**The 2DS XL: A Review**

As I unboxed the 2DS XL, I was immediately struck by its larger screens compared to the original 2DS. But there are also some more subtle upgrades, such as dual front-firing speakers that provide a decent sound quality.

One thing I noticed right away is that having cameras on the back means I have to twist it in order to take a shot, resulting in some potato-quality photos. The angles are super weird, and you actually kind of have to... Well, if you're planning to take selfies on this device, it might not be the best choice.

But for games that require AR stuff, it works fine. Of course, as a game console, we have to play some games. So, to start with, we have Pokémon Sun. The Pokémon games are a huge reason why I played the Game Boy, the DS, and the 3DS, and Sun is another one that I've spent a lot of money on.

The screens on the 2DS are not great, but it's about the same as every other 3DS, so there's really not a whole lot to complain about. The speaker also sounds decent, not great, but decent. Next up is Super Smash Bros., which impressed me with its playability on the 3DS. Considering this is hardware that originally came out in 2011, the fact that it looks nice and is playable at 60 FPS is awesome.

Super Smash Bros. is one of the few games that do support Amiibos, so we're actually putting it in the middle of the screen, but once we do that, it pretty much immediately loads up the Amiibo. You can train it, you can do different things. To be honest, I don't find that there's a ton of games that really make Amiibos all that useful, but it's definitely nice to have.

One thing I'm noticing is that the stylus actually isn't quite as annoying as I thought it would be. Yes, it is very short, but depending on how you hold it, it actually doesn't feel that bad. You do have the option of buying digital games for the 2DS XL as opposed to buying physical ones, so most of the titles are available on the eShop.

But generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of the way Nintendo handles a lot of the account stuff, and to be honest, I prefer having actual physical games. What is cool, though, is that you do have the full virtual console on here. There aren't a ton of games, but you do have a fair few options such as the original Pokémon games, some NES titles, Super Nintendo games, Game Boy Color.

And there are still more coming, for example Pokémon Gold and Silver will be available on the 3DS a little bit later in the year. So, Nintendo is still making both the 2DS and the New 3DS XL right now. Well, if you want to be cheap and you want just a basic Pokémon machine, it's hard to argue with the 2DS at about $80.

It's definitely not perfect, it would be nice if it had better speakers and the design that was a little bit more portable, but I think a lot of people would be completely fine with this. The 3DS XL is definitely the superior console as far as tech goes. So, not only does it have all the updated specs, but you have the additional buttons and controls, Amiibo support, and it does have that nicer looking 3D screen.

But for me, I don't ever use the 3D, so that really is not a big deal. Which makes the 2DS XL look a lot more appealing. For $150 the 2DS XL is probably the end of the line for the 3DS. Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Well, sure, it's about half the price of the Switch, but more importantly, there are still games that are coming out for this.

So, stuff like Pokémon Ultra Sun and Moon will be out a little bit later this year. And as far as I'm concerned, this is my favorite 3DS design yet. What do you guys think about the 2DS XL? Let me know in the comments below and I will catch you on the next one.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- Hey guys, this is Austin.It has been nearly four years sincethe original Nintendo 2DS came out.But today there's an upgrade.Big shout out to Nintendofor hooking us up with the2DS XL a little bit early.So, the 2DS has always been alittle bit of a weird product.When the 3DS came out the bigfeature was the new 3D screen.And of course that's exactlywhat the 2DS takes away.So, if we open up the boxthe first thing we seeis the power adapter.So, this doesn't seem likesomething that should be allthat impressive, but the new3DS XL doesn't even actuallycome with one.You know I actually kindof like the look of this.So, with the blue accentsand the kind of textured black finish it,oh, it looks really nice.One thing I will say thoughis it feels very lightweight.It doesn't feel like there'sa lot of sort of heft to it,but to be fair it's all plasticand it feels pretty well put together.I mean...So, the first thing that I noticed isthat there's some weirdquirks with the design.So, the hinge itselfactually kind of sticks outa little bit and because ofthat the front facing camerais actually exposed evenwhen the 2DS is closed.So, when you open it up it makes sense,you can see it pretty well there,but when you close it it'sactually kind of exposed.Something else that's kindof weird is that there's noobvious way to put the gamesin besides what I assumeis behind this flap.Yeah, so inside here we canput in a 3DS game, a DS game.We also have what lookslike a micro SD card,which is going to be four gigabytes.So, right here beside theheadphone jack there's,oh, the stylus.That is the smalleststylus I've ever seen!What?What?Hold on.So this is what the normal2DS stylus looks like.You know, it's meant for human hands.Whereas this is the 2DS XL.It is a lot smaller.Like, I don't even...How is that even supposed to make sense?That is...Comparing the original 2DS with the XL,the first thing you'll noticeis that the XL is a lot biggerand a big part of that is thatit now has a clam shell design.So, when you look at theoriginal 2DS something I thinka lot of people make fun of isthe sort of weird flat design.Now, to be fair, in the handit actually doesn't feeltoo bad depending onhow big your hands are.For me it feels about right.But, when it comes toactually trying to put thisin your pocket, good luck.Where something like this,even though it is fairly large,it folds up nice and neat.I will say I do likethe look of the 2DS XL.So, as far as I knowright now in North Americathere's only this black and blue color,but I think it looks pretty nice.Something that I reallykeep coming back to, though,is that this is really light.It feels, not cheap, butlighter than you expect.The real comparison here,though, is with the 3DS XL.And the first thing Inoticed with these twois they actually have slightlydifferent camera layouts.So, with the 3DS XL,if I open this guy up,you'll see that there are two 3D cameras,or I guess one 3D camera on the back.So, essentially you can usethis for some mini games,but they actually do takestereoscopic 3D images.Now, the 2DS XL also has that,but instead of being on the screen,they're actually on the back.Yeah, that's what I said.Weird, right?Put them side by side andthe biggest differencethat you'll notice between the 2DS XLand 3DS XL is the lack of 3D screen.So, with this guy youcan turn on the 3D switchand you can adjust itto the sort of strengththat you like.And there were some cool thingsthat they did do with the 3DS XL,including some eye tracking tosort of customize the screen.As before with the 3DS ifyou got a little bit off axisit could look really weird.However, for me I justdon't really enjoy the 3D.It's kinda nice, acouple games do it well,but for the most part thatswitch is off all the time.Which essentially meansit's the same as the 2DS.So, this is the new Nintendo 2DS XLand that new name means thatit has the upgraded specs from the 3DS.So, while the originalhardware came out in 2011,they have since upgradedand it runs a lot smoother.When you look at the XL sideby side with the original 2DS,there are a lot of very nice upgrades.So, some of them are super obvious.The screens are muchlarger on the newer unit.But there are also somemore subtle upgrades.Like the original 2DSonly had a fairly smalland weak speaker,whereas the 2DS XL hasdual front firing speakers,or side-ish firing speakers.I accidentally opened the camera,so I guess that means camera time.First thing I noticed ishaving the cameras on the backmeans I have to really sort of twist it.So if I try to take ashot of Savage Kenny here,that's some potato quality.Again, the angles are super weird.You actually kind of have to...So, you might not wanna takeyour next selfie masterpieceon it, but for a lot thestuff like games need it forAR stuff it works.Of course, as a game consolewe have to play some games.So, to start with we have Pokemon Sun.The Pokemon games, I willbe totally honest with you,are a huge reason why Iplayed the Game Boy, the DS,and the 3DS, that's reallywhat keeps me coming backto Nintendo handhelds.And Sun I think is, well,another one that I've spenta lot of money on.Yeah, I've bought a lot of Pokemon games.It looks good, the screenson the 2DS are not great,to be totally honest with you,but it's about the sameas every other 3DS,so there's really not awhole lot to complain about.Speaker also sounds decent,not great, but decent.Next we have Super Smash.This is a game that reallyimpressed me that's evenplayable on the 3DS.Considering this is hardwarethat originally came outin 2011, the fact thatnot only does it look niceand it's playable, we'regetting a full 60FPS is awesome.Smash is also one of the fewgames that do support Amiibos.So, with the 2DS what we'redoing is we're actually puttingit in the middle of the screen,but once we do that itpretty much immediatelyloads up the Amiibo.You can train it, youcan do different things.To be honest, I don't findthat there's a ton of gamesthat really make Amiibos all that useful,but it's definitely nice to have.So, one thing I'm noticingthe stylus actuallyisn't quite as annoyingas I thought it would be.Yes, it is very, very short,but depending on how you hold it,it actually doesn't feel that bad.Now, you do have the optionof buying digital gamesfor the 2DS XL as opposedto buying physical ones,so most of the titles areavailable on the eshop,but generally speaking I'mnot a big fan of the waythat Nintendo handles alot of the account stuff.And to be honest I prefer havingthe actual physical games.What is cool, though,is that you do have the fullvirtual console on here.There aren't a ton of games,but you do have a fair fewoptions such as the originalPokemon games, you have some NES titles,some Super Nintendo games, Game Boy Color.And there are still more coming,for example Pokemon Goldand Silver will be availableon the 3DS a little bit later in the year.So, Nintendo is still makingboth the 2DS as well asthe New 3DS XL right now.So, which one should you pick up?Well, if you wanna be cheapand you want just a basic Pokemon machine,it is hard to argue withthe 2DS at about $80.It is definitely not perfect,it would be nice if it had better speakersand the design that was alittle bit more portable,but I think a lot of people wouldbe completely fine with this.The 3DS XL is definitelythe superior consoleas far as tech goes.So, not only does it haveall the updated specs,but you have the additional buttonsand controls, Amiibo support,and it does have thatnicer looking 3D screen.But for me, I don't ever use the 3D,so that really is not a big deal.Which makes the 2DS XLlook a lot more appealing.For $150 the 2DS XL isprobably the end of the linefor the 3DS.Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing.Well, sure, it's about halfthe price of the Switch,but more importantly there are still gamesthat are coming out for this.So, stuff like Pokemon Ultra Sunand Moon will be out alittle bit later this year.And as far as I'm concerned,this is my favorite 3DS design yet.So, what do you guysthink about the 2DS XL?Let me know in the comments belowand I will catch you on the next one.