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State, Future Of Portable Gaming Probed

Posted by simoniker on from the gp32-plus-plus dept.

Thanks to Boomtown for completing their earlier article on the history of portable gaming with a second and third, final part, in which they check out the Sega Game Gear ("...one of the finest handhelds ever crafted, but also one of the most problematic") and Neo Geo Pocket Color ("caught by the same thing that killed the Lynx - lack of third-party support"), before moving on to the all-conquering, frontlit Game Boy Advance SP ("so much better, it's uncanny"), the GP32 ("...an amazing idea"), and into the future with Sony's "bulkier, multifunctional" PSP.

7 of 31 comments (clear)

  1. well ... by Dreadlord · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I used to have a GameBoy when it was released several years back, it was lots of fun to play Tetris, a Mario game (don't actually remember its name), and some other games.
    Right now, I just prefer my laptop, it's true that it's huge when compared with protable consoles, but on the other hand, I always have it anyway, so I don't need to carry anything else arround, and it supports the same games I get for the PC, with all their features (multiplayer, save/load PC saved games ...)
    Bottom line: after getting a laptop, I'm not interested in portable consoles anymore.

    --
    The IT section color scheme sucks.
  2. GP32 by exick · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I have a GP32. Right now, it isn't quite as nice as having something like Gameboy (which I also have) but the community development is starting to pick up some steam and there are games available for it. It's a pretty neat little toy and there are some unique games available for it, though maybe not always as polished as for other consoles and handhelds. There are also a ton of emulators available and in development.

  3. Ok....and while you're developing on the GP32 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ...the development community for the GBA is blooming as well now that you can learn to develop for the price of a flash cart and loader (not to mention all the other "benefits" of the cart and loader).

    So when a good community app comes to fruitition, it's more likely to come to greatness on a platform many people are already using.

  4. what no Ngage? by darkmayo · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think todays penny-arcade gives insight on this...

    http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3

    --
    "I am a kernel in the linux army"
  5. Umm.. by Conspiracy_Of_Doves · · Score: 2, Informative

    the all-conquering, backlit Game Boy Advance SP

    GBA SP isn't backlit, it's frontlit

    --

    Technoli
  6. Tapwave Zodiac by aliens · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The Zodiac is poised to become the next big homebrew device. Many GP32 programmers are already looking at it as it is also based on an ARM9 CPU, but has many more features.

    It costs a little more up front but its ability to act as a PDA and its design out do the GP32 on all fronts.

    Give it a look see and check out Zodiac Gamer for a good deal of info.

    I myself just got a GBA SP, and am loving it. Haven't had this much fun since the original SNES (DC comes close). Just wish it was a lil bigger, too small for my hands.

    --
    -- taking over the world, we are.
    1. Re:Tapwave Zodiac by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Haven't had this much fun since the original SNES

      That's because you're playing the same games.