Nintendo has today announced two brand new additions to its 3DS lineup of handheld consoles: the, quite literally, "New 3DS" and "New 3DS XL". Both consoles come with a new C-Stick nubbin on the right hand side of the console, acting as a small, secondary analogue stick to be used together with the main Circle Pad on the left, giving the handheld proper dual-analogue control.
The consoles were revealed during Nintendo's latest Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation online. In addition to the new C-Stick, both consoles will also have improved screens which widen the handheld's viewing angles when using them with the 3D turned on and extra ZR and ZL buttons that were included in the 3DS Circle Pad Pro accessory.
The New 3DS will also support microSD cards and NFC-reading technology, which will be no doubt be used in conjunction with Nintendo's upcoming line of Amiibo figures revealed at E3 earlier this year.
Another thing that sets the New 3DS apart is the chance to customise the console with interchangeable cover plates. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata showed off several designs during the Direct presentation (a few of which are pictured above) and their outward design also seems to mirror what's shown in the background on the 3DS home page as well. These will cost around 1,000 yen (around £6).
The consoles will be released in Japan first and are planned for release on 11th October 2014. The New 3DS will be available in white and black and will cost 16,000 yen (approximately £92) while the New 3DS XL comes in blue and black and will cost 18,800 yen (£109). Special Super Smash Bros and Monster Hunter 4G editions of the console will also be available in November.
Nintendo has told Expert Reviews that the New 3DS and New 3DS XL won't reach UK shores until 2015:
"Different territories make their own business decisions regarding individual products and timing. We plan to launch these products in Europe in 2015. We have a variety of compelling portable gaming options for consumers now and through the Christmas shopping season, including a variety of different Nintendo 2DS and Nintendo 3DS XL bundles at retail. We also have a strong library of hundreds of games for these systems that appeal to all kinds of players, with titles like Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire still on the way before the end of the year."
