Will android gaming ever equal iPhone OS? (Quality, not quantity)

[slackerinabox]

My wife and I played with the iPad today and were very impressed with gaming on it - sure, it's wasn't PSP quality, but a game of Diner Dash was colorful, fast, and fun. Android gaming currently sucks, though I love my droid. With all these different hardware configs out there (and OS layers, fragmentation/etc.), will android gaming ever equal the iPhone/ipod/ipad experience?

I mainly wonder this because my wife REALLY enjoyed the iPad and I may save my pennies for a birthday gift... I would much rather support one of the upcoming Android tablets, but the flash/stock gaming debate is one I'm wondering about...

 

[Bateluer]

The Asus eeePads looks interesting, C2D based and Windows 7 powered. Their UIs need work, according to Engadget, but they aren't shipping for 6 to 8 months. Should be able to run a plethora of Windows games just fine, I would think, control issues not withstanding.

 

[MJinZ]

LOL @ people who have nothing better to waste their time on than phone games.

 

[slackerinabox]

The Asus eeePads looks interesting, C2D based and Windows 7 powered. Their UIs need work, according to Engadget, but they aren't shipping for 6 to 8 months. Should be able to run a plethora of Windows games just fine, I would think, control issues not withstanding.

Haven't really thought of a windows 7 based tablet because it just doesn't seem very touch friendly. ExoPC and the asus look interesting, but they seem to use UI layers to fix Win 7 touch flaws (not really flaws, it an outstanding desktop os), but it just seems like it's going to end in awkward interactions and layer crashes.. Or maybe i'm just biased based on my samsung touchwiz phones that tried to overcome win mobile flaws using UI tweaks that made everything slow and awkward.

Win CE seems plausible, and I love my zune HD.. But I think there are 4 apps on the marketplace? I don't know why but MS doesn't seem to support that world very much.

 

[slackerinabox]

LOL @ people who have nothing better to waste their time on than phone games.

It's not really wasting time - she commutes about 2 hours a day and has an NDS, a zune, and a droid. Back when she had an iPhone she just had an iphone...I suppose she could put music on her droid but she's not a fan of the interface (plus we're zunepassers). I yearn for the day when the android platform could reach that level..It's SO close!

 

[MJinZ]

It's not really wasting time - she commutes about 2 hours a day and has an NDS, a zune, and a droid. Back when she had an iPhone she just had an iphone...I suppose she could put music on her droid but she's not a fan of the interface (plus we're zunepassers). I yearn for the day when the android platform could mean reach that level..It's SO close!

Or she could go back to playing her Nintendogs.

That's a real game.

 

[theeedude]

Yes. Apple relies on its own chips, so they will have a limited range of choices for graphics acceleration. Google unleashes competitive juices on Android platform, more diversity and survival of the fittest.
Evolution > Intelligent Design
in the long run.

 

[speg]

LOL @ people who have nothing better to waste their time on than phone games.

So the entire gaming industry is pointless? Just because it's on a phone doesn't make it any less entertaining. These smart phones these days are pretty darn powerful.

 

[TheWart]

Yes. Apple relies on its own chips, so they will have a limited range of choices for graphics acceleration. Google unleashes competitive juices on Android platform, more diversity and survival of the fittest.
Evolution > Intelligent Design
in the long run.

Yea, but in the long run we are all going to be dead. The long run in the tech world is sometimes too long.

 

[jpeyton]

Flash games were already ahead of iPhone OS games before the iPad came out. Android plays Flash games.

 

[tommo123]

the only game i've played on my android is super ko boxing 2. love it

 

[Leros]

LOL @ people who have nothing better to waste their time on than phone games.

Its great for those times when you're just waiting and can't do anything else. On a bus, in line, waiting room, etc.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Flash games were already ahead of iPhone OS games before the iPad came out. Android plays Flash games.

Uhh, the iPhone games are pretty darn amazing on their own. You don't really need flash in that sense to appreciate a level of gaming on the iPhone. maybe you need flash to make it come true on Android, but honestly gaming on Android feels like gaming on Mac OS X right now. It's pretty bad..

Its great for those times when you're just waiting and can't do anything else. On a bus, in line, waiting room, etc.

I take a break from time to time at work and play 10 min of games on my Android phone. With that said I can always put it down to get back to work... My iPod Touch on the other hand could keep me glued till the battery ran out....

 

[QueBert]

Flash games were already ahead of iPhone OS games before the iPad came out. Android plays Flash games.

You're being sarcastic right? Flash games almost all universally suck, play GTA or SF:IV on the iPhone and tell me Flash games are ahead. Hell play Fieldrunner, NFS or Madden and tell me flash games are ahead. While they're are some great Flash games, not a single one touches the best on iPhones. Even the mid level iPhone games spank the shit out of 99% flash games. The best iPhone games are on par with a good PSP game, the best Flash games are uhhhh years away from that. I gave my PSP away, but I literally play games on my Touch until the batteries dead on a regular basis. Can't think of the last Flash game I played for more than 10 minutes straight.

 

[0roo0roo]

Yes. Apple relies on its own chips, so they will have a limited range of choices for graphics acceleration. Google unleashes competitive juices on Android platform, more diversity and survival of the fittest.
Evolution > Intelligent Design
in the long run.

which is why consoles are winning.

 

[dwell]

Yes. Apple relies on its own chips, so they will have a limited range of choices for graphics acceleration. Google unleashes competitive juices on Android platform, more diversity and survival of the fittest.
Evolution > Intelligent Design
in the long run.

This theory is flawed on two counts:

1) Graphical horsepower != best gaming platform. Case in point, Sony PSP vs Nintendo DS.

2) Fixed hardware makes it easier for developers. If Android ends up with an array of different GPUs you may get a few phones with super-fast hardware, but who's going to develop a game specifically for it when the majority of devices are less powerful? You'll essentially just be bringing all the headaches of PC gaming to the mobile space.

 

[MJinZ]

Regression of mankind.

 

[dguy6789]

LOL @ people who have nothing better to waste their time on than phone games.

I want to know what you're thinking when you believe you're in a position to look down on someone who plays video games(or doing anything else they like for that matter). Do you really believe something you do is better than something someone else does? How ridiculous. I've got some news for you; there's a huge difference between how important you think you are and reality.

To answer the OP's question: Yes, it's inevitable. There's no way a huge open source platform like Android could not in time surpass a closed innovation free zone that Apple has created.

 

[tatteredpotato]

I think the issue is that Android has grown so quickly that until recently it wasn't a great platform for the larger developers to invest in due to the size of the user base.

 

[Pliablemoose]

My wife and I played with the iPad today and were very impressed with gaming on it - sure, it's wasn't PSP quality, but a game of Diner Dash was colorful, fast, and fun. Android gaming currently sucks, though I love my droid. With all these different hardware configs out there (and OS layers, fragmentation/etc.), will android gaming ever equal the iPhone/ipod/ipad experience?

I mainly wonder this because my wife REALLY enjoyed the iPad and I may save my pennies for a birthday gift... I would much rather support one of the upcoming Android tablets, but the flash/stock gaming debate is one I'm wondering about...

The user experience with an Android tablet will be nothing like the iPad for some time. If you're going to buy her something in the coming year, I think you're stuck with an iPad.

 

[slackerinabox]

The user experience with an Android tablet will be nothing like the iPad for some time. If you're going to buy her something in the coming year, I think you're stuck with an iPad.

Figured that would be the reality, but products like the Adam sure seem cool... Maybe a Chrome tablet will be the bees knees in say 2 years... I just really don't want to give our money to Apple.

 

[nageov3t]

supposedly Grindr is coming out for android in the next couple months, which is the only real advantage that iphones have

 

[tatteredpotato]

The user experience with an Android tablet will be nothing like the iPad for some time. If you're going to buy her something in the coming year, I think you're stuck with an iPad.

Most likely the truth... I don't see competitive Android tablets for at least a year or two.

 

[tatteredpotato]

supposedly Grindr is coming out for android in the next couple months, which is the only real advantage that iphones have

Oh wow, don't need to google that one twice.

 

[you2]

Dell is suppose to release one this summer; don't know how good it will be but might be interesting...

Most likely the truth... I don't see competitive Android tablets for at least a year or two.