iOS + Android > PSP + DS

[alent1234]

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.

true, but when the little itouch thingy also does wikipedia, math apps and others to help the rugrats do homework and other things other than play games the kids will have to make due.

and now that they can text on them to other people with ithingies it's even better

 

[smartpatrol]

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.

The thing is, smartphones don't have to be better at gaming. At least for me, I'm not looking for some epic 30+ hour RPG to play on the go. I'm looking for something to distract me for 15 minutes while I ride the train or wait at the dentist's office or whatever.

Sure, dedicated handhelds are better than smartphones at gaming. But consoles/PC are even better, and that's where most of us do our serious gaming. Meanwhile, smartphones IMO are better than handheld gaming systems when you look at them as portable entertainment/content consumption/web surfing devices.

 

[alent1234]

there is also the cost. 90% of games on the consoles are crap. when games cost $40 and up i only buy a few of them and read reviews.

i'm always seeing sales for OK games for $.99 at the app store and i buy a few a month without thinking twice and a lot of times it takes me a few months to get around to even trying it out

 

[Oyeve]

there is also the cost. 90% of games on the consoles are crap. when games cost $40 and up i only buy a few of them and read reviews.

i'm always seeing sales for OK games for $.99 at the app store and i buy a few a month without thinking twice and a lot of times it takes me a few months to get around to even trying it out

So you would rather buy a bunch of meh games at 99c that you may not even play than buy a 30$ quality game? This makes no sense and thinking like this only harms the quality of gaming in the future. I would rather play 3-4 hi quality games a year on my 3ds than 100 meh games on my phone/tablet.

 

[Fingolfin269]

So you would rather buy a bunch of meh games at 99c that you may not even play than buy a 30$ quality game? This makes no sense and thinking like this only harms the quality of gaming in the future. I would rather play 3-4 hi quality games a year on my 3ds than 100 meh games on my phone/tablet.

Exactly. I've yet to find a mobile Phone game that I really enjoy.

 

[Ns1]

So you would rather buy a bunch of meh games at 99c that you may not even play than buy a 30$ quality game? This makes no sense and thinking like this only harms the quality of gaming in the future. I would rather play 3-4 hi quality games a year on my 3ds than 100 meh games on my phone/tablet.

Yes that is exactly it.

Bought 3 more games this week. $3 total, on sale from $4/ea

Better than the $50 sc2 that I don't have time to play

 

[smartpatrol]

So you would rather buy a bunch of meh games at 99c that you may not even play than buy a 30$ quality game? This makes no sense and thinking like this only harms the quality of gaming in the future. I would rather play 3-4 hi quality games a year on my 3ds than 100 meh games on my phone/tablet.

When I'm on the go, I mainly want something to keep me entertained in short bursts. So I'll take the $1 games.

I have my PC/consoles at home for gaming, plus my laptop for when I'm traveling.

 

[Aikouka]

Exactly. I've yet to find a mobile Phone game that I really enjoy.

I've found plenty of great iOS games that I enjoy playing, and almost all of them were at the most 99 cents. I also purchase games that might look alright, but they may not end up being my cup of tea so to speak. That's the beauty of it though... you don't mind tossing a dollar at the chance of it. Seeing a movie at a dollar theater that ends up being bad? Not a problem! Bought a cheap lotto ticket and lost? Not a problem! Spent $60 on an awful game... not so good.

 

[runawayprisoner]

So you would rather buy a bunch of meh games at 99c that you may not even play than buy a 30$ quality game? This makes no sense and thinking like this only harms the quality of gaming in the future. I would rather play 3-4 hi quality games a year on my 3ds than 100 meh games on my phone/tablet.

The problem, as I can see it, is that there are hardly any $30 or $60 game that I can really consider "quality".

If my main concern is a shooter game, then perhaps you are right. But if my main concern is a racing game, or a puzzle game, or even... a role playing game, then sincerely, there are far cheaper options on smartphones that offer me a lot more fun, and even more hours.

And sincerely, since most "serious and quality" games can now be completed under the same amount of time you would spend to complete a mobile game, there is the lack of content to take into account as well.

I have definitely seen better days in dedicated gaming than I do now, to be honest.

 

[alent1234]

my wife made me buy a x-box 360 last year for the kids. older son turned 4 a few months ago. so far i've used it more than anyone. played black ops, gears of war 1 and 2, ME 1 and 2.

need to rebuy kinect sports since the older kid is finally getting more interested in it. probably bought it too early.

the $60 games are worth it in some cases, but they aren't all that. they are mostly corridor shooters where you walk, enemies pop up and you kill a few, keep going, repeat. good entertainment but nothing groundbreaking. gears of war 2 i got bored with and sold off. will probably buy ME3 next year.

iphone/ipad games range from free to $6.99. Square is in the $15.99 range. Some really good stuff too. Spent hours playing one of the tom clancy games where you sneak around. still haven't finished sid meir's pirates. never finished monkey island either. and i have a backlog of a few other games that will last me hours. iOS games are finally starting to mature and get really good with hours of gameplay.

EA sports is on iOS. i played words with friends with friends over facebook. loved battleship and scrabble while on the train.

a game doesn't have to be all about killing and blowing things up to be good. and iOS device performance is doubling every year and will continue to do so. Apple and Samsung may finally be making up and flash storage on iOS will most likely increase next year. and with a $99 apple TV you can play on your TV as well. if i were nintendo and sony i would be worried

 

[Ns1]

Spent hours playing one of the tom clancy games where you sneak around.

rainbow six?

bought it last week - $1.



Someone needs to make a world of tanks iOS clone (and tank fury sucks)

 

[Kev]

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.

Not true. Tower Defense and Field Runners among others...

 

[Ns1]

Not true. Tower Defense and Field Runners among others...

soooooooo many hours of my life wasted playing Field Runners

it's quite a good TD clone.

 

[smartpatrol]

My favorite is Geo Defense on WP7 (I understand it's also on Android and iOS). I felt compelled to beat every level and unlock every achievement. I got more enjoyment from that game than from most DS games I've played.

 

[Red Storm]

Not true. Tower Defense and Field Runners among others...

It's a matter of opinion of course, but neither of those games comes anywhere close to a full fledged game on the PC (or console).

 

[Fingolfin269]

I've found plenty of great iOS games that I enjoy playing, and almost all of them were at the most 99 cents. I also purchase games that might look alright, but they may not end up being my cup of tea so to speak. That's the beauty of it though... you don't mind tossing a dollar at the chance of it. Seeing a movie at a dollar theater that ends up being bad? Not a problem! Bought a cheap lotto ticket and lost? Not a problem! Spent $60 on an awful game... not so good.

I hear ya but hopefully people are smart enough to at least research before dropping $60. Plus you can always rent.

 

[Ns1]

It's a matter of opinion of course, but neither of those games comes anywhere close to a full fledged game on the PC (or console).

I don't know, after enough hours of War3/SC2, you're bound to start playing endless games of TD/DOTA...lol

 

[Red Storm]

I don't know, after enough hours of War3/SC2, you're bound to start playing endless games of TD/DOTA...lol

I'm a SC2 addict and I could not get into Warcraft 3, Dota, or any kind of tower defense game. :\

In my situation, the only time a mobile game makes any sense is when I need to kill time waiting for something and I don't have access to my gaming rig. However even then, I'd rather watch a video or read a book on my phone than play a game.

 

[poofyhairguy]

So you would rather buy a bunch of meh games at 99c that you may not even play than buy a 30$ quality game? This makes no sense and thinking like this only harms the quality of gaming in the future.

It makes perfect sense economically, and I hope the idea guts the video game industry.

I have all three major consoles, and I have them all hacked so game cost isn't an issue for me and I STILL almost never play them. Why? Because I have no want to pretend I am a solder, or play some WOW ripoff RPG. Let them burn.

I will pay for quality games when I have the option. For example, I buy every AAA Nintendo game. I have bought every JRPG Square-Enix has put out recently, including re-buying my DS games for iOS. And now I try to support mobile game makers that are putting out good products like Popcap and Madfinger.