INBOX:HAND-HELD GAMES have been threatening to merge with the mobile phone for years, but even with the onward march of technology, the portable console remains firmly in the driving seat, writes Mike Butcher.
The rivalry between Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP) and the Nintendo DS Lite has now attained legendary status, but there is a dogged pursuer in the shape of Nokia, while Apple's second-generation iPod Touch, and even its iPhone brother, are raising eyebrows in a few gaming quarters. There are still many more games for the PSP and DS Lite, though, so is it all about the games or the device?
The PSP is the most traditional of the bunch, with the conventional thumb controls. It retains its large, much-loved 4.3in widescreen display. Sony says the newest PSP-3000 version has a screen which works better than before, even in broad daylight.
The PSP also remains the mainstay for the average gamer, typically a young male who plays arcade-style games. PSP games like God of War, FIFA 09 and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed are ideal for this audience.
Although Sony's attempts to sell video and films on its UMDs (Universal Media Disks) came to little, at least the PSP has a slot for a memory stick for transferring music and video files. Plus it runs the Go! Messenger chat system and Skype for free or cheap phone calls. Sony even launched a movie rentals and TV subscription service for the PSP called Go! View.
The DS Lite is aimed at more casual gamers, often with educational or family-oriented games. It is still the cheapest hand-held console and its dual-screen design has meant games have come up with clever ways to entertain users, who are often younger. So, while you can get FIFA 09 and Force Unleashed for the DS Lite, the best-selling Nintendo games are more casual, cartoonish games like Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog.
Meanwhile, Mum and Dad are being "entertained" by Cooking Guide and Brain Training on the DS. But although the DS has WiFi built in, an extra €30 for the separate Nintendo web browser is a rip-off, as is the MP3 player add-on pack.
Coming from left field, Apple is out to market the Touch as an all-round entertainment device, with music, video and gaming abilities. It excels as a music and video player and can access the iTunes Store directly, as well as browse the web, check e-mail, watch YouTube or use a Google map via WiFi.
This is way beyond a games machine, but the games are coming through. The latest Touch model has a speaker, making it a much better games machine, and it is not far off in price from the PSP-3000.
Like the DS it has a touch screen, but the in-built motion sensor turns the device into a great steering wheel on racing games like Crash Bandicoot. The problem is that other than Spore and Force Unleashed, there are few killer games yet, though they tend to be cheaper or even free.
Lastly, Nokia's N-Gage platform started out as an actual phone but is now subsumed into handsets like the NSeries and 5320 XpressMusic. It features games like Asphalt 3: Street Rules, Brain Challenge and Hooked On: Creatures of the Deep as well as FIFA 08. But with only 50 to 60 games released by the end of this year, the N-Gage platform has a mountain to climb.
So, if the PSP is best for action, the DS for casual fun, the N-Gage limited to Nokia lovers and the iPod Touch more for music, it looks like the PSP still has the gaming crown. For now.
