Nintendo's 3DS XL sports a pair of big screens (pictures)

Speaking before an anonymous Internet audience, Reggie Fils-Aime, President of Nintendo of America, announced a new $199 3DS XL gaming handheld due August 19. The Nintendo 3DS XL sports 90 percent larger screens and a boost in battery life compared with its predecessor, the Nintendo 3DS.

Nintendo also announced that the 3DS XL has the same resolution as the 3DS, and comes with a 4GB SD card. Battery life clocks in at 3.5 to 6.5 hours when playing 3DS games (compared with 3 to 5 hours for the 3DS), and 6 to 10 hours for DS games (compared with 5 to 8 hours for the 3DS).

Here we see the size difference between the Nintendo 3DS XL and the 3DS.

An example of the New Super Mario Bros. 2 experience on the Nintendo 3DS and the 3DS XL.

Nintendo announced two colors for the U.S. 3DS XL: red and blue, both with black interiors.

An example image of Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time 3D on the Nintendo 3DS XL.

An example image of Kid Icarus: Uprising on the Nintendo 3DS XL.

Nintendo's packaging for the blue/black Nintendo 3DS XL.

Nintendo's packaging for the red/black Nintendo 3DS XL.

Gamers in the U.S. must wait much longer (August 19) for the 3DS XL than those in Japan and Europe, as Nintendo plans to launch the device on July 28 in those territories. In Japan, Nintendo named the 3DS XL the 3DS LL. Meanwhile, 3DS XL color availability varies: Japanese consumers can purchase white, red, or silver, while Europeans can purchase the handheld in silver, red, and blue.

The 3DS XL stylus goes back to the familiar form factor used for the Nintendo DS stylus.