GAMING OUTFIT Nintendo will release another model of its handheld 3D console next month, giving players a much larger screen.

The larger screen makes a lot of sense. The 3DS presented Nintendo with some sales challenges, but a larger screen is likely to give it more appeal.

The new 3DS was announced by the company in a video on its Nintendo Direct web site. Its top screen is 4.18in, or 90 per cent larger than the old model, and when it goes on sale on 28 July it will be available in three colours, blue, red and silver. Because it is larger, 134x74x21mm when closed, it also weighs more at 336g, compared to 235g for the 3DS.

Nintendo didn't reveal pricing, but its video does show a unit spinning round and round, if you like that sort of thing.

Satoru Shibata, president of Nintendo Europe said that players had asked for a bigger screen, adding that is why Nintendo built one.

He added that the 3DS XL's bundled SD card size has doubled to 4GB to allow for larger downloads in the future.

No AC adapter will be included, because Shibata said Nintendo expects that most buyers will have another Nintendo handheld.

This will also keep prices down, which seems to be an important message here, and Shibata added that other accessories like a dock will be sold separately.