Great system that's really only missing that second circle pad.

I didn't own the original 3DS because I wasn't impressed with the design and the battery life was poor. However, the 3DS XL really improves on the original. First off, the top screen is huge! The 3D functionality works quite well, and the battery life is better on this model, from what I've read. In my experiences, the battery life is pretty good, but the 3D effect does drain the battery (generally I keep it off while playing,depending on the game). The graphics are really nice, I'd say playstation 2 quality, if not better. Unfortunately it's not HD, but the games do look good! Two gripes. First, while the D-pad's responsive, it's small and in an awkward spot, so using it for extended periods can get uncomfortable (this may only be a problem on the XL model because of its size). Second, I just don't understand why Nintendo didn't add a second circle pad. There's more than enough space on the face of the unit, at least the XL version, and it would make playing 3D games much easier.Read full review