The neat importance of having "portable" systems

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

When I was far younger (and I guess nerdier?), I'd take my Dreamcast places just to have something to plug in and have fun with after we had exhausted what movies, early YouTube and TV could provide. It was really neat!

However, the DC was clearly not made for transportation — it was bulky, full of chunky wires, controllers and VMUs (not to mention, games). Getting all of that across town made me feel like a bit of a pack mule.

But I couldn't deny it was worth it.

Many years later, however, I acquired a tiny PSOne to take over the job of "on-the-go" entertainment (after having resented people just staring at my DC as if it was an alien artifact) and was very pleasantly surprised by how portable it was — I literally could pack the entire sucker and many games to go along with it on my backpack without much of an issue. There was a certain elegance to it.

That got me thinking about how neat it is to have a smaller version of a good system, even if it lacks some functionalities (you sure as hell aren't going to get your SEGA CD going on the Genesis 3) and I was wondering if you guys appreciate the portability and shelf-saving capabilities of those machines as well.

Is this something you ever think about?

 

[Guinea]

*flashback to the time me and a friend carried the 360 and the CRT all the way down Main St. to play it at another friends house*

Gotta have that gamer strength

 

[Majora Fi]

I value portability, but I'm not attached to hardware: a device that fits in my hand (and runs everything I need) is enough.

 

[iamthemilkman]

Gamecube was such a nice "portable" system. Small and had a handle to carry it to friends houses when I'd sleep over.

And even though it was huge and definitely not "portable," I had the official Xbox carrying bag for when I'd go over my best friend's house and we'd do LAN.

 

[Metroid_Hybrid]

Many years later, however, I acquired a tiny PSOne to take over the job of "on-the-go" entertainment (after having resented people just staring at my DC as if it was an alien artifact) and was very pleasantly surprised by how portable it was — I literally could pack the entire sucker and many games to go along with it on my backpack without much of an issue. There was a certain elegance to it.

Not to mention that the screen for the PSone (SCPH-131) was the absolutely perfect size & resolution for PS1 games. I've never seen PS1 games look as pretty as they do/did on that screen..

Did you get the battery too?

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

I still carrying on my Wii with me when I go to my grandma's house

 

[Metroid_Hybrid]

Gamecube was such a nice "portable" system. Small and had a handle to carry it to friends houses when I'd sleep over.

When thinking about the compartments on the bottom of the Gamecube as a teenager...

 

[Pearly]

When I was far younger (and I guess nerdier?), I'd take my Dreamcast places just to have something to plug in and have fun with after we had exhausted what movies, early YouTube and TV could provide. It was really neat!

However, the DC was clearly not made for transportation — it was bulky, full of chunky wires, controllers and VMUs (not to mention, games). Getting all of that across town made me feel like a bit of a pack mule.

But I couldn't deny it was worth it.

Many years later, however, I acquired a tiny PSOne to take over the job of "on-the-go" entertainment (after having resented people just staring at my DC as if it was an alien artifact) and was very pleasantly surprised by how portable it was — I literally could pack the entire sucker and many games to go along with it on my backpack without much of an issue. There was a certain elegance to it.

That got me thinking about how neat it is to have a smaller version of a good system, even if it lacks some functionalities (you sure as hell aren't going to get your SEGA CD going on the Genesis 3) and I was wondering if you guys appreciate the portability and shelf-saving capabilities of those machines as well.

Is this something you ever think about?

I also lugged my dreamcast around, though it was in 2001 and only for a few weeks, I would have loved a psOne and the little lcd screen attachment you could get for it at the time even more but alas, I made do.

I honestly am sometimes torn between shutting the world away by wearing ANC headphones on my vita for a few hours these days and taking over the living/sitting room with my ps5 as I play SMT V: Vengeance for a few hours or FF12 the zodiac age.

I absolutely agree though, that a small machine taking up as little space a possible is preferable.

 

[ArchienineZXAdventArchienineZXAdvent's icon]

Playing on the go is pretty satisfying

 

[Guinea]

Off topic but speaking of the weed compartments... (i had no idea the circle part could come off)

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

Gamecube was such a nice "portable" system. Small and had a handle to carry it to friends houses when I'd sleep over.

I always admired the little handle and overall smallness of the system — Nintendo were very smart about that.

Did you get the battery too?

No, got it used and with loose components (including a MultiTap that the previous owner didn't want) — couldn't really afford much more after that one ^^U

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

I always admired the little handle and overall smallness of the system — Nintendo were very smart about that.

That's make me think Nintendo put a lot of thought into making the GameCube easy to transport
I mean, not like a portable console but perfect to carry to friends house

 

[Skellerick]

The first time I really took portable gaming seriously and was when I had to cross a flood with a PS1 in my backpack to play with my friends one night

 

[ArchienineZXAdventArchienineZXAdvent's icon]

I always admired the little handle and overall smallness of the system — Nintendo were very smart about that.


No, got it used and with loose components (including a MultiTap that the previous owner didn't want) — couldn't really afford much more after that one ^^U

Wait i thought that you were talking about handheld systems

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

That's make me think Nintendo put a lot of thought into making the GameCube easy to transport
I mean, not like a portable console but perfect to carry to friends house

Fairly sure it was made, sold and marketed as a "party system" — it makes sense that they'd forego stuff like DVD playback capabilities for that, but they weren't reading the room right (the "theme" of the entire company for years).

This was the online multiplayer, multimedia age. They simply failed to adapt once more.

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

Fairly sure it was made, sold and marketed as a "party system" — it makes sense that they'd forego stuff like DVD playback capabilities for that, but they weren't reading the room right (the "theme" of the entire company for years).

This was the online multiplayer, multimedia age. They simply failed to adapt once more.

You're right, Xbox classic and PS2 are a multimedia device (even PS1 it can play music) shame for me because I really love GameCube, is a great console but it was surpassed by its technologically superior competitors

 

[SamanthaSamantha's icon]

You're right, Xbox classic and PS2 are a multimedia device (even PS1 it can play music) shame for me because I really love GameCube, is a great console but it was surpassed by its technologically superior competitors

And then they buried it by making the Wii take its controllers and games.

Just a really weird thing, man.

 

[Megarockman _1987 Megarockman _1987]

And then they buried it by making the Wii take its controllers and games.

Just a really weird thing, man.

Totally