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[Kiriku]

It's been bugging me for while. Whenever tie ratio numbers are posted, there's always a very obvious difference between consoles and handhelds. Well, I might as well say GBA instead of handhelds. This got me thinking, exactly WHY is that?

I mean, if you look at it reasonably...GBA owns the market, just about ALL handheld games are released for GBA. So consumers only have to focus their money on one platform, and they got access to a lot of handheld games. And still, the tie ratio is surprisingly low. What gives?

 

[AniHawk]

Because Sony hasn't taken over yet.

 

[Meier]

A game like Pokémon can keep some kids enthralled indefinitely. I know I only bought two games for my GBC when I had one... (never had an original brick) Pokémon Red and Link's Awakening DX. Now for the GBA I have about 15 games, but most kids obviously only have a handful.

 

[Fatghost]

I think it has a lot to do with the typical play experience for the GBA versus the consoles.

Consoles are more suited to long play sessions and therefore tend to attract consumers who have both the time and inclination to play games for extended periods (and therefore have more total game time and so would need/want more games).


GBA is more suited for short play sessions, usually in between other things. (waiting in line, being on the bus, waiting for the gf to get ready to leave for dinner, etc.). The GBA consumer base is probably stuffed with people who are satisfied with only a couple games because of this.

I know in my own case, while I will usually run through a game like Disgaea or FF Tactics in a week, it took me about 4 months to finally get through FFTA, just because I was always playing it in 10 minute sessions haphazardly in that period.

 

[Buggy Loop]

The marketshare for handhelds right now is mainly kids. Now tell me, unless you had rich parents, when you were a kid, were you getting more videogames than you're getting right now? (assuming you're an adult with a job)

 

[Cimarron]

Handhelds are more of an after thought of gaming rather than a main stay. Most folks play handhelds only in certain situations. I for instance only play my GBA when I am going on long trips. Consoles and PC are more of the type of thing that you would want to play all the time. Hence you need more games.

 

[AniHawk]

Seriously though, it's because it's the most mainstream type of gaming out there. You can take it anywhere, and the games can last you damn near forever. You could probably just have Tetris in a GBA and be set for road/plane trips. Lots of games are either pick up and play (SMB, Wario Ware, WarioLand), or long and since these aren't systems you sit down in your house to play, you take longer to complete the longer games (instead of a couple weeks for an RPG on the PS2, it could be a couple months for the GBA).

I had about 3 GBA games for about a year. Over the last two years though, I bought 15 more... but I haven't bought another since last November.

 

[Memles]

I babysat a kid all summer who had a GBA. Got Donkey Kong Country with the system, and then got Pokemon Sapphire, and he got stuck in DKC and then he has played nothing but Sapphire.

Also...kids don't got much cash. And thus, they don't buy many games.

 

[GDGF]

I think it's mostly because the GBA has an extremely casual userbase (everybody gets one or has had one, young or old) and that casual userbase only plays it when handheld play is called for (ie on a plane, train, or automobile...or on the playground) so as you guys mentioned, one game, whether it be Pokemon or Tetris, will suffice for quite some time. Hell, there were plenty of adults who bought Gameboys just to be able to play Tetris on the go.

 

[Deg]

People simply spend less on all handheld and portable devices. The gaming sector is no exception.

 

[radioheadrule83]

I have to admit, I've only got 5 games on GBA SP at the moment:

Mario Bros
Mario Vs Donkey Kong
Mario Kart Super Circuit
Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past & Four Swords
Golden Sun

In contrast - I have 36 Gamecube games. Do I like my Gamecube more than my GBAs? Not necessarily.

I think some of these games have a great amount of replayability for many reasons. As some have pointed out -- sometimes you use your handheld gaming as a distraction (when you ride the train or go on a flight/car-trip). If thats your core reason for buying a GBA you're not gonna be needing tonnes of games. Then theres the toughness and replay value of quite a lot of 2d games. For example... I had Tony Hawks Pro Skater 2 and Mario Advance at launch, and they lasted me a substantial while. Tony Hawks 2 had most of the options of the console counterpart, including various missions to do, boards/skaters to unlock etc. Mario Advance had 2 hidden eggs in the subworld of every level. And both games were hard as hell anyway. In a good way. Take the other games I have: Mario Bros is a classic that most people can go back to after 20 years and get stuck in straight away. You can pick it up and drop it as you please. Mario Vs Donkey Kong is a fun platform/puzzler designed to waste time with minimal effort. Mario Kart Super Circuit is just fun. Arguably, there hasn't been a Zelda game as expansive nor with so much to acquire since Link to the Past. Then there's the popular RPGs on GBA like Pokemon, Golden Sun... the tactical ones like Advance Wars, Final Fantasy Tactics etc...

Long story short... You don't need as many games, because you're only gonna use a handheld when you're away from the TV/house, and because the games that are out for it last for aaaages.

That's what I reckon anyway.

 

[shuri]

Most games are shit. Thats why

 

[AniHawk]

Most games are shit. Thats why

Yet you enjoy Fable.

 

[snapty00]

Shuri said it.

I like my Game Boy Advance, but I have to say that most of the games are shit. And the games that aren't shit are mostly either ports or games that might as well have been ports since they're just old games with new levels.

 

[AniHawk]

Shuri said it.

I like my Game Boy Advance, but I have to say that most of the games are shit.

That's just a poor argument all-around. Most games on the PS2, GC, and Xbox are shit as well. I'm not a huge GBA fan, but I'm sure many here can back up the GBA as being a worthy system with plenty of games to own.

 

[Mejilan]

I've got almost as many GBA games as both PS2 and GCN combined. Much more if you consider the GBC and GB Classic games.

But I'm the exception, not the rule, I think.

 

[Kon Tiki]

Brasil.

 

[Vargas]

Most games are shit. Thats why

Most games on the NES, SNES, PS1 and PS2 were shit as well. Just don't buy those games and you are set.

 

[snapty00]

Most games on the NES, SNES, PS1 and PS2 were shit as well. Just don't buy those games and you are set.

Doesn't leave you with much in the GBA's case, at least in my opinion (and apparently many others' opinions, too).

 

[Mejilan]

Not even funny just how much you're dead wrong.

 

[AniHawk]

(and apparently many others' opinions, too).

Perhaps in Bizarro world.

 

[GDGF]

The shit argument doesn't pass because having non informed casuals as it's main audience, the shit would be bought anyway. It's the utiltiy of the thing. Handheld gaming is not a lifestyle.

 

[shuri]

The GBA only produced two decent new franchises, and its Advance Wars and WarioWares. I consider this a failure. If you like shitty licensed games on cartoons, 2nd rate strategy games with gimmick y features, bad rpgs with nice graphics (golden sun), and sub-par metroid games (I'm sorry, but they were), teh gba is for you! I've owned a gba since launch and I only still own only one game for it - advance wars. I bought and got rid of the rest.

 

[Kiriku]

Another question would be...

Will Sony try to change this with PSP, and will they actually manage to do so?

 

[ge-man]

I think another thing to consider is that the GBA has to compete with the consoles in terms of software price. I think tie ratios would see a dramatic effect if the msrp was between 19.99 and 34.99 for most games. As much as a love my GB, I will normally look at what I could buy for my consoles first before thinking about another GB game.

 

[AniHawk]

The GBA only produced a single, decent new franchise, and its Advance Wars. I consider this a failure. If you like shitty licensed games on cartoons, 2nd rate strategy games with gimmick y features, bad rpgs with nice graphics (golden sun), and sub-par metroid games (I'm sorry, but they were), teh gba is for you!

Actually, no.

 

[mosaic]

Lordy, the majority of games for all systems are shit -- console, handheld, PC, or otherwise....

There are many factors as to why the GBA sells so many hardware units, but doesn't seem to do the same with regard to software (with the exception of notable first-party games), and most of those reasons have been stated by other people already.

I think LostWeekend and Memles have hit on the biggest factor -- the majority of folks who own a GBA can get by on very few games, because they play them in short bursts or just like replaying them over and over again.

Heck, when I've not had to play a game in order to write about it, the mainstays in my GBA have been WarioWare, Inc, Super Mario Advance 4 -- Super Mario Bros 3, and Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. I've beaten all three, unlocked damn near everything in Wario, and still I keep getting sucked back into them. Games like Metroid Fusion, Metroid Zero Mission, and even the awesome Astro Boy, stroke my senses heavily for a month or too, and then I seem to put one of the aforementioned three back in.

I literally played nothing but Advance Wars for 12 straight months after it came out.

I don't know if it's the format, or the style of games, or what -- but just a few specific GBA games can tide a person over for aaaaaaaaages.

 

[GDGF]

I think another thing to consider is that the GBA has to compete with the consoles in terms of software price. I think tie ratios would see a dramatic effect if the msrp was between 19.99 and 34.99 for most games. As much as a love my GB, I will normally look at what I could buy for my consoles first before thinking about another GB game.

I tend to agree.

 

[Prine]

Most games are shit. Thats why

IAWTP

 

[GaimeGuy]

The GBA only produced two decent new franchises, and its Advance Wars and WarioWares. I consider this a failure. If you like shitty licensed games on cartoons, 2nd rate strategy games with gimmick y features, bad rpgs with nice graphics (golden sun), and sub-par metroid games (I'm sorry, but they were), teh gba is for you! I've owned a gba since launch and I only still own only one game for it - advance wars. I bought and got rid of the rest.

Funny, most of my GBA library consists of these "2nd rate" strategy games and bad RPGs.

 

[Memles]

I own...

Mario Bros. 3
Mario and Luigi: SS
Mario Golf: Advance Tour
Metroid Fusion
Advance Wars 2
Mario Kart: Super Circuit

All First-Party. I'd like to own more, really, but I can't justify spending the money.

 

[bobbyconover]

I've got almost as many GBA games as both PS2 and GCN combined. Much more if you consider the GBC and GB Classic games.

But I'm the exception, not the rule, I think.

As soon as I started reading this thread I added up mine and found similar results. 54 GBA games and 115 total Gameboy "family" games compared to 43 Cube and 30 Xbox games. Only PS2 beats GBA in my collection, with 86, but keep in mind that probably a third of those were $5 Circuit City buys that I have literally never played.

As for the games being "shit," I've been selling off a lot of games for all consoles lately, as my shelf is overrun with junk that I'll never play. I had no problem singling out 15-20 PS2 games to toss, not to mention a few X and Cube games. But when I came to GBA, I couldn't find a single title out of 54 that I'd be willing to part with. That's pretty damn good, especially considering that there are still dozens of GBA games out right now that I want and would love to buy if I could afford them. I still don't even own Wario Ware, any of the Sonic Advances, Megaman Zero 2 or 3, Golden Sun 1 or 2, Advance Wars 2, or many other beloved GBA titles. If anything, it seems to me that there are too many good GBA games. I wish they'd lay off for a bit and let me catch up!

 

[Alex]

People who slam Fire Emblem should be drug out into the street and shot.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

The next person to even imply that Fire Emblem is a "2nd rate gimmicky SRPG" will be permabanned.

 

[AniHawk]

The next person to even imply that Fire Emblem is a "2nd rate gimmicky SRPG" will be permabanned.

 

[Mejilan]

70 PS2
62 GCN
109 GBA
59 GBC + GB

 

[mosaic]

Hehe, bobbyconover, I think they HAVE been laying off a bit actually.

2004 has been a light year for the GBA, compared to the past three years. In 2001, 2002, and 2003, I could put together a personal top 10 and still have to struggle to think of what to leave out.

In 2004, the worthwhile games, for me, have been Astro Boy, Pokemon Fire/Leaf, Mario Pinball Land (upcoming), and Ultimate Card Games (don't laugh, it served me well when stuck in a cabin in the woods with nothing else but off-air TV).

Factor in Sonic Advance 3 and the upcoming Final Fantasy I&2... eh... honestly, the only game I really loved this year was Astro Boy, although Mario Pinball is growing on me.

Edit: Okay AniHawk, factor in Metroid Zero Mission also, but still, that makes my own personal Top 10 a Top 7. Heh. While in 2003, WarioWare, Super Mario 3, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, Advance Wars 2, Mario & Luigi, Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire Emblem (not my cup o' tea), Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire, Drome Racers, and Golden Sun 2 came out. And that was just off the top of me head.

(Fire Emblem f-ing sucked. But that is my personal opinion based solely on the fact it aggravated me and wasn't enjoyable, for me. Everyone else seems to love it, and I understand the reasons why. For some reason though, I'm immune to the game's goodness.)

 

[GaimeGuy]

The next person to even imply that Fire Emblem is a "2nd rate gimmicky SRPG" will be permabanned.

I love you, Dragona.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

Fire Emblem in its AGB iterations haven't been as great as the previous console ones, but it's still top notch.

 

[AniHawk]

Hehe, bobbyconover, I think they HAVE been laying off a bit actually.

2004 has been a light year for the GBA, compared to the past three years. In 2001, 2002, and 2003, I could put together a personal top 10 and still have to struggle to think of what to leave out.

In 2004, the worthwhile games, for me, have been Astro Boy, Pokemon Fire/Leaf, Mario Pinball Land (upcoming), and Ultimate Card Games (don't laugh, it served me well when stuck in a cabin in the woods with nothing else but off-air TV).

Factor in Sonic Advance 3 and the upcoming Final Fantasy I&2... eh... honestly, the only game I really loved this year was Astro Boy, although Mario Pinball is growing on me.

Zero Mission was this year.

 

[Orin GA]

Ya, especially since its a third rate rate RPG..wtf...O GOD THE PAIN

 

[Insertia]

For the most part, handheld software sucks. The VAST majority of games on handhelds are generally worthless. It makes the shovelware on consoles come off as tolerable.

There’s also an extreme lack standout titles, just Pokemon and Tetris(?). GBA sells tons of hardware, but it's still operating in a very underdeveloped market.
The Gameboy unit itself is more of an appeal then its software.

 

[Wellington]

Ya, especially since its a third rate rate RPG..wtf...O GOD THE PAIN

:lol

 

[Deg]

I thought Fire Emblem was amazing. It got no push in the UK. It should have.

I dont think you can change the spenditure rate for handhelds. Unless they have more hardcore gamers

 

[Deku Tree]

I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone mention the age demographic thing yet.

I'm no expert but it seems logical to me that if most GBA gamers are young and their parents buy their games, then they probably get less games than older console gamers who buy their own games.

 

[DrGAKMAN]

Handheld gaming is seen as a secondary form of gaming. Most people buy a GameBoy for a couple of games and then they're done...or when they go to get another game (seeing it as a secondary form of gaming) they want something at or below $20. Problem is there's not too many portable games that cheap unless they're old or crappy.

I think this is going to be a big issue PSP is going to have to deal with. The Playstation HOME consoles are seen as a main source of gaming, portable gaming wether it's GameBoy or PSP will still be seen as a secondary form of gaming to most people. If Sony plans on making PSP more than just a secondary form of gaming than what about their home console line? Then there's the issue that if these PSP games look as good as console games then they'll start competing with them...so how does Sony deal with that? Again, since portable gaming will always be seen as secondary to home consoles how will people react to higher pricepoints (due to higher production costs) for PSP games? Alot of people will also veiw PSP games as nearly the same as their console counterparts...so why buy the same game twice?

I think another reason (not as big as the secondary form of gaming reason) is that, for the most part, most people can't rent GameBoy games. So, basically they have to buy blindly, especiailly when it's not a high profile/Nintendo franchise title.

 

[Deg]

Handheld gaming is seen as a secondary form of gaming. Most people buy a GameBoy for a couple of games and then they're done...or when they go to get another game (seeing it as a secondary form of gaming) they want something at or below $20. Problem is there's not too many portable games that cheap unless they're old or crappy.

You're on the right track. Although bear in mind do people spend as much their tv and hifi compared to stuff on the go? Its also a reason GB has been successful.

 

[T-1000_Model3]

Wow, I notice allot of you own quite a few GBASP games. I don't wanna hear you babys bitch about Sega not bringig over a game like Jet Set Radio to the GameCube then. With all that cash being thrown at the SP you could easly come up with the cash to own atleast one other console. Maybe these once a week bitch and moan threads where the Ntards complain to no end would maybe stop.

 

[Mejilan]

Uh... you can own a GBA and not be an 'Ntard'. It IS the only viable handheld right now, you know.

 

[GDGF]

Wow, I notice allot of you own quite a few GBASP games. I don't wanna hear you babys bitch about Sega not bringig over a game like Jet Set Radio to the GameCube then. With all that cash being thrown at the SP you could easly come up with the cash to own atleast one other console. Maybe these once a week bitch and moan threads where the Ntards complain to no end would maybe stop.

Were you trying to make yourself look like a jackass there? Wondering.