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[Saturnman]

Rumors of next-gen consoles are met with both enthusiasm and outrage. The latter especially when it is perceived to happen too soon.

But you got a NDS coming barely 3 years after the GBA (SP) and it is greeted with what seems to be uninamous praise and excitement. Sure, it can be backward compatible, but consoles can also boast that much (I think Xbox 2 is still rumored to be). Some would say the PSP is prompting the shift, but with a virtual monopoly of the portable market, why the hurry and why the widespread acceptance of this by gamers?

Basically, I am trying to find out why there's a clear double standard among gamers when it comes to generational cycles and the need to buy new hardware. It's your money. Do you believe the GBA (SP) has nothing more to offer?

 

[GigaDrive]

all i know is, people will be asking, 'what about the NDS?', when the next GameBoy comes along

 

[Jonnyram]

It could be argued the DS is sideways-compatible rather than backwards-compatible. The GBA compatibility is there for gamers who don't want to carry around two consoles, but clearly the SP is the more attractive option for consumers with its current price tag. The SP will go on for a long time, and I imagine GBA software will keep on coming, especially since dualscreen gameplay cannot be added to every game under the sun.

 

[JJConrad]

A couple factors:

-Handhelds are generally cheaper than consoles. GBA and SP were only $100 at launch, with the DS being $150. That's only a fraction of the investment in a console.

-People expect a console to last at least 5 years. The Xbox hasn't been out 3 years and we've already been hearing talk of its successor for a year. That's just plain short. This expectation doesn't exsist with handhelds, which have had shorter lifespan since 1997.

-The GBA will exsist along side the DS. When a new console is released, the old console usually fades away quickly. The GBA still has strong support and many new releases are still being announced.

-People see the current generation of consoles as still having a lot of untapped potential. We've seen "all" the GBA has to offer (2 generations ago). Me personally, I don't see the next generation of consoles as solution to today's gaming flaws; I would say the biggest problem is the lack of attention to details, something that throwing more power at will likely magnify the problem. The new handhelds bring real, new potential.

-There aren't as many fanboys/trolls that concern themselves about the handheld scene, so there's less people stirring the pot. Also, how can one side complain when both sides have a new handheld coming soon.



So basically... investment worth and fanboys. There's your difference.

 

[GDGF]

Rumors of next-gen consoles are met with both enthusiasm and outrage. The latter especially when it is perceived to happen too soon.

But you got a NDS coming barely 3 years after the GBA (SP) and it is greeted with what seems to be uninamous praise and excitement. Sure, it can be backward compatible, but consoles can also boast that much (I think Xbox 2 is still rumored to be). Some would say the PSP is prompting the shift, but with a virtual monopoly of the portable market, why the hurry and why the widespread acceptance of this by gamers?

Basically, I am trying to find out why there's a clear double standard among gamers when it comes to generational cycles and the need to buy new hardware. It's your money. Do you believe the GBA (SP) has nothing more to offer?

I never bought a GBA or an SP. My last Gameboy was a GBC. Not that I wasn't interested (or very tempted), I guess I was just waiting for something a bit different. I'm glad I did. Now I have my 'something different' and I have access to the huge GBA library.

I win!

 

[Saturnman]

It could be argued the DS is sideways-compatible rather than backwards-compatible. The GBA compatibility is there for gamers who don't want to carry around two consoles, but clearly the SP is the more attractive option for consumers with its current price tag. The SP will go on for a long time, and I imagine GBA software will keep on coming, especially since dualscreen gameplay cannot be added to every game under the sun.

They said the same thing about the PSOne after the PS2 was released, but unless you were a newbie with the PSOne, most of the real action (save maybe for RPG's and sports franchises) was exclusive to PS2 fairly quickly. Any PSOne veteran had to upgrade in order to get some.

My concern is not the viability of the GBA market, but if you current GBA owners really feel like the platform doesn't have much novelty to offer anymore so it's high time for a new generation.

 

[Jonnyram]

My concern is not the viability of the GBA market, but if you current GBA owners really feel like the platform doesn't have much novelty to offer anymore so it's high time for a new generation.

Novelty is not purely down to the platform, although the GBA does have quite an advantage with cartridge games, since new devices like light sensors and movement sensors can be added to affect gameplay. Other than that, the GBA is essentially a SNES, so novelty would have to come from game ideas rather than the platform itself.

 

[Scrow]

Do you believe the GBA (SP) has nothing more to offer?

that's really up to the developers. the ds clearly has more to offer than the sp.

 

[TekunoRobby]

My SP is going the way of the dodo when the DS is released. Not that I don't like the sexy little machine but backwards compatability seals the deal for me. Of course I'll continue purchasing GBA titles as long as they keep making them genuinely enjoyable. Hell, I'm definitely going to be buying atleast 5 more GBA games well after the DS release.

 

[Dan]

-Handhelds are generally cheaper than consoles. GBA and SP were only $100 at launch, with the DS being $150. That's only a fraction of the investment in a console.

Just to add on, there's no need to purchase controllers and memory cards either.

As for me, I think the NDS is coming a bit early. I'm going to stick with the GBA for at least another year. There are going to be plenty of games to enjoy for it, if only from Nintendo's own published games. The earliest I'll buy a NDS is after a price drop. I just can't afford to latch onto the latest and greatest every couple years, so on that same note, I'll probably live with my GC for quite some time too, before upgrading to a next-gen console.

 

[GDGF]

My SP is going the way of the dodo when the DS is released. Not that I don't like the sexy little machine but backwards compatability seals the deal for me. Of course I'll continue purchasing GBA titles as long as they keep making them genuinely enjoyable. Hell, I'm definitely going to be buying atleast 5 more GBA games well after the DS release.

Like I said earlier, I never owned a GBASP (don't kill me!) but after I buy by NDS, I plan on purchasing many GBA games (on the cheap in used bins!) to fuel my new wonder machine and grow my library. Ah, the wonders of backwards compatibility!

 

[aoi tsuki]

They said the same thing about the PSOne after the PS2 was released, but unless you were a newbie with the PSOne, most of the real action (save maybe for RPG's and sports franchises) was exclusive to PS2 fairly quickly. Any PSOne veteran had to upgrade in order to get some.

But there's some distinct differences between the PSOne and PS2 and the GBA and DS. The PS2 was a natural evolution of it's predecessor, whereas the DS starts off where the GBA left off (literally) but ultimately takes a different approach to handheld gams.

The DS offers some unique features that simply aren't easily possible on the SP, mainly the dual screen/touch screen feature. The SP is more compact, and GBA games can be linked for multiplayer. That's not possible (for GBA games) on the DS. Price is also an issue, with the SP costing nearly half the price of the DS, and the original GBA costing even less. Both iterations of the GBA hardware and GBA software will continue to sell for some time based on the strength of the GBA brand, the library of games (including compatible GB/GBC games), and the price. The DS has a lot going for it, but it remains to be seen just how successful it will be.

 

[Insertia]

Just to add on, there's no need to purchase controllers and memory cards either.

there's no need to purchase a controller for consoles either.

 

[Dragmire]

Rumors of next-gen consoles are met with both enthusiasm and outrage.

First, where's the outrage? Second, the comparison to consoles is poor. Consoles and their games cost a hell of a lot more than handhelds. Third, there's only going to be one other system in the handheld market when DS is released, and it's quite different from DS (thus different demand). If people can own multiple similar consoles, I think they can own multiple dissimilar handhelds. Fourth, GBA still has Zelda, Wario Ware 2 and Yoshi coming out after DS, which means Nintendo hasn't dropped support. Fifth, the DS supports the GBA market with it's backwards compatibility, which will help keep it alive. Fortieth, GBA still sells more than any console, suggesting that its generation is still kicking.

 

[Son of Godzilla]

GB
GBP
GBC
GBA
DS

I'd say 3 years has become the norm for these things.

 

[xsarien]

GB
GBP
GBC
GBA
DS

I'd say 3 years has become the norm for these things.

That and Nintendo's emphasized that as of now, their plans don't include scraping the GBA platform. The NDS and GBA will co-exist peacefully until either Nintendo gets tired of supporting both or developers make their preferences known.

 

[cvxfreak]

I wonder why people compare the DS to the SP, when it should be the original they compare it to. The SP is equivalent to something like the PSone or Super Famicom Jr., by being only slightly upgraded hardware. When seen alongside the original GBA, then the presence of the DS is more understandable in terms of a relationship, because it'll be a 3.5 year gap rather than a 2 year one.

That's my view anyway.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

The GBA is so untapped it's not even funny. Why haven't these been ported?

Actraiser
Chrono Trigger
Earthbound
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy VI
Illusion of Gaia
MKII
TMNT Arcade

 

[Saturnman]

there's no need to purchase a controller for consoles either.

Yoiu don''t need to buy a memory card with Xbox and Saturn either.

 

[xsarien]

Yoiu don''t need to buy a memory card with Xbox and Saturn either.

Which is a double-edged sword, as games like Burnout 3 make apparent. And let's not even get into if the system just starts to go and you need to transfer stuff.

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

If it were a true replacement console 3.5 years after one generation, sure, that would seem quick. But this situation is quite different. Portable gaming is much cheaper. The older system will continue to thrive. The new system is more of an experiment in novel ways to play. The GBA has plenty more to offer. But for those things it can't offer, there's DS. If its features are actually a hit, I doubt the product lines will remain separate.

 

[Saturnman]

Aren't you guys stretching it a bit too much? What if you want to play one of the few multi-player game on GBA, how much will it cost you then? That's not free either.

 

[Deg]

Aren't you guys stretching it a bit too much? What if you want to play one of the few multi-player game on GBA, how much will it cost you then? That's not free either.

Yeah there are only afew one cartridge multiplayer games. Great however because anyone can play them.