Nintendo is taking mobile gaming very seriously. For a while now, they’ve been selling the 3DS, 3DS XL, and 2DS.

Last year, they introduced the Switch – a fully-capable home gaming console that doubled as a handheld. And as if that wasn’t enough to satisfy Shigeru Miyamoto’s lust for market dominance, they recently announced yet another portable gaming console creatively called the 2DS XL.

Well, maybe that’s not as creative as the ‘Switch’, but it’s certainly a descriptive enough.

While it isn’t official, the 2DS XL could effectively streamline Nintendo’s portfolio in the future. It takes the best features of the 3DS XL and 2DS and combines it into one value-packed product. From what we can tell, it’s going to be the cheapest and possibly best way to game-on-the-go when it launches in July.

And here are six reasons why you should probably get excited for its arrival:

1) It’s pretty cheap

It won't burn a very big hole in your pocket.
Affordability is always a subjective matter. But a simple comparison can really put things into perspective here. The 2DS XL is being positioned at around US$150 (roughly RM650). That’s US$50 (RM210) less than the existing 3DS XL or the Sony PS Vita. That’s HALF the price of the Nintendo Switch!

2) It has a clamshell design

Scratches on screen, be gone!
While most people are OK with gaming on a slab of plastic, having a foldable ‘clamshell’ body definitely adds value. The package is a lot more elegant and easier to fit in a pocket. Plus, you don't have to worry about scratching the screen. The original 2DS may have cut this, but we’re glad Nintendo returned it for the 2DS XL. Two interesting colour options will be available at launch: Black/Turquoise and White/Orange.

3) It has no 3D

No 3D, no problem.
3D is a very nice technology to have, but let’s face it, 3D gaming has never really taken off. With the emergence of virtual reality, even TV companies have stopped pushing it. Whether with glasses or without, it’s a feature that will not be missed that much on this new device.

4) Most of the features trickle down

Packed with tonnes of features.
Sometimes when a company builds a cheaper alternative, they take things away unnecessarily. Nintendo have been kind enough to leave all the essentials from the 3DS XL intact, though. This includes an NFC Reader, as well as the ZL & ZR buttons and the C-Stick. You also get the fairly large dual displays from the 3DS XL. These measure 4.88 and 4.18 inches respectively.

5) Compatible with 3DS exclusives!

2DS, 3DS; it's all the same.
One of the drawbacks of the budget Nintendo 2DS system was its incompatibility with 3DS exclusives. Thankfully, you won't have that problem with the 2DS XL. It will able to play anything you can throw at the 3DS.

6) It’s still as light as the standard 2DS!

Thinner but still as powerful.
We don’t know how Nintendo did it, but they’ve managed to cram all of the above features into something that weighs the same 261g as the rather Spartan 2DS. It may not seem like a significant difference on paper, but every little bit counts when it comes to handhelds.