The best handheld?? [Archive] - Retrogaming Roundtable

jcalder8

03-09-2006, 10:53 PM

I've been thinking about getting a handheld system and I'm wondering what opinions people have as to the best one. I only want to play games on it so the fact that the psp can play movies doesn't make any difference to me. It can be a new system or an older one it doesn't matter to me. So lets here which one and why.
Thanks
Jon

incubus421

03-09-2006, 11:21 PM

Well, it really depends on your preference. I would say your two main choices are Gameboy Advanced and Nintendo DS.

Advanced offers more action/adventure/rpg style games...Golden Sun, Couple Castlevania's, Fire Emblem, FFT Advanced, Riviera, and Tactics Ogre just to name a few.

While the DS offers more interactive/unique/puzzler type games including Nintendogs, Kirby's Canvas Curse, Metroid Pinball, Lumines, Meteos, and of course Mario Kart DS.

If graphics is a big thing for you then go with DS or PSP.
If you ask me, it's really a question of what you prefer.

Snapple

03-09-2006, 11:36 PM

If you want scaled down ports of Playstation games, get a PSP. If you want the biggest screen, get a PSP. If you want the ability to surf the web and play emulators of SNES, Genesis, Gameboy, etc, get a PSP. Also, if you want insane load times, get a PSP.

If you want more colorful, silly games, get a DS. If you want more exclusive titles (as opposed to glorified ports), get a DS. If you want arcade-type games that you can pick up and put down, get a DS.

And if you want a GBA, get a DS. The DS can play GBA games, so I really wouldn't recommend wasting your money on a GBA at this point. GBA has a lot of 2D games... so if you like those, it might interest you. I think the GBA library is horrible for the most part, but there are a couple gems in it.

The DS almost unquestionably has the stronger library right now. There are a lot of great games for it. However, the PSP has its own merits. Like I said, it has more mature, Playstation-type games. It has the much more powerful engine, and you can upload emulators onto a PSP, which a lot of people really like.

Depends on your taste largely, but if you don't know what your taste is, I really recommend a DS. I have both systems, but the DS won me over in a *big* way while the PSP has just kind of disappointed me with the lack of good, original games to take advantage of the hardware.

Skyone

03-09-2006, 11:39 PM

My favorite store sold is the DS. Followed up by the Gameboy SP.

Because SP was the first with a backlight (besides Gameboy Light - only released in Japan), I loved it. The DS has some amazing games on there, and I love WiFi.

neuropolitique

03-10-2006, 12:07 AM

GBA SP2. It is simply the most portable system ever, with arguably the best portable library ever. The new screen ain't too shabby either. Many of it's best games can be picked up for next to nothing, and even new systems can be had for deals.

Jibbajaba

03-10-2006, 01:53 AM

zektor

03-10-2006, 02:07 AM

You may want to look into the new DS Lite, since the screen is supposed to be the best ever, and it has a nice new slim design and can play GBA games as well as DS titles.

cyberfluxor

03-10-2006, 02:30 AM

I'd go with the DS. I plan on getting one later down the road because the game library is already looking awesome. At first I was thinking "what a piece of junk with touch screens breaking" and other odd things. But over time the games that have come out seem far better than around launch and is amazing. Plus with what they're saying it can play GBA games as well that would make it a great handheld with an even larger library. DS > PSP in my opinion.

Jed

03-10-2006, 02:59 AM

Nomad.

You have pretty much the entire Genny library at your hands, plus you can do... this.

http://photobucket.com/albums/y126/jedc/portable.jpg

(Obviously I know that doesn't work, it's just cool to see. Imagine walking around with that, pretending that you were playing it. >_>)

Jibbajaba

03-10-2006, 09:24 AM

That would be slightly funnier if you put Sonic and Knuckles in the Game Genies, and then a Sonic game on top of that.

:D

Chris

Captain Wrong

03-10-2006, 09:51 AM

Microvision.

...and a boot to Modern Gaming, I guess.

Joker T

03-10-2006, 11:56 AM

I still own 2 regular GBA SPs and I love them, DS and PSP are good also.

DonMarco

03-10-2006, 12:56 PM

Neo Geo Pocket Color

Mostly because it has the best fighting games and sticks for playing fighting games. Also a really great golf game and some gems from Capcom. The good game:bad game ratio is like 2:1 for the system. It goes up to 40 hours on 2 AAs if you turn off the volume. I know that because it lasted me a bus from Florida to Michigan and back. Maybe more than 40 hours, hell.

It's not super-popular or commercially sucessful, but obviously, that's because a great number of gamers never played one or ha a chance to play one. It was out for less than a year and was pulled from the market after SNK was bought by Azure. It wasn't a bad system by any means and might have given the GBA a decent fight.

jsiucho

03-10-2006, 01:39 PM

McBacon

03-10-2006, 01:57 PM

At the moment, I can't get enough of the PSP; GTA, Burnout, Wipeout, EXIT, Taiko Drum Master... cool stuff.

And downloadable content is really cool, like EXIT's level count when from 100 to 210 just because of their website.

And I thought "I won't watch videos on this!" but I do, all the time, TV episodes, funny clips i want to show my friends.

BUT, if you prefer retro feeling games, and are against emulation, I'd reccomend a GBA for Metroid, Zelda etc.

As for which, find friends or shops that have the three consoles (GBa, GBA SP, GB Micro) and find which ever is most comfortable to hold, and go with that.

Lozza

03-10-2006, 02:55 PM

NGPC, easily.

It may not be as advanced as newer handhelds, but the games are great!

If you live in the UK or Japan, the NGPC is easy to collect for aswell.

If you want a console that has an almost infinate library then get a Gameboy Advance. You can play all original GB games, GBC games and GBA games. 100% compatibility.

jcalder8

03-10-2006, 03:35 PM

McBacon

03-10-2006, 03:48 PM

PSP can emulate:

Amiga 500
Amstrad CPC
Apple II
All Atari Systems
Commodore 64
Gameboy & Gameboy Color
HitBit
HP48
Macintosh
MAME
MSX
Neo Geo
Nintendo 64
Nintendo NES
PC-9801
ScummVM (Classic PC Adventures)
Sega Gamegear & Master System
Sega Genesis Megadrive
Super Nintendo SNES
Turbo Grafx 16 & PC Engine
Vectrex
Wonderswan
X86
ZX Spectrum

How they good is dependant on the system, game and emulator, but most stuff is very playable.

The thing is, you need to have a suitable firmware on your PSP to be able to run them (bit out of the loop on that issue as I'm still on 1.5, if someone can help out) and then its a case of dropping a couple of fodlers onto the memory stick and the roms in certain folder.
Then from the PSP's OS, you goto the games menu, select memory stick and load the emulator.

Most have save states, speed options and screenshots, I'm totally 95% impressed with PSP emu, and thats with SNES and Megadrive games!

EDIT: DS cannot play GBC/GB games

Julio III

03-10-2006, 03:48 PM

Thanks for all the input. I'm thinking about the DS but only if it can play GB color games otherwise the GBA sounds good, does anyone know if it can?. About the PSP what systems can you emulate on there? Also how difficult is it to set up?
Thanks again
Jon

The DS can't play GB color or original GB games but the GBA can.
I don't have a PSP but i believe it can emulate up to SNES, Mega Drive and even Neo Geo.
The GBA can emulate up to NES and also original GB (which is useful as the DS doesn't support this so i play some old GB games via emulation on my DS occasionally, well, just Tetris really, it good old green and black.

If you are thinking of getting a GBA I really don't see any reason not to get a DS if you can spare a few more bucks because there are many many excellent games and some very unique titles that you won't find elsewhere also.

dbiersdorf

03-10-2006, 04:40 PM

http://be.gizmodo.com/gp2x.jpg

Hammy

03-10-2006, 06:17 PM

http://be.gizmodo.com/gp2x.jpg

agreed! best handheld going by a long straw!

jcalder8

03-10-2006, 06:58 PM

What is the GP2X and what can you play on it?
How do you get the DS to play nes and gb games?
Finally which system out of any of the ones listed above has the best battery life?
Thanks

jcalder8

03-10-2006, 06:58 PM

What is the GP2X and what can you play on it?
How do you get the DS to play nes and gb games?
Finally which system out of any of the ones listed above has the best battery life?
Thanks

staxx

03-10-2006, 07:16 PM

The Best Handheld made in my opinion is the PC Engine GT.

I would say this is the best because it was very revolutionary and impress at it's time with the technology for it's time. It was the first dual 8 bit handheld (I don't call it a 16 bit console though some people will classify it as that). During it the time, other handhelds that were around are

Game Gear (nice color screen but wasn't as great as the PC Engine GT LCD)

Atari Lynx (first color handheld I think, though also good, didn't have the software support as the PC Engine did

Gameboy (many great games produce but had a monochrome screen and wasn't backlite)

I could pick a today's handheld (PSP, GBA, GBA SP, DS, DS lite, GP2X. NGPC, Bandai Wonderswan) but none besides maybe the PSP, impressed me like the PC Engine GT did at the time.

PC Engine GT Pros:
Large game library
Had a TV Tuner
Color Backlit screen
For it's time had the best LCD
Comfortable to hold
Comfortable and great D-pad and buttons

Cons:
Ate batteries like no tomorrow

Sega_Seller

03-10-2006, 07:35 PM

Get a DS it is just a really fun system. I have a PSP and a DS and the games on the DS are 100 times better.

The games on the DS are fun and original where the games on the PSP are just normal games.

If you get a DS get Advance Wars, Trauma Center, Mario Kart, and Warioware.

You will have endless hours of fun!

Julio III

03-10-2006, 09:56 PM

What is the GP2X and what can you play on it?
How do you get the DS to play nes and gb games?
Finally which system out of any of the ones listed above has the best battery life?
Thanks

GP2X is for emulation. Its an open source handheld console, i think based on linux

To get a DS/GBA to play nes/gb games you need a GBA flash cart or movie player or some other device.

As for battery life, the GBA-SP / GBMicro / DS have the best i believe, i know someone on here did a comparison a few months ago, basically ran each system dry. I think they go about 12-20 hours.

whoisKeel

03-11-2006, 01:35 AM

Things to thing about:
What kind of games do you want to play?
How much will you play it?
How much do you want to spend?
Do you want to use emulators?

By far and large, the biggest library will be to choose a GBA SP(2). [Excluding emulation]

The best answer of course is, as always:

Pick a few systems that you are interested in. Compile a list of games that look interesting to you.

Choose the system that has the most number of games that you want to play.

Sothy

03-11-2006, 04:21 AM

Add a power base converter and a sonic tails plz.

Ed Oscuro

03-11-2006, 05:09 AM

My favorites: Game Boy series and the Nomad (even despite the tiny screen pixels). Yeah, for real. The Neo Geo Pocket Color is great, though, and if I had a PC-Engine GT (aka Turbo Express) I'd be promoting that as well :D