iOS + Android > PSP + DS

[poofyhairguy]

Exactly. For example Infinity Blade is pretty much a glorified tech demo that let's you press a button and/or swipe the screen. The game has no actual substance. That is what's missing from every mobile game out there.

That is an unfair generalization.

For example, my favorite genre is the old-school RPGs like JRPGs- something that is pretty much dead on regular consoles (thanks WOW). The DS was a lone hold-out, but now that is drying up.

But with a nice smartphone I have access to TONS of nice JRPGs and light action RPGs (Link to the Past), and side-scroller RPGS (SOTN)-Zenonia series, Symphony of Eternity, Illusia, Eve of Genesis, and Eternal Legacy.

It is like a renaissance for me! But I guess if you are looking for a modern murder simulator there is slim pickings (though ShadowGun and NOVA are cool).

 

[Red Storm]

That is an unfair generalization.

For example, my favorite genre is the old-school RPGs like JRPGs- something that is pretty much dead on regular consoles (thanks WOW). The DS was a lone hold-out, but now that is drying up.

But with a nice smartphone I have access to TONS of nice JRPGs and light action RPGs (Link to the Past), and side-scroller RPGS (SOTN)-Zenonia series, Symphony of Eternity, Illusia, Eve of Genesis, and Eternal Legacy.

It is like a renaissance for me! But I guess if you are looking for a modern murder simulator there is slim pickings (though ShadowGun and NOVA are cool).

That's precisely my point. Those are emulators. You're not playing games that were actually developed for today's smartphones. Good luck finding a game as deep as those in today's mobile app stores. It's just puzzle games or action games that do half the things for you and just rely on screen presses and swipes.

Board and card games are about the only types of games that translate well to mobile devices IMHO.

 

[Ns1]

I'm talking about games like Skyrim, Dragon Age (Origins), Mass Effect, Portal, etc. Games with an actual plot and/or quality game play. As long as I have games like this available to me, I just can't take mobile games seriously.

BRB, buying Skyrim for 3DS now

 

[Ns1]

I think Infinity Blade has replaced Angry Birds as my favorite quick play for five minutes game on my phone. Graphics look pretty good to me, but the gameplay is what makes it fun, because you actually use the touchscreen to slice 'n dice and kick the living shit out of the enemies.

worth $6?

 

[poofyhairguy]

That's precisely my point. Those are emulators. You're not playing games that were actually developed for today's smartphones.

I am sorry my post was confusing. I was just mentioning old games as genre examples. The smartphone games are the Zenonia series, Symphony of Eternity, Illusia, Eve of Genesis, and Eternal Legacy. Some of these are downright excellent.

 

[Ns1]

DL'ing rainbow six and dungeon hunter 2 now

a combined $2 for both apps.

I'm pretty sure that's less than the sales tax on any Mario Bros. game for any Nintendo system

I'm not even sure when I'll have time to play these but for $1 each why the hell not

 

[Aikouka]

One of the well-known "secrets" is to keep an eye out for when games go on sale (very reduced prices or even free). Personally, I just go to http://wireless.ign.com every day and check out their "App Store Update <date here>" article. They usually list what games were released, are on sale and were updated.

Infinity Blade was mentioned earlier as well as its default $6 price tag, and frankly... it's been on sale for $1 quite a few times. I've only bought a handful of games for their default price (Dungeon Hunter 2, as mentioned below, is an example of that).

DL'ing rainbow six and dungeon hunter 2 now

I played the original Dungeon Hunter quite a bit, and Dungeon Hunter 2 is really just more of the same. I do have some gripes with it though. There's a problem where you'll just wildly swing "at the air" while you're trying to hit a breakable item (pot, etc). I end up having to use a special attack just to hit the stupid thing, because my normal swing won't work.

I don't like the fact that when you choose a class specialization, you cannot look at the abilities at all... until you choose, which is a permanent choice. I believe I chose the Deathdealer specialization on my Rogue, and I'm really not a fan of the talents. I'm playing a Warrior as well, and I forget which I ended up specializing as, but it's pretty decent.

If you enjoy dungeon crawlers and are obsessive over loot, you'll like it. I literally spent probably an hour or longer running the Bog Witch's dungeon (first dungeon area) over and over just to get her chest at the end, which could even drop orange (legendary) quality items!

 

[Ns1]

I played the original Dungeon Hunter quite a bit, and Dungeon Hunter 2 is really just more of the same.

I have never played DH...

 

[Aikouka]

I have never played DH...

There's not much to say about it... it's a hack and slash game with a so-so story. :| Although, while I did play through the original on my phone, I do prefer playing the sequel on my iPad. Unfortunately, they're separate games, which means no save sharing (unless you jailbreak and do it manually).

 

[sontin]

There are a few very nice looking games which have a great gameplay: Sprinkle and Riptide GP for example.

I think that there is no future for mobile handhelds. They cost nearly the same like a Smartphone/Tablet and are much more restrictive or limited. I can play Riptide for much longer than 5hrs. The 3DS and the Vita are only running less than 5hrs.

It's stupid to call such devices mobile when they are not running longer than a chear laptop.

 

[Fire&Blood]

There are a few very nice looking games which have a great gameplay: Sprinkle and Riptide GP for example.

I think that there is no future for mobile handhelds. They cost nearly the same like a Smartphone/Tablet and are much more restrictive or limited. I can play Riptide for much longer than 5hrs. The 3DS and the Vita are only running less than 5hrs.

It's stupid to call such devices mobile when they are not running longer than a chear laptop.

Agreed. Though I think that both Nintendo and Sony could have slowed the death of portable consoles by tying them into ecosystems but now it's too late. By the time 3DS and Vita successors come out (if they do at all) they should sell badly even domestically where they traditionally do better and sales of existing models will point that out too. While Sony seems to lean towards Android, Nintendo's mobile market share is in real jeopardy. I wouldn't be surprised of they opt for WP7. Not only do both Sony and Nintendo need to give up the proprietary idea, they have to add functions. The ipod and it's counterparts are dug in well. They need phones and/or tablets, future dedicated consoles without either phone functions or outside the tablet form will fail, IMO. This will be something to watch out for. The mobile gaming segment has lots of room of for growth and it might even boom once wireless linking to TV's/Monitors becomes an adopted standard for both devices. Gaming on tablets/phones within smartphone/tablets ecosystems is a big enough market even now and the space relatively open, occupying it before it's swallowed up others should be nr.1 priority for both Sony and Nintendo.

 

[poofyhairguy]

A Nintendo + Apple collaboration would be amazing. I would buy an iPhone for that.

 

[Oyeve]

A Nintendo + Apple collaboration would be amazing. I would buy an iPhone for that.

Probably never gonna happen. Nintendo would lose out on the portable gaming device and iphones screen is way too small. Even if apple went with a larger screen they would have to immerse nintendos 3d screen tech and the battery life would be horrible. Sony and android tried a collaboration and that failed miserably. I say leave smartphones be smartphones and gaming systems be gaming systems, at least for the foreseeable future.

 

[alent1234]

Apple got a patent for 3d screen tech this or last year

 

[MrX8503]

Probably never gonna happen. Nintendo would lose out on the portable gaming device and iphones screen is way too small.

Yeah because the DS's 10 DPI screen is so much better. Physical controls are more important than the screen.

 

[Oyeve]

Yeah because the DS's 10 DPI screen is so much better. Physical controls are more important than the screen.

I never said it was better. Do not twist my words.

 

[nipplefish]

Have the consoles actually lost significant game sales to the phone market, though? Seems to me like it would be more of a case of a new market being formed among phone users. I mean, who is the target market for the handheld consoles? I'd say kids. Kids don't have smartphones.

(... or do they?)

 

[Ns1]

Re^^

The case with most parents I know is buy an iPad (for the parent) and then buy the kid a bunch of games on the iPad.

 

[alent1234]

Have the consoles actually lost significant game sales to the phone market, though? Seems to me like it would be more of a case of a new market being formed among phone users. I mean, who is the target market for the handheld consoles? I'd say kids. Kids don't have smartphones.

(... or do they?)

but you can buy an ipod touch for the kids

same price as the 3DS but it does a lot more than play games

 

[Fire&Blood]

Sony and Nintendo should be scared of these because eventually someone will nail it:

I would get this one if:
- it had a slick piece of software to allow calibrating coordinates and simulating on screen touches at SDK level in order to support all games
-area around the logo is touch sensitive
-L1 and R1 buttons on each side of the controller or better yet on the back, would be perfect for middle fingers.

http://gametelcontroller.com/index.php/specification

 

[Anubis]

but you can buy an ipod touch for the kids

same price as the 3DS but it does a lot more than play games

yes it does more then just play crappy games but the issue is all phones/tablets had crap for games when compared to true mobile game

games on phones are great for wasting 10 minutes while waiting for something but for anything close to real gaiming they fall very short

nintendos slowdown in the mobile market has little to do with phones and everything to do with market saturation and the fact that the 3ds did not compel people to replace what they already had

 

[Fingolfin269]

I must be getting less imaginative as I get older. I don't see how a game on a phone could ever be as good as a dedicated handheld console a la PSP/DS.

 

[Oyeve]

but you can buy an ipod touch for the kids

same price as the 3DS but it does a lot more than play games

But its missin true control. Games on phones just ain't the same. I for one hate sliding my fingers on a screen to shoot, move. And tilting the phone or tablet to control is great for driving but the controls limit the games. Dedicated mobile gaming consoles like the ds or psp are much better.

 

[smartpatrol]

http://www.bgr.com/2011/11/18/ipad-most-wanted-holiday-gift-among-young-children-study-finds/

Well it's official, kids would rather get an iPad or iPod touch than the 3DS for Christmas.

 

[BenSkywalker]

I think this very subject is a *huge* part of the reason Sony bought out Ericson from their joint venture. I'm willing to bet a Vita with phone functionality would be a pretty big hit if marketed properly.