According to GameSpot, Nintendo recently announced a new entry in the 3DS line of portable consoles. The New Nintendo 2DS XL will hit stores on July 28, just in time for the new 3DS games Hey! Pikmin and Miitopia, and will cost $149.99. The New 2DS XL will be able to play DS and 3DS games and, unlike the original 2DS, will have a clamshell design that allows it to fold in half like its DS and 3DS brethren. It cannot, however, play any 3DS games in 3D mode, meaning all games will only be playable in 2D.
At about $150, the New 2DS XL is cheaper than the New 3DS XL by about $50, but still not as cheap as the un-foldable 2DS that sells for about $80. GameSpot reports that the screens of the New 2DS XL are about the same size as the New 3DS XL. Also, Nintendo has stated that the New 2DS XL “still packs the same power” as the New 3DS XL. The New 2DS XL can also read amiibos.
In the U.S., the New 2DS XL will come in a black and blue color scheme, whereas Japan will also have a white and gold version. Kotaku also recently reported that there will be a special edition Dragon Quest Metallic Slime 2DS that will come bundled with Dragon Quest XI and will cost about $200, but as of now it seems this version will only be available in Japan for the time being. The Dragon Quest Metallic Slime 2DS is planned to launch on July 29 in Japan.
