Nintendo's latest hardware trick is a 3DS XL that looks like an NES controller

NES 3DS XL
Now that is an old school 3DS XL

In true Nintendo fashion it looks like the 3DS hardware will see more variations than stars in the sky by the time it's done, including the three new 3DS XL designs revealed today.

There have been plenty of special edition 3DS makeovers before, and now a Super Smash Bros. design, a Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth design, and a 3DS XL themed after the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) will join them.

Nintendo announced these new 3DS XL variants at the 2014 GameStop Expo in California - appropriate, since the Persona Q and NES versions are GameStop exclusives.

The Super Smash Bros. 3DS XL goes on sale in red or blue September 19, the NES 3DS XL goes up October 10, and the Persona Q version goes on sale November 25. All of them will cost $199 (about £120, AU$220).

smash bros 3ds xl

The Super Smash Bros. 3DS XL

Join the club

The NES-themed 3DS XL will probably be a favorite for Nintendo diehards. Even its retail box is themed after the classic Nintendo console.

The other two versions take inspiration from upcoming game releases, and may find traction among fans of those titles.

persona q 3DS XL

The Persona Q 3DS XL

Nintendo said as part of its announcement that more than 12 million 3DS models, including the original 3DS, the 3DS XL, and (most likely) the 2DS, have been sold in the US alone.

Yet there is one thing that may stop these new 3DS XL variants from selling well. That, of course, is the very attractive, larger new 3DS and 3DS XL models arriving in the US next year.

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.

Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.

Latest in Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
Quick, you don't have long until the 3DS eShop closes down for good!
eShop game Mario and Donkey Kong Tipping Stars
Best Nintendo 3DS eShop exclusive games to buy before they're gone for ever
Nintendo 3DS
Celebrating Nintendo 3DS: our favorite memories of Nintendo's 3D handheld
Bravely Default 2
Bravely Default 2 review
Nintendo 3DS
5 reasons you should buy a Nintendo 3DS over the Nintendo Switch
Nintendo has no plans to give up on the 3DS just yet
Latest in News
MacBook Air mute key
The new M4 MacBook Air finally fixes an Apple keyboard annoyance that's been around for decades
A collage of Ellie and Joel in The Last of Us season 2
The Last of Us season 2's new trailer teases a huge showdown between Bella Ramsey's Ellie and Pedro Pascal's Joel, but the big moment I'm waiting for is still being held back
Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max REVIEW
New iPhone 17 Air leak may have revealed some key specs – and how it compares to the iPhone 17 Pro Max
Gaming with AI
I asked Gemini to play a text-based adventure game with me and the AI whisked me away to a word-based fantasy
Apple iPhone 16 Review
Three iPhone 17 model dummy units appear in a hands-on video leak
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
New Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge may have revealed some key details – including its price