Out with the New, in with the New

I hope you're holding onto something! Despite some initial reluctance, demand from gamers around the world has persuaded Nintendo to make... a new model of the 2DS.

What?!
...
What?!

No, seriously. There's going to be a New 2DS XL which straddles the fence between the child-friendly original and the more advanced model of the 3DS currently in stores. It's got the clamshell design and all the hardware perks of the New 3DS... the faster processor, the increased memory, that sad excuse for a second analog joystick, yadda yadda yadda. 

However, Nintendo has given the New 2DS XL a more damage-resistant design, and removed the 3D display that had once defined the hardware. Even adults don't use that feature much, so the kids this system was designed for probably won't miss it at all. The New 2DS XL will make its American debut in late July for around $150. You can check it out in all its rubberized glory below.

image from Go Nintendo

It seems the rumored (and frankly, more appealing) Switch Mini will have to wait for another couple of years. Pity.

Off that subject, I picked up the Playstation 3 version of Blur at a pawn shop a few weeks ago. You might remember that one from the commercials, which mocked the beloved Mario Kart series and paid dearly for it in sales when it was finally released. Those ads left a bad taste in my mouth, but the game itself is pretty amazing, a flashy hybrid of the aforementioned Mario Kart and Need for Speed Underground. It's easily the best of the arcade-style racers released in the early 2010s, with the active combat Split/Second and Ridge Racer Unbounded were sorely lacking. I lucked out and got my copy for two dollars, but it's easily worth ten, maybe more if you really like your kart combat.