Metallicube said:
Yes, I've read your back and forth, and I understand what is being said, that that DS has different advantages over home consoles, and different attributes. However, aren't there also different attributes and advantages/disadvantages even among home consoles? Should PS3 sales be put with an asterisk because it is also a Blu Ray player? Should Wii sales come with an asterisk because it is the only motion controlled console (or at least was for most of this gen)? No two consoles are alike, even two home consoles of the same generation. Splitting hairs like this turns this into a very slippery slope. And anyway, going off what Rol said, I think the DS has a disadvantage in many ways over its home console cousins. Graphics are weaker, developer support is weaker, screen is much smaller, etc. At the end of the day I think you can call it a draw. DS separated from the pack not necessarilly because of "advantages" but because of the different types of games that appeal to a wider audience than 99% of games on the home consoles these days do. |
Rol actually said the DS has finally changed problems with handhelds sufficiently that the problems do not offset the inherent advantages of handhelds. The screen, amazing support, its portability and its tendency to have many copies in a single household (leading inevitably, to the price difference), are all enhancing its sales. Home consoles can't beat that when done well. The perfectly executed handheld console will defeat the perfectly executed home console, at least as of now and demonstrated by the PS2 and DS. The Blu ray effect was not terribly large, and it also had to offset a 600 dollar initial price tag. The Wii's motion, while humongous, can be compared to PS1's change to CD, not in innovation necessarily, but in effect.
All the consoles have games that appeal to all. Yes, handhelds tend to accentuate this to make up for their lack of horsepower. This has always existed. You can't really package Tetris for 60 bucks on a home console and expect not to get laughed at.








