| Handheld systems are exactly what the name implies: gaming systems that a person can hold in the palm of his or her hand. Nintendo set the standard for handheld systems in 1989 with the GameBoy, which is not only the most popular handheld of all time, it's also the most popular game system of all time, period. Today's marketplace sees several entries by Nintendo, with Sony entering the fray with the PlayStation Portable (or PSP). The most current GameBoy is the GameBoy Advance. The GameBoy Advance can play nearly every game ever released for the GameBoy, meaning that there are thousands of games available. Due to this, and due to the GameBoy's longstanding reputation, this unit has sold very well. The GBA has a color display, with a clamshell case to help protect the screen. Another iteration of the GBA is the GameBoy Micro, which is roughly the size of an iPod Mini, while weighing marginally less. Nintendo has released another handheld device, the Nintendo DS. The DS represents the so-called "third pillar" of Nintendo's game devices (the home consoles and the GameBoys are the other two). The DS has two screens, one of which is a touch screen, and utilizes a clamshell case. The DS can play all GameBoy Advance games, but it cannot play games for the original GameBoy or the GameBoy Color. Sony's PSP competes for a similar market as the Nintendo DS, although it's a more traditional gaming unit. The Sony PSP represents Sony's first attempt at a handheld unit. The Sony PSP can play, in addition to video games, video and digital audio via small discs called UMDs, making it perhaps the most versatile of the handheld systems on the market. |
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