Portable gaming is going to be the biggest story for the video games industry this year as new hardware and services are launched. The iPod Touch and iPhone already boast an impressive catalogue of games, including GTA and Need for Speed titles, with new versions of both devices expected later this year.
Also this year, Sony is launching PlayStation Suite, a new gaming service for Android smartphones that will bring a greater number of titles to those devices, including the new Sony Ericsson Xperia Play mobile phone.
But it's the new Nintendo 3DS and Sony PSP 2 portable gaming systems that are set to shake up the video games industry the most this year.
Nintendo 3DS - the World's First Handheld 3D Games Console
Announced at last year's E3 trade show in Las Vegas, the new Nintendo 3DS launches February 26th in Japan and a month later in both Europe and the US. The big selling point of the 3DS is that it's the first device for portable gaming with a 3D screen, an effect that achieved without the use of special glasses using stereoscopic technology which gives depth to the picture.
A depth slider also allows the 3D effect to be adjusted, or even turned off completely, and with warnings from optometrists that the 3D display could harm children's sight that may be an option many parents will want to use.
The Nintendo 3DS also has a second, smaller touchscreen display, as well as motion and gyro sensors (like the iPhone), 3D cameras and built-in Wi Fi. In addition to being backwards compatible with the huge catalogue of existing DS and DSi software, a good selection of new 3D titles has been announced, including Pilotwings Resort, Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time in 3D, Ridge Racer 3D and Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D.
Unlike the existing Nintendo DS which can be purchased for under $130, the 3DS will retail for £249.99 and this may be a barrier to its success in the portable gaming marketplace.
Find out more on the Nintendo 3DS Web site.
Sony NGP - the PSP 2 with PS3 Quality Graphics
Codenamed the NGP (Next Generation Portable), the new PSP is a huge leap forward over the previous hardware and the 3DS and will easily be the most powerful handheld console when it becomes available later this year.
Taking portable gaming into the next generation, a super fast quad core processor is at the heart of the PSP 2, together with a high performance GPU which can output stunning graphics at a resolution of 960 x 544 pixels With graphics to rival the PS3, this gives the device a clear advantage in the Nintendo vs Sony showdown.
Unlike the 3DS, the PSP 2 doesn't support 3D but it does have a 5-inch OLED touchscreen, which is both larger and higher quality, and audio is well equipped with built-in stereo speakers and a microphone. It also features a rear touchpad of the same size, which in addition to Sixaxis motion sensing can be used as another control system, front and rear cameras and built-in GPS and Wi-Fi to allow for location-based gaming (there will also be a version with 3G).
A great range of titles for this next generation portable gaming system have already been announced, including new entries in popular series of games like Call of Duty, Killzone, LittleBigPlanet, Resistance, Uncharted and Wipeout. Although the PSP 2 won't include the UMD storage medium introduced with the original PlayStation Portable, it will be backwards compatible with existing PSP games downloaded from the PlayStation Network.
No price for the PSP 2 has so far been announced but in a Eurogamer interview with Andrew House, the CEO and President of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has said the company "will shoot for an affordable price that's appropriate for the handheld gaming space." It's unlikely to be cheaper than the Nintendo 3DS though and another factor against the device may be that it is much larger and so less portable.
Find out more about the Sony NGP on the PlayStation Web site.
The Nintendo vs Sony Showdown for Portable Gaming Supremacy
With portable gaming already reaching the hands of millions of more people this year with Android and Apple devices, a big question remains whether there is still a market for dedicated devices. According to worldwide sales figures from VGChartz, the existing Nintendo DS and Sony PSP consoles have sold over 200 million units between them. But although they continue to sell in high numbers, they now compete with iPhone and Android smartphones, as well as the iPad and iPod Touch, and for many people portable gaming means titles like Angry Birds.
But for real video games fans, the 3DS and PSP 2 look very tempting.
- See how the PSP 2 compares with the existing PSP 3000 and PSP Go.
- See also the guide to choosing the best games console featuring comparisons between the Wii vs PS3 vs Xbox 360.
Jason Glover - Jason Glover has worked in the marketing teams of major companies for over twenty years, including over ten years in online marketing ...
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