With load shedding as prevalent as it is at the moment, it’s probably a smart idea to look for an alternative to your home console or PC to game on. The hope is that handhelds should occupy you while the power is out at home, or at least for a good portion of that time. But what handheld? What should I get, and why? This Buyer’s Guide should assist with the basic handheld purchasing needs, be it hardware, video games or consoles.

So what are the most realistic and reliable options? To be blunt, South Africa doesn’t offer much in the way of variety, and exotic tech is in limited supply to say the least. So our options are generally the PS Vita, 3DS and a couple of the more capable smartphones.

The Competition

If we’re talking sheer numbers, smart devices like smartphones outnumber dedicated handheld gaming consoles many times over. Everyone owns one, be it an iPhone, iPad, Android device or a Windows Mobile device. In fact, there are so many to choose from that it often becomes rather difficult to decide which.

PlayStation Vita

Sony’s current flagship handheld gaming device. The PlayStation Vita is a great piece of hardware, and sports a small yet solid library of titles, supports cross-play on the PS4, and with your PlayStation Plus subscription, you will never need to buy another game again.

Nintendo 3DS

Also known as the “New” Nintendo 3DS, with Nintendo having recently released a brand new hardware revision that boasts a faster CPU, NFC support and an analogue nub. The 3DS stays true to Nintendo’s ethics and offers a very approachable OS that is a bit on the parental side. It’s games, however, are fantastic, the new 3D facial recognition software is really accurate and it’s got a few other tricks up its sleeve.

Smart Devices

When purchasing a new piece of hardware, it’s always important to take a few things into consideration: Price, battery, storage, etc. Let’s take the best smartphones currently on the market and compare them to their biggest competition, themselves.

Device	Battery	Storage	RAM	Screen	Platform	Price	Contract
iPhone 6 Plus	Up to 10 Hour Gaming	16GB/32GB/128GB	1 GB	5.5 inch 1080×1920 LED	iOS	R11.399|R12.999|R14.999	+/- R680 pm
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge	Up to 6 Hour Gaming	16GB/32GB/128GB	3GB	51 inch 1440×2560 AMOLED	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop	R11.999 |R15.999	+/- R680 pm
Sony Xperia Z3	Up to 8 Hour Gaming	16GB/32GB	3GB	5.2 IPS 1080×1920 LCD	Android 5.0.2 Lollipop	R10.999	+/- R550 pm
HTC One (M8)	Up to 8 Hour Gaming	16GB/32GB	2GB	5.0 Super LCD3 1080×1920	Android 5.0 Lollipop	R5.999	+\- R500 pm
Nokia Lumia 640 XL	Up to 9 Hour Gaming	8GB/ Micro SD up to 128GB	1GB	5.7 720×1280 IPS LCD	Windows Phone 8.1	R6.999	N/A

Why Smart Devices?

There are games out there that aren’t Candy Crush, believe me. iOS boasts a great library of “exclusive to the App Store” titles like Vainglory, Pirate Plunder, the Bioshock port and Bastion.

Android has its Play Store which never fails to impress. Games like Modern Combat 3, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, Plants vs. Zombies and Sonic Dash are some of the games you should probably check out.

Sure, it’s possible to stick to those pick-up-and-play titles like Candy Crush Soda, Temple Run and that darn Kim Kardashian game, but if you are looking for a more hardcore experience, know that it is available.

Prices

App prices vary from app to app. Some apps will see you paying a good R100 for, while others will have a R20 price tag. There are also an absurd amount of free-to-play games that offer in-game purchases too. Compared to a retail video game for the PlayStation Vita or Nintendo 3DS, this would be the cheaper route to go, but if you want a more hardcore gaming experience that offers better value for money, stick with the handhelds.

Why Dedicated Gaming Handhelds?

Then we have our dedicated handheld gaming devices. These offer a solid gaming experience no matter what you’re looking for.

Device	Battery	Storage	RAM	Screen	Price
PlayStation Vita	Up to 5 Hours Gaming	8GB – 32GB propriety memory card	512MB	5 inch 960×544 OLED/ LED	R2199.00
New Nintendo 3DS XL	Up to 7 Hours Gaming	4GB – 32GB Micro SD	128MB	4.88 inch 320×800 LCD / 4.18 inch LCD	R2999.00

Prices

Games for the PlayStation Vita range from R200.00 – R400.00, depending on the game. The PlayStation Store offers a quick way to purchase titles and they are often cheaper than retail. I will be frank and say that the PlayStation Vita is now a dedicated indie console, with so many indie titles being released for it virtually weekly. You will come across the odd first party title like Killzone: Mercenary and Tearaway, games that really showcase the device’s capabilities, but right now there aren’t many of those. And there won’t be too many more either.

A Nintendo 3DS title goes for around R400.00 – R500.00, depending on the game. First party titles in the Nintendo eShop are close to R450.00 and they will always stay at that price. The Nintendo eShop offers some great indie games to get your hands on too. The highlight of owning a Nintendo platform is the ability to play Nintendo’s first party titles. There are quite a number of them, and they never fail to impress in terms of quality and substance.

Are dedicated, portable gaming consoles even relevant?

New smartphones release with alarming frequency. It’s unfortunate, but it’s because of that, that handhelds offer longer lifespans and value throughout said lifespan. It’s funny but the relative infrequency that portable consoles are released at, something that should deem them irrelevant relatively quickly in the market place, keeps them viable.

Reliable, predictable hardware that developers gain experience in over the lifespan of the console means continually improved performance. It also means a guaranteed audience, which means an easier investment for developers. That’s why portable gaming consoles get the good stuff, or at least for the moment anyway. Now that the 3DS has received a new, improved version, expect it to stick around for few years more. And while the PS Vita 3000 might not be the answer to entering new markets for Sony, the console is more than good enough already. It just needs the software support.

The Smartphone vs. Handheld Debate

Granted, a smartphone, or any smart device for that matter, can do a lot more than just gaming. But making your decision always comes down to what type of gamer are you? If you are happy with the odd free-to-play title, even if they lack any real substance, then a smartphone is for you. Gaming on smartphones has come a long way, but AAA smart device titles often require the same sort of monetary investment a portable console game does. But that trend will not remain that way for long. Games like Mobius Final Fantasy, from Square Enix, aim to prove that smart devices have what it takes to do full-throttle gaming.

Given the chance and what you know, which handheld console would you purchase, and why? Or, if they’re not the solution for you, let us know. What are your thoughts on the current mobile consoles? What improvements need to be made to the next iterations? Or are smartphones just too versatile to be beaten? Let us know.

And keep your eyes out for a more advanced guide that covers some of the other options out there in the near future.

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