Just when you were getting used to the 3DS Nintendo has developed the 3DS XL. As you might have guessed, this version of the 3DS will be bigger than any of its predecessors. The updated version of the handheld device will include a bigger screen, extended battery life, and some other goodies. This is the first bit of news that’s come from the video game company in some time, though it will be welcomed news to any Nintendo or 3DS fan. It’s also intelligent of Nintendo to introduce a new handheld, since the video game company has been desperate to create a new product for the past few months. Will the 3DS XL be enough to entice more consumers to purchase Nintendo products? Here’s what’s known about the 3DS XL for the time being.

Bigger and Better All Around

With a name like 3DS XL, this handheld has to be bigger than all the rest and it is. But, how much bigger with the XL be in comparison to the current 3DS? Nintendo announced that the XL will have a 4.9-inch upper screen and a 4.2-inch lower screen. In case you’re wondering, the older 3DS has a 3.5-inch upper screen and a 3.0-inch lower screen. So, as you can see, Nintendo has really made the new screen much larger all around. In addition, the battery life of the new XL will be much longer than the current battery that the 3DS is equipped with.

Nintendo has also sunk a 4GB SD card in the new XL, which is another improvement over the current 3DS version. In short, Nintendo is really trying to gain additional sales with the XL by making this the biggest handheld the company has put out in awhile. But, of course, a bigger screen and longer battery life mean that the new 3DS will also have a higher price tag. Just how much will Nintendo sell this bad boy for? You can expect to see the 3DS XL priced at around $200, which is a bit more than the 3DS, but still affordable enough for most avid Nintendo-loyal gamers.

A Surprise Announcement

If you’re wondering why you didn’t hear about the 3DS XL last week when all other gaming devices were announced during the E3 conference, the jury is still out on this one. Nearly two weeks after the larger conference is when Nintendo decided to let the world know about the 3DS XL. It could be that the gaming company wasn’t ready to announce the XL during the conference, or it could simply be that Nintendo is banking on a bit of a wow factor. After all, announcing a device when all other devices are announced doesn’t make that one device important, right?

For whatever reason, Nintendo didn’t let the world know about the 3DS XL until right now, but you can still take advantage of Nintendo’s legendary gaming abilities by getting your hands on a new 3DS XL when the handheld goes to market. When will the XL be available? You’ll have to wait a few more months to see what the XL can do (and see what it really looks like). The launch date that Nintendo is putting on the new 3DS is August 19th – still a few months away!