Comments on: Portable gaming: iPhone, iPod Touch, DSi, or PSP?

Which portable gaming device is the best? The iPhone, iPod Touch, DSi, PSP, or DS Lite?

[GDEsplin]

I have a PSP and an ipod touch (1g) and I haven't used the PSP for such a long time I don't even know where the charge cord is. While ideally the PSP (or DS) may provide a better gaming experience, they are hardly portable COMPARED to the ipod touch. I always have the ipod touch in my pocket. While before I had the touch, I rarely carried the PSP around with me, and when I did, I had to carry around the whole case and the 3 games I had. The iPod touch doesn't have cartridges or UMDs to carry around. Pretty much 80% of the time I had access to my PSP, I also had access to my Xbox 360 and PS3. The iPod touch just makes more sense to really use the portable part of portable gaming. The PSP and DS are handheld games, not portable games when the ipod touch is on the table.

[dinjin201]

THe problem, asi i see it is that mobile gaming is just mobile gaming... if you want something hardcore... its very dissatisfactory. Now, please dont flame me... i will admit that there are some really nice mobile games out there.... For one, there was metroid prime hunters for DS... there is one complaint... people CHEAT online... they have found ways to hack their game cards and basically run around "invincible" and frag normal players. =( it had great potential, but once again, Nintendo programmers left a loophole for failure. I am not very familiar with the Psp, but afaik GTA for the Psp is quite fun =)... the main fail of the handheld is lack of multiplayer online with large numbers of people... thts why i have taken to Crysis ( 16 v 16 ) and Halo (8 v 8)... they are way more fun...

Metroid Prime for DS supported (2v2) but again, due to hackers and cheaters (mostly the chinese/japanese players) it was a complete flop... >:O since then, i have hated on all mobile game devices.... i have an iPod Touch 2g, but dont really use it for gaming.

[bfaulk620]

I hate to say it, but the games on the iPhone and iPod Touch are quite depressing. I bought an iPod Touch and wasn't expecting to use it for gaming, but the few good games that may be offered on them aren't that great. As far as a gaming library, Apple has a long way to go 'til they can even call the iPhone and iPod Touch a gaming device. I'm honestly quite surprised that they were even grouped in this category.

[wizdomseeker]

I think that once the new 3.0 version comes out we're going to see some real improvements in the games. it'll allow for things like this http://icontrolpad.com/ as well as the blue tooth linking. Also Apple hasn't made any of the games yet it's all up to the developers. hopefully the big guys are already working on some good stuff.

[djstewpac]

hahaha @ rod roddy.

I'm going to make that app

[dctech08]

if the psp had a phone feature it would kill the iphone on all fronts.

[Inconnux]

If you want a proper portable gaming system then get a DS or a PSP. Ipod/iphone is a good general purpose platform (like my old Palm TX) but the library of games for the DS makes it the best all around choice for a portable gaming system.

[Weudel]

If you're going to consider the iPhone...

I have a NES/SNES/GEN/TG-16 emulator on my Palm Centro.... The free games available for that far eclipse the libraries for any of these other system... Does that make it a gaming console?

I'm just sayin'

[ViEtNiNjA007]

If the iPod touch/iPhone is ever considered a gaming console, I would be pissed. They are not even in the same league as Nintendo and Sony as portable games. If they had flash games, maybe they would be enjoyable, but they are just cheap games to pass time. My Gameboy Advanced has better games. Also, I never seen why GH:On Tour is bad, but Tap Tap is great? What is the logic of that?

Then again, I just mad that I am frequently harassed by Apple fanboys because I own a Zune 80 (and it rocks)

[petegridie]

PSP hands down, i love my iphone and the only game i love playing on is bejewled 2, i tried some action games & beat them too fast, bejewled 2 im still stuck on level 14.

& lets not forget we all love multiplayer games and the iphone dont have many of those.

[Beruda]

Why do you even include the Iphone or ITouch? Many phones have games on them some better than others. I feel like cnet includes the Iphone and Touch simply because they like these products. The Iphone is a phone. The PSP and DSI are gaming systems.

[jafarm66]

For me I'd take a PSP or DS over the IPhone or IPOD Touch for the simple reason that I don't want Big Brother Apple telling me what games I can install on my device. Also I really doubt Apple will ever allow a MA rated game on it's IPhone or IPod touch. Overall I'd take the PSP due the graphics and the fact that it has more adult oriented games..

[Toleran]

I like the iPhone as a gaming console because the games are amazingly cheap in comparison to the other consoles. The best way to describe the iPhone is a LOT of fun little cheap games that can best be compared to online flash gaming websites. Once you get bored with one $2 game, you can get another $0.99 game to last you another couple days

[cardfan1212]

the joke here is even grouping the iphone/ipod as portable gaming devices while ignoring other smartphone devices. They all boast casual games and nothing else and i'd still take a device like a Centro which has a 5 way navigator plus qwerty kb for casual games over an ipod which has no buttons. Yes, the ipod is pretty, but who cares if you can hardly play the d*&*n thing?

But the PSP is made for games and its even more of an insult to include phones in with it.

[rkinne01]

How can anyone make a decision from that chart when its mostly incomplete.

[jpsalerno]

I have an iphone and, while I enjoy playing some of the games on it... it's not even close when compared to a dedicated gaming device like the DS or PSP. The DS is as innovative as the iphone/touch (albeit in a different sort of way) and has superior specs (not to mention the Nintendo factor) The PSP is essentially a portable PS2. Let's keep things in perspective CNET!

Like others have stated... Apples device is fine for casual gaming. Most of the games are overly simplistic and the app store makes them super easy to get and play. But serious gamers will obviously be playing the DS or PSP.

[DDJAM4]

wow this must be one of the most worthless articles in CNET history. The article tells you nothing other than common sense and the 'comparison' link is literally tells you nothing about any of the devices due to Info unavailable. HAHAHA

[sublime3sixteen]

If you are into a wide variety of games and intuition you should try the Nintendo DS. The PSP is great but hardly releases quality games, but when they do release a good game on it, they are truly awesome, such as God of War. The iPod is a joke when it comes to gaming as far as I'm considered. Most are the kind of games that last good for about 10 minutes to kill boredom but struggle to keep me interested. I don't even think the iPod compares to the dedicated game consoles. A person should not go out of there way to buy an iPod for the games, but for the whole package. I own all 3, and I have to say that the DS squeaks by the PSP because of the number of quality games, such as Zelda, GTA, New Super Mario Bros, etc.

[romodoc]

I can't still believe you are trowing the apples in here, plus the -product comparison feature- that you suggest is useless, 90% of the info is unavailable the ratings are not as gaming consoles but as overall devices and NO SINGLE row is complete for all devices.
Come on you can do better.

[mikegisick]

iPod Touch has a nice screen and the games are getting much, much better, but I still don't think it works very well for any sort of action game. Virtual buttons and directional pads are too easy to miss on the screen and the accelerometer is generally a little hard to control. Another big issue is that most games will drain the battery in an hour or less.

But games are still a nice complement to the iPods other features and getting better all the time.