3DS XL colour

Want! Okay, so it’s the same old hardware that we know and love, but these Japan exclusive (so far!) 3DS LL colours are very cool indeed.

Known in Japan as the 3DS LL rather than XL, the dual-screen portable games console continues to storm ahead of the sleeker, more powerful PlayStation Vita, despite Sony’s machine recently receiving a generous price cut. No doubt these two new 3DS colours will serve to help the little device’s popularity even further.

Scheduled to go on sale from 14 April, the 18,900 yen (US$196) “Mint x White” 3DS LL features a pastel green lid and white screen surrounds and face buttons.

3DS XL 2

3DS XL

The Tomodachi Collection model, meanwhile, will make its appearance on the same date, but features an array of mint-green speech bubbles on its screen lid on the theme of The Sims-alike “life simulator” Tomodachi Collection New Life.

We’re still not entirely sure which of the two we prefer, but we have to admit that when we first saw the below Tomodachi Collection model, we thought it was covered in green Yoshi eggs. When we realised that they were speech bubbles we were a tiny bit disappointed.

33dsxl tomodachi

The speech bubble-spotted model will be priced slightly higher than both the Mint x White and existing units, coming in at 22,800 yen ($237) since it includes the pre-installed software. Both are guaranteed to make your friends suitably jealous, but be aware that, since the launch of its DSi console back in 2008, Nintendo made the heartbreaking decision to make all of its portable consoles and games region-specific, meaning that if you do decide to import or take one out of Japan, you’ll forever be limited to playing software released in Japan or via the Japanese e-Shop.

Source: Engadget Japan

Images via Nintendo JP