Unlockable Content 09.20.06: Handheld Showdown (1 of 2)
Posted by Will Scott on 09.20.2006
Haven't made a decision about a handheld yet? Totally in the dark about what to buy? Check this out to get a little more info. Oh, and there's finally a better title!
Hey folks, I'm back again with a marginally better title. I thought the new title was fitting - like its namesake, this column is something that's just outside the necessary portion of gaming coverage (news, previews, and reviews) that may or may not enhance the gaming experience. Not everything in here's important to everyone, but having the little extras is always a nice touch.
Plus, anything is better than Game Rants. Seriously.
This week, we're taking a look at gaming's biggest secondary battle - the battle for handheld supremacy. While the major console war is the subject of debate for many, the handheld battle is just as important. The parent company's fortunes are closely tied in with the smaller products (where would Nintendo be without the Gameboy?), and the systems help spread the brand-name of the parent company. So why isn't the debate as hot, and why aren't the fanboys quite as rabid?
For the most part, it might be because the idea of a "handheld rivalry" is new. Nintendo has always had a solid lock with the Gameboy - odds are, some iteration of the system was the first one purchased by most gamers today. Challengers have come and gone, including the Atari Lynx and the Sega Gamegear, but Nintendo's always seemed to be the primary marketer of these games. Another important factor is that these systems simply aren't primary gaming systems - the consoles are the battlefront, and the handhelds seem to be owned by players regardless of their brand allegiance. However, as the systems begin to enter the public consciousness a bit more, I wouldn't be surprised to see people begin to get up in arms on which one is better. So, I figure I'll jump the gun and give you all the lowdown on who's got what.
The Nintendo DS
Background and Description
The Nintendo DS is the current heir to the Gameboy's throne and the latest in a long line of hand-held systems from Nintendo. It incorporates much of the design of Nintendo's Gameboy Advance SP - the main screen flips up like a laptop, while the control buttons are on the lower portion. It is primary known for the innovative "Dual Screen" feature, the second, touch-sensitive screen on the bottom portion of the system. The DS (and its new iteration, the DS Lite) features games that take advantage of the screen in various ways, from featuring gameplay on both to featuring maps and inventory on the bottom screen.
Media Features
Zip. Nadda. No movies, no MP3s. There's a nice picto-chat feature, but that's about it, folks. This is a game machine from the old-school, pure and simple.
The Library
The Nintendo DS, like most handhelds, is composed mostly of handheld versions of console games and ported/enhanced versions of older games. However, the DS has several original games that take advantage of the Dual Screen, including the wildly popular Brain Age and Big Brain Academy.
Like the other members of the Gameboy family, the DS also features backwards compatibility. On the bottom of the handheld is a spot to insert Gameboy Advance games, and the player can choose between the two screens to display the content. This effectively gave the DS a massive library at launch, and more and more original and ported content seems to be being developed for the system.
The Pros
The DS carries the Nintendo pedigree and for good reason - it's a wonderful system. With graphics that are certainly on par with what one would expect from such a system, it also offers a string of innovative games that follow Nintendo's apparent new dictum of "reinventing gaming". The games are also fairly cheap - running from $29.99 to $39.99. Backwards compatibility with the SP means there's a sizable library, and Nintendo seems to have no plans of slowing down development for this handheld.
The Cons
Do you like in-depth, adult-oriented games? If so, you're barking up with wrong tree here. The DS is a bit of a child-oriented system, though the games do promise a good bit of "all-ages" fun. Oh, and I hope you like Mario...because you'll be seeing him a lot here, taking to heart the Gamecube's strategy. There's about half a dozen Mario games already, and counting. And it does take a bit of getting used to using the stylus and the touch screen in some of the games - so if you're not willing to make a change, this definitely isn't for you. Don't expect anything other than a gaming platform from the DS, either - there's no media functions here.
And that's the DS, in a nutshell. Next time, we'll take a look at the PSP, and see if it can stand toe to toe with the competition.
Beyond the Screen
Yes, there's more to life for me than videogames, and an enjoyable portion of that revolves around comic books. Since you'll see this column on Wednesday, what better thing to do than recommend a few good ones?
I'm not going to pimp 52 (if you don't already have it, you're $60 bucks or so in the hole to pick up the whole series), but this week does see a few good entries from Marvel. Astonishing X-Men (from which the storyline of the last movie was ripped off) is back with #17, where we see the Hellfire Club take on...Kitty Pride. Civil War #4 has finally come out, and you can continue to watch a trainwreck being made of my beloved Marvel Universe. And don't miss out on X-Factor #11, where you can get a decent mutant story that takes advantage of (but is not subsumed by) that last two crappy Marvel cross-overs.
Lights, Camera...Links Sean McCabe's back with another Metal Gear retrospective, shaming me in to going back and buying yet another video game. Way to go.
