Update (Jan. 14): Nintendo confirmed the Feb. 13 US release date reported below in a Nintendo Direct presentation this morning, also announcing a suggested retail price of $199.99.

There was no mention of a standard-sized version of the system for the US, suggesting the XL-sized version will be the only one available in this country for the time being. Nintendo did announce a special edition gold version of the console, styled with The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask art, to promote the Feb. 13 launch of Majora's Mask 3D.

The base package won't include an AC Adapter, but customers can re-use any AC adapter from previous DSi or 3DS systems, or purchase one separately, Nintendo said.

Original Story (Jan. 13)

Sources inside Gamestop have confirmed to Ars Technica that the revamped "new Nintendo 3DS" hardware will be available in US stores on February 13 and that the retailer will begin taking pre-orders for the unit tomorrow.

The image above, sent to us by an anonymous source at Gamestop, confirms rumors reported elsewhere that the tweak to the existing 3DS line will finally be coming to the US tomorrow. The Gamestop poster doesn't include a price for the system, but our source also confirms that the retailer will be giving $75 and $100 respectively for customers that trade in an original 3DS or 3DS XL toward the new system. Another source at Gamestop told Ars that the retailer will begin taking pre-orders on the unit starting tomorrow.

First announced back in August ahead of its eventual October release in Japan, the confusingly named "new Nintendo 3DS" plays all existing 3DS games and will also support games that make fuller use of its slightly improved processing power, such as a port of Wii's. The tweaked system sports an additional analog nub on the upper right corner—for use in games such asand—two additional shoulder buttons, and a head-tracking feature that adjusts the glasses-free 3D effects for a variety of viewing positions.

Interestingly, the retail poster provided by our source only mentions the larger "XL" version of the new hardware, comparable to the existing 3DS XL, and not the more portable, standard size. This perhaps isn't surprising, as there have been signs in recent days that the smaller version of the original 3DS is being phased out of US retail chains in favor of the cheaper, non-folding 2DS and the XL. The larger "new 3DS XL" unit does not support the smaller version's interchangeable faceplates, which have become a collectible phenomenon in Japan, where the 2DS is not available. The Gamestop poster also shows the system in red and black, eschewing the white and metallic blue options available in Japan and Australia.

Nintendo has announced it will be broadcasting a Nintendo Direct video press release at 9am Eastern Time Wednesday morning, which seems a likely time for the official announcement of the US release date. We'll let you know if and when the information here is officially confirmed by Nintendo.