The hand-held system was revealed in an Amazon listing, and appears to be shipping to players on November 27. The console comes in the original Super Nintendo’s light gray color, complete with two different shades of purple for the buttons as well as the 3D slider. When closed, the system replicates the look of the SNES, as well, with purple “power” and “reset” buttons printed on the outside, as well as a fake eject button and the original system’s logo. Nintendo even designed a box for the handheld that resembles the SNES Classic Edition’s packaging.
If you don’t have any 3DS games yet, you’ll still be able to have some fun with the New 3DS XL. The system comes with a full game download for Super Mario Kart — one of the games loaded onto the SNES Classic — which older-model 3DS systems are unable to play. However, as with other New 3DS XL units, you must purchase a separate AC adapter. They’re available directly from Nintendo for just $10, and the company’s decision to leave it out of the box continues to baffle us.
If you’re in Europe, you also have a New 3DS XL to pick up, but it’s modeled after your region’s unique SNES design, complete with more colorful buttons and a different logo. A Super Famicon-themed system is also available for Japanese markets, but we have a special place in our hearts for the chunky purple look of the North American model. We’re just hoping Nintendo releases a special “yellowing plastic” version, as well.
While you’re waiting for the SNES-themed New 3DS XL to go on sale, you’ll be able to play Super Mario Odyssey on Nintendo Switch. The game releases on October 27 as a Switch exclusive, and it’s one of our most-anticipated games of the year.
