executioner wrote:I'm just curious of how you guys actually see anything when using a NGPC, I have one and have a hard time playing and the light accessories are hard to find.
It's no worse than the original GBA, which I played for years. Find a good light, sit down and angle the system until you can see, then *don't move*. Kind of defeats the "portable" aspect a little bit.
Using these older systems really make you appreciate the backlighting that is now standard for portables. I wonder if there were any "afterburner"-like mods for NGPC. That certainly would have made playing games easier...
A Game Gear with a Master Converter will get you a good library of games to choose from and a lit, color display. Personally, I think this combination is one of the most overlooked and best options for going portable retro.
The only problem with some of these suggestions (Turbo Express, Neo Geo Color), is that you'll be limited to a smaller game library.
If you want console gaming on the go, you might want to look at the Nomad or an FC Mobile 2 (which plays NES carts - it's pretty cool, even with a big cart sticking out of it).
I dig the huge library that the Game Boy has to offer, so I'd go with either a Game Boy Light (essentially a Game Boy Pocket with an indigo-type background lighting set up, from Japan) if you want to keep it old school, as it only plays original Game Boy games. Or go with a GBA SP, preferably the G2 model with the brighter screen. With the GBA SP you'll be able to play almost 20 YEARS worth of carts, from black and white classics, to the GBC games like Resident Evil Gaiden and Zelda Oracles, to the newer GBA carts, all with a bright, easy to play screen.
A Game Gear with a Master Converter will get you a good library of games to choose from and a lit, color display. Personally, I think this combination is one of the most overlooked and best options for going portable retro.
The only problem with some of these suggestions (Turbo Express, Neo Geo Color), is that you'll be limited to a smaller game library.
94 games available on the Turbo isn't enough??? Mind you, I'm not sure how hard it is to find Turbo games where the OP lives. If he goes import, there are a ton of PC Engine games that never made it to other countries.
I dig the huge library that the Game Boy has to offer, so I'd go with either a Game Boy Light (essentially a Game Boy Pocket with an indigo-type background lighting set up, from Japan)...[/quote]Good luck finding a GB Light for a good price, though. It's fairly rare here and kind of pointless when you can just use a GBA SP. It won't turn heads, either.
Seriously, how many of those 94 games would you want to own? I'm not bashing the Turbo Express at all, I have one and have about 15 HuCards of what I would consider some of the best games on the system and a PC Engine adapter for a couple of Japanese games (SFII CE is an awesome game and being able to take it with you is a big boost to the TE), it's awesome and definitely a conversation piece, however, if I could have just one retro portable, the TE wouldn't be it. The library for HuCards is just more limited than other options out there. I like RPGs too much and there are next to zero (yes, I know about Neutopia and it's sequel... but for HuCards, that's about it for quality RPGs, PLENTY of shmups, though). Really, it depends on the type of games you want.
How important is "turning heads" factor? A Game Boy Light in decent shape can be had for about $50 on eBay right now. While a Turbo Express will no doubt get you attention, you're looking at around at least $150 according to a quick eBay search. For that much, you could buy a limited edition Game Boy Light that would turn heads (there's a red, clear one that looks pretty awesome). Sure you can play Game Boy games on an SP, but aren't we talking about cool and retro here? If you want a true head turner, an FC Mobile 2 with a big NES cart sticking out of it has probably yielded the most "head turning" of any portable I've played in public. People love seeing NES carts. An FC Moible 2 will set you back about $60 delivered.
It really depends on what your priorities are. Is this just a novelty item that you'll collect, get a few games for and put on a shelf? Or are you going to be relying on this system for some real game play? If your of the latter mindset, you'll want a substantial library.
BAD PIXEL wrote:
... If you want a true head turner, an FC Mobile 2 with a big NES cart sticking out of it has probably yielded the most "head turning" of any portable I've played in public. People love seeing NES carts. An FC Moible 2 will set you back about $60 delivered. ...
Actually, the more I think about it the more this is a great idea. Everyone recognizes NES carts, but nobody is used to seeing them as portable gaming. You get a huge (and cheap) library of games, including lots of really decent ones. And it's both cool and practical... assuming you are a retro gamer who loves NES to begin with.
Has anyone here actually used the FC Mobile 2? My one concern is screen size. NES games were designed with a larger screen in mind. Would playing on the FC Mobile make some games - especially as those with text - too hard to play?
BAD PIXEL wrote:
... If you want a true head turner, an FC Mobile 2 with a big NES cart sticking out of it has probably yielded the most "head turning" of any portable I've played in public. People love seeing NES carts. An FC Moible 2 will set you back about $60 delivered. ...
Actually, the more I think about it the more this is a great idea. Everyone recognizes NES carts, but nobody is used to seeing them as portable gaming. You get a huge (and cheap) library of games, including lots of really decent ones. And it's both cool and practical... assuming you are a retro gamer who loves NES to begin with.
Has anyone here actually used the FC Mobile 2? My one concern is screen size. NES games were designed with a larger screen in mind. Would playing on the FC Mobile make some games - especially as those with text - too hard to play?
I recently picked up the FC Mobile 2. I haven't tried out a game like Dragon Quest, but the text in Metroid I haven't had any issues seeing. The screen is a bit bigger than the GBA Micro, which is also pretty readable.
The only two faults I've seen with the FC Mobile 2 is that the screen is slightly too wide, which makes formerly square tiles slightly rectangular, and that it pipes a single speaker to two outputs which reduces sound quality. The second can be easily remedied with a piece of tape over one of the outputs.
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I think it's a great system. It's been used more than my Game Boy lately even.
I haven't noticed any problem reading text, and I've played a few RPGs on it.
While it's not "micro" sized, I don't think it's all that bulky, it feels comfortable in the hands instead of feeling like you're gaming on your cell phone. I grew up in the days when the Game Gear and Lynx were considered portable, though. Some people think the NES carts make it too bulky, but I think it looks cool with the iconic NES cart sticking out of it. And, in reality, you're not going to be carrying around your entire NES library, just as you wouldn't carry around your entire GB library (or other such system's entire library).
Bonus: It comes with everything you need to hook it up to your TV; AV cable, two IR remote controls, even a Zapper-style gun.
Seriously - think of it, being able to play great games like Super Mario 2, Metal Storm and Faxanadu anywhere. It's pretty cool. And I'd argue that the NES still has the one of, if not the best, most diverse game libraries out there.
My gripes: The sound. It's pretty crunchy at times. The piece of tape over one speaker outputs helps a lot, thanks MrPopo. But, forget about listening on your headphones; there's hiss and crackle everywhere. Also, the IR controllers seem a little cheap. I like the screen, even if it's small and stretched a little. There was a little too much wiggle room in the cartridge slot, so I remedied that with a few layers of duct tape wrapped around the cart slot (see photo).
Ha - yeah, I get so wrapped up in having the actual cartridge, I completely forget that playing these games anywhere is entirely possible with some emulator magic! And seriously, for ultimate portability, a DS or other portable emulator is the way to go. I just prefer systems that aren't as thin as a cell phone, as I always feel like they'll either fall out of my hands while I'm playing or I'll break it. But good point there about the DS - it's an option. Like you say though, it won't turn many heads.
