As someone who own all the major handhelds since the early 90s. I agree with #1 as a gaming device its the best yet.
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The Guardian has ranked the greatest handheld games consoles to the Nintendo Switch
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Game Boy Color (1998)
With a 256×256 pixel TFT display..
Pretty strange mistake to make there, it's 160x144 like its daddy.
Somehow got confused with the bg map size maybe.
With a 256×256 pixel TFT display..
Pretty strange mistake to make there, it's 160x144 like its daddy.
Somehow got confused with the bg map size maybe.
I don't really get it. Vita > PSP makes me think that they must be including backwards compatability, but then why is DS > 3DS?
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ummmmm..........
I don't think Switch reached DS's greatness just yet but it's on a good path.
I also think GBA was better than 3DS, but that's down to my games preference.
I also think GBA was better than 3DS, but that's down to my games preference.
Generous? Absolutely not.
Super Mario Land
Super Mario Land 2
Wario Land
Wario Land 2
Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow
Pokemon Gold/Silver
Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
Tetris
Metroid II
Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land 2
Donkey Kong Land 1-3
Harvest Moon
Castlevania II
Final Fantasy Adventure
Final Fantasy Legend 1-3
Game & Watch Gallery
Donkey Kong 94
Mega Man 5
I'd personally put it pretty close with PSP but Vita's lineup doesn't touch either.
I'm still confused to this day. Are the sentiments about the Vita being the best handheld a meme or not?
Vita shouldn't be anywhere near the top of the list. As much as I think the hardware itself is amazing, literally every other aspect of it is bad.
I'd actually put Vita at 20. On an original Vita, you couldn't even play a game without first buying a stupidly expensive memory card. At least the Gizmondo made for some amazing content on Gamespot's The Hotspot podcast.
I'd actually put Vita at 20. On an original Vita, you couldn't even play a game without first buying a stupidly expensive memory card. At least the Gizmondo made for some amazing content on Gamespot's The Hotspot podcast.
I would actually rank the 3DS down a tad below GBA and DS.
Felt like it's marketing about the 3D fell kinda flat and I don't feel like it got quite the unique library that GBA and DS had. Hardware wise it was a bit sad.
Just for the fact that Vita has a ton of classic and well emulated(I think?) PS1 games should keep it in the top half of the list imo. 3DS coulda been something similar with N64 games but the controls on the thing were garbage.
Felt like it's marketing about the 3D fell kinda flat and I don't feel like it got quite the unique library that GBA and DS had. Hardware wise it was a bit sad.
Just for the fact that Vita has a ton of classic and well emulated(I think?) PS1 games should keep it in the top half of the list imo. 3DS coulda been something similar with N64 games but the controls on the thing were garbage.
Yeah the indie boom combined with the Switch being *the* console for indies has really helped it's library. Just looking at indies there's probably at least 2-4/month of games I'd play. With non-first party games from larger publishers on all consoles there's maybe one every two months, if that?
Most indies come to all platforms eventually, so the indie boon has helped all modern consoles, but it's very rare I feel like sitting down and playing a 2D indie game on my monitor or TV.
I'm not sure where I'd put the PSP personally on that list, though I think it's neck and neck with the original Game Boy, but it for damn sure would be above the Vita all the same. It feels really weird to mention that PSP BC is a plus on the Vita when it has a limited range to pull from in that regard, versus the nearly perfect BC 3DS has with the DS.
But yeah, it's pretty easy to put Switch at 1 now when it already has the trajectory to justify the premature proclamation. That being said, the DS was an absolute monster and deserves proper enshrinement.
But yeah, it's pretty easy to put Switch at 1 now when it already has the trajectory to justify the premature proclamation. That being said, the DS was an absolute monster and deserves proper enshrinement.
I personally think that DS is slightly above Switch at the moment but only slightly.
I mean, "nonsense?"
Saying a portable with Breath of the Wild, Mario Odyssey, New Horizons, Smash Ultimate, MK8 Deluxe, Mario Maker 3, Luigi's Mansion 3, Hades, Splatoon 2, Tetris 99, LA remake, Three Houess, Mario + Rabbids, Arms, Yoshi's Crafted World and Ring Fit, Xenoblade 2, Octopath Traveler and Origami King -- let alone ports of games like Bayonetta 2, Tropical Freeze, Xenoblade, 3D World -- being above DS is "nonsense" is just silly.
Switch already has one of the unarguable greatest game lineups of all time.
It's an amazing piece of hardware with Sony's best d-pad and one of the best d-pad's in all of gaming period. It has a relatively small amount of games but there's a ton of good stuff. It just lacked longterm support and Sony never cared about it.
It is a fantastic piece of hardware that gained a niche hardcore following who are very passionate about it
But the software lineup was very much lacking based on the metrics that most people care about (exclusives + first party support). Sony basically abandoned their own console immediately after releasing it. It was incredible to watch.
When I look at the currently announced games for the Switch, knowing there are sure to be more unannounced, I think I would have it above the DS
I am now realizing just how many people threw their hat into the handheld ring in the late 90's and early 2000's. Thats a lot! Too bad at least one of those didn't take off. It would have been cool to see a world where we had more handheld competition.
It looks like they split the Gameboy and Gameboy Color. Maybe that's why it is in kinda of a weird spot?
It looks like they split the Gameboy and Gameboy Color. Maybe that's why it is in kinda of a weird spot?
OG Game Boy should be #1, period. It was an absolute achievement in terms of battery life, sales, and developer support, in ways that no portable game-dedicated platform has ever seen since.
And iPhone 3GS should be on the list—and in the top five. (I'd say it's #2, right beneath the OG Game Boy.)
This fucking list.
And iPhone 3GS should be on the list—and in the top five. (I'd say it's #2, right beneath the OG Game Boy.)
This fucking list.
Agreed with Switch being number 1. However, I'd rank the 3DS above the DS. While I appreciate the DS' much stronger selection of Pokémon games, I prefer the 3DS library overall.
Anyone who says that the Switch is not the best handheld system of all time is blinded by nostalgia.
Would switch PSP and Vita, but otherwise it's a fine list. Really not a lot you can do here. The positions in the top 5 can change around, but the actual consoles are pretty much on lock unless you are a crazy person.
I can't agree with GBA being below the 3DS. GBA (SP) was a phenomenal piece of hardware with an awesome library.
The 3DS has a good library but the screen resolution is just awful and it was the first piece of Nintendo hardware that didn't have the amazing build quality I'd come to expect.
The 3DS has a good library but the screen resolution is just awful and it was the first piece of Nintendo hardware that didn't have the amazing build quality I'd come to expect.
I honestly can't imagine thinking Vita's lineup comes even remotely close to Switch's, let alone better.
I actually meant PSP - I seem to have gotten confused 😑 corrected
(though if you count PSP BC, you could make the argument, but it was only partial)
People used the Vita to play games from other consoles more than Vita games
Haha, I was going to say. I mean, Vita has some good games but damn. lol
PSP should be higher.
It holds up incredibly well even today (excluding the E1004 model for obvious reasons):
VERY lightweight and good form factor (easily fitting into pockets or bags), great library, great battery life, backlight (cough, GBA), headphone jack (cough, GBA SP - it cannot be stressed how shitty the lack of one was if you wanted to play anywhere outside of home) and good WIFI on later models. An actual analog stick. SD card support for cheaply and readily available double or triple GB digit storage capacity for saves and... various other things. Heck, it has a CONSIDERABLY higher screen resolution than the 3DS does, despite being 7 years older, and it shows.
It even works great as a music player, which was MASSIVE for me in a time where the only devices which offered the same level of readily available portable music support were MP3 players and Ipods. Simply dump your MP3s on your SD Card and go. Good luck trying that on Nintendo handhelds.
I absolutely love my PSP 3004 and still regularly pull it out, especially when my hands get tired from the size and weight of my N3DS XL.
I'm not sure why the Vita is ranked higher than it, seriously. The PSP was an all around great machine and still is to this day., while the Vita has some SERIOUS flaws (cough, memory cards).
It holds up incredibly well even today (excluding the E1004 model for obvious reasons):
VERY lightweight and good form factor (easily fitting into pockets or bags), great library, great battery life, backlight (cough, GBA), headphone jack (cough, GBA SP - it cannot be stressed how shitty the lack of one was if you wanted to play anywhere outside of home) and good WIFI on later models. An actual analog stick. SD card support for cheaply and readily available double or triple GB digit storage capacity for saves and... various other things. Heck, it has a CONSIDERABLY higher screen resolution than the 3DS does, despite being 7 years older, and it shows.
It even works great as a music player, which was MASSIVE for me in a time where the only devices which offered the same level of readily available portable music support were MP3 players and Ipods. Simply dump your MP3s on your SD Card and go. Good luck trying that on Nintendo handhelds.
I absolutely love my PSP 3004 and still regularly pull it out, especially when my hands get tired from the size and weight of my N3DS XL.
I'm not sure why the Vita is ranked higher than it, seriously. The PSP was an all around great machine and still is to this day., while the Vita has some SERIOUS flaws (cough, memory cards).
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Fair enough! I always felt like it was thrown around like a meme with all of the "Vita means life" stuff. Guess it's legit though. Shame about Sony not supporting it, though.
Hard disagree from me. I find the Switch extremely uncomfortable to hold for extended periods in handheld mode. I also don't think the Switch's library is even close to pretty much any of Nintendo's other handhelds, especially if you owned a Wii U and aren't playing the many ports for the first time. Odyssey and BotW are both masterpieces in my opinion, but nothing else on the system really comes close.
I do really like the Switch, but greatest handheld of all time? Nah.
I do really like the Switch, but greatest handheld of all time? Nah.
