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[Starfire]

Being able to play Lumines/RR/HSG or watch a movie, or play emus, or listen to music on my PSP, a device that fits in my pocket, between classes is something I'm not prepared to live without any more, ne'er I say unto you. And next year when I go down to Florida for school, my PSP (along with my laptop) will be a godsend, might pick up a GBA and a truckload of games too funds permitting

 

[DCX]

PSP/DS are perfect for me. Married, two kids. I don't have sole ownership of the TV, and in the couple of hours free I have each evening I don't often have the time or ability to plug in my PS2 and play something - to do so would take complete use of the lounge - sound system, TV etc.

With the PSP/DS, I can sit on the sofa and start playing a game very quickly. Meanwhile, the wife can read a magazine and listen to some music because I don't have an xbox blaring out of the speakers. Its just a much more personable setup.

Next gen though I'll probably buy a new TV, which means the current one goes in the spare room. Then there should hopefully be more time for me to play because the wife can relax in the spare room with TV etc (that'll probably be our XBMC room too)

All PSP needs is a portable copy of XBMC that can stream wirelessly and I may never switch the xbox on again.

mrlaw for teh win. I'm single, separated, no girlfriend and have my daughter every other week. While i have tons of time to killl the week i don't have my daughter i find myself on GAF, watching sports, drawing, reading and gaming. I have a hard time enough trying to play my backlog of games that include the GAF elite games like Metriod Prime, RE4, Vice City (which by the way, i have yet to play...i haven't finished III yet!) to introduce two new handheld systems. No doubt DS and PSP are great for certain people, and i can see how great it would be for me IF i fit into those needs. Right now, i just need more killer content to get me o take the plunge, as of right now what's out there is more than enough for you guys and to be honest, you guys would have bought one regardless seeing as the handhelds are PART of your life. I just need more. Not more ways to kill time, but more good/unique games to justify the purchase.

DCX

 

[mrklaw]

DCX,

You say you hardly have time for all the games now, let alone on handhelds. I see that two ways

- You don't have time to play all the games now, so why not restrict yourself to one console? I've thought about this sometimes - I don't have much time to play, so choosing just PS2/Xbox should suit me - still plenty of quality games on any chosen platform.

- You are missing out on other great games by not having handhelds. If you are a multiplatform gamer (and can afford it), why not own all of them, then you can choose games based on their quality, not by platform.



I lean towards the 2nd POV. I have all main platforms and will probably continue to do that nextgen. Although the number of games I choose and buy is shrinking as I get less time to play - already I miss out on some 'essential' games.

 

[Waku]

Ouendan

The only true savior.

 

[DCX]

DCX,

You say you hardly have time for all the games now, let alone on handhelds. I see that two ways

- You don't have time to play all the games now, so why not restrict yourself to one console? I've thought about this sometimes - I don't have much time to play, so choosing just PS2/Xbox should suit me - still plenty of quality games on any chosen platform.

- You are missing out on other great games by not having handhelds. If you are a multiplatform gamer (and can afford it), why not own all of them, then you can choose games based on their quality, not by platform.



I lean towards the 2nd POV. I have all main platforms and will probably continue to do that nextgen. Although the number of games I choose and buy is shrinking as I get less time to play - already I miss out on some 'essential' games.

One console? http://my.ign.com/my/sb?action=viewUserGameList&ownedGames=y My problem is i have sooooo many games that i haven't touched, played or finished. My backlog rivals some people's entire collections. There are alot of great games in my backlog too. Like i said i JUST started Metriod Prime. I never finish GTA III so never played Vice City or San Andreas. I haven't beaten FFX so i haven't started any RPG including Dark Cloud II, Wind Waker, Xenosaga and Kingdom Hearts.

This is why i need something to justify my handheld gaming purchase. I own a SP and the game i play the most is the Pac-Man Collection for all the reasons people have said before...i usually play it at work during break time. I want a DS and a PSP but i don't want to spend alot of money on these handhelds and all they are going to offer me is the gaming experiences i still can have with an SP.

DCX

 

[dark10x]

New games from EA are one thing, but the same basic games recycled year after year after blooming year dominate "home consoles". Portables aren't sunk in that mire... yet.

GBA has more shovelware than any current console and it's not as if it doesn't have loads of EA crap.

If you really believe your original statement, you're aren't thinking hard enough.

 

[Flo_Evans]

why buy anything? I am going to go live in a cave. cya! :lol

 

[DCX]

why buy anything? I am going to go live in a cave. cya! :lol

Thank you for your 2 cents.

DCX

 

[iapetus]

It's not all about the quick-fix gaming. There are stacks of GBA/PSP/DS games I've played mostly at times when I'd otherwise be console gaming in front of the big screen - I buy them because they're damn fine games, not just because they're portable. But yes, if you don't have any times when portable is a requirement, then the portables probably lose some of their appeal. I'd still buy a GBA for Advance Wars and Fire Emblem alone, though.

 

[DCX]

It's not all about the quick-fix gaming. There are stacks of GBA/PSP/DS games I've played mostly at times when I'd otherwise be console gaming in front of the big screen - I buy them because they're damn fine games, not just because they're portable. But yes, if you don't have any times when portable is a requirement, then the portables probably lose some of their appeal. I'd still buy a GBA for Advance Wars and Fire Emblem alone, though.

Are they that good? I mean i never been big on strategy to begin with so i hope that Advance Wars is more accessible to newbies.

DCX

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

Portables always appeal to me in principle but I can never get into them. The biggest problem for me is the inconvienience. My hands are pretty big and no position ever seems comfortable enough to play handhelds. In the case of the PSP, I started getting a numb spot on my back from playing PSP extended times and my eyes were worn out from playing it. Never has this happened from a console. So what typically happens is that within a few months, the handheld is sold off because I can't get used to it.

Then again, the DS lineup looks really kick ass but playing GBA games on a TV sucks.

 

[jarrod]

GBA has more shovelware than any current console and it's not as if it doesn't have loads of EA crap.

If you really believe your original statement, you're aren't thinking hard enough.

Proportionately, it's arguable. In terms of raw numbers though, not at all... PS2 wins by far.

 

[dog$]

Writing off handheld games because they're not on your "more expensive TV" seems like a waste of good game opportunities.

Well, until I live on a planet that has 100 hour days and gives me a job that pays at least $1 million per year, I have to draw the line somewhere.

 

[Kolgar]

I was never interested in portable games, or a portable entertainment device of any kind.

Then came PSP.

Now it goes with me everywhere. It plays games. It plays movies - both UMD and off Memory Stick. It plays MP3s. It displays photos I took with my digital camera.

If I'm near a wifi hotspot, I can surf the net with it.

It's become a lifestyle accessory. I would not be without it.

 

[mrklaw]

Well, until I live on a planet that has 100 hour days and gives me a job that pays at least $1 million per year, I have to draw the line somewhere.

this was the point of my second post.

If you dont have the time, where *do* you draw the line? It seems odd to draw it at handheld Vs console just for the sake of it. You could argue that there are times where a portable is good to have.

Why not draw the line at one console, one portable?

I was questioning the line being there at all

 

[DCX]

I was never interested in portable games, or a portable entertainment device of any kind.

Then came PSP.

Now it goes with me everywhere. It plays games. It plays movies - both UMD and off Memory Stick. It plays MP3s. It displays photos I took with my digital camera.

If I'm near a wifi hotspot, I can surf the net with it.

It's become a lifestyle accessory. I would not be without it.

Well this is my problem with PSP it's a gaming machine amirite? No it's not, it's Sony clever ploy to get it out there it's really an advanced iPod. A mid range PDA (when organizing software becomes available) Games are an afterthought. That disturbs me as if i wanted an MP3 player i would get one, if i wanted a PDA i would get one....it's funny why people complain about how shitty the quality of a camera phone is, get a good camera!!

DCX

 

[DDayton]

GBA has more shovelware than any current console and it's not as if it doesn't have loads of EA crap.

If you really believe your original statement, you're aren't thinking hard enough.

Thankfully, the EA junk doesn't dominate most portable system sales these days -- rather, good games do.

 

[Lazy8s]

Portable gaming has what you're looking for, and no, you don't need to do this:

Just get:

And then you get the best portable versions of:

 

[Wario64]

yeah,you like the dreamcast. we get it already

 

[DCX]

If it weren't for the price tag, i would...seriously i own over 190 games for DC and that would be great for me...although any portable Dreamcast solution would be bulky due to the Cd nature of the system.

DCX

 

[Lazy8s]

Then just wait until Nokia brings out their new phones next year with the integrated, PowerVR driven next N-Gage.

 

[mrklaw]

Then just wait until Nokia brings out their new phones next year with the integrated, PowerVR driven next N-Gage.

:sigh:

 

[Dragona Akehi]

<Insert crap here>

And I thought this thread couldn't any worse.

 

[Christberg]

Being a college student, having portable gaming as an option is a real godsend in between classes. In fact, it's all I really have time for these days.

 

[Kolgar]

Portable gaming has what you're looking for, and no, you don't need to do this:

<misc. DC shots that probably took more time to compile than most sane people would bother with>

The following Dreamcast advertisement brought to you by Lazy8s.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

(God, I hate commercials.)

 

[DCX]

And I thought this thread couldn't any worse.

:lol :lol :lol :lol

DCX

 

[theREBELins]

I enjoy my PSP because I can pick it up anytime and play for 5 minutes or 5 hours (A race or two in Wipeout or Ridge Racer, or a lengthy session in Metal Gear Acid). You can do this on home consoles, but it's just so much easier when it's already in sleep mode waiting for you anyways.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

:lol :lol :lol :lol

DCX

At least you can see the error of your ways.

Lazy8s is a MACHINE. This isn't even RELEVENT. DCharlie makes a goddamned joke and Lazy8s' goddamn DC antennae pick it up and we're left with that shit. Ughhhh.

Seriously, look into WARS and Fire Emblem since you have an SP. Those two games prove that you can have a console-like depth experience on a small screen you can take anywhere. WARS has an extensive tutorial mode called "Field training" and Fire Emblem USA also has one as well which is seamlessly implemented into the story.

 

[DCX]

At least you can see the error of your ways.

Lazy8s is a MACHINE. This isn't even RELEVENT. DCharlie makes a goddamned joke and Lazy8s' goddamn DC antennae pick it up and we're left with that shit. Ughhhh.

Seriously, look into WARS and Fire Emblem since you have an SP. Those two games prove that you can have a console-like depth experience on a small screen you can take anywhere. WARS has an extensive tutorial mode called "Field training" and Fire Emblem USA also has one as well which is seamlessly implemented into the story.

I will, i'll get the first Wars and i'll look into getting Fire Emblem, i'll post impression in one of those uber cool late party things.

DCX

 

[iapetus]

Are they that good? I mean i never been big on strategy to begin with so i hope that Advance Wars is more accessible to newbies.

I think they're that good, but then I've always been a big fan of SRPGs, so your mileage may vary. Advance Wars is very accessible to newbies IMO. Fire Emble a lot less so - quite a few of its gameplay features seem to be designed solely to aggravate newcomers to the genre.

 

[Virgin Wii]

Portable titles generally tend to be more about gameplay over presentation, while consoles are more the other way around. If you prefer the form3r, portables may be for you.

 

[lachesis]

I commute roughly aroudn 45 min - 1 hour door to door - which leaves about 30-45 min of perfet time to playing portables. I often read during bus/subway ride, but sometimes good ol' Advance War on GBA is just right thing.

lachesis

 

[teh_pwn]

Why not?

No time to play it. I drive to work.
Expensive.
Limited hardware. Batteries, specs, absolutely terrible controls, etc.
Games aren't interesting.

 

[dock]

It's worth owning a DS, even if you just play GBA games on it, for those moments when friends come over with theirs. Multiplayer DS stuff is amazing!

Ouendan and Kirby make the stylus play worthwhile.

I'm also really looking forward to playing Animal Crossing and Mario Kart online.


None of these things can be done on a regular console.

However, portable gaming really isn't for everyone, so it's probably best to give it a miss if it doesn't suit your tastes, ESPECIALLY if you don't take any journeys or have any points where you're left waiting.

 

[Red Scarlet]

Portable gaming has what you're looking for, and no, you don't need to do this:

Just get:

And then you get the best portable versions of:

Ya know, one picture per game would be more than enough (didn't you use this exact chain of pics in another topic?).

Portables are a fun way to pass time when you are away from your home consoles, that's when I tend to use them (or when a cool game comes out that I really want to play).

 

[dark10x]

Good lord, Lazy really IS a machine. He has absolutely no personality at all. I'm not even convinced that he's played those games. I have yet to witness him admit that he's played an actual game.

Hell, I doubt he's even seen any of the current consoles in person. Just blows my mind.

If he DOES, in fact, enjoy those games, I do find it a bit odd that he can enjoy playing them for 6 years straight.

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

Especially posting pictures of the shittastic Sonic Adventure 2.

 

[TAJ]

What's the resolution of the screen on that portable DC? I'm pretty sure it's less than 640X480, given the size.

 

[mrkgoo]

Just to add random stuff - Some people find handhelds less immersive... well for me, in many instances I find the exact opposite.

On a console, it seems I'm typically far too aware of sitting in front of a tv, with a controller attached to a box. But on a handheld, sometimes, everything is right there in you rhands and it's just you and the machine.

Then, again, maybe it's just teh game types vs. hardware. I've been known to be completely absorbed in many titles wherever they're from.

 

[Lyte Edge]

Are they that good? I mean i never been big on strategy to begin with so i hope that Advance Wars is more accessible to newbies.

Have you ever played the old Nectaris/Military Madness game for the Turbo Graphx 16? AW and Fire Emblem remind me a lot of that, with more added depth, of course. I'm not big on strategy games either, and while these games are easy to get into (Advance Wars is the better game IMO...not full of tons of story crap), neither had me playing them for very long. If you aren't into strategy games, these aren't going to get you into the genre IMO. Quality stuff, but not for me.

Well this is my problem with PSP it's a gaming machine amirite? No it's not, it's Sony clever ploy to get it out there it's really an advanced iPod. A mid range PDA (when organizing software becomes available) Games are an afterthought. That disturbs me as if i wanted an MP3 player i would get one, if i wanted a PDA i would get one....it's funny why people complain about how shitty the quality of a camera phone is, get a good camera!!
DCX

Well, if you only read this forum, you might think that, but no, the PSP is more a game and movie player than anything else. It's not a PDA, although you can do some limited functions with it. There are some awesome games on the system you can buy, like Ridge Racer, Lumines, Hot Shots Golf, Darkstalkers Chronicle, Tenchu (import), etc. and the post launch drought is about to end, so plenty more games are on the way. Being able to play music and movies is just a really awesome extra feature. Personally, if I want to listen to music, I'll use my iPod, and I don't care about portable movies, so all I do on my PSP is play games, which suits me fine.

But if I want to mess around with some games during a break at work or something, I'll just pull out my cell phone and play some Galaga or Pac-Man. You don't sound like you really care about the portable systems, DCX, so don't bother with them. You ARE missing some great games, but if you aren't going to play them, don't buy them.

IMO the GBA is still the best portable system out there; it has the best library of games, and it's made to fit into your pocket and can withstand damage/being dropped. The DS and PSP are a bit too delicate for portable systems. I miss my GBA; I have a DS again, but I prefer the GBA for GBA games; the DS is too big and bulky. Looking forward to getting the GBA Micro next week.

 

[DarienA]

i'm having a hard time justifying getting either a DS or PSP.

There are a few rules I live my life by..... one of them applies here.

If I have to convince you to buy something... you don't really want it, so why the f*ck should I waste my time?

 

[Mau ®]

Why buy portable?

I would've thought the same 3 years ago. I used to own a GBA at that time but I never felt GBA games were worthy of my time, in all of my life I only bought 4 GBA games (I do have some interest in the new GBA Zelda though). But now I barely have time to play games on consoles. I actually talk more about games here on GAF than actually playing them, its weird I know.

Anyway that is until the PSP came along. I always wanted a portable that could bring the console experience but I thought it was just too much to ask so when the PSP was announced I was like OMG I'll get that!!

Anyway, from the beggining my PSP was meant to be a portable system and my mp3 player (I didnt really care about videos or images). You could say why not get a Ipod and I do agree the Ipod is better but having everything in one thing is what I wanted and the PSP offers that.

Gaming on the PSP has been awesome and I don't regret for one second buying it. Having Midnight Club 3 (the only racer I actually care about) on portable is just awesome (except the loadtimes but I can handle those). I love Metal Gear Ac¡d and Lumines too very unique games and Death Jr. is very underrated imo.

I can play these games for 10 minutes and turn them off and then start playing from where I left off. They feature close to PS2 graphics and offer the PS2 experience so its awesome. The PSP is a godsend for me and its my most played gaming machine and I know many would not agree with me on this.

I prefer 10x times to play a PS2 but is not an option for me anymore cuz I have no time whatsoever and that is also the reason I only getting one next gen console (probably PS3).

I just started to use the video capabilities of the PSP and they're great, being able to read E-books and E-mags is awesome too. Emulation is the deal even though I think GTA will update to 2.0 so I should start saying goodbye to that.

My point is the PSP is the best portable Ive ever had. Gaming, Music, Video and all that stuff is just off the hook. No matter what you say about it not being so much of a portable gaming machine just go and STFU, ever since the VERY beggining of the PSP, since the initial planning the PSP was always supposed to be a multimedia portable and its what makes it so unique and separates it from the DS.

Those are my thoughts, not everyone will think Im right but its what I think and its why I love the PSP.

 

[mrklaw]

Just to add random stuff - Some people find handhelds less immersive... well for me, in many instances I find the exact opposite.

On a console, it seems I'm typically far too aware of sitting in front of a tv, with a controller attached to a box. But on a handheld, sometimes, everything is right there in you rhands and it's just you and the machine.

Then, again, maybe it's just teh game types vs. hardware. I've been known to be completely absorbed in many titles wherever they're from.

I agree with you. And I've tested it out - my PSP is the same size as my 30" LCD TV. I.e it fills the same field of vision. Smaller screen but much closer = larger screen further away.

 

[jman2050]

Because an awesome game is no less awesome for being on a portable than on a console?

That and the vastly increased 2D:3D games ratio.

For the umpteenth time, this is the correct answer.