When Nintendo's E3 press events came and went without any mention of a rumored 3DS, we didn't know what to think. However, it seems the company may have been saving its announcement for a time when the newswires were a little bit less crowded. Nintendo last night confirmed the existence of the 3DS and announced that the hand-held console would be on sale by the end of July.

The Nintendo 3DS XL features a top display that measures in at 4.88 inches and a bottom display that measures 4.18 inches. This is compared to

3.53 inches for the top display on the 3DS and 3.02 inches for the 3DS's bottom display. The new 3DS will also ship with a 4GB SD card and will be available in Japan first, on July 28. U.S. gamers will have to wait a bit longer, as the 3DS XL isn't slated to arrive in North America until August 19.

"No other hand-held entertainment experience compares to the fun of Nintendo 3DS," said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. "With the launch of Nintendo 3DS XL on August 19, consumers will be able to enjoy the great lineup of current and upcoming games on an even grander scale. Plus, Nintendo 3DS XL gives owners even more real estate on their screens to enjoy entertainment applications like Nintendo Video and Netflix."

Gamers in Japan will have a choice of red and black, black and silver, or white, while customers in the U.S. will get a red version and a blue version. Pricing for the 3DS XL has been set at $199.