Nintendo has announced the launch date of its latest DS update. The Nintendo DSi XL, sporting two 4.2 inch screens (93% bigger than the screen on the Nintendo DS Lite) will arrive in Europe on 5 March.

The overhauled device also boasts a wider viewing angle, and a more pen-like stylus - great for those of us with three-year-olds who lose the small ones down the back of the sofa on a daily basis.

The DS newcomer will ship in two colours - 'wine red' and the attractive-sounding 'dark brown'. According to Nintendo's press release, there's "a glossy sheen" on top and a matt finish on the underside, "that provides excellent grip when resting on a table or other surface during gameplay". As an added bonus the unit comes pre-installed with two DSiware titles - Dr Kawashima's: Little Bit of Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function. The Nintendo DSi Browser is also included to allow for internet access via a Wi-Fi connection.

The device has been drawing positive responses from initially skeptical reviewers. Screen quality is apparently excellent, and the larger screens help with the precise moves in games like Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. The general consensus is, this is a DS for those who play mostly at home, rather than gamers who want to take their handheld everywhere. Either that or you're going to need a bigger pocket.