Nintendo 3DS surpasses 5 million units sold in United States

The Nintendo 3DS, which got off to a relatively slow start, has now sold over five million units in the United States. The report comes from the NPD Grup which tracks video game sales within the United States.

"Nintendo 3DS is entering the next phase of its life cycle with new hardware, new games and proven franchises. This milestone shows we've got a great foundation to build from," said Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing Scott Moffitt.

"The game lineup for Nintendo 3DS last holiday season was one of the strongest in our history," he added. "We're poised to top it this year. Every week, gamers will have the best franchises in the world in a glasses-free 3D experience that can't be found anywhere else. Add  Wii U into the mix and it's a great time to be a Nintendo fan."

Nintendo will look to bolster their already impressive collection of titles with the release of New Super Mario Bros. 2 on August 19 and a holiday lineup that that includes the hand-held debut of Luigi's Mansion and Paper Mario.

Nintendo will now try to encourage newcomers and sway some of the original 3DS adopters into picking up the recently announced Nintendo 3DS XL which boasts 90% larger screens and a longer battery life. The 3DS XL will be released on August 19, coinciding with the launch of New Super Mario Bros. 2.

The 3DS XL will launch in North America (Aug. 19) for $199.99 in either red or blue color. It will release on July 28th in Europe with an optional third color, silver.