Handheld Generations

Reserved for classic gaming discussions.
User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby scotland » December 23rd, 2016, 6:45 am

Robotrek wrote:I had a Bambino football game as a child, I'd bring it to school when I was in 2nd grade and all of the other kids would go nuts over it.


The bright VFD display is quite attractive compared to the red LEDs, plus you can start having shapes with it. I got one as a Christmas present a few years back (so now its a Christmas past), but I don't think I put much time in playing it. Do you have good memories playing it?

Here is a picture of the insides of it from the Handheld Game Museum.
Image

Robotrek
Posts: 638
Joined: June 6th, 2016, 9:24 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby Robotrek » December 24th, 2016, 7:30 pm

scotland wrote:
Robotrek wrote:I had a Bambino football game as a child, I'd bring it to school when I was in 2nd grade and all of the other kids would go nuts over it.


The bright VFD display is quite attractive compared to the red LEDs, plus you can start having shapes with it. I got one as a Christmas present a few years back (so now its a Christmas past), but I don't think I put much time in playing it. Do you have good memories playing it?

Here is a picture of the insides of it from the Handheld Game Museum.
Image


Good memories playing it? Yes. Bambino Football, PLUS coleco boxing were the 2 handhelds (though, that's being loose with the language, as they were HUGE) I'd bring everywhere. The football game is very simple, even today, pick which row your blockers run, and maneuver through the others teams defenses. It actually plays really well (yes, I still have it). The Coleco Boxing is it's own animal, and really a ball in 2 player. At my grandmothers house, my sister and I didn't have anything to play (except for this really old board game where you jump pegs), so we'd pull out the fold up TV dinner tables (gosh those bring back nostalgia) and a couple of chairs, and play that for HOURS. It sucks that we've lost the magic of gaming on the go, now it seems very prevalent with smartphones and everything.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby scotland » December 26th, 2016, 4:13 pm

Rookie1 wrote:Gen 1 (Pre-GB era)
Gen 2 (GB era)
Gen 3 (GBA era)
Gen 4 (Nintendo DS Era)
Gen 5 (Nintendo 3DS Era)
Gen 6 ????? Possibly the Switch? Also, Nintendo has jumped to the mobile market, so we might officially bring in iOS for this generation.


I do like this idea. We could flesh out years and other things.

I think this is the year I spend some time with the Gameboy/Gameboy Color library. I really missed this in real time since portables seem to tilt to younger audiences than consoles or PCs (feel free to dispute that - I don't have any statistics just an opinion). I have a moderate collection of Gen 1 handhelds, but the GB/GBC really are a leap in most everything except lighting. I am going to play the games on something backlit or the SNES or something though.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby scotland » January 2nd, 2017, 3:19 pm

Here is a fun slideshow (about 80 pictures) over the history of handheld gaming

http://imgur.com/a/k01DZ?gallery

User avatar
Retro STrife
Posts: 2520
Joined: August 3rd, 2015, 7:40 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby Retro STrife » January 6th, 2017, 5:18 pm

scotland wrote:Here is a fun slideshow (about 80 pictures) over the history of handheld gaming

http://imgur.com/a/k01DZ?gallery



Thanks for sharing this. Great read! And best of all, lots of photos. Made me aware of a few legitimate handhelds that I didn't know about. And even though many mentioned there aren't true handheld systems, they're still interesting to read about. Like the Tomytronic 3D, which I just added to my "must buy" list.

For months now, I've been planning to do a write-up on the forums here comparing several of the obscure handhelds from the '90s and 2000s, to discuss whether any are worth owning. I have several--Wonderswan, Tapwave, N-Gage, Game.com, R-Zone, NG Pocket Color, etc., even the Gizmondo--so it would give me a chance to finally use the things and play through their libraries a bit. Hopefully I get around to it soon.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby scotland » January 6th, 2017, 8:04 pm

That would be neat to read!

There is one handheld with an external projector that I think is a great idea. I've been to bars where they project sports games on the wall of the building next door, and thought it would be fun for a video game. Just imagine playing Asteroids projected on a huge wall.

Who knew that there were not one but multiple versions of portable CDi units? I didn't at least.

User avatar
scotland
Posts: 2561
Joined: April 7th, 2015, 7:33 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby scotland » January 7th, 2017, 4:38 pm

On the topic of handheld games, I acquired a few of the modern reissues of the Mattel football and baseball. More than one company amy makes these, I believe, so different models will vary. My does say "Mattel" on the back. The ones I acquired left a lot to be desired. In the football game, the lights are so bright (or the plastic so translucent) that the handheld glows an eerie and unattractive red, like its possessed. At least it plays alright, but the baseball one has increased the timing of the pitch to such blinding speed its unplayable.

borntorun
Posts: 11
Joined: March 26th, 2016, 1:40 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby borntorun » January 8th, 2017, 3:19 pm

I feel that the Microvision merits a mention as well. It was the first handheld with cartridges. The cartridges contained the operating system, and the console provided the screen, sound, and circuitry. It came out in 1979.

User avatar
Retro STrife
Posts: 2520
Joined: August 3rd, 2015, 7:40 pm

Re: Handheld Generations

Postby Retro STrife » January 8th, 2017, 4:21 pm

borntorun wrote:I feel that the Microvision merits a mention as well. It was the first handheld with cartridges. The cartridges contained the operating system, and the console provided the screen, sound, and circuitry. It came out in 1979.


Hey, glad you asked :D . Here's my write-up on the Microvision in the forums from a few years back:

viewtopic.php?f=134793&t=12180&start=10

I started the topic to gain some info on the system. Info on the individual games was sparse all over the internet. So, I ended up buying the whole U.S. collection and wrote a review of all 11 U.S. games there. That post is on page 2 of the topic.

Just last week, I finally completed my set by buying the 12th Microvision game--the European exclusive, Super Block Buster--from a German website, and now just waiting for it to come in. I'll try to provide an update/review of that when it comes in to complete the write-up.


Return to “Classic Gaming”