Loose Threads: Do you buy multi-platform games on handheld?

Lucky for us, handheld games are big business, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to afford the gold-plated robot slaves we bought to perform menial tasks for us.

So, with so many DSs, PSPs, iPhones, and mobiles in so many pockets, when it comes to a big budget game released by a big budget company, you can bet your thumbs and fingers it will be arriving on at least one, if not a few, of the above platforms.

But whereas classics like Nintendogs, Patapon, Reset Generation and Tower Bloxx make perfect sense on their respective release platforms, multi-platform titles can sometimes be little more than perfunctory cash-spinning ports in the handheld world.

It's a simple formula. Take the home console version of a forthcoming big franchise title, proceed to slice out content wholesale, give the graphics a sound beating with an ugly stick, tack on a unique control scheme/mini-game section (delete as appropriate) and add the word, portable/mobile/touch to the end of the title. Sometimes this approach works (Burnout Dominator) and sometimes it doesn't (Lego Star Wars II DS).

Last week we got to thinking about all of this and asked you lot whether you buy multi-platform games on handheld consoles or not. Here's what you said.

First to the discussion was relative newbie, daab.orion:

"Normally I don't bother to get multi-platform games on the mobile instead of the console unless I don't have the console that the better version is out on. For instance, I bought the PSP version of Sega Rally because I don't own a 360. Ironically enough, the PSP version ended up being the better build, so I guess I lucked out. "There are rare exceptions to the rule, however. Star Wars Unleashed is an instant purchase for me on the Wii, but considering how much time I spend on my new iPhone 3G, and how much dust my PSP and DS have collected since the iPhone 3G's launch, I'm going to be buying two versions of the same game for the first time in my life (iPhone and Wii). At least both versions have drastically different types of control, so it probably won't feel like a waste to buy two versions of the same title."

It's probably fair to say that Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is going to be considerably different on the Wii and the iPhone, meaning buying both versions still makes sense. But what about when the versions are less drastically different? Next to the debate was hunter_alien:

"Yes, for my PSP. I don't actually buy any multi-platform games for my PS2/PC since I have my PSP mostly because I like games on the go. Often the quality is lower, that's true, but I forgive a lot if the portable version is at least playable."

That's cheating! You have to have at least one of the current-gen home consoles for this topic. Only kidding of course, but it brings about an interesting point - can you opt for only buying a handheld console and still get all the gaming you need these days?

One of our forum grand masters, danskmacabre, seems to have a much simpler way of tackling the multi-platform question:

"To be honest, I don't really think about whether a game is multi-platform or not. When I am considering buying a game, I ask some friends about it, read some reviews and then search YouTube for videos of the gameplay. If that all checks out, I'll buy it."

You make it sound so simple. Next with a line or two on the topic was Accelorata Jengold:

"To be honest, when it comes to the PSP at least, I stick to exclusive titles. Though I'm sure I'd enjoy lots of the third party multi-platform games out there, I just can't bring myself to play a pared down version of something once I've experienced the showroom build. "There's just no way that I'll be buying The Force Unleashed on the PSP, because I'll definitely be getting the 360 version. Often the PSP does do a great job of condensing the original title into a smaller package, the GTA games are a great example. But then, those sorts of games are landmark on such a small console by definition of their genre. "When it comes to that necessary gaming junk food, (i.e. mostly all of EA's multi-platform output) I want a gallon of coke and a skip full of fries with that burger - a happy meal just won't cut it if you get my meaning."

We think we know what you're talking about. We're keener on kebabs really, and they only come in one size down our way.

Closing the argument was SetsFireToPoshHammer with a long overdue mention for the DS:

"I often buy the DS version of multi-platform games, mostly because the line isn't so clear with that console. The hardware necessitates a completely different approach and games ultimately bear little relevance to the 'showroom builds' as you put it Accelorata (for example with the forthcoming Prince of Persia DS game). "I get your point on PSP though, often the titles come across like pale imitations as opposed to a thoughtful sidestep to the under the console TV version. I think Star Wars Battlefront II has to be the worst offender on PSP, though Lego Star Wars II on the DS is a particularly memorable stinker too I'd say. "Hey, maybe this is a Star Wars thing...? I should probably make a poor joke now about the Force being strong/weak with this one or something but I just can't be arsed."

It's probably not a Star Wars thing, but we'll admit that franchise has yet to make its mark on handheld gaming. At the moment it's more of a nasty smudge.

This all feels a little open-ended this week, though we have a hunch that we'll be picking this thread up again before long.

Much like Leulier has with the 'Is world of Warcraft Mobile a good idea?' thread, chipping in with some great ideas for how the franchise could be brought to mobiles. Others were making good use of topics gone by too, with daab.orion adding some insight to the 'How much is too much for an iPhone Game?' topic. We like this trend people, keep it up!

And so on with next week's topic:

Are facebook games eating up your mobile gaming time?

As ever, the deets can be found in the forum along with a bounty of discussion from like-minded super-brained clairvoyants like yourself (the fact that you're reading this qualifies you as such).

So, remember to click 'Track It!' to be sure not to miss the next Loose Threads, and happy posting.