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June 5, 2006
Handheld Game Consoles
What are handheld game consoles, and why should I care?
Handheld gaming systems are video games that fit in the palm of your hand—they are designed to allow you to get a video game fix at the doctor’s office, on a plane ride, or at grandma’s house without lugging along the TV.
Of course, the idea of portable video games is nothing new. In the 1970s, handheld electronic games like Mattel’s Football were very popular, but these systems were one-trick ponies, allowing the user to play only a single game.
Nintendo’s Game Boy console, released in 1989, popularized the concept of interchangeable games in a portable console. Despite black-and-white, low-resolution graphics, the Game Boy was a smash hit, especially among the young.
Today’s handhelds have beautiful color displays, stereo sound, and, most importantly, a wide variety of games from which to choose. The battle for on-the-go entertainment devices is fierce, with Apple’s iPod digital audio players leading the charge. But handheld gaming systems provide something that most other handheld electronics can’t offer—an experience both immersive and interactive.
What handheld gaming systems are popular today?
Two portable game consoles control the marketplace: Nintendo’s DS and Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP).
So which is better, the Nintendo DS or the Sony PSP?
Both systems are well-designed and have powerful graphics capabilities, so it is hard to go wrong with either. Based on the following characteristics, you may be able to decide which one will work best for you.
Nintendo DS
Positives
- Many highly regarded games
- Very good battery life (roughly 8 hours)
- Wireless multiplayer capabilities
- Dual screen (source of the DS name) design is unique. In addition, the lower display is touch-sensitive, allowing for flexibility in control.
- Since games are stored on cartridges, they start up quickly
- Clamshell design case closes to protect screens from scratches
Negatives
- Each of the two screens is relatively small
- Physical design is bulky and uninspired
Sony PSP
Positives
- Widescreen color display is beautiful—perhaps the best feature of the PSP
- Powerful graphics engine is capable of running complex games with impressive visual effects
- Impressively sleek design
- Wireless multiplayer capabilities
- Ability to play audio and video files transferred from a computer
Negatives
- Both game system and individual games are more expensive than DS
- PSP games take a while to load because they are stored on tiny optical discs which transfer data more slowly than the DS cartridge system
- Relatively poor battery life (2 –5 hours)
- Unprotected screen is subject to scratching
I’ve heard about a new model of the Nintendo DS. What is it?
The revised “DS Lite” will be available in the U.S. market beginning on June 11, 2006. This redesign addresses some of the flaws in the original DS (such as size and unsophisticated visual design) while further improving on strengths like battery life. There are four areas of improvement:
- The two screens are significantly brighter than before and feature adjustable brightness levels
- The DS Lite is dramatically smaller (42 percent by volume) and uses higher-quality materials than the standard DS.
- The stylus used to interact with the touch screen is more comfortable to hold.
- Battery life has increased to between 10 and 15 hours using typical screen brightness levels.
If I get a Sony PSP, how do I watch movies on it?
Some movies are available on UMD, the native optical disc format of the Sony PSP. They are priced roughly the same as standard DVDs. If you have a large Sony Memory Stick card (perhaps one gigabyte in capacity), you can watch movies converted from your own DVDs using various commercial software packages. However, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) makes it a crime to bypass the security features of digital media like DVDs. Converting your own DVDs may be in violation of the DMCA.
Once I pick a handheld game console, how do I determine which games to get?
Ask for the advice of friends who have the same game system, as they may be able to provide recommendations specific to your tastes. In addition, you may want to visit a meta-review Web site for a broader perspective. These sites compile reviews from a variety of sources, often providing a standardized “score” for each game. The most comprehensive site of this type is GameRankings.com. Other review sites which gather information from multiple review sources include Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic.
Final Thoughts
It’s a great time to buy a handheld game console. Whether you choose the multimedia prowess and incredible screen quality of the Sony PSP, or the highly rated games, innovative control system, and superb battery life of the Nintendo DS, you will find hours of entertainment within your grasp.
Posted by moetting at 5:04 PM