by 
KendyLabs and Raretro Consoles have joined forces to create KLRR, a venture which is bringing '90s-style clear shells to the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld systems.
The duo consider these to be the world’s first "functional, publicly available clear shell kits for the Nintendo 3DS line", and it's starting things off with transparent case kits for the 3DS XL and New 3DS.
"The project was created to answer a request the handheld modding community has had for years: clear, functional, fully assembled shell kits for the Nintendo 3DS line," says the press release sent to Time Extension.
"Transparent shells have long been available for systems such as the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo Switch, but the 3DS family has remained a much more difficult challenge due to its hinge design, layered assembly, tight tolerances, and complex internal layout. KLRR aims to change that."
The team has already shown fully-assembled kits for the 3DS XL and New 3DS units, "demonstrating that the shells can withstand full assembly and everyday handling." The kits have been in development for "close to two years", and the entire venture, to this point, has been "entirely self-funded."
There has been "no crowdfunded campaign, nor large corporate backing. Instead, the development process has been driven by material testing, fitment revisions, hinge durability concerns, and repeated real-world assembly testing."
KLRR kits are being made in the United States through a "hands-on production process" that focuses on "clarity, fitment, material strength, hinge durability, and a finished product that feels appropriate for collectors and modders alike. KLRR’s goal is not simply to make a clear shell that exists, but to make one that can realistically live on a working console for years to come."
While full pricing is yet to be confirmed, the team behind the project expect the Nintendo 3DS XL shell kit to sell for under $100. The New Nintendo 3DS shell kit, on the other hand, could cost as much as $170, due to the "added complexity of that model."
It's also worth noting that installing one of these kits isn't straightforward. "Nintendo 3DS XL and New Nintendo 3DS shell swaps require careful disassembly, ribbon cable handling, hinge work, screen removal, and reassembly," says the team. "This is not considered a beginner-friendly installation."
KendyLabs has clearly spent a lot of time considering this project:
"My goal was to create something I wanted for myself, but that did not exist yet. At the same time, clear 3DS shells are something so many people in the community have asked for, so it felt like a product that needed to exist beyond just my own interest in it."
Be sure to head over to the KLRR site if you'd like more information on these kits.