by MiTT3NZ » Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:30 pm
Handhelds aren't really appealing. Typically, you have a phone in your left pocket, keys in your right, wallet in your back right pocket, and passport or other smallish flat object in your back left. The average person doesn't really have the room to carry it about, and even if you have extra pockets from wearing a jacket or whatever, it's just extra weight.
This is why mobile gaming's taken off. Every technological home comfort has been condensed onto these miniature machines for the sake of convenience. Handhelds tend to be quite inconvenient due to size. And those who buy handhelds don't really use them when they're out n about, they use them in the home, which then begs the question... Why buy one when you've got a console? Exclusives are pretty much the only thing that could/would tempt you.
Yes, I'm sure they're great standalone consoles, but they simply don't have enough going for them to justify a purchase. I myself only played a handful of games for my DS... Hotel Dusk, Sonic Chronicles, Sonic Rush, Mario Kart... and that was before I got a smartphone. Now that I have one, I don't really see the need to get bulky devices that are designed for on-the-go gaming, because they've never really worked like that.
Handhelds to me will always be something to use on a long-arse journey, when every TV in the house is occupied, or when you're enjoying a shit (we all do it). So yeah, handhelds just seem to have completely lost their appeal, and until they do something like offer a phone/text messaging service or greatly reduce their size to fit in your pocket with plenty of extra space for the sake of comfort... well, they simply won't do well.
That's the way I see it, at least. And I'm usually right. About everything.