Nintendo insists the iPhone isn't a competitor!

[greenmedic88]

There isn't much overlap between the DS and the iPhone, but that is little reason to believe the growth of iPod Touch/iPhone does not have an effect, however small, on DS games sales.

For starters, the primary user base of the DS, is children. Whether you like to admit that or not, it is still and will always be the case.

And no children, barring those from well to do economic backgrounds, will have $300 phones with $65 a month service plans and a credit card with which to buy their games.

But, if you can buy songs off iTunes, buying games is exactly the same. iTunes Store cards work the same and can be bought anywhere.

And phone service plans are not a cost issue for users of the iPod Touch, which cost about the same as a DSi, with games that cost anywhere from 1/40th to 1/3rd the cost of a DS cartridge (obviously NOT comparable as games, but priced accordingly).

The DSi store, once it's fully up and running, will hopefully mean the inclusion of a broad array of quick games well under $10.

But the DS remains easy to use, priced within reach of virtually all kids who play games, and has a broad library to suit just about all tastes. As a gaming platform, it's ideal.

While Nintendo has made great inroads with brain training games and the like which hold equal if not greater appeal to adult users, adults do not make up the majority of the DS user base. They certainly aren't the ones buying the majority of the "traditional" games either unless they're buying them for their own children.

And this is really the one area where the iPhone has the most to gain. Games like Brain Age can easily be done on the iPhone, as well as Sudoku, crossword puzzles and even quick bite sized games adults play during a commute, on the train, etc.

There is no point for a working adult to be carrying a DS at this point if that's all they're using it for. Personally, I don't know any that do.

I don't carry portable gaming systems everywhere (or anywhere for that matter) I go. The iPhone on the other hand, has to go everywhere I go.

And while most of the apps do have the clear distinction of being thrown together in a matter of weeks, they're more than enough for casual use and better than paying $20-40 for a game I don't intend to play for hours at a time.

The touch interface has not been the game breaking Con many are making it out to be either, even if it does make it unsuitable for traditional D-pad, button mashing games. I'm sure more developers are realizing this.

It is however, very suitable for turn based games and games that can use gestures in place of button presses.

But the point is Nintendo and Apple really aren't competing for the same market.

Personally, I've bought about 10 apps on the iPhone lately, most of which were games, many of which were straight trial and dumpware, but some like Bejeweled 2 (and Zombieville) that I continue to play on a regular basis on a whim.

I've bought one game for the DS this year and that was Chrono Trigger. I won't be buying anymore games on the DS unless I really want to play them like a console game, meaning play and finish it like a dedicated game experience.

I'm probably not the only one in this boat either.