Nintendo responded to our request for comment on why it was decided to leave the charger out of the box. According to Nintendo, it was a measure designed to save costs for consumers who may already own a 3DS or DSi system: "New Nintendo 3DS XL uses the same AC adapter as any Nintendo 3DS or Nintendo DSi system. Rather than raise cost of New Nintendo 3DS XL by charging consumers for a component they may already own, we are giving them the option to only buy if they need an AC adapter."

The big news to come out of today's Nintendo Direct was the confirmation of the release of the New 3DSXL software on February 13 in North America. Somewhat unusual was the mention during the Direct that while the hardware will be first made available on that date, a charger will not be included in the box.

During the Direct, Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime makes clear that the new handheld will not include an AC adapter. It's an as-of-yet unexplained decision on Nintendo's part, but Fils-Aime does point out that existing adapters for the entire 3DS/2DS and DSi series of hardware will work with the New 3DSXL.But what if you don't already own one of the systems with a compatible charger? You have several choices in the matter. Nintendo of course sells the adapters on its site , and Amazon sells them through a third-party seller. GameStop is another option for either officially branded adapters or GameStop's house-brand charger. The advantage to the GameStop branded charger is that the cord is simply USB on one end, so you can plug it into any available USB slot to charge your device if you're away from a wall outlet.This isn't a new or regional decision limited to the US. In IGN's review of the New 3DS hardware , we were puzzled by the exclusion of an AC adapter from both versions of the hardware initially made available.

Seth Macy is a freelance writer who does a podcast about MST3K Follow him on Twitter @sethmacy , and MyIGN at sethgmacy