The Nintendo 2DS XL is insanely cheap right now on Amazon in the Black Friday sales. You can pick up a Lime Green/Black model with Mario Kart 7 preinstalled for only £100, down from £135, which is officially the cheapest we’ve ever seen the New 2DS XL.
But wait, I hear you say, isn’t there a new-fangled Nintendo console making waves at the moment? The Switch is certainly an excellent bit of kit, but it’s also more than twice as expensive, and perhaps not ideally suited to younger children (or clumsy adults).
Of course, we recommend purchasing the Switch - or perhaps more appropriately, the smaller Switch Lite - but for those who can’t stretch to the £279 asking price, this New 2DS XL offer is the next best thing.
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For the uninitiated, the New 2DS XL improves upon its siblings in a few key ways. First of all, it uses a faster processor, the same one found inside the 3DS XL; put simply, this makes the entire device feel less sluggish, which is important given how old it is.
Second, it features a second rubber joystick situated above the right-hand set of buttons. Having two joysticks is a modern convenience that might sound appealing to any long-time Nintendo fans who can remember having to control both character movement and camera movement with the same hand.
And lastly, it comes with a charger in the box. This might not seem significant, but the New 3DS XL does not (bafflingly). Otherwise, this is the same clamshell-hinged portable console you remember, complete with two screens and a stylus. Of course, it doesn’t offer any 3D functionality, but it will still play 3DS games.
The vast library of both retro and modern titles includes games from the Mario Bros. Mario Kart, Legend of Zelda and Pokemon franchises among many, many others. Due to the age of the console, games are reasonably cheap, which is a nice bonus for any thrifty parents out there.
This deal is unlikely to last long, so if you’re looking for a cheap Christmas present (or indulging a nostalgic urge) we suggest you act fast.
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