Handhelds…Selfish Gaming?
Posted March 2, 2006 at 10:48 am by tronsta
So I had this thought the other night. I was excited at the prospect of FINALLY getting on the modern day handheld bandwagon. My last handheld was the ORIGINAL gameboy. Favorite game? Super Mario Land. Respek! (Ali G)
But with the announcing of DS Lite, and Tetris DS, Mario Kart DS, Metroid Prime Hunters, and a host of other interesting titles, and a huge tax return (W W), I’m all like “Yo I’m TOTALLY coppin’ a handheld like whoa.” But then I had the thought…
See, the beauty of a console is you can share. Granted, not all people enjoy sharing the video game experience like I do. I mean, if it ain’t multiplayer, it better be one of the BEST games ever made for me to consider picking it up. Even a garbage game can be fun playing with other people. But with a handheld, you really plan on having people looking over your shoulder? Breathing hot onion breath all down your neck? Nah! But now you’ve isolated yourself into an extremely ELITE core of gamers…the handheld gamers.
Now, if you’re lucky enough (or rucky, for our AZN friends) to have a group of friends that have the same handheld, bet! You’ll have a blast, especially with ad-hoc wireless connections in the same room. But how many of us have friends that have handhelds? I have a few, Wiggy has DS and PSP and Spammy has PSP, my friend Dean has DS. But what’s the propect of finding random games online? With sub-par friends list and TONS of drop outs (according to Mario Kart DS fans) and currently no voice support, online on a handheld seems to be weak compared to something like Xbox Live.
So it seems that still, even after years of headway, handhelds are still primarily a single player experience. Not that there is anything wrong with that (Seinfeld) but it leaves online fans like myself a bit cold.
What is a Tronsta to do??
This has been a Tronsta Rant, brought to you by SquatSquat.Com.
March 2nd, 2006 at 11:36 am
I think that any single player game is somewhat selfish, but the small screened handheld keeps people from watching you play. But would you really want someone watching you play medievil while your dropping a deuce anyway?
BTW, just get suntin so we can play you on a handheld! Don’t be a n00b.
March 2nd, 2006 at 11:37 am
Dude, that post image is so stinking funny! Phr33k…
March 2nd, 2006 at 12:31 pm
Well I’m DEFINATELY getting DS. There’s just not enough games for me on PSP that I like for me to get that. Though, I dunno. Which one is best? Tetris DS and Mario Kart DS are hot from what I’ve seen. But if I get PSP, I can right away play with you and Viggy.
March 2nd, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Get a psp if you want a console in your hand. In other words, if you want x-men legends or burnout that looks and feels just like the xbox version, PSP is the only way.
If you want innovative games for much cheaper, get DS.
Get both if that refund was REAL good.
Get a gizmondo if you’re mentally retarded.
hehe.
March 2nd, 2006 at 3:04 pm
i’m a selfish console gamer. hand helds don’t do it for me. if i got one tho it’s be the DS. love me some mario.
March 2nd, 2006 at 3:18 pm
The tax return was totally that good, but I’d feel bad picking up both at once. I’ll check out both and see what’s up. Spammy, you ever gonna get DS?
March 2nd, 2006 at 3:46 pm
I will never get DS. Two handhelds is overkill, even for a digerati like me.
Dude, I own a pda, a psp, a hooked up celly. If i got a DS, God would kill me for digital gluttony. There are starving people in india, bro!
Oh, and Im the kind of guy that wants the portable powerful console. Since I spend alot of time away from my xbox, my handheld is a fitting replacement, and I watch LOST on it. WW
If i got another handheld it would be a gameboy micro.
March 2nd, 2006 at 5:08 pm
you watch lost on your psp? ayhaychu!
March 2nd, 2006 at 5:10 pm
Of all the places in the world where there is a digital famine, India is one of the last. :p
Yeah I hear ya. I’m definately gonna get DS Lite though. If you ever get it, you got me, Wiggy, and Dean to play with. 4 player metroid and Mario Kart, W W
March 2nd, 2006 at 5:44 pm
As someone who isn’t married (or planning on getting married anytime soon), still living with mom dukes, minimal bills and a new full time job….buying both a PSP and DS isn’t worth it.
They’re both excellent systems, but I don’t play either one of them all that often. I will say that if I had a 1 GB memory stick for my PSP, I’d be doing alot of cool things with it (i.e. watching Lost). DS has great games, so unless you wanna cough up an extra 100 bucks for a new memory stick, then go with the DS. Good games. Cheaper. Most games that are coming out are gonna be Wi-fi.
BTW, DS lite looks l337. Teh l337 even.
March 2nd, 2006 at 6:43 pm
New memory stick 1Gb 50 bucks at compusa, look around. Newegg has a GIGer for about 55.
That’s the price of a psp game and I can hold about 100 mp3s, 4 eps of lost in hi-quality, and 200 photos, plus all my homebrew.
March 3rd, 2006 at 10:33 am
DS Lite does indeed look worthwhile. But no release date on it? Dang.
March 6th, 2006 at 12:20 pm
I want to get the DS so I can play Mario Kart online. But I got a PSP and I love it I just wish they would put more RPG on it.