3DS XL is Coming

You know, I'm not really sure how to feel about a 3DS redesign. I think it's safe to say we all knew that there would be some, like there have been for previous Nintendo handhelds, it was just a matter of when. What interests me the most about the 3DS XL is that it's not an attempt to streamline form factor in a more compact form. As the name implies, it makes it larger.

The DSi XL never seemed like a system I would want. I definitely saw its use for people who perhaps were not as mobile with their gaming, or needed a larger screen for sight purposes, but since those don't apply to me I wasn't interested much. I still only own my own "fat" DSes, though. Either way this new 3DS doesn't appeal to me much more as the screen is fine. One thing this might help with is my hand cramps on the system but that's not worth $200 to me.

What do you think of this updated system? Is there a reason that more people should pick it up over the original 3DS?

What is Nintendo Land? Is It Any Good?

One of the most interesting things to come out of Nintendo during this E3 was Nintendo Land. Well, perhaps most "interesting" isn't the right word. If anything, it seems like Nintendo Land was unveiled and subsequently misunderstood by gamers. Basically, it is a bunch of minigames which showcase different functions of the Wii U GamePad. In principle, this is a lot like Wii Sports which debuted with Wii systems back in 2006. However, there's a lot more to it than that, as surprising as it may seem.

The idea behind the game is that it's an amusement park of sorts where each minigame is it's own attraction. There are twelve included in the package, although only five were playable on the E3 show floor. Four of the five on display were based off famous Nintendo franchises. From what I played though, it seems like the title is shaping up to be a really entertaining party game, with only a little bit to tide over single player gamers.