I don't know, it seems to be a general desire not to realize that the iDevice is the third gaming handheld now. It covers a slightly different market segment, just like the PSP has a different market section from the DS.
Remember that we're talking about console-QUALITY games, not CONSOLE games. The question is not whether or not you would choose to play the game on a couch, but whether the game's quality holds its own against the other handheld consoles. Personally, I do consider idevices to be very competent, true gaming consoles, but that opinion isn't relevant. GTA: Chinatown Wars (obviously) Puzzle Quest (an incredible game after all the updates, I strongly encourage you to try it) Madden 10 + FIFA 10 (the production values easily can compete with many DS and PSP titles) THPS2 (another no-brainer) GT Racing - I know I may be alone in saying this, but despite questionable graphics, this for me provided a very deep, full racing sim experience that deserves the "console-quality" medal Pool Pro Online (IS a console game, not even handheld, and handles just as well, if not better) Enviro-Bear (perhaps not the first bear-driving-a-car sim, but certainly one of the most well-executed, with brilliant controls and stunning graphics) Battle for Wesnoth (gameplay value is off the charts) Driver (a wonderfully handled port) Sims 3:WA (would be lovely on the DS) Rolando 1+2 (great, great games) Rayman 2 (strong opinions here)
Guys like donner are right except he thinks idevice games can compare to actual console games. He's saying that he can game everywhere , yes you can but you won't get any good games like ff13 heck gaming on cell phones has been around for a while but it's always way behind the quality of console games. The phone industry gaming may improve but so will console forcing handhelds to always inferior. IFC if in 10 years phones can run mw2 because by that time mw5 will have probably come out. My point is that no matter how good idevice gaming will become it will always be worse than consoles making plp who want a better experience to get them.
I never meant home consoles. Im talking about handheld consoles. And I actually do think that within the next 2-3 years smartphone gaming will be seriously competing head to head with the other handheld consoles. It's already happening. Time will tell, but the innovations in technology will make it impossible to avoid IMO. People just cant get past the whole thing about it being a 'phone'. The fact is, it plays games very well, regardless of it being a phone.
Wow, these replies amaze. So many of you think the iPhone is on par with a DS or PSP. When the iPhone starts delivering gaming experiences of the same depth and quality as a great DS RPG, then maybe I'll look at things differently. I mean in the last two few days I've beat Solomon's Keep and Crusade of Destiny. Both have were fun, but compared to even average DS RPG's, it doesn't compare. The best RPG's this system has to offer are 16-bit era in terms of depth. Once again, how can anyone even sit there and with a straight face and say the iPhone offers the same quality as the DS/PSP? It's a joke and if the comments on this thread were posted on any other gaming site, you guys would be laughed off the page.
You really haven't been reading this thread at all. I don't think anyone has even mentioned a single iPhone RPG as being on par with RPGs in DS or PSP. But there are many other categories of games besides RPGs -- racing, FPS, action/adventure, puzzle, brawlers, shooters, platformers, sandbox, just to name a few. In several of those categories, there are games that are either direct ports of DS or PSP games, or original games that hold their own against DS and PSP games. I own both a DS and a PSP; these days I use them only to play RPGs. When I want to play, say, a racing game or dual-stick shooter, however, I'd much rather reach for my iPhone.
But look at the potential of the iPhone. I believe that it can rival the PSP and DS. It has the hardware. It doesn't have people backing it up. I'm sick of people saying the iPhone can't ever be counted as a gaming device, look at games like NOVA, Real Racing, GTA: CTW, SFIV, COD Zombies. All great games, all have great control mechanisms. They are made by smaller game developers, but if they're all possible on the iPhone, what else could be? I bet plenty of PSP games would work well on the iPhone.
I bring up RPG's because it's by and large my favorite genre. Probaly 75% of my gaming on all platforms is some form of RPG, and for some reason iDevice RPG's are just terrible compared to DS/PSP. If apparently the iPhone is close or equal in quality in these other genres as you claim (I don't necessarily agree but we all have different opinions I guess) then why is the iPhone so far behind on RPGs?
First of all, different market segment, but being in a different market segment doesn't mean that it isn't positioned as a handheld console. It is just after a slightly different market. If I might appeal to authority for a moment. Apple is positioning it as a handheld gaming console amongst other things. Game sites have started to include entire sections dedicated to iPhone right next to DS and PSP and do not include iPhone with the generic mobile section, which is what they would do if it wasn't a legitimate handheld gaming device. http://www.gamespot.com/iphone/index.html?navclk=iphone&tag=nav-top;iphone It might be easy to cherry pick and pick out a single genre that isn't represented as well on iPhone as others, (I think JRPG might be about the only one) but there are a lot of games that I already listed that have already appeared on or will appear on the other handheld gaming devices. The breadth of quality games alone shows how different the iPhone is from any other mobile platform and makes it fit better with the other handheld gaming devices. There are a few issues with the iPhone as a platform, such as the shovel-ware, an app store that drives prices to ridiculously low depths and low battery life. However, the most important aspect that makes the iPhone a handheld gaming platform is the fact that so many people (ostensibly) use it as their primary or only handheld gaming platform. I'm not sure why you dislike the idea so much. The iPhone was obviously supposed to compete with the DS/PSP through the marketing and positioning of the device. I don't think for one minute that it would be legitimate to call the iPhone simply a cellphone that plays games when so many people (again ostensibly) choose the iPhone primarily because of the gaming capabilities of the system. It is a handheld console, and it is targeting an older segment of gamers that cannot be assed to lug around a DS/PSP anymore.
And why are they terrible? Is it the control scheme? Is it because you don't have real buttons? Or is it the actual game itself? As for why it's "so far behind" in RPGs, I have no idea. Maybe it's because the developers haven't thought of making RPGs, maybe it's because they don't think iPhone owners would play a good RPG, who knows.
That's a somewhat silly reason to refuse to believe that the iPhone is a handheld gaming system. It is simply not a well represented genre yet, but that doesn't change what the iPhone is. Even if the iPhone doesn't have a single game you like, it just becomes a handheld gaming system that you don't like, much like I don't care for the DS. It would be like saying a year into the DS life that it doesn't have enough western RPGs or FPS and therefore the DS isn't a handheld gaming device.
I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY. I don't understand it, maybe they're just afraid about Apple taking a bite of the pie? The iPhone has HUGE potential to be a good handheld device. Look at the games I mentioned on the previous post. Play those games, look at the graphics. These are games (except for SFIV and GTA) that were made by smaller game developers.
Indeed, to recap the games that I thought were "console" quality, and many of which that were actually on the other gaming handhelds. Need for Speed - Underground Rolando Assassin's Creed 1 - Altairs Chronicles (originally DS) Assassin's Creed 2 - Discovery Grand Theft Auto CTW Tony Hawk 2 Sims 3 Rock Band Need for Speed - Shift Terminator Salvation NBA Live Peggle Brother in Arms 2 Civilization Revolution Super Monkey Ball 2 Plants VS Zombies Real Racing Fieldrunners (ported to PSP) Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition Cooking MaMa Rayman 2 Dungeon Hunter Sims 3 world Adventures Fifa 10 Resident Evil 4 Puzzle Quest Worms I Love Katamari Ace Combat Xi H.A.W.X. PGA Tour The list isn't complete obviously, but it wasn't hard to think up a rather sizable list.
Why? Because they are shallow experiences compared to what you see on the DS/PSP. The top quality iPhone RPG's are either Korean mobile phone ports, or shallow throwbacks to the 16-bit era. None have compelling stories or pull me in like RPG's on other platforms.
Exactly, you're talking about the game itself, right? So it's the developers fault, they didn't make a good game. It's not the iDevices fault for being underpowered, having no buttons etc. RPGs on other platforms, who are they made by? Big developers. If only these big developers could recognise the potential of the iPhone would big name RPGs come to the iPhone.
Well, a great many developers already have. It just happens that JRPGs aren't represented well yet. Wasn't there a really kick-ass upcoming square game? I can't remember the name, but it looks awesome, so at least you have something to look forward to txag.
And that list proves what? Aside from 3-4 games on there that interest me, none of them convince me the iPhone stands side by side to the DS/PSP. Sure a lot of those games are in popular gaming franchises, but often the iPhone version is a dumbed down shallow version of a much better and deeper game on other platforms. Let's not even go into how inferior iPhone controls are when console games are ported over.
Chaos Ring I believe, and yes that is by far my most anticipated game on this device. Unfortunately Square Enix has pretty poor games on the iPhone so far, so I'm not really sure how good it will be.
