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[Baller. PhD]

Why did you buy a vita and 3ds?

Because I have more money than sense and video games are my only real hobby. I always buy the latest consoles, handheld or otherwise.

 

[M3d10n]

Strange, for me it was the opposite: I am almost entirely desinterested in TV-tethered gaming. I see all the hype about uncharteds and wii u and can't relate to it.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

*pops monocle*

Thou art a dullard without the slightest notion of pleasure!

I don't know anyone who owns a DS or 3DS, so I don't really have access to Picross. The only one of my friends that has ever owned a handheld had a PSP which he ended up selling because he never used it anyway.

 

[Little Old Man]

I got a DS, put over 100 hours into Pokemon, a few hours into Super Bros, FFIV, and since then it's gathered dust.

Got a PSP last year, put 30 hours into FFVIII, a few into others, and that's it.

It is nothing to do with games or systems (though I do prefer a big screen), they're great. It's that I never make time to use them. I'd don't take them out of the house except for big trips (too cumbersome, no where to put them), and in the house I have my PC, laptop, and PS3 all vying for attention. Having them in a draw in my room doesn't help though.

 

[olimpia84]

Funny, I'm the completely opposite. Back in the day, I've owned a GBC, GBA and never enjoyed any handheld games outside of Pokemon and maybe Advance Wars. Because I didn't really care for handhelds I even skipped the DS which is crazy considering everybody had one.

I decided to go back with the PSP 3000 but it didn't do anything for me so right when I was about to give up on handhelds I decided to get a 3DS and it saved the day for me. The 3DS is amazing, so many fun games out now and for the future plus all the little apps like Streetpass Find Mii and the Puzzle Swap add more to the system. On top of that, not too long ago I got a Vita as well and I'm loving the heck out of it as well.

 

[hwy_61]

Why did you buy a vita and 3ds?

What kind of question is this?

 

[Crash Station]

I go where the games go.

 

[theytookourjobz]

I tried. Bought a DS and a PSP. Have always had the latest iPhone. Bought an iPad. Still would always rather game on my TV.

I suppose if I rode the bus or train a lot, I might do more mobile gaming but as it is I don't so I don't.

 

[Boney]

I don't know anyone who owns a DS or 3DS, so I don't really have access to Picross. The only one of my friends that has ever owned a handheld had a PSP which he ended up selling because he never used it anyway.

with added german

no excuses

 

[Nightstick11]

As I grow older, I do more and more of my gaming on portable. Maybe it's because I work long hours and I can't be arsed to sit in one place for hours when I get home, I don't know. I had a GBA SP and DS in college (DS was pretty common in undergrad) and played the hell out of it. My 3DS follows me on train rides, court appearances, late night office, etc.

Portable gaming is just a different spin on things. For example, I can't be arsed to sit and play Fire Emblem in front of the Wii all day, but put it on a portable, and I'll beat the game 40 times .Same goes with Tetris: I can't play Tetris on a console, but sit down on the couch, and I can play it all day.

This works in reverse as well, mainly with Dragon Quest, Mario Kart, Tekken, etc.

 

[boyshine]

Never cared much for portable gaming during the Game Boy period, somehow decided to buy a Game Boy Pocket (yellow of course) though, probably because I wanted to play something while on vacation.. also had a Game Boy Color.. but Game Boy Advance is where my gaming habits began to change. So many great games. And DS took that a step further with brand new genres and IPs like Layton, Ace Attorney and the Cing-games. Pre-GBA portable gaming was pretty much low-tech versions of games on NES/SNES, but while GBA introduced full SNES quality games, the DS became a force of its own where as a gamer you simply had to have one, because the games didn't exist elsewhere.

 

[Opiate]

I do not own a 3DS or Vita and have no plans to buy them, as both seem to be focusing on console-style gaming. I do not plan on buying a next generation home console, either; Ill likely stick to PC and perhaps mobile, as they tend to produce more expiremental, innovative fare, and I dont see this trend reversing with console budgets climbing ever higher.

 

[Crash Station]

If by 'best games' you mean JRPGs, then yeah, I guess you're right. If not.. then yeah, no.

Ghost Trick is better than 99.8% of console games these days.

 

[Razek]

It's the only way to play Pokemon so.....

It's the only reason I even own a 3DS, Gameboy Advanced, and Gameboy color. I don't own handhelds because they are portable. I own them because they have the exclusive games I want to play.

 

[entremet]

What kind of question is this?

Did you read his post? He said he's not into portable gaming, so I wondered why he would by the latest generation of devices.

Settle down.

 

[FStop7]

I am the bathroom champion of Lumines for the Vita.

But I never take my handhelds with me anywhere else, so I'm kind of torn on their value.

 

[Haliela]

Some of the best gaming experiences are on handhelds. If you're in to Nintendo games you have to own their handheld. Not only that but classic gaming/old school gaming is at its best right now in the handheld market. Great place for us 20 somethings and up to relive our gaming glory days.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

with added german

no excuses

:lol The only guy I know who's owned a GameBoy probably threw it away years ago (my little sister did have a GBC years ago, but fuck knows where that is now, and personally I've never owned a single Nintendo product). Generally none of my friends who play the vidya have cared about handhelds. It's been consoles and PCs exclusively, more or less.

 

[AppleBlade]

Kid + wife + more responsibilities at work = greater appreciation of handhelds. Heck, game pad play is the killer feature to me on the Wii U and might threaten my 3ds/vita playtime.

 

[alphaNoid]

Kind of, but I have my eye on the Vita. If it keeps getting more software I might need to get my hands on one.

 

[xJavonta]

Yes. Silly non-games, or neutered experiences that would've have been expanded upon/refined on a console. A handheld just can't do an Uncharted.

That's a terrible way to think. There are plenty of games that I would much rather have on a portable simply because they're better to play in shorter bursts than sitting at home.

Pokemon for example is the largest one. I would much rather keep a handheld version of it than a console version. It simply can't keep my attention long enough to translate well to a console.


I used to not be interested in the mobile market, then I started using my PSP more. So many great games and experiences. I never really paid much attention to my DS, but I'm starting to now, mobiles are fantastic and I think for the next gen I'll hold out on the new consoles until I see something amazing. My PC is good enough for those blockbusters and is an indie goldmine. Home consoles aren't really appealing to me anymore.

 

[tedtropy]

My interest in portable gaming waned about halfway into the life of the DS. Got my purple fat DS, enjoyed some Meteos and the other games at the time, but once I was done with my college classes and working fulltime I sort of ran out of those extra idle moments when I really enjoyed that type of gaming. I eventually got a black DS Lite that I've probably played for a dozen hours total, if that. It sits in basically pristine new condition in a carrying case, its battery likely completely discharged.

There are great games on the DS that I will likely never play, and I type that with abit of regret, but you can say that for basically every platform that exists. There just isn't enough hours in a day, or life for that matter, to play them all, so I play the ones that exist on the platform I prefer in the environment I prefer. Just so happens that tends to be ass-on-couch, with a big TV and 360.

Even when I'm idle in a waiting room or whatever I don't tend to play mobile games. Just fake looking at Twitter as I scan around the room trying to guess what sicknesses the people around me have...

 

[Mammoth Jones]

I love it since my lifestyle changed a few years ago. Entered "corporate America". Got engaged. Got a mortgage. No time time to sit on the couch or in front of the PC as much as I used to. And a 2 hour commute each way....

So now I get into portable gaming MUCH more than I did before. Because honestly...there's are days during the week that I just do not have time to sit down and game at home.

 

[emag]

Ghost Trick is better than 99.8% of console games these days.

Ghost Trick is best on iOS, though. Much more comfortable and responsive than on DS. The same goes for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (although only the first is available on the US app store).

 

[Etzer]

I have a stupid long daily commute, so it's essential for me. Either way, I care more about the software than what I'm playing it on, and it just so happens there's a lot of great exclusive software on handheld systems. I'm quite sure there's a lot of it I'd play on the big screen instead, if it was actually available.

Pretty much this. I guess it depends on your lifestyle. As a college student who takes a 30 minute bus ride every morning, gaming on portables is much more convenient for me.

Another thing is that there are certain series and genres that I feel work better on portables; stuff like Animal Crossing and Pokémon. Also, after getting a Vita, I realized that I enjoy racing and sports games much more on portables.

 

[Chinpoko_Master]

I've become less interested in portable gaming as I've grown older. I just don't feel like it's worth it to carry around a dedicated gaming system with me anymore, and it doesn't help that I don't travel that much either. I'm pretty satisfied with the games on my smartphone anyway, and I already own more of those than I'll be able to play.

Overall, I just prefer to game at home on the big screen. That's why I like things like the Game Boy Player that lets you play portable games on the TV. I'd totally buy a Vita if it had video output.

 

[A Twisty Fluken]

I love that it's self contained, but it comes down to the games. Since GBA, really, and definitely through DS, PSP, and 3DS, there have been more games to my taste on portables than consoles.

 

[Ghost_Protocol]

Me me me. I don't live in a city where riding the bus/train is a daily routine, I'm completely uninterested in portable versions of PS3/360 games, and there aren't many portable specific titles that interest me.

Also, the portable games that people love to rave about, 999 and TWEWY, do nothing for me. Radiant Historia, on the other hand, was great, but it was not something that I HAD to play.

 

[VALIS]

I have nothing in particular against it (although the Vita doesn't seem even remotely interesting to me), portable gaming just doesn't fit into the routine I already have. The PC gets most of my time, then the 360, and iPad games in bed or on vacation. Just no time/money/need for portable gaming.

 

[Raonak]

for me it's the opposite. im finding my self playing my ps3 less and less, while playing my vita more and more.
ps3 seems too much of a timesink; i have to dedicate atleast an hour to play a game on ps3, or else i won't make much use of it. while on vita, i can just pick it up, play for 10 mins, put it to sleep, do something else, then wake it up again. etc

even at home, id rather just watch TV while playing my vita. thats my main way to play these days. lying in bed, with some show on TV while i play.

so console like games on a handheld is something i want.

 

[jmizzal]

I dont care much for them I wouldnt invest in them, tho they are fun to play for a while, tho iphone gaming last much less to me.

 

[LuchaShaq]

I only buy portable consoles for three reasons.

1. I am bad at resisting "deals" on tech. 250$ vita? LOL fuck off Sony! 150$ vita with a memory card and two games on craigslist. OMG HAVE TO BUY!

2. My gf plays games frequently on the big screen, so it's nice to have a backup plan if I want to play something else and still be togetherish.

3. One of my jobs has frequent/random/sometimes extended down time where I can do whatever and 90% of the mobile games I play are too poor or too shallow to keep my attention for more than 5 min and only 1% keep my attention beyond a few days.

 

[GamerSoul]

Other than some iOS/Android stuff I only really play Pokemon and thats about it. Im gonna get a 3DS eventually though.

 

[Levyne]

I love it. Can have a show or sports game on the tv, neogaf and twitter on the laptop, and a game in my hands.

 

[DidntKnowJack]

As long as they keep making portable versions of Wipeout, Dragon Quest, Atlus rpg's, and Resident Evil, I'll keep buying portable systems.

 

[Hoya Destroyer]

I love videogames as im playing my xbox 360 all the time but I dont think Ill ever get into portable gaming because

1. I hardly ever leave my house.
2. I'd be embarrassed to play video games in public.
3. The portable gaming software seems more focused on kids and people who like Japanese games.
4. I really like playing multiplayer.
5. I like my 42"plasma screen.

 

[GeoramA]

I know to never get them at launch, that's for sure.

But yeah, not a big portable fan. I need to be content and relaxed to enjoy a game, so "gaming on the go" isn't compelling to me at all.

 

[Crash Station]

You know I do find the timing of this thread interesting, because the 3DS XL is blowing my mind right now.

 

[videogamephilosopher]

When the developers use the portable devices for innovative games that use the proprietary technology of each platform (3DS, VITA, IPAD, ETC) I am all for it.

 

[jgmo870]

I love portable gaming because it's not nearly as commitment heavy as console gaming. It's easy to detach myself from a game - I can put the system in sleep mode whenever I feel like it and then pick it up in the exact same spot even weeks after (if I'm using a Sony handheld).

 

[thetrin]

Portable games are awesome. I can play them anywhere. I especially like playing portable RPGs while I'm out on my deck having a smoke.

 

[terrisus]

2. I'd be embarrassed to play video games in public.
3. The portable gaming software seems more focused on kids and people who like Japanese games.

Well, not sure what to tell you on those ones. I used to take my GBC with me during my undergrad and use it to kill time in between classes. Had some pretty nice conversations with people about some games, and even found a couple of other people to play some games like Hexcite that had a multiplayer/alternating gameplay option (passing the system around between turns. Since, this was before the days of DS and single-card multiplayer to people with multiple systems, would have needed to get other people with the same game for multi-system multiplayer). Plus got some other people addicted to Mario Golf for GBC as well.

But then, it's not like I would have really cared even if other people didn't think it was interesting. They're video games, they're to have fun, that's all I cared about. Who cares what other people think?

 

[BasilZero]

I enjoyed last gen and I'm gonna enjoy this gen as well when I get the systems later on.

 

[Skilletor]

I like good games, and I'm smart enough to appreciate them whether they're on a handheld or on a giant screen.

Brofist. Jpg


Gaming is gaming no matter where or what you game on.

 

[iLLmaticV3]

JRPG's. Something handhelds have always done better than consoles, in quality and quantity. Until that changes, I'll gladly pay for any handheld that satiates my tastes. I have preferred portable gaming over console gaming since the GBA. I love gaming on the go. Don't have the patience to sit down and play console games, anymore. Feels restricting.

 

[Baller. PhD]

Ghost Trick is better than 99.8% of console games these days.

Totally, Ghost Trick is one of my favorite iPad games.

 

[Like the hat?]

I generally prefer the types of games that are on handhelds, and I really like not being stuck in front of the tv. Not that i dont love consold games too, of course. Can't wait for wii u to set me free.

 

[Prophane33]

I pretty much only play on PC or Handhelds, over (current gen) consoles. I like playing games in Japanese or at least Japanese developed games and those are being pretty much isolated to handhelds these days.

 

[hwy_61]

Totally, Ghost Trick is one of my favorite iPad games.

And let me add that a stylus really makes that game. I tried it on iPad, and didn't like it at all. The benefit of iOS, however, is the price flexibility.

 

[Devilgunman]

I play handheld because sometime I'm just tired of staring at 50" screen in front of me and want to play a game comfortably on my recliner. I game on handheld 90% at home but there are always times when I travel and handheld gaming is the first thing I pack into my luggage.