Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

The State Of Cellphone Gaming

Posted by simoniker on from the helloooo-i'm-playing-games-they're-rubbish? dept.

Thanks to IGN Wireless for their new column discussing the current state of U.S. cellphone gaming. The article starts by saying: "Post-E3, several magazines and sites have taken to dismissing the cellphone gaming scene - saying the Game Boy Advance has nothing to worry about... But we're talking apples and oranges here, fellas. The markets cannot be compared, nor should they be." It goes on to highlight titles like GameLoft's Splinter Cell and JAMDAT's Pitfall!, and further comments that: "It's pretty pointless to buy a phone that cannot play the kind of games you like, and then complain that cellphone gaming sucks."

4 of 30 comments (clear)

  1. Why? by Randolpho · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I mean, seriously... why play games on your cell? As if the battery didn't last short enough as it is, you wanna waste more of it on a full-color screen? Just get a GBA and be done with it.

    Oh, you want the best of both worlds, eh? Well, maybe Nintendo will produce a cell-phone addon for the GBA. Wouldn't that be neat?

    --
    "Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised."
    -Marilyn Manson
    1. Re:Why? by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "I mean, seriously... why play games on your cell? "

      Because it's in my pocket all the time and sometimes I find myself needing a little entertainment?

      There's nothing insightful about saying that you don't need something like everybody suddenly went crazy or something.

      "Oh, you want the best of both worlds, eh? Well, maybe Nintendo will produce a cell-phone addon for the GBA. Wouldn't that be neat?"

      Yes it would.

  2. Why? Cell Phones are Free. by Schezar · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I can get an awesome cell phone for free. Anyone can. It won't play decent games or browse the web in full-colour, but it... MAKES PHONE CALLS. Well, mind you.

    Just about every cell company offers a free or nearly so phone when you sign up with them. Now, why would I spend $200 or so on a "better" cell phone to play a handful of games, when I can take the free phone and play games on my GBA?

    The only people who will buy these things are upper-class twits with money to burn. As such, the games designed for them will cater to this demographic, and no good games will be produced.

    Now, what someone should do is design a cart that makes the GBA act like a cell phone.

    --
    GeekNights!
    Late Night Radio for Geeks!
  3. Admit it: cellphones are toys! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Every time someone correctly points out that drivers should concentrate on driving instead of talking on their phones, they are inundated with slashdotters claiming that cellphones are an indispencible part of doing business. That they are serious tools. And then slashdot runs a story like this about using cellphones for videogames and I realize that all those people who vigorously defend cellphones as an essential part of life and a serious communications tool are really just bullshitting us. Cellphones are toys. They are yuppie trinkets. And even though cellphones are known to distract drivers and cause accidents resulting in death, yuppies and other techno-crazies will cry like children if you threaten to take their toys away from them.

    People, leave your toys at home and concentrate on driving.