In this day of smartphones like the iPhone, Android and Windows Phone, with games and apps from as little as 69 pence (that's 6.9 packets of Space Raiders!), do you think there's still hope for mainstream gaming handhelds, like Nintendo's DS/3DS, as well as Sony's PSP/PSVITA?
Personally, I hope Nintendo & Sony's said handhelds still have a chance:
Sure you can get smartphone games from 69p, but often, those games can feel a bit cheap and not as good as games you can get on proper handhelds. That's OFTEN, NOT 100 PERCENT of the time!
I have an iPhone, and I enjoy using it, and I do enjoy games like Angry Birds and Flight Control on it, but in the long run, I still overall prefer the DS, 3DS, PSP and PSVITA for gaming. I prefer having actual buttons to press as opposed to a fiddly touch screen with pretend (albeit functional) buttons.
I have Sonic The Hedgehog on both PSP (Sega Mega Drive Collection) and iPhone (don't know why I bought the iPhone version when iAlready had the near-perfectly good PSP version). The PSP version runs at the right framerate and, being PSP, has better controls. The iPhone version forces me to use said device's fiddly touch screen (on which sometimes I can miss the parts of the touch screen I am supposed to touch!) and the framerate is a bit jerky and can sometimes slow down! I will give that version credit for having the music speed up when you have the speedy shoes, whereas the PSP version doesn't. Overall, for Sonic on the go, I'd still rather have a Sega Nomad, but that's just me.
One thing I don't like about smartphones is that all media is download only! Nintendo and Sony handhelds (except the download only PSP Go and physical only DS/DS lite) let you have games on your choice of physical media OR download! Overall I prefer physical media, because your library can be as big as you want it to be and organizing and choosing what to take with you isn't as much of a hassle. With the iPhone, my app library has exceeded the 16GB internal storage on my unit, and when iWant to swap games over, iHave to turn on the computer, connect the iPhone, wait for it to boot and THEN iCan check boxes and stuff!
When abroad, I like to buy games while out there! The DS/PSP/PSVITA allow me to do so, the 3DS, providing I'm in a country whose games play on my UK system, also does too, thanks to physical media! On the iPhone, if a game is available on another country's app store but not that of the UK, iHave to eat my heart out!
I do not like what I read on GamePro about the PSVITA already being dead. I understand their valid points, but here are my responses:
Weak launch lineup - I didn't like the PS3 or 360's launch lineups, but I think the PSVITA's launch lineup is better! Besides, like all systems, I'm sure the Vita's game library will improve over time!
Huge price - I can still save up! I managed it for the Nintendo 3DS before that came down in price, so I can do the same for the Vita!
Paying twice for PSP games you already own on UMD - Only if you want to play them on your PSVITA! My playing of PSP games will be reserved for my PSP! You should see how I turn down the Wii/3DS's Virtual Consoles in favor of actual classic systems!
No PSone download support at launch - At least I still have my PSP for that!
You can already Facebook, Twitter and Skype on Smartphones - But I'll have more fun doing so on the Vita!
I've also heard elsewhere that PSVITA games will be priced fairly :)
Personally, I hope Nintendo & Sony's said handhelds still have a chance:
Sure you can get smartphone games from 69p, but often, those games can feel a bit cheap and not as good as games you can get on proper handhelds. That's OFTEN, NOT 100 PERCENT of the time!
I have an iPhone, and I enjoy using it, and I do enjoy games like Angry Birds and Flight Control on it, but in the long run, I still overall prefer the DS, 3DS, PSP and PSVITA for gaming. I prefer having actual buttons to press as opposed to a fiddly touch screen with pretend (albeit functional) buttons.
I have Sonic The Hedgehog on both PSP (Sega Mega Drive Collection) and iPhone (don't know why I bought the iPhone version when iAlready had the near-perfectly good PSP version). The PSP version runs at the right framerate and, being PSP, has better controls. The iPhone version forces me to use said device's fiddly touch screen (on which sometimes I can miss the parts of the touch screen I am supposed to touch!) and the framerate is a bit jerky and can sometimes slow down! I will give that version credit for having the music speed up when you have the speedy shoes, whereas the PSP version doesn't. Overall, for Sonic on the go, I'd still rather have a Sega Nomad, but that's just me.
One thing I don't like about smartphones is that all media is download only! Nintendo and Sony handhelds (except the download only PSP Go and physical only DS/DS lite) let you have games on your choice of physical media OR download! Overall I prefer physical media, because your library can be as big as you want it to be and organizing and choosing what to take with you isn't as much of a hassle. With the iPhone, my app library has exceeded the 16GB internal storage on my unit, and when iWant to swap games over, iHave to turn on the computer, connect the iPhone, wait for it to boot and THEN iCan check boxes and stuff!
When abroad, I like to buy games while out there! The DS/PSP/PSVITA allow me to do so, the 3DS, providing I'm in a country whose games play on my UK system, also does too, thanks to physical media! On the iPhone, if a game is available on another country's app store but not that of the UK, iHave to eat my heart out!
I do not like what I read on GamePro about the PSVITA already being dead. I understand their valid points, but here are my responses:
Weak launch lineup - I didn't like the PS3 or 360's launch lineups, but I think the PSVITA's launch lineup is better! Besides, like all systems, I'm sure the Vita's game library will improve over time!
Huge price - I can still save up! I managed it for the Nintendo 3DS before that came down in price, so I can do the same for the Vita!
Paying twice for PSP games you already own on UMD - Only if you want to play them on your PSVITA! My playing of PSP games will be reserved for my PSP! You should see how I turn down the Wii/3DS's Virtual Consoles in favor of actual classic systems!
No PSone download support at launch - At least I still have my PSP for that!
You can already Facebook, Twitter and Skype on Smartphones - But I'll have more fun doing so on the Vita!
I've also heard elsewhere that PSVITA games will be priced fairly :)
rirotostichi
Oh i totally feel You on this one man. Could'nt agree more.
I'm sorry guys, I had a lot of content in that post.
When I tried to edit it, adding more, there was a glitch and all the content disappeared.
I will fix that shortly.
When I tried to edit it, adding more, there was a glitch and all the content disappeared.
I will fix that shortly.
I don't think SmartPhones will ever replace handheld systems, since everyone knows all the high quality games will come out for the latter, and it's not inconvenient to carry two handhelds. If you pay 99 cents for a game you should know it's ass.
If the PS Vita was a tablet like the upcoming Wii U, it'd hav a lot more bang.
Gaming on a phone is stupid. REAL handheld consoles is the way to go. Except the Vita will be terrible just like PSP.
The best quality of games is on the system made with games as the main focus and this is the strength(s) of the handhelds from both Nintendo and Sony. Smartphones have their strengths but they can't touch Nintendo in the above mentioned aspect. The 3DS could benefit tremendously if it offered more apps. Netflix works wonderfully on the system and hopefully once it moves away from its young age we'll start to see a bit more functionality. Although I rarely used my PSP, I am quite anxious to see what the new Vita will offer.
If handheld games had sexting apps then I'm all for it o.0
I have a 3rd generation 32 gig iPod Touch, which I have loaded with game apps...most of which are old school arcade games such as Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Galaga, along with many other space "shoot 'em ups", pinball and bowling games. I also have a PSP, but I play it only once in a great while, since for some reason I can't connect to my home network with it ever since I got a new router earlier this year. I have several downloaded games on my PSP, along with a few UMD-based games...again, most of which are old school arcade classics. Depending on if I can afford it, I may consider buying a Vita when it comes out in a couple of months. I've also thought about buying a Nintendo 3DS, since I currently don't own anything Nintendo. The last Nintendo items I owned was a Gameboy Advance and Super Nintendo back in the late 1990's/early 2000's.