Apple now touting iPhone/iPod as gaming platform superior to DS and PSP

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: Queasy

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
LOL, Apple + games

Originally posted by: Childs
Otherwise the quality is subpar, but that has nothing to do with the iPhone/iPod as a gaming platform. More and more real game developers are developing for the iphone, and you see it in the games that are starting to come out. So if Square does FF for iPhone and DS, why buy the DS version when you can play the same game on the iPhone and not carry around yet another device?

I disagree. The iPhone version will be worse because a touch screen is inferior to physical buttons for controlling games. Everyone knows this.

Depends on the game. Madden? Yeah, you need buttons. A turn-based FF game? I don't see why a touch interface wouldn't work.

Tried it on DS. Buttons work better.

Plus, my experience with iPhone games has made it seem even less accurate than the DS (maybe because there is no stylus).

I don't want to select Libra when I meant to select Esuna.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Childs
And we can agree to disagree on the mobile platform of choice. No other platform would people always carry around, because its their phone. Also, you can buy games anytime, anywhere. Devs can get impulse buyers, especially if you are waiting at an airport or whatnot. More advantages than disadvantages IMO.

The DS has a gargantuan advantage--install base 😛

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: Childs
When the major devs start putting their games on it it will be the dominant platform, and they are starting to do it. Assassins Creed 2, Madden 10, etc. Most of the games for the iphone right now are independents, and sometimes they make decent stuff. Otherwise the quality is subpar, but that has nothing to do with the iPhone/iPod as a gaming platform. More and more real game developers are developing for the iphone, and you see it in the games that are starting to come out. So if Square does FF for iPhone and DS, why buy the DS version when you can play the same game on the iPhone and not carry around yet another device?

Madden 10 will make the iPhone the most epic gaming platform in history!

Again, successful sales do not necessarily make it the best gaming platform. Just the easiest to swallow.

Garbage ports from EA isn't going to make me wish I were playing an iPhone.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: Childs
Its just as superior as the Wii is to the 360/PS3. I personally am not a DS/PSP kind of guy, but I do occasionally play free iPhone games. There is nothing the iPhone/iPod cant do that the PSP/DS can, aside from tactile feedback via actual buttons, and once the big devs start targeting it I have no doubt it will be the mobile gaming platform of choice. Afterall, you get gaming with your iPhone/iPod, and no one can compete with that.

What are you rambling about? Especially the last sentence? It doesn't even make sense.

iPhone games are garbage. It will never replace the DS/PSP.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Apple. Constantly crowing about the number of apps; 60,000 apps, 20,000 games. So what? I'd rather crawl over 50 crap apps just to get to one fat sweet decent app. 20,000 turds doth not make a diamond.

 

[Ackmed]

No, most games arent that good. But the same can be said for DS games. Tons of shovelware and kid games. I have found myself playing my ipod touch a lot recently, and you would be foolish to think its not going to be a major player in mobile gaming. There are a ton of very nice user created games, and even some good ports of well established games. Such as RE4, Assassins Creed, Doom, and many more. Lots of good "time killer" games, card games, board games, you name it.

I would still rather have my PSP, but I will be using both. Especially since my touch is jailbroken.

Originally posted by: Dumac


Again, successful sales do not necessarily make it the best gaming platform. Just the easiest to swallow.

Same could be said about the Wii? It is the truth in my case. I hardly ever play my Wii.

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: Ackmed
No, most games arent that good. But the same can be said for DS games. Tons of shovelware and kid games. I have found myself playing my ipod touch a lot recently, and you would be foolish to think its not going to be a major player in mobile gaming. There are a ton of very nice user created games, and even some good ports of well established games. Such as RE4, Assassins Creed, Doom, and many more. Lots of good "time killer" games, card games, board games, you name it.

I would still rather have my PSP, but I will be using both. Especially since my touch is jailbroken.

Originally posted by: Dumac


Again, successful sales do not necessarily make it the best gaming platform. Just the easiest to swallow.

Same could be said about the Wii? It is the truth in my case. I hardly ever play my Wii.

The level of quality in DS games and iPhone games don't even compare.

I've played many, many iPhone games, and the ones I play are usually the best rated or most popular. However, I am hard pressed to think of one single decent (simply decent, not even good/great/spectacular) iPhone exclusive game. I can think of plenty of decent games on the DS, as well as many good, great, and spectacular games.

Of course the iPhone is going to be a major player in mobile gaming. However, is it going to offer anything substantial that makes me think of is as the best mobile platform? I doubt it. I doubt it will offer anything anytime soon that will make me even think of it as being even close to the other two competitors.

The main advantage of the iPhone is, as everyone else has said, convenience. Most people always have their phone with them. Plus, you can buy games anywhere, anytime. Also, the games are cheap. However, they are cheap for a reason. They lack substance and are very quick and easy to create (creating games on the iPhone is much, much easier IMO than any of the other handheld platforms). The games are the iPhone are meant to be bought, played for a minute thinking "oh this is neat", and then turned off and stashed in an every growing library of "ooo neato" apps. This makes it a quite multi-use device to carry around. However, judged as a gaming platform alone, it isn't too attractive.

If I had a nickel for every time my uncle (an "Apple fanboi" who owns every type of product they have ever produced as well as their stock) walked over and said "check this out" after he bought a new iPhone app, let me play the game for a minute for the neat factor, and then shrugged when I asked "what else is there to do?"...

EDIT: As far as the Wii, it is sort of along the sames lines as in you can't judge the quality of the platform by the number of games on it or the number of units shipped. Plus, they both thrive on the whole "interactive motion control" gimmick that rarely ever adds anything to gaming (I can't even think of more than 1 example of motion controls done right). However, they are different in t he the Wii actually has a few, you know, quality games.

 

[Ackmed]

Im not saying it will make a gamer replace the DS or the PSP. Mainly because of the limited controls. Shooters are annoying some times because you have to touch the screen in a circle to move, and touch the screen on the other side to shoot. That being said, there are a lot of good ports of major game franchises.

And I compared the DS games to igames because there is a lot of trash between the good games. There are a lot of good user created games though. Just like the PC, with the ability to explore what they want to do, some games are good. Trine, Plants vs. Zombies, World of Goo, etc. All creatd by a single person, or a very small team. You can find such gems in igames. But they can be hard to find, because of the simple amount of games there are out for it. There is a ton of crap. The ratio is about the same to the DS for good games/trash, in my opinion. Most DS games are kiddie games, with very few that are my type of games. Others may not agree. And as I said, most apps/games are just time fillers. I use it when Im waiting for a haircut, waiting for my wife while shopping, etc. They arent "serious" games per say, at least not for me. I know what it is, and use it as such.

And Im not even close to an apple fan boy. I love my touch for what it does, but hate how apple does business. Having to pay for a firmware upgrade is silly. Especially when the product has been able to do something all along (bluetooth) and then they charge you $10 for a update that makes it work. And itunes is an annoying piece of crap software.

All Im saying is, the touch and other super mobile (phones) hardware will give the PSP and DS some competition. Especially years down the road. Phones are taking over, being the 'everything' hardware. They're going to make a ton of money from these games/apps. From a business standpoint, its hard to argue with it.

 

[Childs]

You guys act like you represent all people who play games. You are probably the same guys who said the Wii would never sell. Dominant mobile platform has nothing to do with the quality of the experience, its how many users and how many games are sold. Convergence devices like the iPhone are the future, not dedicated devices like the PSP and DS. Mobile games growth isnt going to come from the DS and PSP. And my point about Madden is valid, as Madden 10 is available for the iPhone now, while I dont believe there is a DS or PSP version yet.

 

[Deeko]

Originally posted by: Childs
You guys act like you represent all people who play games. You are probably the same guys who said the Wii would never sell. Dominant mobile platform has nothing to do with the quality of the experience, its how many users and how many games are sold. Convergence devices like the iPhone are the future, not dedicated devices like the PSP and DS. Mobile games growth isnt going to come from the DS and PSP. And my point about Madden is valid, as Madden 10 is available for the iPhone now, while I dont believe there is a DS or PSP version yet.

The primary customer of handheld gaming is not old enough to have an iPhone.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: Childs
You guys act like you represent all people who play games. You are probably the same guys who said the Wii would never sell. Dominant mobile platform has nothing to do with the quality of the experience, its how many users and how many games are sold. Convergence devices like the iPhone are the future, not dedicated devices like the PSP and DS. Mobile games growth isnt going to come from the DS and PSP. And my point about Madden is valid, as Madden 10 is available for the iPhone now, while I dont believe there is a DS or PSP version yet.

I didnt read anything past your first sentence. If you notice, I said "imo" several times. Meaning, I speak for myself. So, please read before posting next time.

 

[Childs]

Originally posted by: Ackmed

I didnt read anything past your first sentence. If you notice, I said "imo" several times. Meaning, I speak for myself. So, please read before posting next time.

Not to nitpick as I apparently have my hands full in this thread, but I wasnt referring to your post, which is why there was no quote. I was responding to all the people who quoted my posts.

Anyways, no worries. Its not like any of this will be decided today.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Childs
You guys act like you represent all people who play games. You are probably the same guys who said the Wii would never sell. Dominant mobile platform has nothing to do with the quality of the experience, its how many users and how many games are sold. Convergence devices like the iPhone are the future, not dedicated devices like the PSP and DS. Mobile games growth isnt going to come from the DS and PSP. And my point about Madden is valid, as Madden 10 is available for the iPhone now, while I dont believe there is a DS or PSP version yet.

PSP version was released the same week as the home console versions. A DS version wasn't made this year but Madden has been on the DS in the past.

 

[Dumac]

Originally posted by: Childs
You guys act like you represent all people who play games.

No, no one in this thread has acted in such a way. Everyone has based their opinion on their personal preferences, which is what is most important to the individual consumer.

You are probably the same guys who said the Wii would never sell.

An unrelated and unqualified remark.

Dominant mobile platform has nothing to do with the quality of the experience, its how many users and how many games are sold.

True, but this thread is about whether the iPhone is a superior gaming platform. When consider if a platform is better for the consumer, pure units shipped isn't a primary factor. This is the same as anything else. Most would disagree with you if you said EA is the best developer or that Madden is superior to the many better reviewed and more substantial yet less profitable games.

Even so, the iPhone isn't even close to being the dominant mobile gaming platform, nor do I see it becoming it. The sales and install base doesn't even compare, and the iPhone has yet to pierce many markets.

Convergence devices like the iPhone are the future, not dedicated devices like the PSP and DS.

Convergence is the future, but your label of the PSP and the DS as dedicated devices is misguided. Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo all realize the demand for multi-functional devices, which is why the current console and handheld generation has moved towards convergence. Sony and Nintendo have made their handheld systems more reliant on internet applications, supplied many media functions, as well as allowed communication both in-game and out-of-game through developer communication systems as well as third party systems like skype.

The iPhone doesn't start the move for convergence. It existed a long time before the iPhone debuted. Apple is just riding the wave.

Mobile games growth isnt going to come from the DS and PSP.

Another misguided and unqualified statement. As I said before, both Sony and Nintendo obviously realize the demand for multi-application devices, so they very well increase these aspects in their future products. The DSi and PSP Go are both obvious signs of this.

If you strictly meant the current models of the DS and PSP, then you are partially right. These models aren't going to cause substantial growth because they are dated and established products who have already caused significant growth. Even so, the DSi has pushed many units, and the PSP Go may as well.

And my point about Madden is valid, as Madden 10 is available for the iPhone now, while I dont believe there is a DS or PSP version yet.

Queasy has addressed this. Damn, the man seems to be on top of everything 😛