I Am Handheld Recommends: Final Fantasy VII on the PSP.

Final Fantasy VII is arguably one of the greatest RPGs of all time. For rhe last 12 years, it could only be played on a home console but that has all changed since the PlayStation Store recently made the title available for the low price of $9.99. This is a must own for PSP owners. It has a great story, memorable characters and, fantastic art style that mixes hand drawn backgrounds, clever animated backdrops, with simple blocky character design. The deep magic and combat system is sure to please any RPG aficionado while the slowly opening world and typically convoluted J-RPG plot will engage even the most jaded gamer.


As LeVar Burton used to say, “You don’t have to take my word for it.” Check out the Metacritc reviews bellow or visit the PlayStation Store now to purchase.


http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/psx/finalfantasy7


http://www.us.playstation.com/PSN/Store

What I’m Playing on Vacation: Casual Game Mini Reviews.

When I left for vacation I brought two bags, one full of clothes and toiletries and the other packed with books and electronics. Portable gaming machines do not take up a huge amount of space but maximizing your gaming oomph and minimizing the amount of gear that has to be lugged around is a concern. Additionally I have not had a lot of time to sit down with a more involved game so most of my vacation gaming has been distinctly casual. In my opinion a lot of casual games are of the lowest quality. With that in mind this is the best of what I have been playing on vacation and what I would recommend for your casual game playing.

Line Rider iPhone:

I have been looking forward to Line Rider making its way to the iPhone since I saw some of the fantastic videos of the original flash version on YouTube. The game has caused enough of a splash to be ported both to the DS and iPhone. The game is barely a game in its original and iPhone form. Upon load the player is presented with a screen that is blank other than having a few drawing tools. There is no point or goal other then to draw a downhill course for a guy on a toboggan to sled down. The simplicity and creativity allowed are wonderful. With all the versions players can share their courses with other players which is very cool. It is pretty easy to pick up and put down and the game appears to auto save whenever the program is exited. The only gripe I have is that it is difficult to draw precisely with a finger on the tiny iPhone screen. Watch the video below and be amazed.

Check it out for free online at http://linerider.com/

Mawasunda Nintendo DS:

Mawasunda is a Japanese only mini game collection from Taito similar to Wario Ware for the Nintendo DS. The game does have a lot of Japanese which makes the game more challenging and interesting for a non-Japanese speaker. The games fall into 3 categories (Power, Technique, or Brain) and use what the games refers to as the MawasunderPAD which is a portion of the bottom screen that is rotated to play the mini games. Games have goals such as raising and lowering elevators or cracking safes in addition to slightly more outlandish goals such as keeping people upright on the subway or preparing food. Perhaps directly attempting to cash in on Wario Ware there are bits of vintage games included such as Arkanoid. None of the Mini Games feel quite as absurdist as the ones included in a Wario Ware Game however the sense of style that the game has somewhat makes up for the lack of over-the-topness. The gimmicky MawasunderPAD does get old after a bit however there are alternate controls for lots of the games. The biggest difference seems to be the amount of time spent playing the individual games. While Wario Ware mini games are very fast Mawasunda has a much more leisurely feel. It is not the perfect mini game collection but is a fun worthwhile diversion.

Puzzloop iPhone:

Puzzloop for the iPhone is a touch version of the flash game Puzzloop which people may know as Zuma or Luxor. It is the first of the match three games that have pieces that are on a spiral track around the center piece thrower. The game is really easy to play on the iPhone due to responsive controls and a generally well designed UI. I rarely find my finger covering important gameplay elements or accidentally touching the menu button which is a concern for almost all iPhone Games. The Puzzloop clone Zuma can be played at http://www.popcap.com/games/free/zuma and will give you a pretty good idea of what Puzzloop is all about.

Clubhouse Games Nintendo DS:

Clubhouse Games has something around 50 classic board and card games including solitaire, mahjong, and chess. They are all easy to play, with a good UI, decent AI as well as the option to play multiplayer either thru Local Wireless or Nintendo WFC. These are classics thru and thru. Value has been added by having a couple bonus modes that include Mission and Stamp. Stamp mode sends the player thru all the games one after another and Mission sets players up with specific goals to complete during play. For instance in the Bullshit Mission (the Clubhouse Games refers to the game as “I Doubt It”) the player must “Accurately call Cheater! (Bullshit) 5 times before anyone else wins.” Nothing groundbreaking however it does extend game-play.

Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters? PSP:

Honestly the PSP does not really have many quality casual style games and since the DS and iPhone are excellent platforms for casual gaming I had a bit of difficulty naming a quality PSP game. Lumines and Echochrome, neither of which I have played, may be the entire list of quality casual games for the PSP. I’d like to open up the comments for any opinions on what are some good casual games on the PSP. Come on lurkers, don’t be afraid to speak up. Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is the only PSP game I’ve played for the PSP while on vacation. On the subject of vacation, check out what the 5-0 drive in the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. This should more then make up for the lack of casual games on the PSP…

PSP top 10 and other games you could be playing instead.

My PSP Lite gets a lot of use. I spend quite a bit of each day commuting on the bus and the PSP has a broad set of utilities. Even though the PSP is, at its core, a gaming device, I primarily use it as a portable video player. The screen is one of the best and the price of memory is low enough now that it is quite reasonable to get a 4 gig card which holds several hours of decent enough quality video as well as all your game save data and a couple downloaded games from the Playstation Store. Additionally, since many of the busses in Seattle have Wi-Fi, it is possible to use the web browser en route. The interface is clunky and the PSP is a bit slow when it comes to web browsing, but it is nice to have the option. Unfortunately the quality of the bus Wi-Fi makes online gaming impossible. If you spend a lot of time traveling or sitting around, like PS 2 style gaming, and would like a portable multimedia player, the PSP is an excellent choice for a portable gaming device. If you don’t spend a lot of time out and about and already own a PS 2, there is almost no reason to buy a PSP. That’s not to say that there are no good games, there are just many similar options on other systems. To that end I present the PSP top 10 and other games you could be playing instead.

10. Tekken: Dark Resurrection is a near perfect port of the Tekken 5 arcade game. The game is seriously gorgeous and plays perfectly on the PSP. I am particularly a fan of Devil Jin who is some sort of emo cosplaying and/or devil angel. Jin is supposedly the grandson of the main bad guy in the series Heihachi Mishima who is an elderly gentleman with amazing combat skills and perfectly styled ‘hair wings’. Jin is very angry with his grandfather for some reason presumably unrelated to the ‘hair wings’ and that is why he is so emo. The PSP is perfectly suited for fighting games. One of the weaknesses of the PSP is the lack of a second analogue controller. However, most fighting games, Tekken: Dark Resurrection included, are played optimally without analogue controls. The fighting system is quite deep and feels perfectly responsive. The only real negative is the lack of an online multiplayer mode. It is a very excellent game but it is overshadowed by its console and arcade brethren. Oh and you can play as a freaking fighting Panda. How awesome is that?

Other recommended games in the genre on the PSP: Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max

Recommended games on other systems: Tekken Tag Tournament (PS 2), Super Smash Brothers Brawl (Wii), Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter (PSX), SNK vs. Capcom: Match of the Millennium (NeoGeo Pocket Color)

9. Burnout Legends is awesome racing fun! It seems like the racing genre is a bit weak on the current generation of consoles which might be why Burnout Legends feels like a throwback to the classic Burnout Series. The game packs all the arcade style over the top racing and crashing of the Burnout series into the PSP. The graphics are very nice and the controls are decent. It takes a bit of time to adjust to steering with the analogue nub but fortunately racing games don’t require two analogue controls. Unfortunately the game brings nothing new to the table. Sure there are fiery wrecks that undoubtedly result in the deaths of hundreds of innocents and the twisted wreckage of broken dreams of illegal street racing fame as husks of tuners pirouette in a ballet of destruction but… This is basically exactly what you can get from the main Burnout series on consoles but trimmed down for the PSP. It’s a great game but available in a bigger better console form.

Other recommenced racing games on PSP: Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice, Wipeout Pure, and SSX on Tour

Awesome racing games on other systems: Mario Cart (NDS), Burnout 3: Takedown (PS2, Xbox, 360), Gran Turismo 4 (PS2), Colin McRae: Dirt (360, PS3, PC)

8. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, I played it and was like, “Holy crap it’s Grand Theft Auto on PSP!” The game has different missions from its console brethren which gives it a leg up. I’m a total slut for Rockstar Games and am counting the day until GTA 5 is released. I used to dress up as CJ when I played San Andreas. Seriously we had matching berets and black turtlenecks, Sara will vouch for this. [Editor’s note: He did dress up like CJ. It was embarrassing.] Not all of their games are fantastic and some feel like experiments for their next Grand Theft Auto game however I will always love Bully, and will never forget San Andreas. The personalities of the games are amazing and unfortunately Vice City Stories stumbles a bit here. It seems like they might have put their B-list writers on this one. The game does not quite live up to the rest of the series. That said there is a cameo from Phil Motherfucking Collins culminating in a Phil Collins concert.

Other Rockstar games on PSP: Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, The Warriors

Sweet open world games on other systems: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, Xbox, PC), Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction (PS2, Xbox), Assassins Creed (360), Fable (Xbox), Crackdown (360)

7. Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 is the best first-person shooter on the PSP. We are in a bit of a FPS golden age right now with bajillions of FPS being released at a near constant rate. The PSP is possibly the worst console for FPS games because it has no second analogue stick. Hence moving and looking have to be dealt with another way. Medal of Honor managed to create a control scheme that feels very useable. I would say something funny about the game here but that would demean the sacrifice that the brave men and women that recreated the entirety of WWII in video game form gave. Never forget… Most importantly the games are fun and they offer awesome multiplayer options online.

Other recommended shooter games on PSP: Call of Duty: Roads to Victory, Medal of Honor: Heroes, Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron

Shooting games that rock on other systems: Call of Duty 3 (PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox, 360), Bioshock (360), Metroid Prime Hunters (NDS), Goldeneye 007 (N64), Gears of War (360), Orange Box (360, PS3), Resident Evil 4 (Xbox, PS2, NGC, Wii)

6. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was originally released on the PSX and continued and expanded on the classic Castlevania game-play while at the same time ushering in a new era of Castlevania design philosophy that has continued to flourish all the way onto the Nintendo DS. The game feels classic and modern at the same time. I could go on at length about how this is the near height of Castlevania game-play artistry and design by bringing open world exploration and collection to Castlevania, refining controls and creating beautiful 2D art. That would miss the point that number six on the list is a ten year old game that can be officially played on no less then six consoles. Seriously is there anything original on the PSP?

Other recommended side scrollers on PSP: Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles, Metal Slug Anthology

Must play side scrollers on other systems: Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow (NDS) Castlevania: Symphony of Night (PSX, Sega Saturn, 360, PS3, PSP), Super Metroid (SNES, Wii), Gunstar Heroes (Genesis, Wii), Super Mario 3 (Nintendo)

5. God of War: Chains of Olympus is the third in the series of the most excellent third person over the top fighting action game series God of War and the first developed by Ready at Dawn studios. The game is actually a prequel to the first and second games but manages to stuff almost all the action, bastardized Greek myths, violence, frontal nudity, and badassery of the God of War series on the PSP. The controls are dead on and the graphics are amazing. The story is interesting and plays on the pathos established in the earlier games. There is a bit of a schism in the action fighting game world. There are basically two camps, the Ninja Gaiden camp, who believe that your fighting games should be amazingly difficult, technically challenging, and boob free and the God of War camp that believe that the games should be amazingly fun, look really cool and have maximum full frontal nudity. I fall into the latter. God of War: Chains of Olympus is not original but stays true to a premiere series on the PS2 and, for a fan of the series, might even justify the purchase of a PSP, especially if you like looking at CGI boobs on the bus while sitting next to some unsuspecting middle aged commuter lady.

Somewhat similar recommended games on PSP: Monster Hunter Freedom 2, Chili Con Carnage

Games on other systems you should play before you consider GoW:CoO: Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (PS2, PC), God of War (PS2), God of War II (PS2), BMX XXX (Xbox but only for the bad CGI boobs)

4. Syphon Filter: Logan's Shadow is stealth action done perfectly on the PSP. I really enjoyed the Syphon Filter series from its earliest incarnations on the PSX. Unfortunately Syphon Filter did not age all that well until it appeared on the PSP and all the sudden it was freaking amazing! Even the name of the main character Gabe Logan which started to sound silly before the game came to the PSP took on a new sheen. Like he was one half the angel that signals the end times and another half Huge Jackman (the tough Wolverine not the wussy Kate & Leopold Jackman). The voice work is great, the graphics are beautiful, the game-play is perfect, the story engaging, the AI is quite decent, and the level design is boss. The game keeps true to its roots but feels like a refinement in every possible way. Additionally it has some decent multiplayer options to keep things fresh after the campaign is done.

Other recommended games on PSP: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror

Rad stealth action on other systems: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (PS2), Tenchu Stealth Assassin (PSX)

3. LocoRoco is happiness in game form. The Playstation brand represents to me, among other things, innovation and originality. The PSP library largely fails on this count. LocoRoco is one of the few great games on the PSP that really innovates and is truly original (the list until now is entirely sequels and ports). The game is basically a side scrolling platforming game however, instead of playing as the main character, the player is put in the role of the planet that the heroes of the game, the loveable singing LocoRoco, inhabit. The LocoRoco are moved about by tilting the planet they are on with the R and L buttons. They need to be guided thru the levels to find more of their kind so that they might thwart the evil Moja. I am not sure exactly how the LocoRoco are supposed to thwart the Moja but I suspect it is thru song. The LocoRoco constantly sing and the songs are all super catchy. The game oozes personality and is oh so fun. It is not the most quirky or original game on the PSP, that honor goes to Patapon, but it is a close second.

Other recommended quirky games on PSP: Me & My Katamari, Patapon, PaRappa the Rapper, Tokobot

Games that innovate and/or are quirky on other systems: Katamari Dalmancy (PS2), Elite Beat Agents (NDS), Wario Ware Touched! (NDS), Super Mario Galaxy (Wii), Mr. Driller (GBA, Wonderswan), Shadow of the Colossus (PS2)

2. Jeanne d'Arc, is a totally excellent role playing game on the PSP. I don’t understand why there are not more RPGs on the PSP. The PSP seems like the perfect place for RPGs. I personally do not want to spend the time for a full length level grinding RPG at home when I could be doing something more productive or less of a time sink however, when I have an hour to kill on the bus I absolutely love a good RPG. Oblivion on the 360 I hate but if it was on the PSP I would love it. Jeanne d’Arc is a fictionalized account of Joan of Arc done as a tactical RPG. The game is dense but approachable and features a combo system that is original and interesting as well as a unique ability system that is most similar to the materia system from Final Fantasy VII. The art is lovely and has several animated FMV sequences that give extra punch to some parts of the game. The game has a nice ramp up and is quite challenging towards the end. Plus one of the characters in the game is a frog and they turn out to be British. How ironical is that in a game that features the French?

Other recommended RPGs on PSP: Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness, PoPoLoCrois

Some of the best RPGs on other systems: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin (NDS), Beyond Good & Evil (PS2, Xbox, GCN), Final Fantasy X (PS2), Chrono Trigger (SNES), Earthbound (SNES), Fire Emblem (GBA), Xenogears (PSX), Final Fantasy VII (PSX), Front Mission 3 (PSX)

1. Daxter is the freshman Ready at Dawn outing on the PSP and is amazingly good. 3D platformers in general rank among my least favorite games and yet Daxter is so masterfully done that it justifies the purchase of a PSP, hence the existence of the PSP Daxter Entertainment Pack which comes with a copy of Daxter and a sexy silver PSP. Yes, yes, yes, the best game available on the PSP is another entry in a long established Playstation series but it is tremendous amounts of fun. Somehow the game takes the annoying sidekick from the Jak and Daxter games and manages to make him really funny and likeable. If I had not played Daxter and met Daxter in the real world I would probably stomp the vermin to death and then stomp a bit more just to make sure. Poor smooshed Daxter… Most importantly the game is very fun and well designed. I would gladly sit on my couch and play this game instead of an alternative game on the 360.

Similar recommended game on PSP: Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters

Other games you could be playing instead: Super Mario 64 (N64, NDS, Wii) Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (PS2), Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2), Conker: Bad Fur Day (N64), Psychonauts (Xbox, 360)

So that is the definitive top 10 PSP game list, one clogged up with sequels and ports which is rather unfortunate. Perhaps Sony will take a clue from Nintendo’s success with the DS and attempt to bring some original IP and gameplay to the PSP. Somehow I suspect not, even though Patapon and LocoRoco are good signs. It seems very fortunate for Sony that Blu-Ray has emerged as the dominate high definition format because they have seemed to have lost quite a bit of the Playstation magic in the transition to the current generation of gaming hardware. Being stuck, as it were, between a proverbial rock (Microsoft) and a hard place (Nintendo) has not been easy for the Playstation brand as they commit one PR blunder after another. Perhaps nervousness at Sony is inspiring them and their developers to play it safe? Regardless the PSP, while building a strong library, has rather failed to bring much of anything new to the gaming public. I love my PSP and drag it around with me all the time, I just never play it when I have a home console at hand. The same could not be said of the Nintendo DS which truly offers a unique experience that can only be had on the DS. If you do your gaming at home pick up one of the recommended games on other systems. If you already own a PSP or spend a lot of gaming time away from your home consoles and decide to purchase a PSP, go buy the games from the top 10 list. You will be happy with awesome, if unoriginal, fun time.

Blue Wizard is about to die.

I am really sick this weekend. I am tempted to forgo a post for this week but, instead I’m going to have a link-o-ramma. Bellow are some of my favorite gaming related websites.

http://kotaku.com/ Awesome site for video game news. My favorite gaming related site.

http://www.ign.com/ Mainstream site for video game news. Good source of reviews and previews.

http://www.1up.com/ Another review/preview site.

http://www.metacritic.com/ Not just games but a review site for all sorts of stuff. Highly recommended.

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/ Specifically deals with portable gaming.

http://www.psp-spot.com/ Hackercentirc PSP site.

http://ultimateconsoledatabase.com/portables.htm Big list of consoles.

http://www.superufo.com/ Crazy import site for games and obscure handhelds.

http://zodiacguide.sitesled.com/ Tapwave Zodiac resource site.

http://www.gamasutra.com/ A site for gaming professionals.

http://www.mega64.com/ Video game comedy video website.

http://www.mobygames.com/ Like the IMDB for games.

Post done, now I’m going to go lay down and die.

Sonic the Hedgehog Handheld Roundup.

A true side by side comparison of handheld machines is often difficult. This is due to the fact that there are not many games that are on several systems. One of the few exceptions to the rule is Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic is on so many platforms that it’s ridiculous. How the hell many times is the blue hedgehog going to have to go up against Dr. Robotnik? Read on for a partial count.

DS and PSP: The New

I have not played any of the Sonic games for the current generation of handhelds but as I understand they are quite decent. They share a lot of qualities that the GBA version has which almost puts them in a different category from the older handhelds. If for some reason you are actually here to get information before making a purchasing decision for a current gen handheld game, I would recommend Metacritic as a good place to start your research. If you want to know how Sonic compares on ‘classic’ handhelds, read on.

Game Boy Advance: The Awesome

Sonic Advance 2 was released in 2003 so Sonic is a little taller, a little more svelte, and much more sassy. He is the edgy Sonic. Some people might be turned off by the visual style, and ‘cool’ Sonictude, remembering the repeated failed attempts to both edgy up and bring Sonic into the realm of 3D gaming. This Sonic deserves a chance because, as I like to say, game-play is king. Even if you are turned off by the art style and the almost painfully self conscious attempts to make Sonic hip, give the game a chance. It is undeniable that his animation is excellent and he has a large move set which is set against some really nice art. It’s almost unfair to compare this Sonic to the original Sonic since they are so different in attitude. But strip away the attitude and some extra mechanics and there is a pure Sonic experience. This is Sonic at his best. Since it is compatible with anything from the GBA to the DS Lite there can be a bit of visual variation. Honestly it looks good on any of the platforms. The Micro and DS Lite screens are super bright so the colors really pop and are clear even at high speed. This Sonic is fast, hella fast, fast enough that there is a special move where he ‘breaks the sound barrier’ and can run across water. The level design is great, the visuals are great; this is an excellent game. If you like Sonic and have a system that can play GBA games, you should pick this up. I really have no caveats about this version of Sonic. It’s newer and it’s flashier but it is at the same time Sonic. Sonic with more bells and whistles which some fogies might not like but they should give it a chance. Beware though: don’t accidentally pick up Sonic The Hedgehog Genesis for GBA on accident. It is supposed to be awful.

Neo-Geo Pocket Color: The Good

The most needs to be said about Sonic on Neo-Geo because it is so similar to the original and yet has its own identity. Neo-Geo Pocket Color does not have a backlight however it is still a pretty fantastic handheld. It is 16 bit which should be the right amount of power for the classic side scrolling Sonic we know and love. I booted up my copy of Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure which came out in 99’. The Sega logo pops up and the familiar “Sega” sound byte precedes the title screen. The title screen has bright primary colors that pop as much as they can under proper light without any backlighting. The screen resolution is a bit low at 160x152 and the sprites have serious color limitations of a mere 4 colors per sprite. These limitations don’t hurt this port at all. As a matter of fact the limitations hurt none of the Neo-Geo Pocket Color games. The games are all perfectly designed for the system. In any case, Sonic only needs blue, red, white, and black and once Sonic is in motion you don’t even notice the low resolution. The game features Sonic solo for the bulk of the game perhaps to keep things fast. If that is the case, I applaud the developer. The game starts with the late 90’s sounding stage named Neo South Island which looks just like Green Hill Zone. Many of the stages have old school design but with newer sounding names. For example, Casino Zone becomes Cosmic Casino and Aquatic Zone becomes Aquatic Relix (if the game was made today the level would have undoubtedly been called Aquatic Relicz). The levels are generally well designed with a very original Sonic focus on speed for the bulk of the game. There is a distinct flavor to the game which makes it feel expansive with many paths for the player to follow. There are a couple exceptions such as the Sky Chase level which features a cameo by Tails who pilots a barnstormer type airplane which Sonic must ride on top of thru a side scrolling R-Type type level. These levels only slightly detract from the game and, if a bit unnecessary, do not hurt the game. This Sonic has a very basic move list consisting of just the power rev that was introduced in the second Sonic game on the Genesis. Once things get moving Sonic moves at just the right speed with no slowdown and no visible ghosting. The game is very enjoyable and is nearly flawless in its execution. The game does not feel cheap, there are not too many platforming sections that lead to instant death, the rings are a bit oversized to make them easy to see, and the enemy sprites look great. The boss battles follow the classic “find a way to hit the Dr. in the head” format but have a fair amount of variety. The sound is not great but the familiar Sonic tunes are all there. This is truly Sonic at the top of his game. It’s not quite the original but it is one of the best Sonics out there.

Sega Game Gear: The Bad

I took a look at both Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Game Gear. I’ll be clear up front: the negatives outweigh the positives on these. The game itself is solid enough but the Game Gear was not the right platform for Sonic. Sonic had to be on the Game Gear as he was the flagship character of the Sega Empire when the Game Gear was released. Unfortunately, the Game Gear can’t quite keep up with Sonic. Not in any processing way, no he moves along at full regular super sonic speed, but the screen! The screen has terrible ghosting which makes it very difficult to tell what is going on once Sonic gets sprinting. Add to this issue the fact that these are not straight ports and other issues creep up. Both of the Sonic the Hedgehog games on the Game Gear are only somewhat based off the originals on the Genesis but the feel is somehow quite different. Primarily, both of the games have a large amount of dangerous sections where a player moving at full speed will fall into a pit of spikes, lava, or a bottomless chasm. Perhaps this is a design decision to encourage players to play a bit slower or perhaps the designers merely wanted to be more similar to the Genesis sequels which tended to have a greater focus on platforming over the raw speed of the original Sonic. Regardless it is frustrating. Fortunately, at least in the first Sonic for Game Gear many of the spike pits have a bit of questionable collision and death can be avoided if they are hit at full tilt. The developer did at least make the sprites for both rings and enemies nice and large but it doesn’t really manage to make the games easy to play. A true Sonic fanatic might want to play these but in general these games are hampered by the hardware.

Game.com: The Ass

Sonic Jam is ass. Take everything bad I said about all the other versions of Sonic and they are worse in this version. Game.com tried to make the game appealing by having Sonic 2, Sonic 3, and Sonic and Knuckles in one package. Unfortunately they all suck. Here is the bad: the screen is hard to see and has awful ghosting, the game slows down terribly with more than a couple sprites on screen at once which, combined with the sluggish controls, makes things frustrating. If you wanted, you could easily count the frames of animation for the sprites of the main characters. The good: tails can fly by repeatedly pressing the jump button. This is kind of cool in a completely game breaking sort of way. I wish this was in a good Sonic game. Also the developer had the good sense to make the sprites absolutely huge so that they can be seen on the totally crappy Game.com screen. Bottom line, I have pooped better games in my sleep. The truly unfortunate thing is that it is possible that there could be a good game buried under all the technical limitations of the Game.com. I highly doubt it but can’t stand playing the game long enough to tell.

Sega Nomad: The Best!

Sega Nomad is your best option. Why? Because it is portable Sonic in its purest form. In case you don’t already know, the Nomad is the official portable Sega Genesis. Sure the Nomad has its faults: it eats batteries and does not have the best screen. However the Nomad can double as a Genesis and be hooked up to a TV and used with an external controller. The Genesis created Sonic and there is a reason it was shipped with the Genesis. Sonic was so good he could sell systems. Sonic on Genesis is what all other Sonic games must be measured against. And Nomad is the closest you can get without using a home console… Well, almost.

Zodiac, GP2X, and Your Cell phone: The Rest

Want to play Sonic on the go in its original form without owning a Nomad? There are options. I can’t speak to the quality of the versions of Sonic I have heard about for sale on the I-pod or Cell phone, but I understand they are pretty straight ports. There are also some VG Pocket and Onestation type options. These are funny little systems that come either preloaded with games or feature proprietary cartridges of dubious origin. I haven’t seen Sonic on these systems, but I have found the VG pocket and Onestation products to have very nice screens and generally nice hardware. The other option involves emulation. Unless you own the original cartridge and have checked your local laws, I cannot recommend this option. If you do own the cart and can legally back up your games, your few options include the Tapwave Zodiac (a gaming optimized PDA) or the GP2X. If you are going to go down this path I would recommend the GP2X as it has a strong homebrew community, runs Linux, a lovely backlit screen, and excellent controls. You could always hack your PSP but while Sony actively discourages homebrew, GP2X thrives on it.

An open letter to Pocket Gamer.

This week is an open letter to Pocket Gamer magazine followed by a brief historical timeline of Handheld Gaming.

Dear Pocket Gamer,

I picked up a copy of your magazine and very much enjoyed it however, as I reached the end of the magazine I noticed that something was missing. Though your magazine is called Pocket Gamer your coverage does not even make a nod to Classic Handheld Gaming. I checked out your website and found that indeed there are no articles about the subject. This I feel does a grave disservice to your readers. Handheld gaming has been around for almost 30 years and deserves recognition of it’s rich history.

I could forgive you for ignoring the Microvision and most handheld gaming from the 80s however one cannot ignore the importance and relevancy of the original Gameboy. The Gameboy created handheld gaming and by publishing Tetris helped define much of handheld gaming’s landscape even today. Without Tetris’ massive success it is quite easy to conjecture a world where Nintendo failed and went the way of Atari. Without Gameboy the puzzle genre might be a very different place. Without other companies trying to force Nintendo off it’s pedestal, Nintendo might have never innovated. Without Nintendo there would be no PSP.

Classic portables effect on what is happening now aside, classic portable gaming is fascinating. Whether it involves the hack work of Ben Heck or the many retrofits of the original Gameboy there is a rich interest in classic handheld gaming both as an aesthetic and as an experience. From the cultural impact of Pokemon to the tragic tale of Stefan Eriksson there are so many interesting stories about old school games.

Beyond historical consideration old school portable games are fun. I fondly remember playing Tetris on a borrowed Gameboy and years later being wowed playing Zelda on the Gameboy Color. Fighting games on the Neo-Geo Pocket Color are amazing for their perfect simplicity. Any game ever released on the Watura Supervision is befuddlingly bad. Old school game systems are funny and quirky and unique.

Please Pocket Gamer, consider giving some coverage to the game systems of yesteryear.

Best Wishes,
Sean Fear

1979

Milton Bradley releases the first cartridge-based handheld video game system MicroVision. Nothing much happens in portable gaming for the next 10 years.

1989

Nintendo releases the Game Boy system. It's boxy has a lousy screen and is ugly as hell but everyone loves it.

Tetris is arguably the most important handheld game ever. It is released for the Gameboy which sells like crazy.

Atari Lynx is the first color handheld video game system but it does not have Tetris and eats batteries. System will hang around for years wishing it found Tetris first.

1990

Sega releases the Game Gear in Japan.

Turbo Express is released which plays TG 16 carts.

1991

Europe and US get Game Gear.

Japan gets Parodius on the Gameboy, while US gets boring old R-Type.

1992

Watura Supervision is released along with games like Recycle Design and, Untouchable which perfectly describe the game system.

25 million Gameboys have been sold.

1993

Mega Duck & Cougar Boy game systems are released in Europe. US suffers from never receiving these systems.

Zelda first appears on a handheld.

1994

94 is a slow year in handheld gaming due to "Grunge". Only game released is "Stop That Roach!" on the Gameboy.

1995

Nintendo releases Virtual Boy. It's totally 3D! Gamers develop a collective migraine.

Game Axe is released which is a pirate handheld Famicom player. Thanks to NES on a chip technology spawns many imitators.

Sega Nomad released. Genesis heads now have excuse to lug their Genesis cartridge collection around with them. System only fits in duffle bags.

1996

Neo Geo Pocket is released in awesome black and white!

1997

Tiger Electronics releases game.com. Someone better have gotten fired!

Sega stops supporting Game Gear format.

1998

Nintendo releases Game Boy Color.

Sony PocketStation is a mem card and a portable game!

Pokemon invade the Gameboy and millions of parents have no idea what the hell their children are talking about.

Games are still being released for the Lynx. Lynx users are like "In your face Nintendo!"

1999

SNK totally copies Nintendo and releases Neo-Geo Pocket Color. Metal slug now fits in your pocket as well as some awesome fighting games.

2000

Wonderswan is released. A couple nerds want it to come out in the US but nobody cares about their needs.

Majesco re-releases the Game Gear. It is called Game Gear Core System.

Neo Geo Pocket releases another Metal slug game then gives up when GBA appears on the horizon.

2001

Nintendo releases the Game Boy Advance handheld system.

Advance Wars, Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, F-Zero, and others are released for GBA. GBA is looking good.

GP32 is released, only a few nerds care. Homebrewers rock.

2002

Wonderswan Crystal is even more beautiful than it’s predecessor. It has a great library of RPGs but all are in japanesse.

GBA gets Zelda and Metroid, bathes in the blood of defeated game systems.

2003

Nokia releases the N-Gage It’s a phone and a game system. Casual gamers don't care. Hardcore gamers care even less.

Puzzle Bobble VS is releases for N-Gage. This game should be impossible to do a bad version of but somehow manages to get an average score of 22%.

Tapwave releases the Zodiac, it's a PDA made for games.

Timetap releases Gameking, China throws a party.

Game Theory Admiral is released which plays famicom games. Nintendo does not seem to care.

Nintendo counters with GBA SP and all the other systems fail.

2004

N-Gage QD is released and still sucks, just not as badly, not nearly as bad as the Gizmondo which would have almost been ok if it was a cell phone and is released next year.

Leisure Suit Larry: Pocket Party is cancled. This is possibly the final nail in the failing N-Gage's coffin. The world breathes a sigh of relief as a game called "Pocket Party" will not be played in public.

Wonderswan stops getting games. Still none in English.

Nintendo releases the Nintendo DS, and Pokemon Mini. This duel strike knocks all other mo-fos out.

2005

Sony releases PSP and handhelds are finally legitimized.

Gizmondo is released, Sticky Balls makes gamers snicker, Colors is canceled and Erickson crashes his Enzo. The End!

EZ Mini is released.

Also released is the GP2X which makes the GP32 nerds screamgasm with delight.

Nintendo can't stop itself and releases a lite version of the GBA SP, and Gameboy micro.

2006

The Nintendo DS Lite ups the sex appeal of Nintendo. Handheld games have officially exploded. Girls, casual gamers, your parents, and jocks officially play video games and carry them around in their pockets.

OneStation brings probably illegal games to savy importers at low prices.

2007

PlayStation Portable Slim & Lite. The battle rages on.