A handheld video game is a video game designed for a handheld device. A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. In the past, this primarily meant handheld game consoles such as Nintendo's Game Boy line. A handheld game console is a lightweight portable electronic machine for playing Video games Unlike Video game consoles the controls screen and speakers is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. In more recent history, mobile games have become popular in calculators, personal digital assistants (PDA), mobile phones, mp3 players, and other similar portable gadgets. A mobile game is a Video game played on a Mobile phone, Smartphone, PDA or Handheld computer Programmable calculators are Calculators capable of being programmed much like a Computer. A digital audio player, more commonly referred to as an MP3 player, is a Consumer electronics device that stores organizes and plays audio files Some
In the past decade, handheld video games currently have become a major sector of the video game market. In 2004 sales of portable software titles exceeded $1 billion in the United States for the first time, an 11% increase from the previous year. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been The United States of America —commonly referred to as the [1]
For dedicated handheld games that do not have interchangeable cartridges, disks, etc. , or are not reprogrammable, see handheld electronic games. Handheld electronic games are very small portable devices for playing interactive Games often miniaturized versions of Video games For games on mobile phones, see mobile games. A mobile game is a Video game played on a Mobile phone, Smartphone, PDA or Handheld computer
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History
Handheld video games grew out of handheld electronic games that were popular from the 1970s through the mid 1990s. Handheld electronic games are very small portable devices for playing interactive Games often miniaturized versions of Video games The key factors in contributing to the advance of handheld video games were the increase in processing power, technological advances in liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and the reduction of power requirements. Handheld video games grew immensely in popularity, thanks to the Game Boy released in 1989. The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Tetris was considered the "killer app" for the console, and popularized the action puzzle genre. Tetris (Тетрис is a Video puzzle game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in June 1985 while working for the Dorodnicyn
Popular genres
Due to the portable nature of the platform, the game genres that are popular on video game consoles are not necessarily the same genres that are popular on handhelds. This is partly due to a constant game of technological catchup for handhelds; they are usually about 1-2 generations behind in terms of graphic capabilities than their AC-powered brethren. An alternating current ( AC) is an Electric current whose direction reverses cyclically as opposed to Direct current, whose direction remains constant In addition, there is a demand to keep the device small, so there are much fewer controls on handhelds than on other systems; this results in games that cannot be as complex. Typically due to the limited time that most users have when on the go, the average gametime duration is much shorter. Hence games that are quick to play, such as sidescrolling platformers and action puzzle games are very popular. Platform game, or platformer, is a video game genre characterized by jumping to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles It is important to note that there is solid-state storage for handheld titles, whether it be in the form of a memory card, or EEPROM. A solid-state drive ( SSD) is a Data storage device that uses solid-state memory to store persistent Data. EEPROM (also written E2PROM and pronounced e-e-prom or simply e-squared which stands for E lectrically E rasable P rogrammable On the whole, even with the capability to save games, consumers prefer less time-consuming titles. More complex game types, such as adventure or first person shooters, are less popular.
Puzzle
- Tetris (Nintendo Game Boy 1989, Cellphone, Nintendo DS)
- Columns (Sega Game Gear)
- Lumines (PlayStation Portable 2005)
- Bejeweled (Cellphone)
- Meteos (Nintendo DS)
Platform
- Super Mario Advance Series (Game Boy Advance)
RPG
Due to the low technical demands of the turn based, menu driven RPG, they have often found homes on handheld systems, often based on a console RPG. Tetris (Тетрис is a Video puzzle game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in June 1985 while working for the Dorodnicyn is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Description The game takes place inside a tall well-shaped playing area as in Tetris. The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. is a Video puzzle game based on sound and light patterns Created by game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi and his company Q Entertainment, it was first released The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. Bejeweled is a Puzzle game by PopCap Games, first developed for the browser in 2001. is an action puzzle Video game for the Nintendo DS portable gaming system The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Super Mario Bros 2 (SMB2 is a platforming Video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. A computer role-playing game ( CRPG) is a broad Video game genre originally developed for personal computers and other home computers A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived Those games that have met with the most success have been collection-centered or anime-based RPGs such as:
- Pokémon (Nintendo Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS)
- Megaman Battle Network
- Dragon Ball Z
- Yu-Gi-Oh Series
The Pokémon series has met with so much success that Nintendo has released special editions of the Game Boy Advance and Game Boy. (anime in Japanese, If you came here to express your personal opinion about Pokémon please go somewhere else is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. is a Japanese Manga created by Kazuki Takahashi, which has spawned a franchise including multiple Anime series a trading card game and numerous video These bundles had the game systems in exclusive colors (such as Pikachu yellow) and were bundled with the popular game of the time. is one of the fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar Pokémon Media franchise &mdasha collection of Video Nintendo has reported that over 15 million dollars in sales have been generated by the Pokémon franchise.
Classic
Due to the simplistic nature of the video and arcade games of the 1980s, many classic titles have been re-released in handheld form. An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in businesses such as Restaurants Pubs Video arcades and Family Entertainment For example, the Nintendo e-Reader for the Game Boy Advance allowed a small library of classic NES titles to be played on the handheld. The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. e-Reader titles included Excitebike and Ice Climber. is a Motocross racing Video game franchise made by Nintendo. It first debuted as a game for the Famicom in Japan in 1984 for a price of is a vertical platformer developed and published by Nintendo for the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985
Classic games have also been released for cellphones, such as the Intellivision game library and arcade classics including Galaga, Afterburner and Pac-Man. The Intellivision is a Video game console released by Mattel in 1979. Galaga is a Fixed shooter Arcade game and the sequel to Galaxian. The AfterBurner is a lighting solution for the Game Boy Advance system that was created by Triton-Labs is an Arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution The Apple iPod features two games from the late 1970 and early 1980s: Breakout and Parachute. iPod is a popular brand of Portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc Parachute is an IPod game released by Apple Inc for various IPod models
Since the release of the GP32; homebrew and emulated gaming for games previously only playable on living room consoles have magically transformed standard console games from the past into handheld ones. The GP32 (GamePark 32 is a Hand held console built by the Korean company Game Park. An emulator duplicates (provides an emulation of the functions of one System using a different system so that the second system behaves like (and appears to Later, the GBA Movie Player was released to allow NES games to be played on the GBA via PocketNES emulator. The GBA Movie Player, abbreviated GBAMP, is a device that reads CompactFlash or Secure Digital cards to upload data onto the Game Boy Advance The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. PocketNES is an NES emulator which runs on the Game Boy Advance, written by Neal Tew (Loopy and Fredrik Olsson (Flubba Subsequent to that, the GP2X has been released. The GP2X is an open-source Linux -based handheld Video game console and media player created by GamePark Holdings Since many emulators and interpreters for classic computer games have been written for GP2X, classic games have gone handheld; even old DOS games have gone handheld on the GP2X on GP2X's version of DOSBox. DOSBox is an Emulator which simulates a computer running MS-DOS. The PSP however, only supports homebrew and emulation to a minor extent. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. And that its market share in the homebrew community has been slashed after the release of GP2X.
Card games
While not particularly popular on handheld game consoles, card games such as Texas Hold 'Em, Blackjack, and Solitaire are extremely popular on cellphones and PDAs. A handheld game console is a lightweight portable electronic machine for playing Video games Unlike Video game consoles the controls screen and speakers Texas hold 'em (also hold'em, holdem) is the most popular Poker game in the casinos and poker card rooms across North America and Europe Blackjack (also known as Twenty-one, Vingt-et-un (French for Twenty-one or Pontoon) is the most widely played casino banking Solitaire, also called patience, is any of a family of single-player Card games of a generally similar character but varying greatly in detail
Strategy games
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance(a Tactical RPG) and the Advance Wars series are examples of strategy games that has shown popularity for the genre on handhelds. is a Tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance. This article refers to the Game Boy Advance title For the series of video games see Nintendo Wars. Other games such as Luminous Arc, Heroes of Mana, and Age of Empires: The Age of Kings popularized strategy games for handhelds even further on the Nintendo DS thanks to its touch screen interface. is a Tactical role-playing game from Marvelous for the Nintendo DS. Heroes of Mana (known in Japan as) is a real-time strategy role-playing game developed by Square Enix for the Nintendo DS video game console Age of Empires The Age of Kings is a Turn-based strategy Video game developed by Backbone Entertainment and published by Majesco The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo.
Features unique to handheld gaming
Linking to other handhelds
Most handheld systems are capable of linking to others of the same type via a cable that connects two or more handhelds, usually to a maximum of 4. This feature allows both multiplayer gaming and other uses such as item or data transfer between cartridges. The Atari Lynx supported connectivity for up to 17 units at once. The Atari Lynx was a Handheld game console released by Atari Corporation in 1989
The N-Gage introduced wireless connectivity via Bluetooth, allowing multiplayer games between handhelds with no cable. The N-Gage is a Mobile telephone and Handheld game system based on the Nokia Series 60 platform Bluetooth is a wireless protocol utilizing short-range communications technology facilitating data transmission over short distances from fixed and/or mobile devices creating wireless This was also a feature in the Nintendo DS and PSP, using the Wi-Fi standard. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Wi-Fi (ˈwaɪfaɪ is the trade name for the popular wireless technology used
Linking to console games
Nintendo's Transfer Pak allows transfer of data from compatible Game Boy cartridges to their Nintendo 64 counterparts: e. The Transfer Pak is a device for the Nintendo 64 that allows the transfer of data between the system and a Game Boy or Game Boy Color cartridge The, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo 's third home Video game console for the international market g. allowing Pokémon from the Game Boy game to be used in Pokémon Stadium for the N64. Pokemon Stadium, or in Japan is an RPG -styled Strategy game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Similarly, the Game Boy Advance can be linked to the Nintendo GameCube with the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance cable, which allows the GBA to be used as an extra controller with a second screen. The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. The Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable is a cable used to connect the Nintendo GameCube (GCN and the Game Boy Advance (GBA The Nintendo DS can wirelessly link with the Wii console. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Likewise, the PSP can connect wirelessly to the PlayStation 3. The PlayStation Portable (officially abbreviated PSP) is a Handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment.
Multi-tasking
On non-dedicated gaming platforms, such as Cellphones, it is important for the game running to not be the highest priority of the hardware/software system. On these devices, the operating system will interrupt the gaming session with something like an incoming call, a scheduling alert, a low-battery warning, etc.
Availability
Gaming platforms
As with traditional video game systems, there are dedicated and console systems. A dedicated console is a Video game console that is dedicated to a built in game or games and is not equipped for additional games via cartridges or other media Dedicated handheld video games have a specific set of software are almost always bundled with the hardware unit. However, the release of the GP2X has blurred the difference between "dedicated" and "handheld" since high-capacity user-rewritable solid state memory cards (e. The GP2X is an open-source Linux -based handheld Video game console and media player created by GamePark Holdings A memory card or flash memory card is a solid-state electronic Flash memory Data storage device used with Digital g. SD card) can store ROM images to emulate on emulators ported to the GP2X and that TV-out can be done with the GP2X. Secure Digital ( SD) is a non-volatile Memory card format developed by Matsushita, SanDisk, and Toshiba for use in A ROM image, or simply ROM, is a computer file which contains a copy of the data from a Read-only memory chip often from a video game cartridge, a An emulator duplicates (provides an emulation of the functions of one System using a different system so that the second system behaves like (and appears to
In terms of handheld game consoles, there are two subcategories of systems; ones that are a re-engineered portable version of a set-top console that are compatible with existing cartridges, or new systems and platforms that are exclusively designed and use portable media types.
The Sega Nomad, the PSOne, and the Turbo Express are good examples of re-engineered portable systems, however the PSOne is only semi-portable (i. The Sega Nomad (Also called Sega Genesis Nomad or just Nomad) was a Handheld game console sold for the North American consumer market The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console The TurboExpress or ( PC Engine GT in Japan was a portable version of the TurboGrafx-16 / PC Engine, released by NEC in 1990 for $249 e. cannot fit in your pocket). The Game Boy Advance, the Sega Game Gear, and Neo Geo Pocket are examples of entirely created platforms, although it should be noted that the Game Boy Advance was built largely upon the Super Nintendo system architecture and that the Sega Game Gear is a retooled version of the Sega Master System. The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. The Neo Geo Pocket was SNK 's first hand held video game system, released in Japan in late 1998 The Game Boy Advance (often shortened to GBA) is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed manufactured and marketed by Nintendo. The Sega Game Gear is a Handheld game console which was Sega 's response to Nintendo 's Game Boy. The Sega Master System is an 8-bit cartridge-based Video game console that was manufactured by Sega and was first released in 1986.
Non-gaming platforms
With the increasing convergence of electronic peripherals made possible by rapid technology advancements, handheld video games are now available on a wide variety of platforms, not just exclusive gaming ones. PDAs, although not a gaming platform, had many games, ports or exclusively designed, for the devices. All modern cellphones include and run gaming software, usually Java or BREW based. BREW ( Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless) is an application development platform created by Qualcomm for mobile phones. Graphing calculator gaming is popular among college and high school students. A graphing calculator (also known as a graphic calculator or graphical calculator) typically refers to a class of handheld Calculators that are capable of The popular Apple iPod mp3 player includes several bundled games, allows users to download new games from the iTunes Store, and clever enthusiasts have been modifying the software to allow for further gaming utilization. iPod is a popular brand of Portable media players designed and marketed by Apple Inc The iTunes Store is a software-based online Digital media store operated by Apple Inc Some mp3 players that do not play games out of the box could be made to do so by installing Rockbox or other alternative firmware. Rockbox is a Free software replacement for the Firmware held on various forms of Digital audio players (DAPs Even some watches, such as the Timex Datalink are capable of playing games. Timex Datalink or Timex Data Link is a line of Watches manufactured by the Timex Corporation. The website It Plays Doom (now no longer online; link goes to an archived page) was dedicated to listing all the portable devices currently capable of playing the popular first person shooter; this ever-growing list includes PDAs, digital cameras, and cellphones. A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War Many compact digital still cameras can record Sound and moving Video as well as still Photograph.
See also
References
- ^ U.S. 2004 Video Game Annual Report. This is a comparison of the features of various Handheld game consoles General information Specifications Specifications (continued Calculator gaming is the phenomenon of programming and playing games on Programmable calculators especially Graphing calculators It is largely a pastime Retrieved on 2005-09-26. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar dedicates a
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