Australian Nintendo fans are being rewarded with the company announcing it will release the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL in Australia and New Zealand before the United States and Europe.

Tom Enoki managing director Nintendo Australia confirmed that Australia and New Zealand will be the first markets outside of Japan to get the new consoles and “there are no plans to launch the system in United States and Europe this year,” in a video posted to Youtube containing details of the announcement.

New Nintendo 3DS White
New Nintendo 3DS White, RRP $219

The new members of the Nintendo 3DS family will be available in Australian and New Zealand on 21 November 2014. (‘New’ is part of the product name, which may set a confusing precedent for naming products) The smaller New Nintendo 3DS has a RRP of $219 and the New Nintendo 3DS XL is RRP $249.

Enoki revised the timeline of Nintendo 3DS products launched in Australia and New Zealand — the Nintendo 3DS in 2011, Nintendo 3DS XL in 2012 and Ninetneod 2DS in 2013 — adding that “more than 700,000 of these systems have been sold in Australia to date.”

New Nintendo 3DS XL Metallic Blue
New Nintendo 3DS XL Metallic Blue, RRP $249

The consoles have new controls C Stick, ZL button and ZR button, which will enhance the play controls of the existing Nintendo 3DS hardware in compatible titles, and the new “super-stable 3D” function will provide players with a more comfortable 3D gaming experience. Essentially when the screen is tilted from side to side the image won’t blur.

NFC has been built in to the consoles to enable the use of amiibo. announced earlier this year amiibo are small figurines in the shape of Nintendo characters that each contain a small transmitter and microchip.  When placed on the device they are transported into the game.

The LCD screens are bigger on the New Nintendo 3DS  than those of the existing Nintendo 3DS, and the exterior design of the hardware can be customised simply by exchanging the “cover plates” which will be sold separately. They plates feature beloved Nintendo characters

Basic RGB
New Nintendo 3DSXL cover plates 

The cover plates aren’t made for the New Nintendo 3DS XL, which is the same size as the existing Nintendo 3DS XL.

An AC Adapter that is also compatible with Nintendo 3DS/3DS XL/2DS/DSi/DSi XL systems will be sold separately for AU$14.95  and new charging stations will also be available for RRP $14.95.