Nintendo unveils super-sized 3DS XL game machine

58 min.

Winda Benedetti

Nintendo has unveiled a new super-sized?version of its Nintendo 3DS handheld game machine. During a pre-recorded online video released Thursday?night, the game giant took the wraps off of?the Nintendo 3DS XL (that's XL for extra large) -- a gadget that boasts top and bottom screens that are?90 percent larger than the original 3DS's screens.

The original 3DS launched?in March of last year, offering players a chance to play?games in eye-grabbing?3D without having to wear?special glasses.?The new 3DS XL?handheld will?run $199.99 and will launch in North America on?August 19 -- the same day "New Super Mario Bros. 2" launches for the 3DS.

Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America,?said the super-sized version of the 3DS will come?with an updated form factor and a battery that outperforms that of the original 3DS. ?That means the top screen will measure 4.88 inches while the bottom?screen is 4.18 inches and the battery?will last 3.5 to 6.5 hours (compared to the?3 to 5 hours with the 3DS).

The 3DS XL also comes bundled with a 4 gig SD card for storing downloadable content from Nintendo's eShop.

"Your handheld gaming experiences will be more intense and more engrossing than ever before," Fils-Aime?said.

While the Nintendo DS line of game machines had been a long-running?hit for the Japanese company, the Nintendo 3DS struggled to thrive when it launched last year?in the new smartphone-filled game market. But smartphone competition was only part of the problem. Nintendo had launched the 3DS without enough hit games to support it and at a steep $250 price. It?was quickly forced to cut the 3DS price?to $170.?

The super-sized 3DS isn't especially surprising. Back in 2010, Nintendo released a larger version of its DSi game machine -- called the DSi XL.

?Fils-Aime on Tuesday?pitched the 3DS?XL's larger top screen as a boon for those who like to watch videos via Netflix?on their Nintendo handheld. He also?said the launch of the 3DS XL and "New Super Mario Bros 2" marks the beginning of "a huge push" by Nintendo on behalf of the 3DS.

Winda Benedetti writes about video?games for msnbc.com. You can follow her tweets about games and other things?on Twitter?here?@WindaBenedetti?and you?follow her?on Google+. Meanwhile, be sure to check?out the?IN-GAME?FACEBOOK PAGE?to discuss the day's?gaming news and reviews.?

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