Kombo: I'm Slowly Losing Interest In Portables

Kombo: I admit it. I'm a sucker for toy gadgets. I love my digital playthings. It's an odd obsession for one such as myself, because I've never been terribly big on actually playing the darn things. I've owned basically every major portable (even a Neo-Geo Pocket Color) throughout the years, but I don't play them nearly as much as my consoles. It's gotten worse as years progress with the casual shift affecting portable game tastes even more than consoles. Thanks to that fact, I rarely play my DS at all now.

In fact, outside of the random Mario Kart DS (better than Mario Kart Wii) and New Super Mario Bros. multiplayer sessions, I haven't touched it at all. Likewise, I decided to pass on the DSi. That decision echos a little bit of sadness in my heart, because I was messing around with my sisters and love the flip book app. I used to draw flip books as a kid, so it seems right up my alley. Sadly, I can't swallow the cost of yet another DS for one free app. I've owned every single Nintendo portable ever released (even Virtual Boy). Being able to come to such a decision makes me wonder if I have still have any future with Nintendo portables. What a sad thought.

[PS360WII]

So I guess the author doesn't like RPGs or 2D scrollers, or action games, or etc... ;)

I still play my DS more often than not but that's because it's got the games. I'm still shocked that people try and use the stigmata that the DS is only for kids or something... look at the game library much? PSP has a decent line up as well and actually has a very promising upcoming section. The app store while still getting it's legs is already up and walking and soon will be running around with the best of them. Well as long as the price war goes away. Way to many iDevice owners cry over apps that are over .99 cents -.-

[SpoonyRedMage]

I think the pricing is the biggest issue with the app store, most devs can't afford to do big games because people tend not to pay much for apps which means a lot of keeping it to simple, fun ideas.

I agree with what you're saying, people tend to ignore stuff like Dementium, which is semi-successful, and just see all the shovelware when there's a lot of quality of the DS. I've still got so many games to pick up, like Mario and Luigi RPG 3. I'm busy at the moment though so I only picked up Kingdom Hearts. I'm trying to blast through the story mode.

[Mindboggle]

For me the only handheld im interested in at the moment is my iPhone. I have completely lost interest with my DS for the moment, and i havent turned my PSP on it about a year. I like the iPhone as the games are reasonably priced, they are fun, and i have them on my phone.

Dont get me wrong there are some great PSP and DS games, but i just cant be bothered to bring another device with me.

I think its only a matter of time until apple realese an official controller add on to the ipod and iphone that will allow joypad gaming like on a psp, and implement it into the sdk. When that happens, the psp and ds will be in real trouble.

[mastiffchild]

I couldn't agree less M'boggle. I am so glad I got rid of my iPhone it's untrue. I used to spend loads onthe apps(and NEVER played any of the games that I guilt up as they just aren't as ebgaging as the games on either DS or PSP)for no reason other than trying to justify the price of the damn thing!

Also IF they add an official controller(and a mate sayys he's got a third pary one which does the same thing)it'll make it both more expensive and pretty big AND people will need better games-but will they want to pay for them too? Plus add n controllers for a handheld? Really?

The othe issue I have with the iPhone is that it's not the greatest actual phone I've ever had-and it needs to be better, imo-even if it's pretty good for online gubbins it's still not a really great alternative for a better, cheaper phone and a handheld with more real games. My PSP has been back in favour this yearwith some decent jrpgs, the oddly engrossing Dissidia, catching up with CoO, R:Retribution was a great one stick shooter and whatever the reviews might insist GTPSP is great and Motorstorm gives it a cool arcade racer again-and with Resi coming, LBP coming among a slew of others the games are really there right now compared to what iPhone cn manage. Don't even mention PW and how much better it's gonna be than MGS was for the iPhone either!

Plus, even though it hasn't been as stellar a year for DS,imo-last year was amazingly good with TWEWY being my personal favourite- it STILL had one of the best games this year on any platform with R* Leeds criminally minded and ignored GTACW and at least four if you didn't play much FF or Chrono Trigger on PS1!

No, personally it's going to take a whole lot more on the games front to make the iPhone an all in one answer to a proper phone and a proper gaming handheld-and a bit more on the phone front as well.

Having said this I do think Sony have missed a trick or two with the Aino-as it stands it's only really a great investment if you have Play TV t boss around and watch remotely(even if being able to view anything on your PS3 from anywhere is pretty cool-I'm also assuming Vidzone and, later in the UK, Vidstore will be usable as well)and they should have tried to get it usable as a tether(of sorts )to get your PSP online from anywhere too which would've been a better short term fix to the proposed expensive peripheral that would do this for the Go! Until, that is, they do the two obvious things(well 3 if you include the second analogue nub)of turning the PSP into a real phone and improving the sodding browser to match the games quality.

Still a great little phone with a quality touchscreen and camera mind-and the white one looks pretty cool whereas, imo, all Apples stying looks a bit last century and needs an overhaul no matter how iconic they want to nelieve it all looks. We also have to see if MS will do something better n this market even though I suspect noone will ever catch Nintendos overall throathold on the handheld market-surprises me that there's not been a move to work with Nokia or Cammy to get hone services into a DSi phone mind. However, noone gets the market like they do and the fact they haven't might show that sopecialised is still the way to be, idk.

Didn't much like my iPhone, though, if I'm honest and even the stuff, like app store that people rave about I felt to be a money sink for games I'd buy but never play for a variety of reasons. Very interesting possibilities, however, for all the competitiors in this market(s) and I'm certain someone will , one day, nail what Apple have tried to do-I just don't think that day is very close at hand yet.

[jack who]

we care

[badkolo]

who caRES, why did he take the time to write this. millions of other people are having fun with thier portables and consoles but this guy seems the need to tell how he is losing interist. like i said, who cares?

he might as well writtin an article on how is balls itch.

[Nihilism]

I have a DS and a DSI, i've owned every nintendo handheld ever made....they have lost interest for me also, i have a few decent ds rpg's, but what's the point, they are all ported ps1 games etc. Why don't the devs get of their asses, push the ds to it's graphical limits and make some decent friggin games. We all know the DS is more powerful than the n64 was, why don't they make another 3d mario game, or a full 3d zelda game, not this pseudo 3d crap cough pokemon cough

[iceman06]

However, you and I both know that they keep making Pokemon BECAUSE IT SELLS!! That game had the kids buying brand new systems...just for the (whatever color of the month) versions. Nintendo knows what sells....Pokemon...JRPG rehashes....portable versions of their greatest hits. It would be great for devs to step out and do something original...but what is the incentive for taking THAT chance...when most of the risky titles don't sell well. It is an unfortunate truth in the gaming industry that is not just in relation to the DS, but to the Wii as well.

[xcox]

that is the douchest thing i've read in months

[Theoneneo81]

Who Gives a Sh@t

[DelbertGrady]

I love the GBA SP. It has the best list of RPGs ever made.