

Polygon says this is the first time Nintendo offered a handheld with no AC adapter included. The report also revealed that as of September 2014, the sales of DSi and 3DS models in the US alone already reached over 33 million units.