Handheld Gaming and You - A Few Questions for LCVG

[JFo]

The forthcoming release of the Nintendo DS and the announcement of the PSP's official price got me thinking about the gaming habits of hardcore gamers like those of us here at LCVG. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask a few questions

 

1. How old are you?

(Don't worry; we won't laugh. )

 

2. How often do you play handheld games?

(Please note, I don't just mean the GBA when I ask this. Handheld gaming can refer to games on cell phones, Palm Pilots, or even an NGage if that's what you prefer. As long as you're not sitting in front of a computer screen or playing a home system on a TV.

 

Also, I don't care how exact your answers are. You can respond with anything from as vague as "sometimes" or "often" to as exact as 5 hours and 33 seconds a week. You could even give us a percentage if you like. Just give us a general idea of how much time you spend playing.)

 

3. How many handheld games have you purchased this year?

 

4. Which would you prefer, playing a game on a home console or playing the same game on a handheld system?

 

Thanks for the response, and be sure to elaborate your answers where appropriate!

[Romier S]

1. How old are you?

 

27

 

2. How often do you play handheld games?

 

Mainly handheld gaming is usually reserved for "toilet time" as I call it. Mind you I also play a bit of the my GBA on the TV using the GC adapter as well. I also get a game in or two at work in between service calls. I'd say I play semi-often but not anywhere near as much as I do with my regular consoles or my PC.

 

3. How many handheld games have you purchased this year?

 

Thus far about 12.

 

4. Which would you prefer, playing a game on a home console or playing the same game on a handheld system?

 

Home console all the way. Though I'm the type of person that would buy the game twice so that I could have a portable version of it as well.

[Rob B]

Originally posted by J.Fo@Oct 27 2004, 08:52 PM

The forthcoming release of the Nintendo DS and the announcement of the PSP's official price got me thinking about the gaming habits of hardcore gamers like those of us here at LCVG. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask a few questions

 

1. How old are you?

(Don't worry; we won't laugh. )

 

2. How often do you play handheld games?

(Please note, I don't just mean the GBA when I ask this. Handheld gaming can refer to games on cell phones, Palm Pilots, or even an NGage if that's what you prefer. As long as you're not sitting in front of a computer screen or playing a home system on a TV.

 

Also, I don't care how exact your answers are. You can respond with anything from as vague as "sometimes" or "often" to as exact as 5 hours and 33 seconds a week. You could even give us a percentage if you like. Just give us a general idea of how much time you spend playing.)

 

3. How many handheld games have you purchased this year?

 

4. Which would you prefer, playing a game on a home console or playing the same game on a handheld system?

 

Thanks for the response, and be sure to elaborate your answers where appropriate!

1. 27

 

2. palm piolt at least twice a week

 

3. 0

 

4. both depending on the game. Like Zelda on Game cube and zelda On a game boy = good times. However not a fan of when they try to put a game like splinte cell on a hand held doesn't work for me

[Mark E]

Mainly handheld gaming is usually reserved for "toilet time" as I call it.

 

That's just vile. I know the games are exciting, but they're not THAT exciting :green:.

 

1. I'm 26.

 

2. Honestly, right now it's pretty rare, I'm caught up in my console endeavours. To be even more honest, I got my GBA mostly for Zelda: Four Swords. I have put 18 hours into Golden Sun and over 30 into MegaMan Battle Network over the past three months though.

 

3. Six. I'm hoping to get Mario & Luigi SuperStar Saga at some point in the near future.

 

4. Home console. The GBA's great, but it has nothing on the big screen and the complexity. I have it for my old school fix and it does an excellent job.

[JFo]

Mainly handheld gaming is usually reserved for "toilet time" as I call it.

 

Note to self: Never borrow Romier's GameBoy.

[rustyjaw]

Originally posted by J.Fo@Oct 27 2004, 06:52 PM

4. Which would you prefer, playing a game on a home console or playing the same game on a handheld system?

I'm 35

 

I play handheld games almost every day, often at various times of a given day, on my Palm. I'm seriously into Palm games.

 

I've purchased about 20 handheld games, most of those PalmOS, but of those probably 5-7 for the GBA.

 

4 is a tough question for me, especially because my handheld platform of choice is based around a touch screen which you can't replicate well with a controller. So there aren't any PalmOS games (that I can think of) that are available for any console.

 

But for a GBA game that has a console equivalent, I would probably choose the console game.

 

I also think that at least until the release of the PSP, what a handheld system was capable of technically (in terms of processor power, graphics acceleration, screen size) dictated what kinds of games are made for it. So handheld games have been, for some time, very much in the 'old-school' vein (which is not necessarily bad at all). This is the main reason I'm looking forward to the PSP, because I think for the first time a handheld system will come very close to matching the specifications of a current console.

[Zathras]

29

 

rarely - Primarily when I'm on vacation/away from the house for an extended length of time.

 

 

2-3 games

 

Home console - but would like for the portables to get much closer to the power of consoles.

[Covak]

1. 25

 

2. Rarely. When I used to take a train to work I played 'em for at least 40 minutes each weekday (20 minutes each way on the train, and then more in the evening if I was into it). I also played a heck of a lot during certain university lectures, a few years back

 

3. One. Metroid: Zero Mission. But I played that completely with the GB Player.

 

4. If it's the same game, usually on a home console. But some games I find to be more portable than others (puzzle games, Advance Wars...). If the small screen and crappy sound doesn't hurt the gameplay, it's nice to lounge around wherever.

[Chris]

1. 30

2. I can be found playing games on my Cli? in long lineups at ATMs, in the Tim Horton's drive thru, or on the ferry if I haven't brought my laptop, but I'm more likely to be reading an e-book. Rarely.

3. 0 ? I generally just play freeware. I don't play enough to spend money on it.

4. Console for sure. Big screen, big sound.

[shine5555]

1. How old are you?

32

 

2. How often do you play handheld games?

Everyday, It is the only thing that gets me through work. I play about 1.5 ? 2 hours a day, and when it is a really good game; I will bring the GameBoy SP home and play on the nights or weekends

 

3. How many handheld games have you purchased this year?

10 plus, I should keep track.

 

4. Which would you prefer, playing a game on a home console or playing the same game on a handheld system?

I have a projector, 9-foot wide screen and very nice sounded sound setup. I love to play console at home. On the other hand?.For a quick play, or while not at home, I love my SP. I do plan on buying both the DS and the Sony

[Kain rising]

1. 27

2. Depends - when Superstar Saga came out I played a lot but these days - I think it's been a few months since I've even had the GBA (my only means of handheld gaming) on.

3. 2 or 3 I think.

4. Home console.

[Carlucci]

1. How old are you?

 

37

 

2. How often do you play handheld games?

 

Almost none at all now that BOTH of my boys have lost their Gameboy SP's. One may actually have been stolen by a houseguest, but since I have no proof, there's not much I can do.

 

Before they were lost I would play about an hour a week on average.

 

3. How many handheld games have you purchased this year?

 

3

 

4. Which would you prefer, playing a game on a home console or playing the same game on a handheld system?

 

 

Most definitely home console. There's much more comfortable controllers and less eyestrain involved when playing on the home system.

 

 

Carlos.

[GreenMonkey]

I'll echo Zathras on this one, I cut and pasted his post, mostly

 

25

 

rarely - Primarily when I'm on vacation/away from the house for an extended length of time.

 

 

2-3 games

 

Home console

 

 

Personally I don't care about the power, I care about the games. Portable oldschool RPGs are what I like, but I never find time to play handhelds. I picked up a Game boy player, though, and played some GBC Dragon Warrior III on it

[Starhawk]

1. 25

 

2. Rarely. When the GBA SP came out, I started playing more handhelds again, but right now, I really dont have the opportunity to play handhelds except for being at home. Then I play console games.

 

3. Maybe 1?

 

4. Home console.

 

I say all this, yet im still intrigued by both the DS and the PSP.

[Big Daddy Bling Bling]

1. 23 years old

 

2. It really depends. I haven't played them much lately because I've been at home so much. However, a few years back, Advance Wars really helped get me through some blowoff classes like Theater and Marketing. I anticipate that I'll be playing them more soon though. I'm about to take a job with an accounting firm that will have frequent travel, so I'll need something to do in airports and hotel rooms. I plan on getting a PSP to take with me, and I might get a gaming laptop too.

 

3. I have bought about 25 GBA games since the original GBA was released.

 

4. I'd definately rather play on a console. The only time I play portable is when a console isn't available, or I have a portable game that I like enough to play at home.

[Orpheus]

1. 31

 

2. Infrequently to daily, depending on if I've brought it to work or not. Great for restroom breaks at work since the magazine selection here sucks and Wario Ware or a quick couple holes of Mario Golf are perfect for such a thing. Always take it on road trips, going to concerts when I'm not the driver, and for family functions if I'm not hauling a console home with me.

 

3. Maybe 4 or so this year, I'm still playing some of my older titles frequently. It has to be a pretty strong title for me to pick it up because...

 

4. I much prefer playing on home consoles with a larger screen and great sound.

[db]

1. How old are you?

34

 

2. How often do you play handheld games?

Infrequently, though I do devote a lot time to a new game when I get one. I recently got promoted to a position that will give me more time for slacking, so the DS and PSP can't come soon enough for me.

 

3. How many handheld games have you purchased this year?

7

 

4. Which would you prefer, playing a game on a home console or playing the same game on a handheld system?

Console.

[Murakami]

Im 33 and a half

 

Play on my SP and NGPC every day

 

Probably brought around 15 games so far this year but pre-ordered loads of DS and PSP games

 

I enjoy playing handhelds and home consoles the same really

[matt]

I?m 30.

 

I don?t play portables very often, but yet I still seem to spend money on the games and systems. I do have a GB Player that I have used several times, much easier to see.

 

I?ve purchased about 3 or 4 GBA games in the last year, but have only played 1 or 2 of them.

 

As with most here I prefer the big screen to the little one

[Sam P]

1. 21

 

2. Rarely. When I got my GBA, I played quite a bit of Mario Golf, tons of Wario Ware and some Yoshi's Island. It's a great system and I enjoy it, but once the novelty wore off I lost interest, primarily cause I don't have any valid places to use it. Bus rides are short, I drive alot, and I don't want to whip out a Gameboy on my breaks. I like to travel with as little things to lose as possible.

 

There's also another reason. I'm, um, a little obsessive about my stuff and like to take care of them. I just don't like bringing something along that I know will get banged up and that I'll be getting dirty hands all over, all the time.

 

3. 2 or 3.

 

4. Home console.

 

I still like the idea of both the DS and the PSP. I want one, or both, but I know that I will stop using it very quickly, unless there's something addicting.