Though the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch console will mark a significant shift in Nintendo’s multiplatform strategy, the company’s current handheld gaming system still has plenty of life left in it, as a new 3DS XL model is set to hit North American store shelves in February.
The upcoming New Nintendo 3DS XL Pikachu Yellow Edition includes an etched faceplate design featuring Nintendo’s Pokémon mascot Pikachu, making it a perfect fit for hardcore fans of the recent series sequels Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon.
Nintendo’s Switch console, launching worldwide in March, effectively bridges the gap between Nintendo’s console and handheld development divisions, serving as both a portable gaming device and a dedicated home console via an included docking peripheral. The move represents a risky venture after the commercial failure of Nintendo’s Wii U console, but the long-lasting popularity of the Nintendo DS line of handhelds could drive Switch sales in the months ahead.
While Nintendo recently confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be its final first-party release for the Wii U, the company has not announced any plans to abandon or discontinue its Nintendo 3DS platform in the months ahead. The New Nintendo 3DS XL Pikachu Yellow Edition will keep Nintendo’s portable console family stocked at retail, and its announcement hints at future 3DS software releases at retail and digitally via Nintendo’s eShop.
Nintendo previously leveraged the popularity of its Pokémon series for a boost in 3DS platform sales last year with the launch of the Pokémon 20th Anniversary Edition New Nintendo 3DS. While the 20th Anniversary Edition New Nintendo 3DS included preinstalled digital copies of the original Game Boy Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue games, the upcoming Pikachu Yellow Edition does not include any digital bonuses as part of its retail package.
The New Nintendo 3DS XL Pikachu Yellow Edition will premiere in North America on February 24 for a suggested retail price of $200.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Gaming laptops and I have a complicated relationship. One of my first gaming rigs was an Acer Predator that was already outdated when I bought it. I was a broke college kid, and that was the best I could afford. So trying out high-end gaming laptops is always fun. But ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 is a lot more than a laptop that can run AAA games. It is portable, so you're not lugging around a 2.5kg machine everywhere you go. It is built well, none of that plastic chassis, and can even function as a normal laptop outside of just gaming.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.