The 3DS XL introduces a number of improvements over its predecessor, save for one notable omission - the system lacks a second Circle Pad, despite seemingly having the space for one in its lower right corner. In an interview with the UK Independent, Nintendo global president Satoru Iwata finally revealed why the revised system doesn't have what seemingly everyone wants.
"Attaching a second analogue stick is possible but it would have made the system even bigger," Iwata said. "It perhaps puts a burden on people that really want that second stick, [but] its a call we had to make and these people will have to live with it. "
"When we looked at the design of the 3DS XL we had to look at various factors," Iwata said, explaining the XL's design further. "One was battery life, one was the overall size of the unit, and we had to make some trade-offs. The choice, if we were going to include the second analogue stick, was to reduce the size of the battery or make the unit much bigger. "
