Portable Console War - Generation 1

[DHP]

Same as the regular consoles, only the portable versions. Going right back to the dawn of time here for some, with the Sega Game Gear and the Nintendo Game Boy. As with all these golden-oldie console debates, it's basically whether you preferred Nintendo or Sega games, although the main rivals here are perhaps not Mario and Sonic, but the legendary Tetris and the not-so-legendary Columns. Enjoy voting!

The Game Boy covers all incarnations of the console, from Game Boy, to Game Boy Pocket, to Game Boy Color. The Game Boy Advance and Game Boy Advance SP will feature in the next (and current) generation of handheld consoles.

[Bad Ambassador]

Game Boy! Oh, so much fun. As you say, Tetris probably sums it up best - the perfect puzzle game next to the dull, plodding Columns. I don't know what the secret is to making a game where you drop bricks compelling, but Tetris had it, Columns didn't. The GB also had the classic Link's Awakening, which is still probably in my Top 10 games of all-time.

The Game Gear never stood a chance, either in my heart or in sales!

[DHP]

Game Boy! Oh, so much fun. As you say, Tetris probably sums it up best - the perfect puzzle game next to the dull, plodding Columns. I don't know what the secret is to making a game where you drop bricks compelling, but Tetris had it, Columns didn't. The GB also had the classic Link's Awakening, which is still probably in my Top 10 games of all-time.

The Game Gear never stood a chance, either in my heart or in sales!

Agreed, plus it was the size and weight of a brick. This isn't the usual comparison to a brick levelled at mobile phones over 6 months old. This is something builders now use as a reference for brick manufacture!

Ah, Link's Awakening... another great title I sadly missed out on. An absolutely stunning title was Super Mario Land 2. Loved that game! I agree, it's hard to say what made Tetris so addictive and great. Perhaps it's best not to try and figure out what it was, and just accept the fact that it was brilliant in its simplicity.

[Bad Ambassador]

Agreed, plus it was the size and weight of a brick. This isn't the usual comparison to a brick levelled at mobile phones over 6 months old. This is something builders now use as a reference for brick manufacture!

Yeah. Nintendo always seem to have known that a handheld machine should be, erm, portable - something that can't be said for the Game Gear or Atari Lynx.

[Moon-Crane]

Gameboy for me. The GG was too clunky to carry around. I still pick up a Gameboy and play on it now, tbh.

[DHP]

It did have a TV-tuner accessory though. I wanted to see one come out for the Game Boy, but all they managed was a radio. I remember they brought out a camera and printer add-on for the Game Boy Color though, which seemed to be pretty popular for a while. I never got any of these accessories though as they were all ridiculously priced for me as a young lad on a paper-round income. I also had an addiction to Lego that needed funding too, so I didn't really start investing in computer game accessories until I started a proper part-time job.

[welshben23]

I'm in the minority. But I loved my Game Gear.

[DHP]

I'm in the minority. But I loved my Game Gear.

Didn't it have a colour screen? It would be unfair to say that the Game Boy was superior in every way. The screen was tiny and monochrome on the original, but the games absolutely rocked!

[CatNamedRudy]

Game Boy for me if only for Tetris!

[Wezzo]

Game Boy, though I was never much of a handheld console fan.

[Davey Boy]

I'm in the minority. But I loved my Game Gear.

Didn't it have a colour screen? It would be unfair to say that the Game Boy was superior in every way. The screen was tiny and monochrome on the original, but the games absolutely rocked!

Yeah it has to be the Game Boy all the way. I remember playing the original Pokemon years ago and it was a quality game, especially as you could link up with your friends and battle against them.

I believe the Game Gear did have a colour screen but as recall the battery life was awful as a result. I think it took either 2 or 4 of the large batteries and lasted about 8-10 hours. The Game Boy took 4 AAs I think and lasted at least 20 hours.

[me123]

Game Boy. Pokémon was a classic!

[welshben23]

TETRIS!! GRRRRR! I hated that!

[Mayday Malone]

You hated Tetris!?