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"The iPhone can never replace portable gaming machines," says gamers

Blackberryroid

Blackberryroid

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Aug 8, 2012
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Ahh, the glorious App Store. Over hundreds of thousands of apps waiting to be downloaded and discovered. Most of them, games.

I tried to argue with gamers that the iPhone is the future of mobile gaming and that the portable gaming machines (PSP, Nintendo DS) era is dead, they tried to fight back. They said that the iPhone can never ever replace them because the games are too childish (Angry Birds, Cut the rope) and graphics aren't good enough.

What are your thoughts?
 
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its getting there, but no it wont replace it anytime soon. Its biggest set back is no physical controls.
The graphics are getting impressive though thats for sure.
 
Blackberryroid said:
Ahh, the glorious App Store. Over hundreds of thousands of apps waiting to be downloaded and discovered. Most of them, games.

I tried to argue with gamers that the iPhone is the future of mobile gaming and that the portable gaming machines (PSP, Nintendo DS) era is dead, they tried to fight back. They said that the iPhone can never ever replace them because the games are too childish (Angry Birds, Cut the rope) and graphics aren't good enough.

What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

Like the games on any Nintendo platform aren't mostly childish.

iOS is a great gaming platform... the only downers are obviously battery life, and SOMETIMES physical buttons etc are better
 
My issue is missing the popular NES titles. Would love to have zelda, mario, etc on there. Maybe one day Nintendo will go the way of sega and we can buy Zelda on the iphone.

I've tried many RPGs on the iphone. Some are ok. But they still seem to miss something.
 
Over time I see it happening for mobile games. However, not just the iPhone.

I see iPhone, iPad as well as many android powered devices taking the place of the DS and similar.

Controls are a big issue though and I dont' see it happening any time until that improves.
 
This debate's been going on for yonks now!
I remember when the previous PSP got a spec bump, some people were like "Who cares, next year I'll be playing those games on my smart phone" and yet 4 years later most of us gamers (not the hardcore) are still waiting.

The problem is the big gaming houses need to start bringing real titles, not just ones that are easy to adapt to the touch screen interface, to the market but that wont happen until there's a better control mechanism.

I bought MC3 and a few other 'top' app games but I just can't get a hang of the contols and while the games look great I get frustrated and just give up(I have large thumbs).
Apple need to cut the crap and license a controller type attachment. I'd happily carry that around for when I wanted to do some gaming.
 
The iPhone will never replace professional SLR cameras.
But it will replace a ton of point-and-shoots.

The iPhone will never replace dedicated gaming machines for serious gamers.
But it will replace a ton of little Nintendos that casual gamers used to own.

Same story. The iPhone will never totally kill a dedicated device market, but it will chop it up and shrink it down to just the extreme ends of it. The days of seeing businessmen playing sudoku games on Nintendo DS's on my train are over.
 
Blackberryroid said:
Ahh, the glorious App Store. Over hundreds of thousands of apps waiting to be downloaded and discovered. Most of them, games.

I tried to argue with gamers that the iPhone is the future of mobile gaming and that the portable gaming machines (PSP, Nintendo DS) era is dead, they tried to fight back. They said that the iPhone can never ever replace them because the games are too childish (Angry Birds, Cut the rope) and graphics aren't good enough.

What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

I'm a gamer. The iPhone will never be a good portable gaming machine.

MrGimper said:
Like the games on any Nintendo platform aren't mostly childish.

iOS is a great gaming platform... the only downers are obviously battery life, and SOMETIMES physical buttons etc are better
Click to expand...

I don't think gamers have an issue with the type of game that's coming out as much as the quality and control of said games. I watch Pixar movies and also loved The Raid:Retribution. I have a PS3 at home but sometimes I want to play my Wii or Gamcube games as well. The real problem is screen real estate, controls, and blowing battery for often sub-par games on my main communications device. If you have a game that truly works well with touch/motion controls, great. The problem is, like with the Wii, that no one is really putting any effort into truly using the phone's strengths and just shoehorning games in with, yes, I'll say it, gimmicky touch controls. A touch pad can't possibly replicate the 16 separate inputs a modern gaming controller has.

Jman13 said:
Show them Infinity blade II and Asphalt 7 and see what they think.
Click to expand...

Ahhh, the old "graphics make a game good" argument. You know what looked good? Avatar. You know what was also an incredibly bad move? Avatar. Mobile games are pretty much the equivalent of direct to DVD movies, you're not going to find a LotR or Dark Knight Rises equivalent, the best you can hope for is a some pleasant time diversion. I'm not saying that I don't enjoy some of the "games" on my phone, I'm saying that you can't compare the gaming experience on a 3DS or a Vita with what you're getting on an Android or iOS offering.

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phr0ze said:
My issue is missing the popular NES titles. Would love to have zelda, mario, etc on there. Maybe one day Nintendo will go the way of sega and we can buy Zelda on the iphone.

I've tried many RPGs on the iphone. Some are ok. But they still seem to miss something.
Click to expand...

You're dreaming. Mario, Master Chief and Nathan Drake are never making it onto ANY non-first party hardware.
 
I just bought FIFA 13 and I can confidently say that if games like these keep coming out, I will soon find no use for my playstation 3.
 
My son's ipod touch and our family ipad has replaced his 3DS and the xbox360 has not been turned on in over 6 months.
Why? Because of the ease of play and price of games.
Although the next-gen of consoles are going to have to be something special for us to invest in them again.
 
Jman13 said:
Show them Infinity blade II and Asphalt 7 and see what they think.
Click to expand...

I agree. As a "horror/survival" fan I have to say that "Dead Trigger" also has amazing graphics. iOS devices definitely have the horsepower now for great graphics and gameplay, the only question left is whether the absence of physical controls needs addressing.
 
I don't like on screen controls. I'll use my tablet with a PS3 controller often though. It's really nice using emulators to play those old school games.

Goldeneye

aredahum.jpg


If the iPhone had USB hosting I'd probably use it a bit more for gaming. Until then I'll just stick to games like sudoku and card games.
 
Interstella5555 said:
Ahhh, the old "graphics make a game good" argument. You know what looked good? Avatar. You know what was also an incredibly bad move? Avatar. Mobile games are pretty much the equivalent of direct to DVD movies, you're not going to find a LotR or Dark Knight Rises equivalent, the best you can hope for is a some pleasant time diversion. I'm not saying that I don't enjoy some of the "games" on my phone, I'm saying that you can't compare the gaming experience on a 3DS or a Vita with what you're getting on an Android or iOS offering.
Click to expand...


No. I'm definitely not a graphics make the game kind of guy. Fact is those games, while obviously not as deep as a dedicated platform game, have excellent controls that are suited to the device (I can't stand games on iOS that have a 'virtual D-pad'....they're useless to control), and the games are fun. They've both got great gameplay and great graphics. Slingshot racing and Real Racing are also really well done. Slingshot is great because it's super simple, looks great, and yet is challenging and unique.

You're not going to replicate the same experience you get with dedicated game systems. The control schemes are just too different. That said, there are some really fun games for iOS. Yes, many of them are 'cute' or puzzle type games, but they pull it off well.

Of course Angry Birds made 'pick up and go' gaming quite attractive, and did it well. Osmos is both beautiful, with great controls, and challenging. Racing games use the accelerometer really well, and games like Infinity Blade have figured out unique ways to use the touch screen for great control.
 
The argument is mute. It's about opinion.

For some, it will, others it won't.

Speaking for myself, NOVA 3 is amazing to play on my iPad.
 
Anyone else remember that 60 Beat controller that came out?

Plugs into the headphone jack and a full ps3/360 controller :)

Only negative is there are only 25 games that are supported (up from 10 the last time I checked about 6 months ago)
 
Blackberryroid said:
I tried to argue with gamers that the iPhone is the future of mobile gaming and that the portable gaming machines (PSP, Nintendo DS) era is dead, they tried to fight back.
Click to expand...

This is as silly and shortsighted as saying that PCs are dead because the iPad is the future of computing.

Of course the iPhone won't fully replace mobile gaming devices, nor should it. It's an excellent gaming device with lots of potential, and will compete quite well. Not to mention it has the advantage of being a device people already carry with them, everyday, everywhere. But the iPhone will never be the ONLY mobile gaming platform for every gamer, ever. No more so that the iPhone should be the only phone every used by any phone user, ever.

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Interstella5555 said:
I'm a gamer. The iPhone will never be a good portable gaming machine.
Click to expand...

This argument is just as shortsighted and invalid as the opposite extreme. The simple fact is, not everyone plays the same games, nor do they all play the same games in the same way.

The iPhone is a gaming device, that is excellent for the way some people play games. Just liek the Nintendo DS or PSP is a great device for some gamers, but not preferred by others. It is neither universally bad or good, nor will it universally replace anything else out there.
 
Might just be me, but my iPhone doesn't have a DVD slot. They may have forgotten to put that in mine.
 
I use my iPhone for casual gaming. I don't own any portable consoles, and don't see the need for one.

Also in public it is more 'socially accepted' to play on your phone than a 'gaming device' when you're 23 waiting in a waiting room at a doctor's office. (Gah I hate sounding so superficial)
 
Jman13 said:
Show them Infinity blade II and Asphalt 7 and see what they think.
Click to expand...

Infinity Blade is trash. Absolute trash. On the level of Angry Birds but prettier.

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scaredpoet said:
This is as silly and shortsighted as saying that PCs are dead because the iPad is the future of computing.

Of course the iPhone won't fully replace mobile gaming devices, nor should it. It's an excellent gaming device with lots of potential, and will compete quite well. Not to mention it has the advantage of being a device people already carry with them, everyday, everywhere. But the iPhone will never be the ONLY mobile gaming platform for every gamer, ever. No more so that the iPhone should be the only phone every used by any phone user, ever.

----------



This argument is just as shortsighted and invalid as the opposite extreme. The simple fact is, not everyone plays the same games, nor do they all play the same games in the same way.

The iPhone is a gaming device, that is excellent for the way some people play games. Just liek the Nintendo DS or PSP is a great device for some gamers, but not preferred by others. It is neither universally bad or good, nor will it universally replace anything else out there.
Click to expand...

The iPHone can play some games well enough. I like Ascension (board/card game) and it works well.

For anything serious and lasting longer than 10 minutes?

Nope. Compared to something like the new Playstation, it can't hold a candle because well... the games on the iPhones are generally terrible in control, depth, and are always coded for the least common denominator (iPhone 3GS? Maybe 4 now?).
 
The gamers are correct. It will not replace the dedicated devices, but it will win over the casual gamers.

If you think it replaces these devices , then I would argue your not a hardcore gamer, and need to accept thier views which will probably be around the physical controls

FYI , angry birds is a time waster and not a gamers game .
 
mzjin said:
The iPHone can play some games well enough. I like Ascension (board/card game) and it works well.

For anything serious and lasting longer than 10 minutes?

Nope.
Click to expand...

For you. Which is again my point. Not everyone is you, and not everyone plays games, or wants to play games, the exact same way you do.

This is the same logical trap that Apple fanboys and Fandroids fall into, every time: that everyone's preferences and behaviors are the same, and anyone using anything else is just being stupid.
 
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